MANILA – Publicis JimenezBasic (PJB) has snapped up Trixie Diyco from Ace Saatchi & Saatchi. Her appointment follows the hiring of Brandie Tan in the first phase of PJB beefing up its creative bench strength.
The pair will serve as joint-executive creative directors. PJB had operated without an ECD for three years.
“We had a gap in the creative leadership and this is the right time for PJB. We hired the best art director in Brandie Tan and the best writer in Trixie Diyco. We think it is time to improve the quality of the work and raise our profile. For example, as Brandie put it ‘to improve the craft’,” said the agency’s co-CEO JR Ramos.
While describing her decision to leave Saatchi, as heartbreaking, Diyco added: “I just couldn’t say no to PJB – they’re one of, if not the top-billing agency wanting to be a top creative agency, as well.
“They’ve a mind-blowing roster of the biggest, most iconic Filipino brands, now craving world-class work. They’ve a creative department with hungry, talented, energized, hardworking creatives who just need a chance.”
Diyco’s work on Saatchi’s biggest award-winning campaigns, including ‘Screen Age Love Story’ for PLDT and Safeguard’s ‘Suck Toe/Pick Nose/Tear Wipe’, lifted her to pole position in adobo’s 2013 ranking of creative directors.
Tan , who joined PJB fresh from a stint as Lowe Malaysia ECD, said the push to boost the agency’s creative firepower came from both the local and global level; the latter with Erik Vervroegen’s 2012 appointment as global creative head.
“PJB is the largest ad agency in terms of billings, with over 200 brands… (it) produces 150 TV commercials a year. There has always been a lot of opportunity. The work has always and been popular work and there is a lot of opportunity to be more creative, to make the work better,” he said.
PJB was also beefing up its design and digital departments, and will shortly announce the hire of a team from BBH Singapore for digital.
