The adobo LIA Masterclass on Creativity 2026 convened some of the industry’s sharpest minds not merely to discuss creativity, but to question where it is headed and what it must ultimately become.
Held on Tuesday, March 17 at the Ayala Museum, this year’s sold-out masterclass, attended by creatives from advertising agencies, design studios, marketing companies, and production houses, unfolded around a central premise: that culture is a powerful force in shaping creative futures. Grounded in adobo Magazine’s two-decade vantage point at the intersection of business and creativity, the theme “Creative Futures: How Culture Shapes What Comes Next” framed the presentations.
Mounted by the said publication in partnership with the London International Awards (LIA), the masterclass also examined how culture-led, purpose-driven ideas power industries, shape economies, and build futures designed to endure.
“It is our goal and responsibility to continuously guide and inspire today’s and tomorrow’s generation of creatives so that they can paint a vibrant creative future,” adobo Magazine Founder, President, and Editor-in-Chief Angel Guerrero said during her opening remarks.
She added, “This masterclass is one way we hope to make that happen: by opening the door to new ideas, fresh perspectives, and the minds shaping what comes next.”
This also rings true for the London international Awards (LIA) Creative Liaisons and Global Initiatives Director Laurissa Levy, who said that the masterclass is “a wonderful opportunity for young Filipino creatives to tap into the minds of the speakers who are some of the most respected and awarded creative names, people who have helped set the benchmark for creativity with their celebrated campaigns.”
“It is indeed our privilege to be a part of this theme, aptly called Creative Futures. We know that our investment in building up the next stars of the industry is a win for everyone,” she added.
Learning from titans shaping the global creative and branding industry
The masterclass unfolded as a series of perspectives on what it means to create with intention in a changing landscape. Philippine-based director at Arcade Film Factory, Marius Talampas, opened with a case for humor as a deliberate, culturally rooted tool that focuses less on punchlines and more on reflecting human truths that resonate across borders.
“Comedy, usually very local, very specific sa kultura ng tao. The best jokes come from shared experiences when the audience recognizes themselves dun sa napapanood nila, the laugh happens almost instantly.”
He added, “You need to trust the audience. Comedy works best when the audience connects the dots. The joke does not need explaining. Never underestimate your audience.”
Young Gun award winner and premier graphic designer and illustrator Raxenne Maniquiz shared this culture-driven perspective. During her presentation, she discussed how deeply local narratives, grounded in Philippine biodiversity, can speak to global audiences while reframing creative independence as both artistic and cultural preservation.
“Whenever I do international work, I always, I really try to add endemic flora, like native flora… I guess it’s my own little way of inserting Pinoy pride into my work,” she said.
VML Manila Chief Creative Officer (CCO) Joe Dy, on the other hand, brought the conversation into the tension of decision-making, arguing that true breakthroughs often begin as unpopular ideas, where conviction matters more than certainty.
“The biggest business risk today is creative mediocrity — fading into the background… we’ve become so afraid of making mistakes, of being called out, that we often stop trying. We overthink, we overanalyze, we overcorrect, we overprocess. But the biggest enemy of creative bravery is fear—fear of being wrong,” Joe explained.
On the brand side, Maya Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Pepe Torres highlighted the delicate balance between internal insight and external perspective, underscoring how meaningful work emerges at the intersection of culture, technology, and business.
“If you have a point of view or an idea that is fundamentally aligned with business priorities, there’s good judgment or analysis that gives confidence that it’s going to deliver what it intends to deliver, then it’s going to happen,” he advised.
The latter half turned reflective. BBDO Guerrero Creative Chairman David Guerrero and Creative Director Nikki Sunga examined legacy across generations, questioning how Filipino creativity can stay distinct even as it becomes fluent in a global language.
Meanwhile, Publicis Groupe Chief Creative Director Raoul Panes extended this into leadership, urging creatives to anticipate change without letting technology, particularly artificial intelligence, dictate imagination.
AI will not replace the marketer, but the marketer who uses AI will replace the one who doesn’t,” he noted, adding, “the real risk isn’t AI replacing humans. It’s humans chasing efficiency until their work becomes inhuman.”
Closing the sessions, Founder and Principal Strategist at Stories & Strategy LLC, Sharon Panelo, reframed AI as a creative partner rather than a shortcut, emphasizing that as tools grow more powerful, the responsibility to create with meaning — and remain deeply human — only becomes more vital.
“Technology will always change the medium, but culture will always write the story.”
She added, “You remain the expert on shaping culture, on taking data and turning it into a story that moves people, and you are a systems thinker.”
A collective reckoning
As the masterclass drew to a close, a panel discussion brought the day’s ideas into sharper focus and showcased a unifying idea: in an industry accelerating toward AI and automation, it is still brave ideas, human insight, and culture-first thinking that carry the most weight.
For Marius, the conversation returned to risk. Known for his offbeat, culturally resonant humor, he dismantled the idea of a “formula” for comedy. If an idea feels too safe, he suggested, it’s likely not pushing far enough. Nervousness, in his view, is often a sign that something original is taking shape. Rather than chasing universal appeal, he focuses on insights that a specific audience will recognize and want to share because connection, not reach, is what makes work endure.
The discussion then moved into the evolving ambitions of Filipino creatives, with David and Nikki reflecting on the shift across generations. Where global recognition was once the goal, Nikki observed that today’s creatives are driven more by an internal need to prove something to themselves.
David, meanwhile, cited the growing tension between speed and craft. In a landscape dominated by rapid content cycles, he argued that time has become one of the last true creative resources — essential for refining ideas and elevating execution. The challenge, he noted, is knowing when to move quickly to sustain momentum and when to slow down to protect the integrity of the work.
Technology, particularly AI, hovered over the conversation. Echoing their earlier talks, Raoul and Sharon emphasized that the real risk is not the tools themselves, but how they are used. For them, efficiency, when pursued without thought, can strip work of its humanity. The future, they suggested, will not be defined by what machines can produce, but by what people choose to mean.
From the client side, Pepe offered a perspective rooted in leadership and structure. In an increasingly complex, multi-platform environment, he underscored the importance of building a culture where ideas are judged on merit — not hierarchy. Creativity, he argued, should be open to anyone, regardless of role or seniority, so long as it is grounded in clear thinking, aligned with business objectives, and accountable in its outcomes.
Ultimately, the panel did not present a radically new vision of creativity, but rather reaffirmed its core truths. In a time of infinite content and accelerating technology, the advantage remains deeply human: the courage to take risks, the discipline to refine ideas, the empathy to understand culture, and the instinct to create work that resonates beyond the screen.
adobo Magazine thanks the following sponsors for their support:
Partners
- Venue: The Ayala Foundation, Inc. and the Ayala Museum
- Bronze sponsor: Maya
- Supporting partner: Ripple8
Food and Beverage Partners
- Greenwich
- Goldilocks
- Oatside
Spirits Partners
- GSM Premium Gin
- 1834 Premium Distilled Gin
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