Carolyn Chow and Zhe Yuan Chin (‘Shrny’) worked together at Dentsu Malaysia, where they are both “Creative Hybrids”.

Earlier this year, they joined the Young Lotus Workshop at ADFEST, a mentoring program for junior creatives that some describe as lifechanging – or at the very least, unforgettable! This year’s teams were mentored by MullenLowe Group, while next year’s teams will be mentored by Isobar – it will be the first time a digital experience agency has partnered with the event.

You were finalists at Young Lotus this year, congratulations! What did you learn from taking part in the workshop?

Shrny: Thank you, I feel like it has really broadened my perspective. Thanks to the program! We’ve learned that sometimes overcomplicating stuff could lead us down an endless rabbit hole. So, we had to be smart with the way we think up ideas, sometimes just trusting our gut feeling might be the best way.

Carol: Yeah! We had a lot of fun meeting and learning from different creatives from across APAC, too. It was interesting to learn the different points of view and how each region used data differently in solving their creative problems. It really opened our minds up to the possibilities.

You were given a real-world brief from Google. What was your idea?

 Carol: The brief was on Google Home and how underutilised it was after purchase. So we had to figure out how we could get the users’ attention and make them realise their needs could be easily attended to with their Google Home, even when users weren’t physically at home. Our idea was really simple. We created Google Home’s first-ever voice-assisted GDN banner ads.

Shrny: By hijacking their keywords online, we could retarget these users with attractive and relevant banner ads while they are browsing. Grabbing their attention while familiarising them with the functions of their Google Home.  All they needed to do was say the magic words, “Hey Google” and they would be instantly redirected to their app and set their routine in their Google Home. No clicking. No tapping. Just using voice command. These voice-assisted GDN banner ads became a conduit to re-educate and familiarise users with their Google Home. Thus, making use of it at home without users having to actually be at home.

Any favourite memories of Thailand?

Carol: Definitely the 48 hours of the Young Lotus challenge. It was a rollercoaster of emotions. I think all the brainstorming and rush from the all-night hustle to the presentation of our idea itself really pushed us to be better and smarter creatives.  We had to make difficult choices, really trust our gut and each other to get through it all. And I couldn’t have asked for a better teammate than Shrny.

During sunset, when we got the results that we made the top 5 was just the cherry on top of the cake. Did not see it coming at all!

Shrny: Ha ha ha… and overall just spending all our time and having this incredible experience together with my lovely partner, Carolyn, was really unforgettable.

How long have you worked at Dentsu Malaysia? What have you been working on lately?

Carol: Collectively, we’ve been in the network for almost 3 years. It’s a melting pot of creativity with different agencies to appeal to every client’s needs. Because of Dentsu’s global reach, we had the pleasure of working with different clients in a wide variety of industries.

Shrny: It’s also a place that has groomed us a lot. We learned a lot and got to experience different things while working in Dentsu.

How does Kuala Lumpur inspire you? What is the creative scene like there?

Shrny: Our multiracial culture is the biggest influence here. Different races come with their own set of different cultures, and the challenge here is to blend it with our ideas and appeal to our targeted audience.

Carol: And the creative scene is always growing in KL. Always pushing the limits yet never forgetting our traditions and culture. The mentality of always striving to be better and the passion of doing things differently really keeps the fire inside burning.

I’m intrigued by your job title, ‘Creative Hybrids’. How would you describe what you do?

Carol: Basically, it means that we are a hybrid of our talents. We aren’t defined by just one specialty. We are not only a writer or an art director. We are storytellers, filmmakers, music producers, songwriters, interior designers and so much more.

Shrny: Meaning we do everything. HAHAHA.

Do you have any advice for junior creatives: is there a secret to succeeding/surviving in ad land?

Shrny: To me, there's no secret. Just always be proactive, dare to ask, always be hungry to learn and have fun.

Carol: And don’t panic! Although we worry a lot of the time, everything will be okay because you aren’t alone in this crazy world. Advertising is not a solo job and for us to make really great work, we have to work together as a team.

Would you recommend the Young Lotus program to other creatives?

Shrny: Totally! It's a really great experience and you will get the chance to meet a lot of amazing people from around the world.

Carol: For sure! It’s a great learning curve and it really widens your perspective on creative possibilities. Believe us, the experience is worth it.

·         If you are interested in taking part in the Young Lotus Workshop at ADFEST 2020, contact YoungLotus@ADFEST.com