Eugene Cheong joins DDB Asia as Creative Chief
DDB has appointed award-winning creative director Eugene Cheong as Chief Creative Officer of DDB Asia. Cheong will work alongside Asia CEO David Tang to support its offices in China, Hong Kong, Seoul and Singapore on global and big local brands growing across Asia.
With over 250 Cannes Lions and 2,500 campaigns to his name, Cheong is renowned for being Ogilvy Asia Pacific’s most awarded creative head. Over 30 years in the industry, he has worked with some of the biggest brands in the world, including Coca-Cola, Guinness, Singtel, Huawei, SC Johnson and Shangri-La Hotels. He’s also devoted to causes he believes in. Cheong is named among the world’s 50 best copywriters by the D&AD Copy Book and recognised as The One Show’s most awarded creative in 2016. In 2018, he was appointed to the latter organisation’s International Board.
“I’m dumbfounded that I’ve not met David Tang until now,” said Cheong.
“He’s the planning mirror image of me, and we’re going to have a boatload of rip-roaring fun. That’s the priority. And while we’re at it, we’re going to create Asia’s most formidable agency.”
Cheong has wasted no time getting into his new role. Over the past month, he has already worked with adam&eveDDB and DDB offices in Chicago, Paris, Shanghai, Seoul, and Hong Kong across major clients and pitches.
“It’s an exhilarating time for DDB in Asia,” said Tang. “Under the banner of Unexpected Works, we’re gearing up on creative firepower to drive really effective work for clients. We’re excited to have Eugene join us – he’s not just a creative great, he’s a warhorse and a gentleman.”
Cheong left the Chief Creative Officer for Ogilvy’s Asia Pacific region in March 2019 and was replaced by Reed Collins and Sonal Dabral in a joint role. He then formed his own consultancy E in November last year.
Under his leadership Ogilvy Asia Pacific was the dominant creative network in the region. In the annual Campaign Brief Asia Creative Rankings Ogilvy was crowned ‘Creative Network of the Year’ in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
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“In the last 18 months, I’ve worked with the likes of Gut Brazil and Blak Labs and it’s plain as day that smaller, creative-led agencies move 10 times faster and make work 10 times fresher than big networks,” explains Cheong.
“Our first client, for example, came to us out of sheer desperation. Their large retainer agency took three weeks and multiple attempts to produce a banner campaign. We got it out in a day and a half.”
“Advertising folks are world champion talkers, but they are somewhat lacking in the Dept. of Doing,” Cheong observes. “That’s why, I love my buddies at Blak Labs. They’re not talkers, they’re doers. They are creative painkillers. That’s also why clients love them and keep telling their friends about them.”
I thought he wasn’t a fan of the big networks. He was rather critical when he started E after spending almost his entire career at ogilvy. Well, so much for the talk. I’m sure he will fit in nicely at DDB Asia..
Money talks i guess…
It’s really hard for a boutique that wants grow through great work to grow at all in Asia and especially in Singapore. One day I’ll talk about it. Today, I’ve got too much to do.
So happy for you. Now Kick some butt.
Congratulations Eugene and good luck.
Hopefully you can ignite a creative revival in Singapore.
Eugene is a creative leader who can push the teams and push to get good work out. It may take time but expect to see the DDB name standing out at award shows like it used to when Joji Jacob was there.
Best of luck Eugene. DDB are lucky to have you.
Ageism doesn’t exist in Singapore’s Industry.
@Grey Silver – Unless you’re a big name, I’m sorry dude, but for most oldies, it’s very much alive in Singapore like anywhere else. Younger people are just cheaper & usually more digital. I don’t think it was easy even for this guy to land a gig.. been a while since Ogilvy, right?
Eugene Cheong is 62. Piyush Pandey is 66. These guys show it’s possible to overcome ageism in advertising in Asia if you do the right things over the course of your careers. It’s the people who get squeezed out in their 50s due to their lack of talent and/or lack of relationships who complain about ageism.
This is a terrific hire. Eugene will inject the creative power that DDB Asia needs, to get it back where it belongs. Very exciting. Unexpected.
Congrats to my old mates at DDB on a great hire. All the best to you, Eugene, it’s been fun!
Congratulations Euge! Well deserved 😉