The Misfits Camp, Jayme HQ appoint new creative leads focused on inclusion

In a move that reflects the industry's growing focus on inclusion and purpose, James Bernardo (pictured, left) and RJ Espartinez (pictured, right) have taken on new creative leadership roles at The Misfits Camp and Jayme HQ, respectively - both founded by industry leader Merlee Jayme.

Bernardo, with a track record across Saatchi & Saatchi Jakarta and FCB Manila, has joined The Misfits Camp as a creative mentor. His mission is to nurture neurodiverse and underrepresented talent through hands-on, purpose-led mentorship. Bernardo's resume is weighty - Cannes Lions, Spikes Asia, the New York Festivals, and even the Cannes Chimera Award. But it's his return to grassroots creative development that signals a broader intention.

Joining him at The Misfits Camp is Sam Alapan, a fellow Saatchi alum and former educator at MINT College. Together, they bring a potent combination of global agency pedigree and a passion for education - aimed at sparking what The Misfits calls "unconventional talent."

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Bernardo's interests extend beyond advertising. He teaches game development at MINT College and independently publishes comics through Pelikomiks Studios, blending narrative craft with advocacy. His multidimensional approach to creativity aligns seamlessly with The Misfits Camp's values.

Meanwhile, Espartinez takes up the creative director mantle at Jayme HQ. With a body of work spanning Ford, Colgate, Gatorade, and PLDT-SMART, Espartinez has consistently used craft to drive purpose. His campaigns have earned accolades from Ad Stars, Gerety, Luum, and the local Kidlat Awards. At Redbin Philippines, he helped deliver the country's first-ever Luum Award, putting the agency on the international map.

Espartinez brings more than awards to the table. He's a mentor, a juror, and a mental health advocate - traits that dovetail with Jayme HQ's positioning as a values-driven agency.

These dual appointments underscore the symbiotic relationship between Jayme HQ and The Misfits Camp - an ecosystem that aims to treat agency and advocacy not as separate lanes, but as parts of a single creative engine.

"Bringing James and RJ into our creative family isn't just about pushing creative excellence," said Jayme, founder and chairmom of The Misfits Camp and Jayme HQ. "It's about taking a hard, honest look at how we embrace diverse minds, perspectives, backgrounds, behaviours - and yes, neurodiversity and disability. True creativity thrives where everyone has a voice, and these two leaders will help us make that vision real."

Inclusion has long been central to Jayme's leadership. In a MARKETING-INTERACTIVE interview for International Women's Day 2025, she reflected on her early years navigating gendered stereotypes in advertising - relegated to "girly" brands, confronting harassment, and balancing leadership with motherhood.

Rather than conform, she broke new ground: winning pitches in male-dominated categories, walking away from abusive clients, and founding her own agency where purpose and people come first. "I wanted to own the leadership I wanted," she said, choosing the title "chairmom" to reflect both vision and care. This philosophy now underpins Jayme HQ and The Misfits Camp - spaces built to empower diverse talent through creativity and mentorship.

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