These past weeks have felt like springtime in Tornado Alley, with chaos swirling around. Had I been jotting these thoughts down on parchment, the inkwell would be crusted. There’s a backlog of stories in my head, demanding attention. This one has been long in the making, and overdue.
Competition, ambition, rivalry are entangled behind the pats on the back… envy barely cloaked
In this twisted weave we call the marketing industry — competition, ambition, rivalry — are entangled deep within the fabric. Beneath the revelry of accolades, cheers of congratulations and pats on the back – there’s often a glint of envy, sometimes barely cloaked.
But this isn’t a tell-all of double cross, client poaching or undermining. Not that none come to mind!
IInstead, it’s an ode to the many vibrant characters; acquaintances and lifelong friends, whose intriguing personalities have lit the path along my journey through this colourful industry. If I were to mention every name, as one friend suggested, this might read like an almanac of regional advertising over the past three decades.
While I do name some names, others will be vividly recognisable to those who know them. My focus remains on the bonds that became my support system — both professionally and personally.
Hyper-personalisation masquerades as intimacy… and the ability to form sincere connections has become a dying craft
Over the years, the allure of glitz, glamour, and pizzazz once associated with the advertising industry has lost its lustre, as many are drawn to startups or chase the transient glow of influence. Still, for some, the siren call reverberates, quietly echoing in their hearts, pulling them towards this mercurial arena, as heirs to a legacy they may not even realise they’ve inherited.
In an age where hyper-personalisation masquerades as intimacy and relationships are compressed into datapoints, the ability to form sincere human connections has become a dying craft, even among peers.
My path into this industry? About as vivid as an 8am pitch after a 36-hour shoot (or an industry after-party). Blurry, bold, and a little unhinged. It began with a string of serendipitous encounters and chain reactions, sparked by a whisper in the soul of an 18-year-old gatecrasher at an awards night.
But it took a full decade on a different trajectory (stutteringly successful, yet never quite satisfying), before my passion for ‘copy’ shifted from a side hustle to a career path. Was it destiny, or circumstance? I’ll never really know. Maybe – a bit of both.
While often chastised as a ruthless environment, breeding a ‘dog-eat-dog’ mentality and mercenary practices — opportunistic eavesdropping, idea theft, talent seduction (in all imaginable manifestations!), shadow pitches and backstabbing the norm — for those who are actually in the trenches… it’s just Wednesday.
Perhaps my detour was a blessing. Readying me for the venom beneath the velvet, and teaching me to embrace the paradox in all its brilliance. And brilliant it was!
Their exploits could have made the writers of “Mad Men” squeamish
I was fortunate to stumble in at a time when magic ruled, infused with science. When the amphitheater was roamed by some of the most charismatic wizards of local industry lore. Some of their exploits could have made the writers of “Mad Men” squeamish, to say the least. Sure “tak lepas” local broadcast regulations.
My initial awestruck state lasted about a minute. And then the full spectrum of quirks, conundrums and unrestricted genius hit with gale force. It’s a wonder I didn’t suffer whiplash. Or maybe it shook me into that ‘otak tak center’ frame of mind one needs to find balance in this topsy-turvy ecosystem.
Amidst this chaos, what ‘outsiders’ rarely see is the invisible thread that runs through it all holding its practitioners together in quiet support, adding colour to the tapestry. Call it mentorship, friendship or just basic camaraderie, its value never underestimated, by those who’ve experienced it. Never forgotten.
This is a dedication to those threads, the ones that have been my harness to sanity all these years.
I already had plenty of friends in the industry, but it was the invitation to join the Malaysian Advertisers Association that let me work alongside; or at least hover, among some of the legends who shaped this industry.
“No balls ah?!”
I was baited to sign up by someone who would go on to become not just a mentor, influencing the principles and ethics I still practise, but also my teacher in Malaysian ad regulations (and history)… and a dear friend — Matt. His constant reminders that taking on authority was also a responsibility remain a voice sorely missed since his passing.
At the head of the table sat none other than the late ‘Don’ Shahar, the president at the time; flanked by his his council of warrior women and merry men, who almost forcefully insisted that I had as much right as any to vie for a seat at the table. “No balls ah?!” was a challenge that probably lit the fuse.
The decision to recruit a relatively ‘green’ marketer from a local SME might have been out of a need for someone to keep the ice bucket replenished, or perhaps to vet the recently drafted Content Code (which I assumed was a prerequisite!). But rather than park the spiky-haired punk in a corner, I was pulled into conversations. Not just allowed to have an opinion – but pushed to voice it!
Being in a room full of people I’d only heard of (or read about), was a daunting experience each month for a 34-year-old fanboy. But titles and positions were left at the door, as mutual respect took precedence, even permitting the brash idealism of youth to challenge experience.
Aligning me at times, but always encouraging me to steer, not just row. It created an environment where the lines between Jedi and Padawan were often blurred… and the willingness to teach and to learn was mutual.
To be fair, it wasn’t exclusive to the MAA however.
If you dare to look beyond your nose, you’ll start to see the timeless patterns
While it was probably those long chats with the man-mountain the late, Big Su, since my teens — covering everything from lost teachings to religion — that seeded the jaded blend of realistic idealism I subscribe to. It was undoubtedly the near-philosophical debates we had about advertising and marketing once I’d finally stepped onto the stage, that opened my mind to two truths.
The wheel doesn’t always need to be reinvented, sometimes they just need to work better. And, if you dare to look beyond your nose, you’ll start to see the timeless patterns – and stop mistaking every shiny new motif for the next big thing.
These sifus — not self-styled, but descriptive — otais and rakan lama, each adding their own hue of colour to the vibrant canvas, could be fierce adversaries, as the ecosystem regularly stirred territorial conflicts between the various stakeholders. Yet rarely was it allowed to spill into personal spaces.
A day might begin being on the receiving end of a tirade from the larger-than-life 4As president on the opposite side of a policy debate, but by evening, we’d be sharing perspectives over drinks. The only price? The cigarette he bummed off me.
Amidst the chaos, we found kindred spirits… not just allies, but anchors who shaped who we became
This dance of rivalry and mentorship revealed the heart of our industry. Amidst the relentless tempo and stress, we found kindred spirits – anchors of guidance and support.
Of course, this barely scratches the surface of the characters who coloured my journey; from the Italianised Indian and Greek with a durian fetish, to a couple of Burghurs without the fries, and even a human jukebox who’d insist on playing your every request, anywhere!
Each of them added pages to my story, not only shaping who I’d become and lifted the blinkers from my vision, but inspired me to persevere, and offered support when resilience was needed. Some have remained constant ever since Others, have diverged from your path. Many too, have since retired. And sadly, a few will forever be missed; called to a higher cause.
This isn’t a theme exclusive to me, by any stretch; as many who were finding their feet in this industry at the dawn of this century will attest. It brought a smile to my eye that, even as I write this article, Ruban reflected on the very same; the characters and connections who added paragraphs and chapters to his own tale, at the recent Malaysian Marketing Conference.
The “Dik, that’s so Malaysian!” message you get the morning after a commercial airs, or the tease from a powerhouse steering a multinational at regional level, saying he now has to make space in his luggage for gifts of curry powder. Moments more precious than any accolade.
The lessons learnt from one of the most ruthless negotiators in the business were just as valuable as the time sacrificed by that bunch of regulars who show up each time you need to be talked off the ledge of quitting, often rewarded only with your questionable wine choices.
And of course, being a self-proclaimed wordsmith, the joy of working alongside your hero — the one who brilliantly dropped T’s from her copy — surely ranks alongside being asked for your perspective by the turbaned silhouette whose prose and hammering critiques still echo as a benchmark you strive to match.
Today mental health and wellbeing are urgent, present, affecting many
Today, science has dulled some of the magic, and math dictates more than it probably should. The lustre that once defined our industry now dims beneath the weight of performance, squeezed by shrinking budgets and plagued with inconsequential wins. Mental health and wellbeing are no longer side notes; they are urgent, present, and affecting many in ways not always visible.
Those of us who were fortunate to come in at a time when support was — instinctive, unspoken, unprompted — remember how camaraderie flowed freely, cutting across age, title, and stakeholder dynamics. Those invisible threads held us steady when the ground beneath us shook, and anchored us when world spun around us.
Many, however, walk a lonelier path. Perhaps it’s the virtuality of the times that makes bonds harder to form, or perhaps the threads have frayed so much they barely exist. What’s certain is this, the once interwoven tapestry, strengthened by each unique strand, is unravelling. Its vibrance now replaced by the superficiality of a patchwork, stitched together, but pulling apart.
In an era where ‘aloneness in the crowd’ is a silent epidemic, maybe it’s time for a pause.
That legacy of the past — where competition coexisted with camaraderie — still serves as a beacon. It doesn’t ask us to reinvent. Only to remember. Not to relive the past, but to revive the spirit that sustained it. And perhaps, the first step belongs to those of us who experienced it.
To do what our mentors did. To hold out a hand. Even to those who seem unreachable. Not to impose ideals, and certainly not to preach. But to rebuild the bonds, so that we can once more experience the vibrance, strength, and support of those unseen threads.
It’s in returning the favour that the circle is complete
As we set our own course, let us endeavour to recapture this spirit, creating a milieu where every marketer, regardless of status or association, finds belonging and support. I hold deep appreciation for my ‘Rakan Lama’, but look forward to making many more ‘Rakan Baru’ too. While I’ve benefitted from mentorship, camaraderie, and unwavering support — it’s in returning the favour that the circle is complete.
As we navigate the intricacies of this contemporary landscape, let us pledge to craft a renewed narrative, one that honours the legacy of those who led the way, and lights the path for those who come next. It’s a legacy we need ourselves, a quiet reminder of the human side of what we do.
For me, the rest of my journey will be spent doing what my sifus did for me. Holding out my hand. Offering the ear when someone needs to vent. Sharing perspective when it’s sought.
For your part. Reach out. And when the moment comes… do the same for another.
The APPIES is an annual event that presents a rare opportunity for creative, media, digital and marketing agencies or brands to present their best campaigns to the industry.
This is the only event where Live Presentations meets Live Judging.
Similar to TED Talks, The APPIES is the chance for great presenters with outstanding work to show it off to some of the industry’s most important industry leaders.
This year’s winners will receive Gold, Silver or Bronze trophies for 21 categories, and 6 special Best of Best categories (red trophies) that require no submissions!
Campaign entries must have run between June 2024 to May 2025
