Category: Music

Herbert Hernandez

Herbert Hernandez is disrupting the advertising industry and has no plans to stop.

Known for causing radical change through innovation, disruptive individuals are known to have revolutionized industries. This perfectly describes Herbert Hernandez, a Filipino advertising executive by day and a rock star by night. Herbert Hernandez has been working in advertising for nearly 20 years and is well known for pushing the limits and taking risks with his viral and creative campaigns.

In 2010, Badong Abesamis was inducted into the Creative Guild of the Philippines Hall of Fame. Hernandez has teamed up with Abesamis since 2017, where Herbert Hernandez leads visuals, and Abesamis brings his writing expertise to the agency. They have seen their agency grow exponentially in every way in the five short years they have been in business – staffing, salaries, billing, new clients, and income.

He has consistently earned awards for his unique work since starting in advertising in 2003, receiving a handful of awards. His projects at his second advertising job won several awards, including Cannes Lions, Spikes Asia, Clio, Philippine Creative Guild, Ad Congress Araw Awards, and Tinta Awards. He continued to attract attention on a national and international level as he worked at a third agency and ascended the corporate ladder.

His satisfaction from finally being an entrepreneur is enhanced by the success GIGIL has achieved in such a short period. He tried to start his own business before joining GIGIL, including an events agency and a restaurant, but all of those attempts failed. Even though he invested a lot of time and effort, he still worked for someone else until GIGIL came along.

The GIGIL team has garnered unprecedented attention and awards, including silvers at APAC Effies 2020, 2021, and 2022 for marketing effectiveness; ranked among the 10 Hottest Agencies in Asia; and ranked as one of the most effective independent agencies in Asia, as well as among the best creative agencies in the Philippines.

Herbert Hernandez

The Campaign Asia 40 Under 40 list named Hernandez in 2020, while in 2021, Adweek, the “leading global source of brand marketing news and insights,” named Hernandez and Abesamis among the Creative 100, a collection of the “most fascinating and enviable creative professionals of 2021, from influential icons to emerging game-changers.”

This is the first time a Filipino has made it onto the list. According to Adweek International Editor David Griner, Hernandez and Abesamis are “two of the most creative leaders in advertising right now.” GIGIL has worked with brands such as RC Cola, Accenture, Netflix, Mega Tuna, Orocan, Julie’s Bake Shop, and Levi’s on digital viral campaigns.

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Herbert Hernandez can attest that being a rock star takes a lot of work.

With almost immediate success, 6cyclemind rose to prominence in the Philippines in the early 2000s. With almost a decade of recording and touring behind them, the band underwent a few changes in the lineup, including the addition of Herbert Hernandez, a well-established lead guitarist. Moonstar88, where he plays lead guitar and writes, is the band he founded previously. Even though Herbert Hernandez plays with two mainstream bands regularly, he takes responsibility with great grace; even so, he doesn’t consider himself a full-time musician.

With his partner Badong Abesamis, Hernandez co-founded the internationally renowned independent advertising agency GIGIL in addition to his duties with both of his bands. Although Herbert Hernandez spends most of his nights traveling and performing music, most of his days are filled with meetings, alignments, and presentations with local and international advertising clients. Having such a variety of natural abilities, his days are filled as he pursues all of the ventures he finds exciting and inspiring, regardless of whether they are musical or visual. He starts every day with a prayer, followed by a lot of coffee.

He works for GIGIL from 9-6 hours, either on the phone or with clients, and then breaks for lunch with his family. Having been married for 15 years and having three children together, Hernandez prioritizes spending quality time with his wife and children daily. His children can see what their father does at the office when work permits. Dinner with his family follows his day job, followed by a gig with either 6cyclemind or Moonstar88. At the end of every day, Hernandez and his wife play Mobile Legends.

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In addition to one date night per week, one family day per week, and one international vacation each year, he emphasizes the importance of keeping the family healthy by taking many bike rides. He also travels quite a bit. There are many nights when Hernandez does not get more than four hours of sleep, so if you wonder what he has to sacrifice, it is usually his sleep. However, Hernandez is willing to sacrifice both careers for one of his favorite careers.

He relies on the positive feedback he receives from fans and clients to keep going. The multifaceted career Hernandez has enjoyed in advertising, and music has led him to create solutions and opportunities for colleagues within his field. In 2018, he founded The Indierectory, which allows independent advertising professionals and freelancers to sell their services directly to hiring agencies and companies as a third venture. Hernandez hopes to provide paid gigs to Filipino independent talents worldwide eventually.