PR / News

Reflections from Creative Coaching By Alfred Wee

28 November 2023

2023 REFLECTIONS FROM CREATIVE COACHING:
ALFRED WEE, EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
MCCANN WORLDGROUP SINGAPORE 

 
Cindy Permata, Art Director, Ogilvy, Indonesia

It's 9 a.m. in Indonesia, and Cindy joined the call on time. She quickly appeared on our Zoom meeting, just as she was prompt when we scheduled the meeting a few months ago. Cindy is an Art Director who recently had her ad campaign for the Biosol client published in Campaign Brief Asia, and she was excited to talk about it. During our conversation, she asked me about my experience working on brands and the creative process. However, it was clear that she was more interested in discussing career growth and how to move into the next senior role.

As someone who has been in the industry for a while, Cindy recognizes the importance of learning about AI in the industry to advance. We discussed the ethical implications of using AI in advertising and whether it can benefit or harm us. We also discussed the future of AI-created ads and whether brands still need custodians. We wondered what would happen to storytelling if AI ran productions.

We had to end due to time constraints, but we agreed to continue our Q&A sessions in the future by staying in touch.
 
David Kim, Associate Art Director, MRM, NYC

Our next story takes us to New York City at 10 pm, where we meet David Kim, originally from Australia, but now residing there. David shared his journey with us, from working in a design house to a network agency. Immersing himself in a new culture and meeting diverse people gave him a fresh perspective.

During our conversation, we discussed the importance of incorporating storytelling into different aspects of our lives and jobs, enabling personal growth with cultural shifts and transformation by re-inventing ourselves. David and I also explored whether we had anticipated our roles evolving, especially as we transitioned into management and creative leadership. Our answers revolved around learning, gaining experience, embracing the new, and identifying our strengths to drive change and adaptation. It was a pleasure conversing with David as he found the coaching session to be a north star that he can navigate his way forward to. He is currently adapting to his new surroundings in the bustling city of New York. Based on his journey and experiences, it is evident that he has the potential to become a promising future leader. His willingness to embrace change and overcome new challenges is a testament to his potential, and it will be fascinating to witness his growth and development in the coming days.