5 Minutes with… Terence Leong
Terence Leong’s creative career is characterised by pushing boundaries and challenging conventions. His mantra, 'Let’s Make Epic Shit,' reflects his straightforward approach to working with global giants like Nike and Google.
From hijacking the London Olympics to fostering innovation in Tokyo, Terence shares insights into pushing boundaries, embracing failure, and redefining what's possible in the world of advertising. Cultural diversity, technological evolution, and a relentless pursuit of great work shape his creative leadership philosophy at TBWA\Media Arts Lab.
LBB> Your mantra, 'Let’s Make Epic Shit,' epitomises your commitment to transformative and pioneering work. Can you share a specific project or campaign from your career that reflects this mantra and the impact it had?
Terence> In the summer of 2012, when I was the Nike China CD at Wieden + Kennedy Shanghai, I started a pirate broadcast station to hijack the London Olympics using the 396 Chinese athletes there as the shining examples of Nike’s POV. The idea was to write the news headlines and change the narrative before the local press and media could give their biased opinions.
At that time, the terms “quick-strike” or “contextual time-sensitive posts” weren’t a thing yet. We invented that and made it ours. The whole project was an experiment to see how far we could go and how loud we could get by just using social posts as our vehicle. The results spoke for itself. After that project, I never wanted to do anything less than epic.
LBB> After 21 years, you've returned to Singapore as the executive creative director for TBWA\Media Arts Lab in Southeast Asia. How does it feel to be back, and how do you plan to contribute to the creative landscape in the region?
Terence> It feels great to be back home. I grew up in the era when the Singapore advertising industry was at its peak. We would sweep award shows in the region, and judges at Cannes, D&AD, and One Show would sit up if they saw an entry from Singapore.
I looked up to those creatives at that time, and I wanted to be like them. I feel now’s the time for the region to once again find our voice and use our mojo to dominate the award shows with something the world has never seen before.
LBB> Throughout your career, you've worked with major brands like Nike, Google, and Sony. How do you approach the creative process differently when working with global giants compared to smaller, niche brands?
Terence> All my creative processes, big or small, are meant to yield the best possible version of the work that the client can afford. It’s like selling Singapore’s Chicken Rice. You can have more rice and chicken if you have a bigger budget. You get less rice and less chicken if you have a small budget.
What I’ll never compromise is the flavour and aroma of the rice. That’s where the magic is. So when it comes to the creative process, whether a big or small brand, my priority is to find razor-sharp ideas that we can turn into magic. Of course, with smaller brands, there are fewer meetings; with bigger brands, you just have to get used to attending more meetings.
LBB> Your career has spanned roles from copywriter to senior creative director. How have these diverse roles influenced your perspective on creativity, and how do you leverage this experience in your current role as executive creative director?
Terence> I’ve messed up so many times. I got kicked out of meetings because I said the wrong things. I had my salary cut because I misspelt a word in the body copy. I got fired by a client because I didn’t understand the brand guidelines. I got laid off when I lost a key account. A marketing director screamed at me because I couldn’t finish a shoot on time. I lost so many pitches. I over-burnt so many hours because I couldn’t crack a brief. I have ignored the wishes of so many CCOs (and I got so many warning letters for doing so).
Failure has taught me to be wiser and sharper. I’d like to think I can spend less time making mistakes now and more time making good work.
LBB> Your journey includes significant stints in Shanghai, Tokyo, and other cities. How has working in diverse cultural contexts influenced your creative approach, and how do you integrate cultural nuances into your campaigns?
Terence> I’ve learnt to use my nose to sniff out bullshit and to spot the gems in different cultures. I’ve learnt not to mistake cultural stereotypes and cliches for insights. I’ve discovered no such thing as a crash course, playbook, or any other shortcut that lets you understand a culture. I believe the only way is to use my own two feet to walk the ground, eyes to observe, ears to listen, taste to appreciate and touch to experience a culture.
LBB> How do you see the role of technology evolving in the creative process, and how do you stay at the forefront of these changes?
Terence> There’s a lot of cool new stuff out there, and I must confess I haven’t figured everything out yet. But one thing is for sure: technology has made my creative process and workflow much easier and faster. I came from a time when I had to scan photo negatives after a shoot, and the only place where you could edit a film was a fancy post-production studio. Any form of 2D or 3D animation was out of reach as it was ridiculously expensive. You can achieve almost all that on your Mac or iPad. I feel technology makes it possible for us to accomplish much more in a shorter time. What a great time to be a creative.
LBB> How do you balance the pursuit of excellence with the inevitable challenges and failures that come with the creative process?
Terence> If you want to make an omelette, you have to break some eggs. Failure is an excellent teacher, and we shouldn’t miss out on its lessons. I encourage everyone to try until they fail and learn from that. If I ever find myself in a situation where I have to stop my team from trying and taking too many risks and not constantly pushing them to take more, then I’ll know I’ve done my job as an ECD.
