The m25 Global Creative Series episode 11: Maan Bautista on chasing ideas that feel real
Episode 11 of m25’s Global Creative Series takes us to the Philippines, where creativity thrives on resourcefulness, resilience, and heart. At the centre of this conversation is Maan Bautista, Executive Creative Director at VML Manila, whose journey into advertising began, as she puts it, “by accident”. What started with a striking print ad in a magazine sparked a career built on chasing ideas that make people feel something real.
This series features conversations with exceptional regional creatives, showing how individual journeys, when combined with cultural understanding and collaboration, shape campaigns with purpose and resonance.
Can you tell us about your journey to becoming a ECD, what inspired you to pursue this career, what challenges you faced while carving your niche in an ever-changing creative landscape, and which project stands out as the most memorable for its impact on your market or region?
My advertising origin story is probably the most cliché kind: an accident. In college, I was just looking for an internship that would let me write, so I was eyeing magazines. Then one day, flipping through Cosmo, I came across an ad that said “Don’t put labels on women,” showing women inside Tabasco bottles labeled “hot” or “extra virgin.” It was smart, striking, and said something that mattered. I remember thinking, I’d love to do something like that. Not long after, our university announced that J. Walter Thompson (the agency behind that very ad) was looking for interns. I applied, got in, and that’s where it all began.
Since then, I’ve been chasing that same kind of magic: ideas that make people feel something real. The hardest part has always been keeping that fire in an industry that changes every five minutes, but that’s also what keeps it exciting.
Two campaigns we did in VML Manila are the most memorable for me: Breaker Benches for KitKat and Right the Ride for the Commission on Human Rights. Breaker Benches reimagined what “Have a Break” could mean in the real world. We created benches that took on playful forms: a seesaw bench, a musical bench (complete with a built-in guitar!), even a football bench, to name a few. So that no matter what kind of break you needed, KitKat could be a part of it. It turned a simple brand truth into something people could actually experience. Right the Ride, meanwhile, confronted everyday misogyny hiding in plain sight on the country’s most iconic symbol, the jeepney, by transforming and correcting its visuals and language to promote respect and change.
How has the Philippines advertising market transformed over the past decade, and what factors have driven this change?
About ten years ago, advertising here was still finding its digital footing. Things moved slower, and brands still did most of the talking. Now it’s a full-on conversation. People engage or talk back, remix ideas, call brands out, and can even take the story somewhere better. You can’t just say something anymore; you have to mean it, because people can tell.
We’ve gone from a few platforms that reached thousands to countless spaces that reach someone and everyone. There’s more pressure to make every piece matter, but also, more room for creativity to play. The platforms keep changing, but one thing hasn’t: when the work is honest and human, it always finds its audience.
In what ways is the Philippines positioning itself on the global advertising stage, and what unique strengths does it offer that resonate with international brands?
The Philippines proves that imagination is greater than limitation. We may not have the biggest budgets or the latest tech, but our creativity stands shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world. Our optimism shows in the way we tell stories and turn constraints into opportunities, and that resourcefulness gives our work heart.
Our wins at Cannes Lions and other global shows speak for the strength of our creative community. Agencies big and small continue to create ideas and solutions that’s brave, clever, and unmistakably Filipino. Ultimately, what makes our kind of creativity shine is the way it finds warmth and wit in every challenge.
How do local cultural values and creative storytelling influence advertising strategies in the Philippines?
Filipino advertising has always been shaped by who we are as a people: clever, compassionate, and endlessly creative. Our best work doesn’t just market; it mirrors how we live.
Take GIGIL’s “Summer” film for Grab. It captured one universal truth: summer heat in the Philippines is no joke. The campaign turned that discomfort into a celebration of grit and humor. It didn’t glamorize the struggle; it laughed with it. By leaning into something we all endure with a wink and a shrug, it felt unmistakably Filipino. The work went viral, struck a chord across Southeast Asia, and earned a Silver Lion at Cannes, proof that authenticity gets rewarded and awarded.
At VML Manila, we found a similar truth in KitKat Break Bar. The idea came from a simple, uniquely Filipino behavior: local small shop owners using whatever they can (umbrellas, sticks, even monobloc chairs) to barricade their doors when taking a break. We turned that habit into a playful brand experience by creating an actual KitKat bar to slot in the door handles while the shop is on a break, owning an untapped media space that was perfect for breaks. The campaign went on to win the Double Grand Prix at Madstars for Diverse Insight and Outdoor, a proud moment not just for us but for Filipino creativity as a whole.
With the rapid adoption of digital tools and AI, how is technology reshaping creative processes and outcomes in the Philippines’s advertising industry?
Technology has completely changed the way we create. What used to take weeks now takes hours. AI, digital tools, and automation have made the process faster, more collaborative, and far more experimental. It’s opened new ways to visualize ideas, test them in real time, and build campaigns that live across platforms and experiences. Creativity today doesn’t just sit on a screen; it moves, reacts, and grows with people.
The challenge is keeping the balance. With all these tools at our fingertips, it’s easy to confuse speed with substance. Technology should make creativity braver, not lazier. It should help us think bigger, not think less.
What role does social media play in the advertising strategies of companies in the Philippines, and how are these strategies evolving to meet global trends?
Social media is where most brand conversations in the Philippines happen. It’s practically our national pastime. Filipinos are among the most active users in the world, which is why we’ve earned the title “social media capital of the world.” For brands, social isn’t just a platform; it’s culture and the best work doesn’t interrupt the feed it belongs to.
As strategies get even more digital and data-driven, the real challenge is staying human. Because no matter how advanced the tools become, creativity will always be powered by humanity: guts, instinct, and heart.
What advice would you give to young talent aspiring to enter the advertising industry in the Philippines and the region?
For anyone starting out in advertising, my biggest advice is to ask questions like a child. Stay endlessly curious about people, culture, and the world around you.
Find a mentor and choose a place where you’ll learn and grow the most. Surround yourself with people who challenge you, inspire you, and show candor. Those who’ll tell you the truth about your ideas, good or bad, and help you make the work better. You’ll grow faster when you’re around people who care about the craft, the ideas, and each other.
Bring your humor, your story, your truth into the work because that’s what gives it life and live a little. No, actually a lot. Touch grass, get out of the echo chamber, travel, hug your dog…do whatever it is that gives you life in the world outside. That’s where the best ideas come from.
How does the Philippines encourage innovation compared to more traditional markets?
The Philippines encourages innovation by necessity. We’ve never had the biggest budgets or the flashiest tech, so we’ve learned to make creativity do more with less. That kind of constraint forces experimentation. It makes us scrappy, resourceful, and unafraid to try unusual ideas if they just might work. It’s in our nature to improvise and find smart shortcuts that lead to something new.
For emerging creatives, the key is to start local. Our culture is a goldmine of stories and truths that the world hasn’t heard yet. When you ground an idea in something authentically Filipino then express it with craft and clarity, it naturally travels. The world connects to honesty and heart. So keep your ear to the ground, use what’s around you, and tell stories only you can tell. That’s how local work becomes global.
Can you describe an early moment in your career where a pivotal experience or mentor changed your perspective on advertising?
I was very fortunate to have grown up in this industry under the guidance of my late mentor and former CCO of JWT/Wunderman Thompson, Dave Ferrer. He taught me that creativity is equal parts instinct, craft, and a stubborn refusal to settle for the first draft. He set the bar high and reminded us that “good enough” never is. His attention to detail was unmatched, and he treated every brief, no matter how small, as something worth doing right. What I valued most, though, was how generous he was with his time. He’d sit with us juniors, talk through scripts, layouts, and ideas. Always patient, always present. I’ll never forget one conversation we had. I’ve always been straightforward (or blunt, as he’d say), and there were numerous times people had told me to tone it down. Dave was probably the first and maybe one of the few who told me not to. He said that’s who I was, that’s what I brought to the table, and that’s what made my work mine. What I saw as something to fix, he saw as a strength. That, to me, is the mark of a great mentor: someone who pushes you, challenges you, and calls you out when needed, but never tries to change your core. That’s something I try to pay forward now: to create space for young creatives to find their voice, hone their skills, and be reminded that who they are is their edge. I only hope their time here at VML Manila becomes a chapter where they get to do some of their best work work they’ll be proud to show off and look back on years from now.
What are the key challenges that agencies face when expanding in the Philippines, and how have they overcome them?
I think one of the biggest challenges for agencies expanding in the Philippines is balancing global structure with local truth. What works elsewhere doesn’t always land here—our humor, tone, and behavior are uniquely Filipino. The agencies that succeed are the ones that listen first and adapt later, letting local insight shape the work instead of simply localizing global templates.
Talent is another challenge, but also our biggest strength. There’s incredible creative energy here, you just have to invest in it. The best agencies build teams that are culturally grounded and creatively fearless. That’s a note for anyone entering the market: bring your global standards, but let the local team lead. The work will be sharper, more honest, and will truly belong to the market.
Looking to the future, what trends do you predict will shape the Philippines advertising industry in the next 5 to 10 years?
The next decade of Philippine advertising will be shaped by two things: technology and truth. AI, data, and automation will keep changing how we work, but the real shift will come from how we use them to tell stories that still feel human. The best brands will be the ones that use tech to listen better, move faster, and create work that connects on a deeper, more human level.
We’ll also see even more integration where creative, media, and tech are no longer separate conversations but one shared idea. For both established players and newcomers, the challenge is the same: evolve with the times without losing empathy. Keep your instincts sharp, keep plugged into culture, and keep building work that earns attention because it understands people, not just their data.