TAMBULI AWARDS
THE WORK
90
John Merrifield
of how creativity can be applied
for positive effects AND results.
“Advertising is about solutions and
‘why not this agenda?’ It’s there to
change your mind about an issue,
effect change, can be used for great
good or huge evil—don’t just sell
toothpaste and build websites,”
Taylor began earnestly with a smile.
Creatives must work with
brands to create for good, Taylor
continued, saying: “This immense
power is why the (D&AD) White
Pencil was created in 2012, to
honor communications that
demonstrate positive social impact.”
Some winners of this sought-after
distinction include Samsung’s
‘Safety Truck’ by Leo Burnett,
Optus ‘Clever Buoy’, and ‘Security
Moms’ by Ogilvy which saw zero
casualties (real results!) at what
used to be Brazil’s rowdiest or most
violent annual football match.
Sometimes, it’s simple ideas with
outcomes that get results: ‘Solidarity
Queue’ created a new channel
of blood donation, and “What 3
Words” facilitated an uncomplicated
to communicate location—providing
an exact address for people living
in various locations, whether
they be post-calamity temporary
housing or a favela in Brazil.
“Creating for good is so
important and APAC can lead the
way,” Taylor emphasized, segueing
into her introduction of D&AD
Impact (dandadimpact.com)—
which is the White Pencil taken to
another level—affecting cultural/
adobo magazine | July - August 2016
Anne Rayner
social/political outcomes—great,
transformative and creative ideas
that are original, innovative,
and relevant. In a future where
companies win a White Pencil for
being an ethical business or social
enterprise—it can only point the way
to a better future for generations to
come as conscientious consumers
not only vote with their wallets,
but discerning awards bodies
reward ingenuity and positive
results to encourage bar-raising
in the realm of doing good.
A FEW GOOD MEN
Asterio Gutierrez wrapped up the
conference with his bare-bones
presentation, talking about the
people who have helped him on the
way up—and how he’s paying off
his debt to them by enabling other
creatives. First on the list: Eric Cruz,
a Filipino American creative who
started a lab in Tokyo that became
so famous, he was deluged with
phone calls from young creatives
dying to work with him. “He could’ve
abused their desire to work, but he
didn’t. He made sure they got paid.
He took a lot of them in and put
them under his wings,” he shared.
Cruz and Gutierrez’s paths
crossed at an advertising festival
in Malaysia. “I told him, I’ve been
dying to work for him, and then he
said, do it, come to Kuala Lumpur,
and so I did. It opened a lot of
doors for me, so when I left, I told
him, I hope to pay him back. He
told me to just pay it forward.”
And pay forward Gutierrez did
when he met Japanese creative, Rei
Inamoto. During that time, Gutierrez
was running a team of ten people
whom he connects with regularly via
Skype. The ‘Inspiration Sessions’
were sparked by his trip to AdFest,
and he would send out emails to
creative heads, asking them to train
his team. Inamoto was one of the
first to accept Gutierrez’s invite.
“It was one of the most inspiring
sessions ever. We’ve learned that
you can be tough, but not rough.”
When Gutierrez left the agency,
the former Global CCO of AKQA
Worldwide offered him a job.
The third man: Sir John Hegarty,
Chief Creative Officer of Bartle Bogle
Hegarty.“Sir Hegarty spent a whole
hour with my team. He toured them
in his office, which is absolutely
generous and humble, knowing that a
founder and head creative is speaking
to a random group of ten people from
China and from a rival network. Until
now I’m still overwhelmed by how
humble he is,” Gutierrez explained.
The factors that link the three
mentors? “They would always
ask what’s the meaningful human
element of this (idea). They
demanded goodness with equal
measure of greatness. These three
people have done so much good
work, which are still around. It is
through meeting with them that
I’ve learned these lessons: creating
is inherently an act of good, doing
good takes great, and it takes such
generosity of spirit to do good.”