5 Minutes With… James Tan

James> We’ve come a long way as an agency, with many milestones that have defined our success over the years. Yet of the many achievements and campaigns, I’ll always remember our first. Back in 2012, which was like four Olympics ago, we pitched a social activation idea to Samsung, who wanted to leverage their sponsorship of the games, to get in on the conversation. It was the ‘TweetOlympics’ campaign that got us our very first regional award at Dubai Lynx at a time when Cheil wasn’t very known in the region. Picking up an award was essential (and still is), as it inspired both creatives and management to want to do more. Since then, we’ve grown to over 180 people, expanded our disciplines, picked up even more regional and international accolades from Lynx, Loeries, Spikes, D&AD, One Show, Cannes Lions – but you never forget your first win, the one that started it all. That was the foundation from which all the golds, silvers and bronzes were built on. It’s a reminder of perseverance, belief and gratitude to the people who have made the agency what it is today.

James> A lot has changed. We’ve gone from spray-mounting campaigns on physical boards, to presenting digital, social and tech solutions to our clients. Yet, the one thing that hasn’t changed is our thinking behind creativity. From the ideas and strategies that shape each campaign, to the time and effort it takes to execute them, our thinking comes from years of experience and from learning from those around us. We encourage our team to think differently and know what battles to prioritise. You can’t win everything but you can manage the process, refine ideas better and hope for new outcomes. 

Experience has taught me to stay open, listen, be objective, and never stop pushing for better solutions. There’s still a lot we can achieve with our clients if we integrate the right channels, tell relevant brand stories, and rise above subjective-ness (which is a tricky one with so many opinions in the mix), and just get on with it to make more happen.

James> Obviously, TTL campaigns can sell more products, change consumer mindsets, positively impact the brand index, and create more business for an agency. But what makes these campaigns so impactful goes beyond just numbers and figures, or getting client appreciation emails. Bringing these campaigns to life – visualising, executing and making these ideas real is very gratifying and makes all the late nights, multiple changes, panic attacks, and chaos all worthwhile.

James> Embedding a sound, insightful strategy is key for igniting creativity. I’d recommend going beyond just market and channel research, and finding inspiring case study examples. As these will help with finding your human or product truth. If you can define your approach or thinking into one word or sentence, you can strengthen your idea and understand how to execute it. This approach can get diluted by opinions and generic insights, but getting succinct will make the campaign’s message clearer and allow for more definitive ideas. This method comes with experience and we know the value in having the right people who understand how to blend strategy with creativity. It’s a balance for us here at Cheil MEA.       

 

James> Vision is like running a marathon, it requires stamina, constant focus, and team effort to go the distance. Over time and with consistency, you can drive meaningful change for your brands and the agency. There’s no specific finish line, just a series of checkpoints for measuring progress and recalibrating goals. Every step makes a difference. It’s the audience, clients and consumers who bear witness to what you do, watching and cheering you on. Campaigns are like different runners, the baton gets handed between each one. And it’s the continued applied learnings, passed from each campaign, that drive purposeful brand transformation long-term. From our perspective, we’re focused on being resilient, proactive and agile enough to adapt to different opportunities and challenges along the way. What we hit or miss in the race builds experience, character and grit.

James> I’m committed to harnessing innovation to our advantage. Whether it’s leveraging AI platforms to spark ideas, executing concept proposals or creating tech-based solutions for clients, it’s time for exploring and enhancing our offerings. In-house, we’re developing web apps and embedding open source ChatGPT in our pilot projects – we’re constantly looking to engage audiences through tech. But innovative solutions require the right purpose and mindset. So to be market leaders in this space, we’re not resting on our laurels and constantly looking for new possibilities and applying every lesson learned forward. We’re expanding our technical know-how and know that nurturing an inquisitive spirit will progress our thinking so that it becomes part of our agency day-to-day culture.   

James> There have been so many winning campaigns from the region that have caught my attention this year, but our ‘Try Galaxy Fold Experience’ for Samsung – which picked up a Bronze Lion in the Digital & Social category – for me, was a real example of a global network collaborating well between offices. 

We’re part of the tenth largest global network, so we were able to elevate this campaign globally by weighing in on concept, supporting tech research, and testing users’ experience. It’s proof of what can be achieved when a network works together and how this cross-market approach can open doors for clients.