MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Challenging times give birth to expertise, agility, and speed. This is why Dentsu Aegis Network made the big move to introduce Dentsu One Manila this month. Dentsu One Manila is a creative and digital-led agency designed to answer the changing needs of clients during the markets’ move toward normalcy. Formerly known as ASPAC, Dentsu One Manila offers business solutions and provides integrated marketing services that meet market needs especially during the post pandemic times.
Merlee Jayme, Global Co-President of dentsumcgarrybowen, who is also the Chairmom for the country’s Creative Line of Business will oversee the business and creative growth of the agency along with sister agency Dentsu Jayme Syfu.
Dentsu One Manila will be led by Chief Strategy Officer and acting Managing Director Ez Abero. He is joined by Jerry Hizon as chief creative officer. Rey Leuterio as executive planning and business development director completes the management team. Leading the Japanese accounts are Masako Okamura as executive creative director and Yuki Koga as regional account director.
Dentsu One Manila also has a Content, Activations and Design division called DOJO. Offering different skill sets and capabilities, DOJO is headed by Joey Ong as managing director and executive creative director and Rissa De Guzman as the general manager.
Dentsu Jayme Syfu’s former Strategic Planning Director, Abero has more than 12 years of strategic planning experience across multinational and independent agencies. He played a key role in boosting the agency’s portfolio through significant pitch wins for the Coca-Cola Sparkling business, SariMonde and Nestle Cerelac’s local and regional campaigns.
In 2018, Abero moved to Ho Chi Minh City to lead Leo Burnett Vietnam’s planning team. His team successfully worked on the agency’s biggest accounts: Samsung Digital & Corporate and Friesland Campina.
Chief Creative Officer Hizon on the other hand, held the role of Dentsu Jayme Syfu ECD since 2016. His 25-year advertising career includes winning various international and local awards for clients like Belo Essentials, Uber Philippines, Jollibee, Unilever, PLDT SME Nation, BPI, Adidas and Gabriela, making him consistently among Adobo Magazine’s top-ranked ECDs of the Philippines.
His training in DDB Amsterdam as an Exchange Creative gave him a strong digital background.
Just last year, he was part of a Global Creative Workshop for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, held in Los Angeles, California.
Jayme shares how they have worked through the years. “Ez, Jerry and I have been powerful partners. Their thinking and creative work bear strong business results. Their agile work process helps solve business problems efficiently and effectively. The change in leadership from the top aligns with the global vision of providing idea-led, data-driven and tech-enabled creativity in our line of business.”
“I am thrilled for this new chapter of the agency and I am confident that Ez and Jerry will drive the innovation agenda ingrained in the Dentsu brand, fueled by their proven strategic and creative strengths,” says JC Catibog, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network Philippines.
Overseeing the agency’s transformation, Managing Partner Alex Syfu feels that “Ez and Jerry’s work disciplines coupled with their strategic and creative capabilities will help them drive Dentsu One Manila’s business growth and creativity.”
