CK Tan joins Amber China as chief creative officer overseeing Shanghai and Beijing teams

Campaign Brief Asia can reveal that Chee Keong Tan is to join Amber China  as Chief Creative Officer. Tan left his previous position as Group Creative Director at Ogilvy & Mather Malaysia on Friday and will assume his new position immediately and will be based in Shanghai.

Tan’s joining will help enhance the overall creative strength of Amber China. Tan (left) will oversee the agency’s Beijing and Shanghai creative teams, and assist Amber Liu, Founder & CEO of Amber China in managing the “+A” creative hot shop platform, with the ultimate goal of inspiring more effective creative work. Tan’s joining is also a testament to the agency’s strategy to expand further internationally and in the Asia-Pacific region.

Tan was ranked No. 7 in the recently released Campaign Brief Asia’s 2016 “The Most Awarded Creative Directors In Asia” creative ranking. He was also ranked No. 11 in The 2014 Directory Big Won Report Global ECD rankings. Prior to joining Amber China, Tan served as Group Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy & Mather Malaysia, and previously served in senior creative positions at such renowned agencies as BBDO Malaysia, Leo Burnett Malaysia, Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong, etc.

Tan has won some of the advertising industry’s most prestigious awards, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Clio, LIA, AdFest, Spikes Asia, AMES, Effies, Australia Awards, plus more. While serving as Executive Creative Director at BBDO Malaysia in 2015, Tan’s work won Malaysia’s first LIA Grand Prix and BBDO Malaysia was also named by the Gunn Report as Malaysia’s most awarded agency in 2015.

Commenting on the new step, Tan said, “The dynamic nature of China’s digital development along with the diversity of its media environment makes the country one of the most unique and challenging markets in the world. I am confident that the opportunity to dig deeply into the vast local market, to cooperate with its best creative talents, and to connect deeply with consumers and brands, will inspire innumerable new innovative and creative ideas. It is truly an honor to join Amber China, one of the best Chinese local digital agencies, and I look forward to working together with the entire Amber team to create more fantastic creative work.”

“I want to sincerely welcome CK to the Amber family,” said Amber Liu (pictured on right). “The addition of CK is a huge validation and affirmation of Amber China over the past ten years, and also signals a new start of the agency. The addition of the top international creative talents and the launch of the ‘+A’ creative hot shop platform, will accelerate Amber China’s creative development and integrated offering. While there are many kinds of agencies, creative is and will always be the lifeblood of advertising. By improving our creative capabilities, we are confident that we can continue to help the brands we serve to better shape their brand image as well as build and retain brand value.”

“Since its founding ten years ago, Amber China has always adhered to a flat internal communications structure, respecting the viewpoints and creativity of every young person with the goal of developing and cultivating the next generation of industry talents. CK Tan’s joining is a sincere invitation to the young blood with passion and aspiration for advertising. The industry needs these young minds to infuse its work with fun, original, revolutionary ideas. Amber China has always been devoted to being a platform for new blood to shine by building a creative environment where young people can quickly grow,” said Liu.

Amber China is one of the industry’s most recognized digital IMC agencies, and has worked on clients including: Coca-Cola, adidas Originals, Dell, Dulux, Lindt, Changba, Mogujie, Siemens, etc. Amber China has been praised by Advertising Age as one of China’s “Best Digital Agencies”, and was awarded “2016 Effie Greater China Effective Agency Top 2”. In 2014, Amber China was acquired by LEO Group as a founding member of China’s first digital marketing A-share Listed network.