The high from ADFEST 2026 continues. Propel Manila’s Sofia Jayme and Arvin “Ching” Chingcuangco, the Philippines’ representatives for the Young Lotus competition, are still riding the wave of excitement from a whirlwind week defined by creativity.
Young Lotus is an annual workshop and competition hosted by ADFEST, designed for young creative professionals from the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions. This year, 15 teams from cities like Bangkok, Riyadh, Gurugram, Hong Kong, Seoul, and Taipei competed under the theme “UNBOUND: The Next Era of Creative Culture.”
Hosted by Google and led by Chairperson Geia Lopez, Head of Creative and Creator Partnerships at Google Southeast Asia, this year’s Young Lotus Workshop included a lineup of creative leaders: Wei Watthanasittha, Ken Attornd, and Rushit Jhaveri of Google Southeast Asia, and Iain Nealie of Le Truc.
After the workshop, the representatives were given a brief for a campaign to be completed within 24 hours. They faced a tough panel of judges: Park Wannasiri, Chief Creative Officer of VML Thailand; Toy Watcharapruk, Managing Director of AnyMind Group; Sandipan Bhattacharyya, Chief Creative Officer (India) of Monks/S4 Capital; Lopez; and Watthanasittha.
With the memories from the festival still fresh in their minds, Sofia and Ching exclusively spoke with adobo Magazine to recount the adrenaline-fueled journey of representing the country on the international stage.
Grappling with the brief
The brief centered on capturing the Gen Z market and making them fall in love with YouTube. Sofia and Ching asked a “harsh but necessary” question: Why isn’t Filipino Gen Z using the platform as much?
“Right now, YouTube’s suggested content can feel like an echo chamber. If you watch a few videos about gaming or living alone, the algorithm aggressively feeds you the exact same content every single day. For Gen Z, this feels incredibly restrictive. We are a generation that is constantly being told who we are by society and the media,” Ching explained.
He further noted that YouTube’s algorithm boxes people into single, rigid interests, which they dislike. Their big idea was born out of a desire for fluidity, which they called “/reLabel.”
“Instead of creating a campaign that simply promoted brand love, we asked ourselves: How can we flip it? What about the platform can change to truly grow authentic love for YouTube in the realest way? From there, the idea of going against labels — giving people the choice to reject them — sparked,” Sofia said.
The disastrous 24 hours
As exciting as it was to collaborate, the process began with a concept that almost ended in disaster. During the initial brainstorm, Sofia and Ching fell hard for an idea and worked on it for eight hours, believing it would stand out.
However, when they cross-checked it against the brief, they realized the concept did not solve the core problem. They had to scrap the idea and rebuild from the ground up.
“Panic was definitely setting in, and we were close to losing hope. But then, Sofia made an observation that changed everything. She pointed out that Gen Z is the most studied generation ever, simply because we are so unpredictable. We might be obsessed with one specific niche today, and completely over it by tomorrow,” Ching said.
While it was a stressful moment, that observation ultimately spawned their main concept.
“We immediately started researching the psychology behind it and cross-checked the insight by looking at our own YouTube algorithms. It was entirely true. Our watch histories were trying to box in a generation that changes its mind on a daily basis. Once we had that truth locked in, the campaign practically wrote itself,” Ching added.
Sofia emphasized the importance of staying clear-headed, noting that if an audience doesn’t understand an idea, you lose them immediately. They ensured their execution reflected their unique perspective as creators.
Presenting the work
Ching and Sofia had polar opposite approaches to presenting. Ching admitted that he usually dislikes presenting, as nerves can make his thoughts scatter. Sofia, on the other hand, enjoys the process.
Despite their differences, they chose to actively involve the jury in their presentation, successfully engaging the panel with their concept.
“You could literally see it click for them, and it was an amazing feeling when the jury actually agreed with our idea and the insight we brought to the table,” Ching said.
When it was time to present, the idea was already set, so the focus was on the presentation itself. For Sofia, it was about believing in what they created and “letting the belief carry your energy all the way until the timer goes off.”
How to make your creative director proud
After hours of refining their core idea, Sofia and Ching saw their efforts pay off when they received positive feedback from the jury. The judges specifically praised their delivery, even commending them for being the “best presenters” of the session.
In addition, the panel praised their overall approach to seamless YouTube product integration, which made their big idea feel like “a natural extension” of the platform rather than a “forced gimmick.”
One of the most memorable pieces of feedback came from Park, who remarked that they would “make Jao Bautista proud,” referring to the Executive Creative Director of Propel Manila.
“Hearing that from the head of the jury meant the world to both of us. It was the perfect way to wrap up the experience,” Ching said.
Sofia and Ching emphasize that the secret to a successful pitch lies in authenticity and a resilient mindset. Their advice to the next generation of Filipino creatives who aim to join the Young Lotus competition in the future is to weaponize their lived experiences, as the most powerful insights often come from trusting one’s own habits rather than forcing a clever execution.
Beyond the intensity of the 24-hour brief, the two found that the real prize was becoming part of the community built in Pattaya. What could have been a high-stakes rivalry instead felt like a creative vacation, defined by late-night karaoke sessions and lifelong bonds with fellow delegates from across the region. These connections transformed the festival into a supportive environment where competitors became brothers and sisters, proving that the industry is as much about shared humanity as it is about the work itself.
The pair walked away with an appreciation for the power of perspective and the strength of collaboration. While the thrill of the jury’s praise was a career highlight, it was the sense of ownership and the authentic friendships with other Young Lotus representatives that made the experience truly unforgettable.
If given the chance to do it all again, both Sofia and Ching agree they would return in a heartbeat — provided they could share the stage with the same group of people who turned a competition into a life-changing milestone.
adobo Magazine is an official media partner of ADFEST 2026
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