GIGIL Agency Founder Herbert Hernandez Shines in Manila
Founded in 2017, GIGIL, an independent Filipino advertising agency, has rapidly made a name for itself under the leadership of co-founders Herbert Hernandez and Badong Abesamis. In just six years, the agency has achieved remarkable success, winning over 180 awards. In 2020, Campaign Philippines honored GIGIL with the titles of Independent Agency of the Year and Creative Agency of the Year. The following year, Ad Age recognized GIGIL Advertising Group Inc. as the International Small Agency of the Year.
As GIGIL looks to expand into the North American market, establishing offices in both the United States and Canada, Herbert Hernandez is on the brink of fulfilling some of his most ambitious dreams.
Hernandez is a gifted multihyphenate whose talents extend beyond advertising; he also has a flair for mathematics and plays the guitar. He has been pursuing a rockstar lifestyle since his college days, serving as the lead guitarist for popular Filipino bands Moonstar88 and 6cyclemind. Despite his impressive accomplishments in advertising and over 20 years of mainstream musical experience, Hernandez remains humble and takes pride in what he and GIGIL represent for the Philippines.
A Supportive Network of Talent
While Hernandez possesses a unique talent for the visual arts, he recognizes that he is surrounded by numerous Filipinos with diverse skills. To provide a platform for ad independents, he founded The Indierectory, connecting talent directly with hiring agencies and companies. The platform serves a wide range of professionals, including account managers, art directors, copywriters, film directors, illustrators, motion graphics designers, music producers, photographers, production designers, strategists, planners, video editors, web developers, and others, creating opportunities that previously didn’t exist.
Yet Hernandez seeks to do even more. He is committed to showcasing Filipino talent on the global stage and continuously looks for ways to collaborate with Filipino brands, talents, and communities. With new GIGIL offices opening in Toronto, New York, and Los Angeles, and a metaverse division named Metama already servicing clients, Hernandez and GIGIL are ready to demonstrate that Filipino advertising stands alongside the best in the world.
GIGIL Managing Partner Jake Yrastorza envisions the agency rising to become one of the top 10 advertising firms globally in the coming years, which would fulfill one of Hernandez’s biggest dreams. Yrastorza summed it up well: “We believe in the Filipino talent and see that it is gaining global recognition.”
GIGIL is a Growth Powerhouse
Even before formalizing plans for expansion into North America and the metaverse, GIGIL was experiencing remarkable growth. The agency debuted in the Financial Times annual ranking of the top 500 high-growth Asia Pacific companies at #30. This ranking considers revenue growth from 2018 to 2021, a challenging period for businesses. GIGIL is proud to be the highest-ranking ad agency on the list.
Additionally, Statista, an international research firm, recognized GIGIL as a Philippine Growth Champion, placing it second among 25 national winners, with a 155.1% compound annual growth rate since 2018, resulting in over $6.5 million USD in revenue.
GIGIL may have started small, but it has evolved into a full-service advertising agency, providing services such as media strategy and buying, event management, public relations, and innovative creative technologies like filter creation, extended reality, and 3D billboards. Hernandez and Abesamis are meticulous in their hiring process, seeking talented individuals who are also hard-working and “good people,” which they believe is a crucial yet underrated quality.
Their intentional hiring strategy has paid off. Campaign Brief’s 20th-anniversary edition of The Work, which showcases the most creative advertising from Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, featured GIGIL prominently. The agency maintained its position as the #5 ad agency of the year, with every employee contributing to at least one accepted entry. With 36 entries accepted into The Work, GIGIL’s team was well-represented.
Hernandez’s Strong Foundation
Although GIGIL seems like an overnight success, both Hernandez and Abesamis have built careers spanning more than two decades. An overachiever from an early age, Hernandez always envisioned a future in the visual arts and advertising. He graduated Magna Cum Laude, finishing first in his Advertising class at the University of Santo Tomas before landing his first job at JWT Manila.
Despite wishing he had taken more time to experience both success and failure, Hernandez progressed steadily from Art Director to Creative Director to Executive Creative Director, moving from JWT to DM9 and then to Young & Rubicam. It was at Y&R that he and Abesamis decided to establish their own agency.
Growing up as the child of a Mechanical Engineer and a top insurance sales agent, Hernandez had strong role models who instilled resilience, analytical thinking, and proactivity in him. Balancing his education with a variety of interests, he has consistently aimed for the sky. With GIGIL ready to tackle new challenges, Hernandez is a leader to watch.
GIGIL is Embracing Risk-Takers
Hernandez and Abesamis understand that GIGIL owes its success to its clients; without companies willing to take risks, the agency’s ability to create memorable campaigns would be limited. As they bring the Philippines’ unique blend of quirky humor to international markets, they are eager to collaborate with clients who appreciate what makes GIGIL different from other agencies.
Armed with extensive experience, a stellar team, and a vision to spread Filipino advertising brilliance worldwide, GIGIL, along with Hernandez and Abesamis, is set for the next exciting chapter in their already remarkable journey to the top. Just like their campaigns, GIGIL “begs to be talked about,” ensuring there will be plenty to discuss in the years ahead.
