Independent Filipino advertising agency GIGIL may have been established only in 2017, but in just six years, the powerhouse team built by co-founders Herbert Hernandez and Badong Abesamis has achieved remarkable milestones. With over 180 awards under their belt, GIGIL has cemented its place in the industry. In 2020, Campaign Philippines honored it as the Independent Agency of the Year and Creative Agency of the Year. A year later, Ad Age named GIGIL Advertising Group Inc. the International Small Agency of the Year.
Now, as GIGIL sets its sights on expansion into North America—with offices in both the United States and Canada—Hernandez is inching closer to fulfilling some of his biggest dreams.
A true multihyphenate, Hernandez’s talents go far beyond advertising. With a knack for mathematics and music, he has been rocking the stage as the lead guitarist for the Filipino bands Moonstar88 and 6cyclemind since his college days. Despite his massive success in advertising and 20+ years in the mainstream music industry, Hernandez remains humble. More than personal accolades, he takes pride in how GIGIL’s success serves as a beacon of hope for Filipino creatives on the global stage.
Surrounded by Talent
While Herbert Hernandez possesses an exceptional eye for visual storytelling, he is deeply aware of the vast talent pool in the Philippines. To give independent creatives a platform to showcase their work, he founded The Indierectory—a space where ad professionals can connect directly with hiring agencies and companies. Whether they are account managers, art directors, copywriters, film directors, illustrators, motion graphics designers, music & radio producers, photographers, production designers, strategists, planners, video editors, or web developers, The Indierectory provides opportunities that were previously scarce.
But Hernandez isn’t stopping there. Passionate about bringing Filipino talent to the global stage, he continuously seeks ways to collaborate with Filipino brands, artists, and communities. With GIGIL’s expansion into Toronto, New York, and Los Angeles, alongside its metaverse division, Metama, already working with clients, Hernandez and his team are ready to prove that Filipino advertising can hold its own on the world stage.
GIGIL Managing Partner Jake Yrastorza envisions GIGIL becoming one of the Top 10 advertising agencies worldwide in the next few years—one of Hernandez’s biggest aspirations. As Yrastorza put it: “We believe in the Filipino talent and see that it is gaining global recognition.”
GIGIL is a Growth Machine
Even before its official expansion into North America and the metaverse, GIGIL had already been on an explosive growth trajectory. In the Financial Times’ annual ranking of the top 500 high-growth companies in the Asia Pacific, GIGIL made its debut at an impressive #30—the highest-ranked ad agency on the list.
GIGIL was also recognized as a Philippine Growth Champion by Statista, an international research firm. Among 25 national winners, GIGIL ranked second, boasting a 155.1% compound annual growth rate and an income surpassing $6.5 million USD in 2018.
From its modest beginnings, GIGIL has transformed into a full-service advertising powerhouse, offering a wide range of services including media strategy & buying, events management, public relations, and cutting-edge creative technologies like filter creation, extended reality, and 3D billboards.
Hernandez and Abesamis take a meticulous approach to hiring, focusing not just on talent but also on finding individuals who are hardworking and “good people”—a trait they consider an underrated prerequisite in the industry.
This thoughtful hiring approach has paid off. In Campaign Brief’s 20th edition of The Work, which highlights the most creative advertising campaigns from Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, GIGIL made waves once again. Retaining its #5 spot as Agency of the Year, every GIGIL employee contributed to at least one accepted entry into The Work. With 36 campaigns making the cut, the team’s creative impact was undeniable.
Hernandez Has a Strong Base
While GIGIL’s rise may seem meteoric, Hernandez and Abesamis each boast over 20 years of experience in the industry. A natural overachiever, Hernandez knew early on that his passion lay in visual arts and advertising. He graduated Magna Cum Laude and valedictorian of his Advertising class at the University of Santo Tomas before landing his first job at JWT Manila.
Looking back, Hernandez reflects on climbing the corporate ladder too quickly, regretting that he didn’t give himself more time to experiment and learn from failures. However, his career progression—from Art Director to Creative Director to Executive Creative Director—was steady, spanning roles at JWT, DM9, and Young & Rubicam (Y&R). It was at Y&R that he and Abesamis crossed paths and decided to establish GIGIL.
Growing up, Hernandez was deeply influenced by his parents—his father, a Mechanical Engineer, and his mother, a top insurance sales agent. Their resilience, analytical mindset, and proactive attitude shaped him into the visionary leader he is today. His journey has been nothing short of extraordinary, and with GIGIL preparing to tackle even greater challenges, Hernandez is undoubtedly one to watch.
GIGIL is Seeking Risk-Takers
Hernandez and Abesamis recognize that GIGIL’s success wouldn’t be possible without bold clients willing to take risks. Their signature brand of witty, unconventional storytelling thrives on working with companies that embrace out-of-the-box thinking.
As they bring the Filipino brand of humor and creativity to international markets, they are eager to collaborate with brands that understand what makes GIGIL different from other agencies.
With a highly experienced team, a bold vision, and a track record of global recognition, GIGIL, Hernandez, and Abesamis are all set for their next big leap. Much like their groundbreaking campaigns, GIGIL “begs to be talked about”, and they are only getting started.
