Civilization's Andrew Lok & the Business of Creativity
January 27, 2023
Welcome to Season 2!
Today we are talking about creativity in the marketing and advertising industry, and we’re honored to have one of China’s most award-winning Creative Directors, Andrew Lok, on today’s show. He started his career in Singapore as a journalist for UPI, but decided it was more fun to create news than report it, so he joined the advertising industry. After stints raising the creative rankings of Ogilvy China, based in Guangzhou and Beijing, he moved to Shanghai, where he served as Executive Creative Director for BBDO. In 2012, he founded Civilization, based in Shanghai, now one of China’s top independent agencies. Andrew is among the most awarded Creatives in China and speaks Mandarin, English, and German.
Welcome to Season 2!
Today we are talking about creativity in the marketing and advertising industry, and we’re honored to have one of China’s most award-winning Creative Directors, Andrew Lok, on today’s show. He started his career in Singapore as a journalist for UPI, but decided it was more fun to create news than report it, so he joined the advertising industry. After stints raising the creative rankings of Ogilvy China, based in Guangzhou and Beijing, he moved to Shanghai, where he served as Executive Creative Director for BBDO. In 2012, he founded Civilization, based in Shanghai, now one of China’s top independent agencies. Andrew is among the most awarded Creatives in China and speaks Mandarin, English, and German.
1. What's with the name, "Loksmith?"
2. What's the most compelling work that you've ever done? The story of Visa & Pepsi's most famous ads
3. Should young Creatives consider China as a market to flourish? It takes a lot of luck
4. Andrew's beginnings started with telling stories
5. Is VR helping or harming creative stories, or is it telling too much?
6. How music has changed my perspective on storytelling
7. Has social media created greater intimacy for brand storytelling?: Andrew's story of fandom gone crazy
8. Has the style of China advertising evolved and changed as people have changed?
9. Can emotional ads survive the power of KOLs?
10. Origins of Civilization and surviving in China
11. A poem from "I am a Tourist" - about family
12. A/B Test:
About Andrew Lok:
Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-lok-b45b413b/
Andrew's book of poetry, "I am a Tourist": https://www.amazon.com/I-am-tourist-Andrew-Lok/dp/1466343877/ref=sr_1_1?crid=30UMH74JKID67&keywords=Andrew+Lok&qid=1674567881&sprefix=andrew+lok%2Caps%2C81&sr=8-1
Andrew's song, "Whatever": https://open.spotify.com/track/1oL4LalnvFNC7kNiVMeHJN?si=889953d9d9564893
About Civilization: http://www.civilization.link/en/
Pepsi's "Bring Happiness Home": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQ_B-Nh5bHk
For everything ShanghaiZhan: http://zhanstation.com/
Donate & become a ShanghaiZhan Patron: https://www.patreon.com/shanghaizhan
Campaign Asia: https://www.campaignasia.com/
ShanghaiZhan Theme Music: by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac
Bryce on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/
Today we are talking about creativity in the marketing and advertising industry, and we’re honored to have one of China’s most award-winning Creative Directors, Andrew Lok, on today’s show. He started his career in Singapore as a journalist for UPI, but decided it was more fun to create news than report it, so he joined the advertising industry. After stints raising the creative rankings of Ogilvy China, based in Guangzhou and Beijing, he moved to Shanghai, where he served as Executive Creative Director for BBDO. In 2012, he founded Civilization, based in Shanghai, now one of China’s top independent agencies. Andrew is among the most awarded Creatives in China and speaks Mandarin, English, and German.
1. What's with the name, "Loksmith?"
2. What's the most compelling work that you've ever done? The story of Visa & Pepsi's most famous ads
3. Should young Creatives consider China as a market to flourish? It takes a lot of luck
4. Andrew's beginnings started with telling stories
5. Is VR helping or harming creative stories, or is it telling too much?
6. How music has changed my perspective on storytelling
7. Has social media created greater intimacy for brand storytelling?: Andrew's story of fandom gone crazy
8. Has the style of China advertising evolved and changed as people have changed?
9. Can emotional ads survive the power of KOLs?
10. Origins of Civilization and surviving in China
11. A poem from "I am a Tourist" - about family
12. A/B Test:
About Andrew Lok:
Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-lok-b45b413b/
Andrew's book of poetry, "I am a Tourist": https://www.amazon.com/I-am-tourist-Andrew-Lok/dp/1466343877/ref=sr_1_1?crid=30UMH74JKID67&keywords=Andrew+Lok&qid=1674567881&sprefix=andrew+lok%2Caps%2C81&sr=8-1
Andrew's song, "Whatever": https://open.spotify.com/track/1oL4LalnvFNC7kNiVMeHJN?si=889953d9d9564893
About Civilization: http://www.civilization.link/en/
Pepsi's "Bring Happiness Home": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQ_B-Nh5bHk
For everything ShanghaiZhan: http://zhanstation.com/
Donate & become a ShanghaiZhan Patron: https://www.patreon.com/shanghaizhan
Campaign Asia: https://www.campaignasia.com/
ShanghaiZhan Theme Music: by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac
Bryce on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/