Creative Minds: Jasper Cajilig's doing it for the plot

Places lived/worked: Manila, Philippines

Pronouns: He/Him

CV:

• Senior art director, Gigil Advertising Group (2023-present)
• Art director, BBDO Guerrero (2021-2023)
• Art director, JWT (2018-2020)

1. How did you end up being a creative?

As a child, I'd wake up early to check our garden's flowers. While I wasn't fond of flowers per se, I particularly liked the intricate details of each blossom because it inspired characters in my head. I've always had this knack for crafting stories from random things, and advertising seemed like the perfect place for it.

2. What's your favourite piece of work in your portfolio?

No one likes ads. The most valuable advice I've received is to prioritise creating art over advertising. This design piece, crafted in collaboration with my art partner, Ena Tan, illustrates how to advertise a product without it feeling like a traditional ad. An added bonus is its contribution to the reduction of single-use plastic in the country. 


Photo credit: https://www.jaspercajilig.com/prepaidloadcards

3. What's your favourite piece of work created by someone else?

Brooklyn at 280 KPH by TBWA\Chiat Day New York is filed under the pieces of work I wish I had done. The charm of this piece lies in its simplicity and how it managed to breathe new life into the most overused design element: Light rays.



Photo credit: https://bastiengrisolet.com/Nissan

4. What/who are your key creative influences?

I grew up being exposed to the creative works of Anselmo Ramos, Eugene Cheong, Aste Gutierrez, Tin Sanchez, and more. One particular characteristic they have in common is how they push for visceral work more than logic.

5. Who's on your dream dinner guest list (dead or alive)?

I would definitely choose Eugene Cheong, as I still owe him a coffee for graciously making time to train me!

6. Do you work best under pressure or when things are calm?

I work best under pressure. Discomfort provides me comfort because this ultimately leads to unexpected ideas and growth.

7. How would your co-workers describe you?

I’ve heard 'ambitious' multiple times because, according to them, I don’t see the things that I want as 'dreams'; I see them as milestones of where I’m heading next.

8. What would you do on your perfect day?

In the window seat of a bullet train or plane, listening to an ear candy like Deep Cut by Lauv or One Republic, while pretending I’m in a music video. I sometimes push it by listening to the live version of the songs while imagining myself performing live at the Grammys. Not to brag, but I’m the most awarded artist at the Grammys—according to my delusions.

9. Tell us about an artist (any medium) that we've probably never heard of?

Bastien Grisolet, an art-based creative director from New York. His simple yet absurd visual storytelling is to die for. I could only hope to be half the art director he is.

10. Analog or digital?

Analog. In a digital world obsessed with 'what's next', we can always look to the past for influence as we navigate the future.

11. Do you have any regrets?

None. I see the trajectory of life as a film script that’s yet to be produced, so I do things for the plot ;)