Creative Catch-Up: GOVT Singapore's Timothy Chan

Timothy Chan has been a known face within the ad industry, helming the role of creative director and ECD at local independent shop GOVT for over seven years. In his role he keeps the creative machine churning on a day to day basis working alongside managing director Alvina Seah.

In a prior interview with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Chan shared that what drew him to GOVT after spending nearly 11 years with the larger agency networks, is a sense of adventure.

“I was looking for an adventure beyond what I had experienced in the first 11 years of my career. So, the opportunity to be part of a small pirate ship with friends I had known for a few years (and who had already started the shop) was a no-brainer,” he says.

Asked if he holds any regrets, he openly shares: “My only regret is that I didn’t end up taking all that much time off! Seriously though, when I look back at my six years with GOVT, I wish I had done quite a number of things differently, but I have no regrets about joining an independent agency at all. The whole adventure has given me friends, moments and life lessons that I’ll always be grateful for.”

Find out more about Chan in the interview below.  

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Tell us a little bit about your role.
I’m the ECD of GOVT Singapore. Basically that means I am a fire-starter, cheerleader, listening ear, help centre, coach, judge, jury and executioner all in one, every day.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: How did you stumble into this industry?
In school, I only got decent grades for language-based subjects. When I was in university pursuing my mass communication degree, a friend who ran a small ad agency asked me to “help out” as a copywriter. I had no idea what the job was, but I just pretended I did (I still am).

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What was your first impression of the advertising industry?
That everyone seemed more talented than I was. And that it was easier to talk about advertising than to actually do it.


MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Creatively, what do you feel has been the biggest shift?
Exposure. There are so many more places advertising can live now, compared to before. As a result, the bar to be both attractive and effective is so much higher now. It’s easier than ever to put something out there, but much harder to make it magical or even cultural. But that challenge is part of the fun I guess.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What’s the most frustrating thing about being creative?
The eternal, internal struggle of impostor syndrome. It either drives you on or puts you down. Sometimes, both at the same time too.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Proudest moment in your career?
When two of our creatives won the Young Lions competition a few years back. That feeling when people under your care experience a big win is more fulfilling than any other kind of success.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What is one career mistake you won’t forget?
When I was a young creative, I got really hammered at an award show once and drunkenly told my ECD that I’d win the next year. From that point on I learned how to do the work first and how to keep my stupid mouth shut.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Mentor you look up to most?
I’ve been lucky enough to work with great leaders, but Hwa & Szu (ECDs of what was McCann Erickson KL back then) stand out by a country mile. They never needed to have long 1-on-1 sessions with me or rousing town halls with the team. They just led by example every single day. And they were pretty damn balls-out fearless too.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What is your favourite piece of advertising?
Within Nike’s “Find Your Greatness” campaign, there’s this little spot that’s my favourite pep-talk of all time. I still watch it for fun occasionally.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What do you dislike most in an ad?
Exclamation marks! It means the copywriter was lazy.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What is your dream brand to work with?
These days, any brand with a leader who is genuinely brave and wants to do more than just wallpaper.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: How do you get inspired when you aren’t?
I used to drink my way out of it. Needless to say, it was really counterproductive. These days I go for a walk or a run or a muay thai session. Then, like an old man, I get at least 7.5 hours of sleep, wake up and go again.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What is your ritual/superstition before a big pitch?
Till today, I still type out a script for the presentation. And I rehearse it until I don’t need the script anymore. I’m still deeply afraid of blurting out the wrong thing at a big pitch and this keeps my aforementioned stupid mouth in check.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What makes the difference between an average ad and mind-blowing creativity?
The mind-blowing one lasts.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What does your mom think you do?
I’m not sure to be honest. I’ll ask her on Sunday.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: If you weren’t a creative what would you be?
A journalist. Probably not a very good one either.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What is your guilty pleasure that you’ve kept hidden from the industry?
You know my mum might read this right?

 

Related articles: 

Creative Catch-Up: McCann Worldgroup SEA's Dan Jacques
Creative Catch-Up: dentsu Singapore's Stan Lim
Creative Catch-Up: R/GA's Ed Cheong
Creative Catch-Up: Media.Monk's Joao Flores
Creative Catch-Up: TBWA\ Singapore's Andy Grant