Why the Next Yasmin Ahmad May Never Get a Chance

By The Malketeer

In a quiet corner of Petaling Jaya or Puchong, somewhere, there may be a young dreamer writing scripts on scraps of paper.

The next Yasmin Ahmad. A storyteller who sees the beauty in makcik smiles, Merdeka rain, and awkward teenage love.

But here’s the question haunting our industry today: will she ever get a chance?

As the advertising world undergoes a seismic shift driven by AI, private equity, and shrinking margins, junior creatives across the globe are being shut out before they can even knock.

In Malaysia, that closed door may be becoming dangerously close.

Where Have All the Juniors Gone?

Since early 2022, ad agency employment in the U.S. has dropped by more than 10%.

Entry-level roles are disappearing as agencies automate routine tasks and replace fresh grads with AI-powered tools or multi-hyphenate mid-senior hires.

The Malaysian scene isn’t far behind.

Internships are thinning. Graduate roles are rare. And juniors are too often relegated to unpaid stints, long hours, and short-lived hope.

We are witnessing the slow death of the apprentice model—the very system that once nurtured legends like Yasmin Ahmad, the late, great storyteller who began in the trenches and went on to move a nation.

Today, those trenches are being paved over.

The Rise of the “Senior-First” Agency

Globally, independent and PE-backed agencies like DEPT, Known, and Croud are rewriting the rulebook.

They’re hiring aggressively but selectively. Most of their roles are senior-leaning, demanding hybrid skills in AI, social translation, and strategic adaptability.

Meanwhile, nimble creative shops like Cape Agency and Nice&Frank are also on the rise—lean, fast, and favouring “director-level decision-makers who still roll up their sleeves.”

Here in Malaysia, indies like Muma, Fishermen Integrated, Ampersand Advisory, and IDOTYOU are setting the new tone.

With smaller, agile teams and razor-sharp focus, they’re delivering stunning work without the bloat of old-school agency layers.

But many of these outfits—like their Western counterparts—still struggle with one thing: where do you place junior talent in a machine built for speed and seniority?

Yasmin Didn’t Walk In With a Degree in AI

As holding companies automate and “integrate”, the modern adworker is expected to prompt, generate, strategise, and deploy—all before lunch.

At agencies like Known, every employee is required to incorporate AI into their daily workflow from legal to analytics.

In Malaysia, we risk mimicking this trend without adapting it.

Instead of cultivating digital-first storytellers with heart, we’re chasing the next platform wizard or data analyst, assuming creativity can be templated.

Let’s be clear: AI is not the enemy.

But it cannot mentor. It cannot empathise. And it cannot spot the sparkle in a shy intern who sees the world just a bit differently.

Reimagining the Path In

Not all is bleak.

Globally, some forward-thinking agencies are fighting back.

Croud has dropped degree requirements and expanded its internship programme to reach underrepresented groups.

DEPT lets new hires “major” and “minor” across disciplines, giving them range from day one.

And Nice&Frank is slowly building infrastructure to support raw, junior voices.

Here in Malaysia, we need our own versions of these programmes—tailored to our realities.

Imagine if the 4As and MSA spearheaded a Creative Futures Fund to co-finance internships in indie agencies.

What if every agency pitch to a GLC required at least 10% of the delivery team to be under 25?

What if our best minds volunteered twice a year to mentor emerging talent in public universities and polytechnics?

What if we didn’t wait for the next Yasmin—but built systems to find her?

Don’t Let the Flame Go Out

Malaysia’s greatest advertising icons didn’t start with LinkedIn followers or perfect portfolios. They began with a chance. A brief. A belief.

If our industry deprioritises junior talent in favour of senior-led, AI-assisted speed, we may win the short-term efficiency game—but lose our future.

As Forrester’s Jay Pattisall warns, “We’re seeing the erosion of the apprentice model.”

And when the pipeline dries, no amount of tech or capital can recreate the spark of human originality.

So the next time we approve a hiring plan, a pitch team, or an annual budget, let’s ask ourselves: are we leaving space for the storyteller who hasn’t yet found her voice?

Because if we don’t, someone else might. Or worse—no one will.