The 2025 Wrap: 11 things APAC creatives taught us (none straightforward)

It’s that time of year when everyone posts their 'top nines,' Spotify tells us who we really are, and we pretend we didn’t see the email marked urgent. So we’re doing our version: 11 standout insights from APAC creatives who made us think, laugh, wince, and occasionally question their childhoods.

If you’re new here, Creative Minds is where we bombard creatives across APAC with a long list of questions from serious to unhinged and force them to pick exactly 11 to answer. (Why 11? Because creativity isn’t tidy enough for a top 10.)

This year’s cohort confirms that nobody arrives in adland through a straight line. Some flunked exams. Some almost became drag queens. One tried to build a jingle empire. A few wanted to escape to outer space. And yet, here they are turning chaos into campaigns and questionable life choices into great craft.

So, to close out 2025, here are 11 golden, crooked, deeply human insights from creatives who remind us that the best work usually begins somewhere weird.

Read now or bookmark for your holiday reading list:

JC Aujero: Turning budget nightmares into viral daydreams 

Senior art director, BLKJ Havas

When the budget ghosts you, improvise. JC Aujero's influencer campaign for Orocan couldn’t afford the real superstar, so he hired her impersonator instead. The parody went viral, hit Drag Race PH, and turned compromise into the ultimate flex.

"Orocan, a plastics company in the Philippines, had a hit campaign making fun of itself. The next step was to go big: get the most elite influencer to endorse our cheap product. Her rate was way beyond our budget; it was a no-go.  So, we flipped the idea and got an impersonator. It fit the brand perfectly."

Michelle Chen on the art of failing deliciously

Creative copywriter, Border X

Michelle Chen reminded us that failure can actually be… delicious. Her favourite campaign is a beer brand that literally bottles its mistakes. It’s more fractionally off than flawless, and all the better for it. 

"There’s something so satisfying about a brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously, especially in an industry where everyone’s flexing their craft credentials. It's proof that good ideas don’t always have to be polished; they just have to be true. It’s cheeky, self-aware, and has the kind of effortless charm that makes you actually want to pick up a can and see what went wrong."

Jamie Aung on the jingle that started with a cat

Associate creative director, Mango Myanmar Group

The best jingles do come from the heart. When a telco rebrand needed a voice, Aung found it in his late cat’s memory and his own vocal cords. Between midnight brainstorms and the mantra—“it’s gonna be a mess"— he’s learned that storytelling (and a sense of humour) can turn any crisis into a connection.

"Being imaginative is your biggest asset. Always dreaming up scenarios in your head is your biggest tool in life. Storytelling is the key to connect people from all walks of life."

Joaquin Torres: From rock bottom to righteous mischief

Creative director, Dentsu Philippines

"I found myself unemployed and unhappy at 23 with too much spare time and little ambition. Cash-strapped and with no diploma, I sent an application to every job listing that I could find. I only spent three months there because of a small spat, before falling in love with the thoroughly unhinged world of advertising."

Marcus Quek—Terrible grades, excellent comics and a creative career built on beautiful rebellion

Senior art director, Zoo Group

Marcus Quek believes that poor grades won't stop creatives from honing their craft. A former exam-doodler who once turned test papers into comic books, he now channels that same rebellion into work that makes people feel. His favourite ad? A simple yellow highlight from Stabilo that shows restraint can be radical.

"The one who couldn’t sit still, didn’t take school seriously, and somehow turned every exam paper into an art canvas—writing novels, drawing comics, creating characters with entire backstories and personalities. Grades? Terrible. Beatdowns from parents when results came out? Deserved. But somewhere between all that rule-breaking doodling, I found my calling."

Jessa Velasquez, the Queen of drawer ideas that deserve the spotlight

Copywriter, Ogilvy

 

The best ideas don’t always make it out of the drawer, and that’s okay. Jessa Velasquez's Nissin concept flipped ‘NSFW’ into ‘Noodles Suited For Watching’, turning cup packaging into pixelated, scan-to-watch entertainment. It never got published, but it’s the kind of creativity that doesn't take itself seriously, anchored by the people-first thinking that keeps her in love with the job.

"It’s one of those ideas that reminds me why I love creative work—having the freedom to play with ideas and connect with people in unexpected ways."

Julia Stretch: Courage became the brief

Communications & content manager, Remedy Drinks

Julia Stretch reminded us that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is put your own joy on the line. Her proudest work followed two drag queens into the desert to rally votes for marriage equality—queer, sequinned, and personal in all the ways that mattered. It showed that the best campaigns come with heart.

"This was the first time I was able to work on a campaign relating so closely to my identity as a queer woman. In the lead up to the plebiscite, it felt immensely personal to me to make sure this campaign was done right, not only for the client, but for my community."

Hatim Azizan makes AI feel more human than humans

Creative director, Dentsu Malaysia

 

 

There are many ways to discover the unexpected ways technology can be more human. Hatim Azizan's inspiring Axiata Hari Raya campaign used generative AI to turn three simple prompts into fully personalised songs, each one a little love letter in melody form. In a world of copy-paste greetings, more than a thousand bespoke tracks became proof that tech can bring back the goosebumps, not just the shortcuts.

 

A good brief can feel like a perfect recipe for an impactful campaign. Fachrul Rizal's work for OCBC NISP blended everyday banknotes and AR together to connect women entrepreneurs with the financial support they’d long been denied. He said it felt like watching his team win their first Michelin star, except the heroes were women finally getting the tools they deserve.

"What makes this campaign even more personal is that it is inspired by something I have observed at local markets. Hardworking women run small businesses and work tirelessly, but lack access to financial opportunities. Seeing that insight come to life and knowing that it resonated with so many others felt deeply rewarding."

Ya Wen: Evolution, but make it existential

Senior visual designer, Tomato Interactive

Ya Wen reminded us that evolution isn’t just for biology textbooks, but it can be a metamorphosis for people too. Her university project, Plant Evolution, treats roots, spores, and clonal growth like a lens for understanding how societies change. If plants can adapt, defend, and diversify without ever moving an inch, what excuse do the rest of us have for staying the same?

"We often say that ‘evolution’ changes society. If we consider that a changing society is continually evolving, can we learn more about the process of social evolution by studying biological evolution?"

Claire Herselman: When taking a chance turns into resonance

Senior creative, FCB Aotearoa

If Claire Herselman’s journey into adland is any indication, serendipity might just lead us to the career move of our lives. After being nudged into copywriting by other creatives, she's since crafted impactful campaigns like Southern Cross’s SPF 50+ “Sparkle Screen” for Big Gay Out. Her goal? To give a communities that's fought hard to feel proud in its own skin a way to care and protect it.

"I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, and so I flunked my first year of uni and ran away to London at 18. I then applied for the MDS advertising diploma and here we are. I get to talk nonsense all day and I'm a pro on the agency coffee machine. My art director is very happy."