MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Many of us dream of becoming something one day, but no matter how many plans we make, the future often remains uncertain. This was true for 17th Kidlat Awards Hall of Fame Awardee Chino Jayme, who never initially saw himself as someone “cut out” for advertising — he simply stumbled into it. For him, he’s “just another creative.”
Chino began his career in copywriting, sparked by his love for haikus. At MullenLowe TREYNA, he worked on Unilever brands like Rexona (regional) and Surf. He later transitioned to McCann Worldgroup, where he became part of the teams handling Coke and Unilab.
During his speech at the 17th Kidlat Awards, held at The Fifth at Rockwell in Makati City on May 9, 2025, Chino offered a glimpse into his personal journey. He shared that for many years, he didn’t know what he was doing when he entered the advertising world — an industry he described as “the greatest storm.”
Thanks to the people who guided him along the way — his mentors Raul Castro, Melvin Magada, and his aunt Merlee Jayme — Chino shared that they helped hone different aspects of his craft.
“I hardly had skills, but I emulated [them]. I emulated my seniors, those award-winning creatives I looked up to: their craft, humor, passion, and brilliance,” Chino said.
Later on, Chino was appointed Creative Director and Cluster Leader at TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno, where he worked with some of the Philippines’ biggest brands, including McDonald’s, Oishi, and KFC. However, he considers his work on Nissan to be his most significant achievement to date.
Throughout his career in advertising, Chino has earned both local and international recognition, taking home metals from some of the industry’s most prestigious award shows — including the Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio Awards, The One Show, New York Festivals, Spikes Asia, Ad Stars, Kidlat, Araw Awards, Tambuli, and the Boomerangs. He was also named the Copywriter of the Year (2016) and twice ranked third (2016, 2018) among Creative Directors by adobo Magazine.
Despite all his achievements, Chino admitted that he struggled and almost gave up. But he pushed through — driven by a sense of responsibility to his teammates, the very people who had sacrificed so much alongside him.
“We lost endless battles, but never the war. We never gave up for our ideas,” Chino said.
Today, Chino serves as the Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy Manila, where he leads projects for brands such as Mondelēz, IKEA, KFC, Unilever, and more.
At the end of the day, Chino still sees himself as “just another guy” — but it’s often people like him who end up shaping the industry in the most unforgettable ways.
Hall of fame awardees nomination process
Nominees must have no less than three international golds (or their equivalent), each for a different campaign, from recognized award shows such as Cannes, D&AD, Clio, One Show, Spikes, AdFest, New York Festivals, and London International.
They must also have no less than five Kidlat Award golds (or Creative Guild AOY for pre-2007 work), each awarded for a different campaign.
Meeting the above qualifications does not automatically guarantee induction. Final decisions will still be subject to discussion by the Creative Guild and the 4As board.
Other merits that will be considered include a nominee’s record as a creative leader — specifically as an executive creative director (ECD) or above, or as a Filipino creative in a leadership position abroad.
Cited work must have been done for Philippine agencies (especially for expats) or must be by Filipino citizens.
The number of honorees per year will be limited and subject to the discretion of the board.
adobo Magazine is the official media partner of CreativeFest 2025 and the 17th Kidlat Awards.
