Hakuhodo Malaysia shifts its creative gears with multifaceted advertising heavyweight, Daniel Loo, as its new Creative Director

To breathe new life into its creative department, Hakuhodo Malaysia was on the lookout for a candidate who has the versatility and agility to manoeuvre across different media.

With the minefields of uncertainties that plague the world currently, the ability to adapt, collaborate and harness creativity with a strategic compass in hand has become more pivotal than ever.

Daniel, with his diverse background in traditional and digital media, as well as his varied leadership roles on both ends of the agency-client spectrum, ticked all the boxes that Hakuhodo was looking for in their quest for a creative hybrid leader.

He has over 20 years of experience in branding and communication, and has led creative teams in some of the top international advertising agencies in Malaysia including Ogilvy and McCann.

He was also the Regional Head of Copy in Grab, at an exciting period when the unicorn was reaching its significant 5-year milestone.

It was an insightful experience on what the next generation of businesses entail. It also gave him a cross-cultural perspective from working with creatives and stakeholders from different countries.

His work has been recognised in creative award shows like the Cannes Lions Festival, New York Festivals, London International Awards and the Kancil Awards.

Daniel is also known in the industry, amongst his peers and clients, for being a strategic thinker. Besides creative triumphs, his campaigns have also won marketing effectiveness awards at the Effie Awards, Appies Awards, Yum Reel Awards and the Marketing Excellence Awards, including a gold as a client at the Ad Stars Awards.

Daniel has pretty much worked on almost every category of brands under the sun, with many blue-chip accounts under his belt, including Maxis, Huawei, Bank Islam, OCBC, Pizza Hut, Unilever, GSK, Libresse and Nestle.

When asked about the future of advertising, he replied, “It will be more immersive and personalised for sure. Digital will continue to dominate with new media trends, but don’t lose track of what matters more – evolving human behaviour and beliefs. Whether it is radio or AR, it’s still about building true connections with consumers, who are not just a number in an algorithm, but a living person with a heartbeat.”

Woon Hoh, Regional CCO of Hakuhodo remarked, “I’m excited to have Daniel on board with us. I believe that his diverse and worldly exposure will add a fresh and dynamic dimension to the agency.” Ryusuke Oda, Hakuhodo’s Managing Director enthused, “With the recent changes in key positions, Hakuhodo is approaching a new dawn. Functions and roles are transcending out of their silos of conventional definitions. As an industry, we can no longer pigeon-hole ourselves.”