MANILA, MARCH 5, 2013 – Leigh Reyes is taking her creative toolbox to Pattaya, Thailand, where creative professionals from the most respected agencies across Asia Pacific and the Middle East are convening for ADFEST 2013.
In a Speaker Session on March 17, the president and chief creative officer of Lowe Philippines will be presenting "Don’t Just Think There, Make Something", touching on the process of creation beyond mere ideation. Earlier this year, Reyes opened her creative toolbox to a roomful of Raw School students, urging them to pick up new tools and create new things.
“My Speaker Session will explore the possibilities of making, and how this can lead to having a robust, future-ready agency. The talk will showcase some advertising, and crucially, examples from the Maker movement, which is creating a 21st century Industrial Revolution,” said Reyes.
According to Reyes, agencies have become very good at thinking of ideas, but not as good at realizing them: “We have insight tools, strategic tools, idea generation tools, presentation tools.
All these tools can answer the ‘why’ and the ‘what’. But the moment the idea needs to live, move, and be concrete – we look elsewhere for someone to prototype it and make it. Once we reach the ‘how’, we outsource,” she added.
Reyes believes that in order to foster true creativity, agencies must hire makers alongside writers, art directors and coders.
Reyes is the author of a blog, My Life As a Verb, which she has been writing since 2003. Her YouTube channel, where she uploads her calligraphy and art videos, has over 1,000 subscribers and half a million views, and she tweets as @leighpod.
As a founding member of Mobile Monday Manila, an open community platform that brings together mobile visionaries, developers and enthusiasts, Reyes’ substantial digital experience has helped Lowe Philippines more than double its digital business.
This year’s Speaker Sessions also include:
-Hakuhodo Inc. presents “Build a Creative Nest So Your Voice Lives On”, by Morihiko Hasebe, executive creative director
-Cheil Worldwide presents “Empowering Consumers: Incorporating Consumer Influence in Marketing”, by Dr. Andy Joohyun Lee, director and head of global digital campaigns
-Tribal DDB Asia Pacific presents “Making Brands New Again”, by Patrick Rona, president of Tribal DDB Asia Pacific and chief digital officer of DDB Group Asia Pacific, and Jeff Cheong, managing director and executive creative director
-Getty Images presents “On Social Photography”, by Micha Schwing, creative planning manager, Getty Images London
-“The Cup 2012”, Yukio Nakayama from Dentsu Inc will share the winners of this year’s festival, which takes place on March 8 in Istanbul,Turkey.
-“10 Ways for 1 Million Returns”, Farid Chehab shares his wisdom as a veteran of Leo Burnett
– “Jury Presidents Crossfire”. This year’s Jury Presidents will engage in an in-depth analysis of this year’s winners. The panel discussion will be moderated by Jimmy Lam.
-From London, Tim Lindsay, CEO of D&AD will share his perspective on creative excellence in a session
-“A Conversation with Hollywood Scriptwriter Laura Kightlinger”, moderated by Normandy Madden
-“The AICP Next Awards”, inspirational work presented by Matt Miller, president and CEO of the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP)
-“The Gunn Report 2012”, Donald Gunn and Emma Wilkie from The Gunn Report will unveil this year’s top performers
-“GET IT ALL IN! 7 Secrets from 40 Years in 35 Minutes”, presented by radio guru Tony Hertz
