CreativeFest 2019: Opening with Burger King Global CMO Fernando Machado, the Biggest Creative Gathering Celebrates its First Day

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The much-anticipated 4As CreativeFest 2019 launched its first day today, April 25, with the country’s top executives championing creativity onstage to an audience of the generation creating the next era of content.

Opening with the man behind some of Burger King‘s craziest and most successful campaigns was Fernando Machado, Global CMO of the famous flame-grilled brand. Known for being a brave brand, he admitted to actually being fearful before launching their campaigns, especially the craziest ones: “Be afraid. Be very afraid. But do it.”

He gave 5 things to help advertisers cope with fear in creating ads:

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Understand your brand.
Create a great brief.
Let the idea grow.
The worst thing that could happen is NOTHING.
One team.

“If I don’t know how to do an idea after 20 years in marketing, it’s a GOOD THING because that means it’s new.” – Fernando Mechado at @4AsPhilippines #Creativefest2019
— adobo magazine (@adobomagazine) April 25, 2019

“If you want to do great work, be ready to fight, and be ready to eat lunch alone.” – Fernando Mechado of @BurgerKing @4AsPhilippines #CreativeFest2019
— adobo magazine (@adobomagazine) April 25, 2019

Following his blockbuster of a presentation, was another much-anticipated session with the leaders of top brands and creative agencies. They went head to head in the ultimate discussion about agency-client compensation, if there’s such a thing as ‘too creative’ and the important relationship between the two.

Paolo Mercado, SVP/Director of Marketing Comm., Nestle Philippines
Ana Legarda-Locsin, Communications Head, P&G
Pat Go, Vice President, Universal Robina
Melvin Mangada, Managing Partner/CCO, TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno
David Guerrero, Creative Chairman, BBDO Guerrero
Merlee Jayme, Chairmom and CCO, Dentsu Jayme Syfu

#Creativefest2019: Creatives and brands go head to head and talk about “Creativity From The Eyes or Creatives and Clients”.
Question: Is there such a thing as “too creative”? @4AsPhilippines pic.twitter.com/UmrfCuuDOz
— adobo magazine (@adobomagazine) April 25, 2019

The afternoon lineup was then started by Ted Lim, Dentsu Asia Pacific Chief Creative Officer going deep into the impact of Gut and Data individually, and the increasing need for the collaboration of both: “Data tells us where the customer is. Media gets us there.”

“Clients don’t trust guts because they can’t measure it.” – Ted Lim of Dentsu Asia Pacific @4AsPhilippines #CreativeFest2019 pic.twitter.com/AAbKTzIS67
— adobo magazine (@adobomagazine) April 25, 2019

The next panel discussion was led by our very own adobo magazine’s Founder, President and Editor-in-Chief Angel Guerrero with the woman leaders heading their companies to constant success – the “Marvelous Misses of the Industry: On Their Journey to the Top”.

Mylene Lopa, Chief Marketing Officer, Sunlife Financial
Teeny Gonzales, CEO & CCO, Seven A.D.
Golda Roldan, Managing Director, J. Walter Thompson Philippines
Venus Navalta, CEO, IPG Media Brands

Moderating the session, herself a Marvelous Miss, is @adobomagazine’s Angel Guerrero @angelguerrero. #creativefest2019 pic.twitter.com/TDiysjEgjn
— 4As Philippines (@4AsPhilippines) April 25, 2019

“We speak less, we listen more. So when we speak, we add more value.” – Venus Navalta of @ipgmediabrands. #CreativeFest2029 @4AsPhilippines
— adobo magazine (@adobomagazine) April 25, 2019

Revealing the secret of the success of the #KwentongJollibee phenomenon was Jollibee Global CMO Francis Flores on the first part of “The Client and Creative Partnership That Works” – the “Work that Works” session. He was followed by the creative agency behind the successful campaign, Raul Castro, Chair/CEO of McCann Worldgroup Philippines on the “Work that Wins”.

Lastly, closing the jam-packed day of insightful talks and conversation-starting discussion panels was maybe one that was anticpated the most. Celebrating the best of Philippine creativity were the Jury Presidents of this year’s Kidlat Awards: