5 Minutes with … Cyril Louis
As the world around us changes, so does the advertising and design landscape.
At the dynamic intersection of technology and creativity, you’ll find Cyril Louis. ECD at LePub APAC, fusing technical prowess and artistic flair, makes Cyril stand out. Delving into a career that has taken him worldwide, Cyril sheds light on how his experiences have sculpted his creative leadership and empowered him to navigate diverse cultural contexts.
Cyril offers a fascinating look at tackling brand challenges and cultivating authenticity in today's digital landscape, with insights on generative AI, industry awards, and the work that makes it worthwhile.
LBB> Your background is quite diverse, spanning mechatronics and fine art. How has this unique blend of technical and creative skills influenced your approach to advertising and design?
Cyril> Fusing two seemingly disparate worlds – Mechatronics and Fine Art – enables me to bridge the gap between technology and artistry.
In my work, I merge storytelling and systematic thinking – both creative ways of thinking. Stories = simplicity and creativity in time. Systems = possibilities and creativity in space. By merging both, you can craft compelling stories and engaging experiences woven into one narrative.
LBB> How has your international experience, including working in London, Los Angeles, and Dubai, shaped your creative leadership and how you approach advertising in different cultural contexts?
Cyril> Having worked across various continents and cultures, I’ve had the opportunity to explore diverse working methodologies. From the Brits’ strategic approach to Americans’ highly structured formulas and the open Majlis method of Dubai, I’ve realised that there is no single winning formula.
The efficacy of any methodology depends on several factors – the people involved, the context, the culture, and other parameters. As a leader, I still draw on them occasionally, but our most significant strength is LePub’s systemic approach to using data, innovation and cultural expertise as the springboard for creativity.
LBB> You're leading brands like Heineken and Tiger Beer. What are some key challenges and opportunities you've encountered while working with such globally recognised brands in the APAC region?
Cyril> Heineken and Tiger Beer face a common challenge, which paradoxically presents an opportunity.
The beer market is saturated with products, necessitating differentiation through brand positioning, stance, attitude, and values. This is a challenge but also a tremendous opportunity, especially in APAC, where there’s a huge appetite for anything new, whether tech, fashion, or experiences. It’s incredible to be part of this energy.
LBB> Problem-solving and conceptual thinking are at the core of your work. Can you provide an example of a particularly challenging problem you've tackled and how your creative approach led to a successful solution?
Cyril> One challenging problem is when a societal issue hits brands. For example, working late is a global issue in offices worldwide, and for Heineken, it manifested as people socialising less and going to bars less often.
So Heineken is spreading awareness of work-life balance with the #WorkResponsibly platform — a global platform of localised campaigns with regional insights to remind everyone that friends and a life outside of work are essential.
One of these campaigns is "The Office Cleaners", an idea that involved several LePub offices and was implemented in Argentina, where cleaning staff arrive at offices after 8 p.m. To reach employees stuck overworking, they became the perfect reminder to leave work and meet friends in bars nearby. We partnered with the seven biggest cleaning companies in the country, which cover 83% of the offices in Argentina’s private sector. We printed QR codes on their uniforms and equipment. Employees could get a free beer at the nearest bar by scanning them.
By printing our communication on the cleaners' uniforms, we created a new outdoor media to generate conversions in bars. Heineken became the beer brand most associated with supporting work-life balance, proving that when brands respond to societal challenges, they enrich people’s lives and ignite business growth.
LBB> In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, how do you approach building and maintaining brand relevance and authenticity?
Cyril> In today's world, we are inundated with a constant stream of content, making it easier than ever for brands to be overlooked. As a result, we strive to find ways to stand out and make a meaningful impact.
For this to happen, brands need to move at the speed of culture, stay true to themselves, know their audience, and, more importantly, take a stance. A shift from a marketing mindset to an entertainment mindset is needed, which involves creating content that fosters association, affinity, and cultural contribution.
LBB> Could you share a memorable project or campaign from your career that you're especially proud of?
Cyril> We recently launched TIGER Summer Puffer. Puffers have become one of Gen Z’s hottest obsessions worldwide, but in Tiger Beer’s home region of Asia, the tropical heat means this wardrobe must-have is a no-go. So, to beat the heat for the fashion-forward generation, the Summer Puffer has a first-of-its-kind beer-powered cooling system fuelled by ice-cold Tiger Beer.
The product proposition of Tiger Crystal inspires the idea of the ultimate crystal-cold refreshment for your fire. It uses Tiger Crystal to power the same system NASA developed for astronauts, a Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment (LCVG) worn under their spacesuit to keep them cool. An ice-cold Tiger Beer is used to chill water, pumped around the wearer’s body via a network of tubes.
It shows how at LePub, we go beyond traditional advertising by tapping into youth subcultures to connect with them at a cultural level and build more vital relevancy and resonance for the brand.
LBB> With numerous honours and awards to your name, what role do awards play in the creative industry, and how do they motivate you and your team to strive for excellence?
Cyril> Awards are only meaningful if they are actual campaigns with tangible business results. We don’t make award-winning work for the sake of it. For LePub, it always starts with work that resonates in culture and creates results for our clients. If we win with this kind of work, I have to admit, it feels pretty good. I’m proud that LePub APAC won eight Lions in Cannes in 2023 in our first year of operation.
LBB> Finally, what trends or technologies are you most excited about, and how do you see them shaping the future of advertising and design?
Cyril> Generative AI. We’re on the cusp of an era marked by the emergence of novel thinking combinations. Among these exciting blends is the fusion of creative thought, ingenuity, and imagination of the human mind with the vast generative capabilities of machine learning and AI.
A widespread misconception surrounds AI tools, suggesting they do everything for you. These tools are more automated and seemingly magical, enabling anyone to generate passable results within seconds, but they are only as creative as the mind behind them.
I don’t think this convergence will impede the flow and quality of creative ideas. However, what will undoubtedly change is that those who embrace a unique mindset early in their workflow and become adept at utilising Generative AI will gain a competitive advantage.
