GIGIL Agency Founder Herbert Hernandez Shakes Up Manila

Since its inception in 2017, independent Filipino ad agency GIGIL has been making waves. Founded by Herbert Hernandez and Badong Abesamis, GIGIL has achieved remarkable success, collecting over 180 awards in just six years. In 2020, Campaign Philippines recognized GIGIL as both 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.

As GIGIL plans its expansion into North America with offices in the United States and Canada, Hernandez may soon see his long-held dreams come true.

Hernandez is a versatile talent whose interests go beyond advertising, with a flair for mathematics and music. Since college, he has also been moonlighting as a rockstar, playing lead guitar for popular Filipino bands Moonstar88 and 6cyclemind. Despite his impressive accomplishments in advertising and music, Hernandez remains humble, proud of what GIGIL’s success means for the Philippines.

Surrounded by Talent

Hernandez, a gifted visual artist, is aware of the incredible talents around him. He created The Indierectory as a platform for independent creatives, allowing them to showcase their work to hiring agencies and companies. Whether it’s account managers, art directors, copywriters, film directors, or other creatives like motion designers and web developers, The Indierectory opens doors to opportunities that were previously unavailable.

Still, Hernandez remains determined to push Filipino talent onto the global stage. He constantly seeks collaboration with local brands, talents, and communities. With GIGIL now establishing offices in Toronto, New York, and Los Angeles, along with their metaverse division, Metama, already taking clients, Hernandez and GIGIL are positioned to demonstrate that Filipino advertisers can compete globally.

GIGIL’s managing partner, Jake Yrastorza, has high hopes for the agency, aiming to elevate GIGIL to a top 10 advertising agency worldwide. As Yrastorza put it, “We believe in the Filipino talent and see that it is gaining global recognition.”

GIGIL: A Growth Powerhouse

Before its formal expansion into North America and the metaverse, GIGIL had already experienced tremendous growth. Ranked 30th in Financial Times’ annual listing of the top 500 high-growth companies in Asia Pacific, GIGIL became the highest-ranking ad agency on the list. The rankings were based on revenue growth from 2018 to 2021, some of the toughest years in business history.

Recognized as a Philippine Growth Champion by the international research firm Statista, GIGIL ranked second out of 25 national winners with an impressive 155.1% compound annual growth rate and over $6.5 million USD in income.

Starting small, GIGIL has now evolved into a full-service advertising agency, offering services such as media strategy, event management, public relations, and advanced creative technologies, including 3D billboards and extended reality. Hernandez and Abesamis maintain a rigorous hiring process, seeking not just talented individuals but those who are hardworking and “good people,” a quality they view as essential but often overlooked.

This careful approach to hiring has paid dividends. In Campaign Brief’s The Work, representing the most creative advertising from Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, GIGIL retained its position as the #5 ad agency of the year. Every employee contributed to at least one of GIGIL’s 36 accepted entries into The Work, showcasing the strength of their team.

A Solid Foundation for Hernandez

Although GIGIL may seem like an overnight sensation, Hernandez and Abesamis have each built long, successful careers. Hernandez, always driven, knew from a young age that advertising was his future. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Santo Tomas, topping his Advertising class, before securing his first role at JWT Manila.

Despite regretting his rapid climb up the corporate ladder, Hernandez’s career trajectory was steady— from Art Director to Executive Creative Director—moving through agencies like DM9 and Young & Rubicam. It was at Y&R that Hernandez and Abesamis decided to launch GIGIL.

Raised by a Mechanical Engineer father and a top insurance sales agent mother, Hernandez credits his parents for shaping his resilience and proactive nature. With a solid educational foundation and a myriad of interests, Hernandez has soared to new heights, and GIGIL’s next phase is poised to bring even more challenges and triumphs.

GIGIL Looks for Risk-Takers

Hernandez and Abesamis understand that without their clients’ willingness to take risks, GIGIL’s creativity would be stifled. As GIGIL brings its quirky and distinctive Filipino humor to the international stage, they look forward to collaborating with clients who appreciate what makes them different.

With years of experience, a talented team, and a vision to spread Filipino creativity across the globe, GIGIL, Hernandez, and Abesamis are ready for the next exciting chapter. Like their campaigns, GIGIL “begs to be talked about,” and the world is certainly paying attention.