Creative Catch-Up: McCann Worldgroup SEA's Dan Jacques

 Dan Jacques has been group regional creative director at McCann Worldgroup for over eight years. Throughout his years at the agency, he’s held numerous roles such as copywriter, associate creative director and ultimately group regional creative director.

Currently he looks over the creative executions across Southeast Asia, and also chairs McCann Worldgroup’s creative leadership council for APAC. With creativity in his blood, Jacques said that he knew early on in his college years that he was meant for advertising.

“I was always a bit of an outsider in school, and I think that helped give me a keen eye for observing group behaviours. I often find this to be a pattern amongst a lot of creative people who end up in advertising,” he said. 

On the shifts in adland, Jacques says probably, the hardest thing for creativity now is the fragmented nature of media. Why so? Well, read to find out more. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Tell us a little bit about your role

I wear many hats for McCann in APAC. I am the regional creative lead for Southeast Asia, as well as head of creative excellence APAC and chair of our creative leadership council for APAC. So that means lots collaboration and community building across the region which is great at McCann as it is a lovingly tight-knit family of characters.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: How did you stumble into this industry?

When I was studying graphic design in college, we did a module on advertising. I just knew from there, really. I was always a bit of an outsider in school, and I think that helped give me a keen eye for observing group behaviours. I often find this to be a pattern amongst a lot of creative people who end up in advertising.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What was your first impression of the advertising industry?

It was tough, especially as a student in the UK travelling from agency to agency showing your portfolio. Interning for free. Scraping enough coins together for the train or underground.

I remember I was so broke once. It was the middle of winter and I had to duct tape my sneakers together. The creative director at the place we were interning went out for lunch and bought me a pair of new shoes! Luckily, many agencies have improved their interning programmes these days.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Creatively, what do you feel has been the biggest shift?

I think the hardest thing for creativity now is the fragmented nature of media. Back in the day, one print ad could be run in a small number of publications with a huge circulation. That meant the ad could be so pointed and singular in what it said and how it said - in turn becoming memorable or iconic.

Now, our ideas have to transcend all channels, coming in all shapes and sizes to gain that same momentum and to have a powerful impact on culture. The flip side for our generation of creatives is that really - the possibilities of your idea are endless. There really are no boundaries to where your idea can go.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What’s the most frustrating thing about being creative?

I think having that ‘home run’ idea then actually selling that idea. And then slowly seeing it be chipped away on its journey to being made. That’s why I find it puzzling when some people jump to criticise work out there. We have all been there and we certainly don’t know the bumpy harsh road of budget cuts, client changes, media plan changes, etc - that team probably painfully navigated to get it over the finish line.

But on the other side of that pain, when you do navigate those stormy waters and the ship only has a few rips in the sail, it’s a fantastic feeling getting the positive recognition that the hard work deserves.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Proudest moment in your career?

I think contributing as part of the fantastic team who worked at Cathay Pacific. We managed to take a sleeping giant of a brand to ‘client of the year’ and their most awarded year in two decades. We created Betsy Beer that was covered on almost every media outlet on the planet (still going strong!), we married influencers inflight from China to Hong Kong (breaking Weibo), recycled their uniforms into Lai See for sustainability, and so much more. Great fun with very talented people.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What is one career mistake you won’t forget?

I once went into my agency on a Saturday to finish some work. I ended up having a scooter race around the office with my art director.

What we didn’t know was that our 70+ year-old chairman was also in the agency, and we ended up crashing into him and scaring the living daylights out of him. Luckily, it was just a slap on the wrist!

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Mentor you look up to most?

So many that I couldn’t pick one out. For an industry that is often frowned upon for being cold-hearted, I’ve found so many good people willing to give you their time, or the nudge you need, or simply an arm around the shoulder. They have collectively taught me that a few minutes of your time for anyone costs you nothing - but is often worth a fortune to the person you’re listening to.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: How do you get inspired when you aren’t?

It may sound old fashioned, but a good walk often solves a lot of my inspiration blocks. Without music. Just tune into the noise around you. It’s great meditation. Having had stints in Dubai, Hong Kong and now Singapore, these walks now come with the sacrifice getting very sweaty!

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What is your ritual/superstition before a big pitch?

I actually struggled with presenting quite badly in the early days of being a senior creative. I would be so self-conscious of how the client was reacting to the work I was presenting. So, I took it upon myself to learn stand-up comedy, with my final test being able to perform at an open mic night.

Stand-up comedy is quite a complex process of tightly scripting and constructing a set, but the true art-form is making it look natural and like the anecdote or gag you tell just popped in your head. I can tell you now, that there is nothing scarier than standing on a stage in front of a bunch of strangers, bright lights blinding you, hoping these said strangers are going to laugh at your naively written jokes. That cured my fear of presenting and honestly, I recommend it to anyone who suffers from presenting or pitching anxiety to study the art of stand-up. It’s the bravest, smartest presentation medium around.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What does your mom think you do?

My mum thinks I do “things about adverts." She did once see an article about a popular campaign I had made in the newspaper and went to tell her friends, “ My son performed in this ad."

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