#IWD2026: TJT Creative Lab's Irvine Prisilia on staying curious long enough to find the real idea

In an industry driven by constant change, strong leadership is not only about pushing brands forward – it is also about protecting the essence that makes them meaningful to people. Across Indonesia’s agency sector, women leaders continue to play a pivotal role in shaping that balance.

For International Women’s Day 2026, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE speaks with empowering women across the industry to reflect on the experiences and values that have shaped their careers. Hear from Irvine Prisilia (pictured), co-founder and executive creative director at TJT Creative Lab, as she shares the lessons that have guided her journey.

Don't miss: #IWD2026: How FCN's Anne Mutia Ridwan sees purpose-driven ambition building stronger leaders

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Take us back to the very start – what was your first job, and what did it quietly teach you about ambition, resilience or leadership?

Prisilia: My first job in advertising was as a copywriter intern at Leo Burnett, even though I had studied graphic design.

I remember my ECD talking a lot about passion. At the time, I honestly didn’t know what that meant. I just thought, “Okay… I guess I need to look passionate.” We were often asked to come up with 30 ideas in a day. Which, when you’re just starting out, feels like an impossible number. I remember trying to arrive at the office before everyone else just so I could have more time to think. But when I got there, my partner was already there. And sometimes my ECD was too.

Looking back, that experience taught me something important about creativity. The first idea might feel exciting, but you don’t really know if it’s good until you’ve pushed yourself much further. Over time I realised ambition is actually the easy part. Most people want to do great work. The harder part is staying curious and persistent long enough to get there.

That early experience also shaped how I think about leadership. I saw how much responsibility leaders carry – not just for the work, but for the people making it. When something goes wrong, it’s the leader’s responsibility. But when something works, the credit should always belong to the team.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Was there a defining moment in your career when you realised your voice – particularly as a woman – carried unique value in the room? What happened?

Prisilia: Early in my career I often felt the pressure to sound like everyone else in the room. To think fast, speak louder, be sharper and more certain.

But over time I realised my strength was different. I tend to take a little longer to think, and my instinct has been to ask questions. Sometimes quite simple ones, sometimes deeper ones about the product, the goal, the challenge, or the audience we’re trying to reach. At first I worried those questions might feel unnecessary. But I’ve learned that asking the right question often reveals more than having the quickest answer.

I’m not sure if that comes from being a woman or simply from the way I approach problems. But I do think that way of working helps people lower their guard.

When people feel comfortable enough to open up, you start hearing things you might otherwise miss.

And very often, that’s where the most interesting ideas begin.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Today, as an agency leader, how do you support and challenge your team to strike the right balance between pushing brands forward and protecting what makes them distinctive?

Prisilia: KesselsKramer once said something I’ve always loved: people don’t really like advertising. Which is a slightly uncomfortable truth if you work in advertising. So the job isn’t to create more advertising. The job is to create something people actually want to spend time with.

When working with the team, we try to start with understanding. We try to understand the brand almost as if it were our own. What makes it distinctive? Why should anyone care about it?

Then we look at the people we’re speaking to. Who are they, really? And what role could the brand realistically play in their lives?

Once we’ve done that groundwork, that’s when creativity can start doing its magic.

I often think about the best salespeople we meet in real life. Some win you over because they’re incredibly understanding and never pushy. Some because they’re entertaining. Others simply explain things clearly and honestly.

Brands aren’t that different. There isn’t a single formula that works for every brand. The real job is figuring out how that particular brand should behave in the world – in a way that feels true to it, but still interesting for the people it’s trying to reach.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Give to gain”, centres on mutual support. Can you share a moment when giving – or receiving – support changed the trajectory of your leadership?

Prisilia: Throughout my career I’ve been lucky to meet people who gave me a great deal of trust and support.

One of the most valuable things my ex-bosses gave me was permission to fail. In creative work, many ideas sound silly at first. But if you never allow yourself to explore those ideas, you rarely arrive at something truly interesting. That encouragement to push ideas, even the risky, absurd or seemingly stupid ones gave me the confidence to keep trying.

I also have to credit my partner, who has always had my back. This industry comes with a lot of rejection, and it can easily shake your confidence. Having someone who believes in you, even when things don’t work out, makes a huge difference.

I remember learning about the phrase “Fail Harder” at Wieden+Kennedy. It stayed with me because it’s not really about failure. It’s about pushing the work far enough that failure becomes a real possibility. If you’re trying to do something meaningful, that’s usually part of the deal.

That support from leaders, partners, teams, and clients who are willing to believe in the work is what allows creativity to move forward. And I try to give that space to everyone I work with.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: For women who aspire to lead in this industry, what is one mindset shift they must make early if they want to build both influence and longevity?

Prisilia: Early in my career in advertising it was easy to focus on recognition – the awards, the titles, the moments when the work gets noticed. But over time I realised that if I wanted longevity in this industry, I had to learn to love the process.

Creative work comes with a lot of uncertainty and rejection. Ideas get turned down, campaigns change direction, and sometimes the work we believed in never gets made. What remains constant is the commitment we bring to the work.

Chasing visible success can be exhausting. But learning to appreciate the whole journey – the thinking, the questioning, the collaboration, and the craft – makes it possible to stay in the game much longer.

Be part of PR Asia Indonesia 2026 on 15 July 2026 – the first time this regional communications flagship lands in Jakarta – bringing together communications leaders ready to redefine influence, reputation, and impact!

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