Mon Benitez – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos Legacy Edition 2020

Gamechanger – Ramon Benitez

Creative Director

Creative Director, respected advertising legend Ramon Benitez, has contributed greatly to the sterling reputation of Filipinos as formidable creative talents in the advertising industry.  Working in the region for over 20 years, Mon has been the man behind some of Leo Burnett’s campaigns for its biggest clients – multinational giants Philip Morris, Diageo, and Procter & Gamble, among others. He has garnered over 10 Gold and 2 Silver honors at the International Advertising Association (IAA) Middle East Awards.  A number of his campaigns, particularly for Marlboro, Parliament, and Merit, have also been adopted on a global scale.

Always the self-effacing talent who never takes credit for all the work alone, Mon sees every win as the success of team effort.  Having a squad of over 20 composed of art directors, copywriters, and other designers, during his Leo Burnett stint, his creative genius and mastery in the field has been instrumental in pushing Filipino leadership in the sector.

Now running his own agency Illustrado-CREO since 2013, to pursue his own interests, Ramon emphasizes the importance of going beyond just great work.  He shares, “I use to think that good creative work will always speak for itself. I was wrong. We need to push our ideas and defend them when necessary. You have to present yourself and be visible because being good is just not enough. Prioritizing work that delivers business and awards are just icing on the cake.  At the end of the day, we all need to go beyond thinking like creatives. We should also think about the business as a whole.”

Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf is Supported by: Kaya Skin Clinic,  Emirates Airline, and Unilever.

Special Thanks to Michael Cinco, Ezra Couture , Giordano, Darcey Flowers, IKON Solutions, Victors Freight, MPQ Tourism, Asia Gulf Companies –La Carne & Filfood, WOL Water

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