MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Arguably one of the most celebrated women in the Philippine advertising industry, Dentsu Jayme Syfu’s Chairmom Merlee Jayme recently passed on the baton to ECD Louie Sotto making him the next Chief Creative Officer of the agency. Now, Merlee Jayme takes a step further as the international network announces her new position.
Just tonight, it was announced that she would be leaving her post at the agency and moving to a global role as Co-President of a newly-formed global agency called dentsumcgarrybowen.
In making this exciting new step, she is set to lead the new agency with Jon Dupuis. Together, the duo will report to Jean Lin, Global CEO, Creative, Dentsu Aegis Network. The launch opens a global full-service creative agency combining best-in-class creative services and brand solutions, bringing together mcgarrybowen and Dentsu brand agencies. dentsumcgarrybowen will be leaders in idea-led brand transformation on a global scale.
Jayme is bringing over decades’ worth of award-winning work and recognition for her excellent display of creative leadership over the years. This is showcased in shiny metals and heavy plaques from international shows, her multiple seats in global judging panels, the invitations she has received to conduct talks and discussions in major creative festivals, and the overall creativity and ingenuity that has embodied Dentsu Jayme Syfu’s body of work under her stead.
Unbeknownst to some people, it was actually Jayme and her team who brought the country its first-ever Cannes Lions recognition back in 2008 with “Duct Tape” for women’s rights group Gabriela in the Media Lion category, under the 3-year old agency that was then-called DM9 Jayme Syfu. In 2013, the agency, once again, made history as it brought home the Philippines’ first Cannes Lions Mobile Grand Prix with “Smart TXTBKS” for Smart Communications, one of the country’s biggest telecommunication brands.
This independent agency Co-Founded by Jayme was then acquired by Dentsu Aegis Network in 2015 to become the Dentsu Jayme Syfu of today.
Under this name, the creative agency grew even more in size as it welcomed new team members; in client list as it won new creative mandates; and, in esteem as its name grew to become one of the country’s most sought-after and highly regarded advertising agencies.
Through the years, the agency has received multiple accolades for its campaigns that have not only been put under the local spotlight but a piece of the global creative community’s attention as well. One of its biggest winning works (in literal size and number of awards) was definitely “Dead Whale” in 2018, a project it headed for Greenpeace Philippines to bring some much-needed attention to the issue of pollution and waste management in the country.
The campaign was awarded numerous metals in major advertising award shows such as The One Show, New York Festivals AME Awards, ADFEST, APAC Tambuli Awards, AD STARS, Clio Awards, D&AD Impact Awards, Spikes Asia, Cannes Lions, and more.
Moreover, Merlee Jayme is the first Filipino to be named the prestigious Creative of the Year for Southeast Asia in the Campaign Asia Pacific Agency of the Year Awards. She is also one of only 8 women in the 100 Best Chief Creative Officers in the world, based on the Drum’s global ranking in 2019.
Under her leadership, Dentsu Jayme Syfu has also already been named the 2016 Creative Agency of the Year Philippines by Campaign Asia and the inaugural SPIKES ASIA Country Agency of the Year 2017, and The 4As Agency of the Year Best in Creative 2018. It also topped the 2018 adobo magazine Creative Rankings as the #1 Creative Agency, with Jayme following suit with the #1 Chief Creative Officer rank.
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