PATTAYA, THAILAND – Introduced in 2012, the Lotus Legend recognizes a creative leader who has impacted, contributed to and left a lasting legacy in our industry by raising the bar for creative excellence in the region.
Each year, we ask all the ADFEST juries to nominate and vote for this Hall of Fame award. This year, 63 juries of ADFEST 2025 voted to elect Merlee Cruz Jayme, Chairmom® and founder of The Misfits Camp and former Chief Creative Officer of Dentsu International APAC as the 2025 Lotus Legend.
Merlee founded The Misfits Camp, the first-ever safe space in the world to assess and upskill neurodivergent and deaf creative adults and bridge them to the creative industry. Just this year – 2025, she founded Jayme Headquarters, a social enterprise creative agency that provides actual workplace experience for divergent creatives.
Before this, Merlee was an advertising veteran and a creative leader. She was Dentsu McGarryBowen Global co-president and led Dentsu International APAC as Chief Creative Officer to greater heights by winning the ADFEST Network of the Year 2020 and 2022, Spikes Network of the Year 2021, Cannes Lions Regional Network of the Year 2021, and AD STARS Network of the Year 2021.
As Dentsu Asia Pacific’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion lead in 2021 and 2022, her work on diversity and inclusion in advertising has positively impacted the industry.
Her work pushes Insights and innovation and inspires creative collaboration. Having won major awards, including the Philippines’s only Cannes Lions Grand Prix, she was among the eight women in the world’s top 100 Chief Creative Officers by the 2019 Drum Global Ranking.
The first Filipino to be named Creative of the Year in Southeast Asia by Campaign Asia, she was also recognized with the 4As of the Philippines Lifetime Achievement Awardee in 2023, the Hall of Fame Award by the 4As Creative Guild, The New York Festivals Creative Achievement Award, and the CEO of the Year by the International Association of Business Communicators, the Asian Marketing Federation Woman Marketer of the Year 2019, and the Campaign Asia’s Women Leading Change Women’s Advancement Champion for her creative work for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in 2024.
Merlee is one of CNN’s Leading Women, the author/illustrator of four creative books, the mom of four creative women, and an inspiration for breaking the glass ceiling in this mad men’s world.
Merlee couldn’t attend ADFEST as she chose to celebrate her birthday with her family. However, she still thanked everyone through a video message.
“You see, my birthday always falls during ADFEST, and I’ve had some incredible times celebrating in Pattaya. But this year, I decided to switch it up and spend my birthday with my family instead,” she said. “ADFEST means a lot to me. It’s a place where we can all come together to showcase how unique our work is. It reminds us of the rich insights we have, the incredible stories we tell, and the innovative ideas we create. At the heart of it all is the culture that shapes us.”
Merlee Jayme expressed that this festival has been a source of inspiration throughout her career, and she genuinely wants The Philippines to shine alongside Asia’s amazing talent.
“Let’s keep pushing ourselves so our creativity leaves a mark on the global stage,” she urged Filipino creatives. “The winners from previous years have shown just how talented Asia is, and I’m excited to see what we can achieve together in the future. After 35 years of working globally, regionally, and locally in the industry, I can confidently say that Asian creativity is special.”
Adobo Magazine’s Editor-In-Chief and Founder Angel Guerrero accepted Merlee’s award on her behalf.
Angel, who had witnessed Jayme’s remarkable career from its early days, reflected on her evolution from a young copywriter at Saatchi Manila to an industry titan — Executive Creative Director, Chief Creative Officer, and ultimately, founder and “chairmom” of her own agency.
Jayme’s journey in advertising is anything but conventional. At the age of 13, she entered a convent with aspirations of becoming a nun, seeking deeper understanding and answers about the world. It was during this period of introspection that she developed an acute sense of observation—one that later fueled her passion for communication and creativity. “She was a badass,” Angel noted, “and the convent life would not have suited her.”
Her tenacity became evident in the way she approached work. In the days when storyboards were large printouts, Jayme was often seen carrying them under her arms, ready for a pitch. It wasn’t uncommon for her to head into high-stakes meetings alone and come out victorious. Clients respected her for this boldness and confidence.
Beyond the boardroom, Jayme is also a devoted mother of four daughters — Issel, Sabine, Sam, and Inez — some of whom have followed her footsteps into the advertising industry. Balancing career and motherhood was never easy, but Jayme found a way. “She once told me that she would excuse herself in the middle of an important client meeting, run off to her daughter’s ballet recital, and head back in time to conclude the meeting,” Angel recounted.
Jayme is not just a creative leader; she is also an author. She penned Everyone Can Be Creative: Inspiring Habits from an Ex-Nun and Ten Talks. Ten Cities, with hand-drawn illustrations accompanying her words. Her passion for storytelling extends beyond advertising, influencing future generations of creatives through her books and speaking engagements.
A competitive spirit also fuels Jayme — whether in the boardroom or on the tennis court. Angel, who shares a love for the sport with her, quipped, “We both play tennis, but I wouldn’t want to get on the court with her! (Unless it was on the same side!)”
Perhaps this tenacity is rooted in her lineage. Jayme’s great-grandmother was the daughter of a Japanese samurai who eloped with a Filipino hero in Yokohama in 1898. That warrior spirit seems ingrained in her DNA, shaping her fearless approach to leadership and creativity.
As Jayme receives the Lotus Legend Award, some may see this as the pinnacle of her career. But Angel is certain it’s merely the beginning of yet another chapter. “She is far from done,” she declared.
With the recent launch of her independent agency, Jayme Headquarters, it is clear that Merlee’s journey is far from over.
adobo Magazine is an official media partner of ADFEST 2025.
