As part of an ongoing series highlighting young talent in the industry, Branding in Asia presents “One Under 30” – a special feature that focuses on up-and-coming talent in the ad world, one person at a time.
This time we talk to Irfan Zayanto, a 29-year-old Senior Copywriter at LUP Jakarta.
Over the course of our conversation, he talks about how he got his first break in the industry, what he loves about the job, what he’s not so crazy about, some of his favorite campaign work, and more.
The Basics
Name: Irfan Zayanto
Age: 29
Agency: LUP Jakarta
Position: Senior Copywriter
Hometown: Jakarta, Indonesia
Current Location: Jakarta
Education: University of Indonesia, Bachelor of Communication Science
Seven Questions
How did you get your first break in the industry?
I prefer to start with an inspiring story like the others. But it’s a basic one. Working as a copywriter had never occurred to me as a kid who once aspired to be a painter or an artist. After being rejected from art school twice, I decided to study communication science at the University of Indonesia simply because I had friends who went there.
The story continued in my second year of university when I was trying to find a freelance job in an industry I was unfamiliar with – advertising. From there, I realized it was what I had been looking for all along. Then, I landed in some big-name agencies like Dentsu, McCann Jakarta, and Ogilvy & Mathers.
What is your personal mantra?
“Stay fresh and stay curious!” It helps me a lot to learn something new every day. As someone in the advertising industry, I always need fresh ideas to inspire me to continue making innovations.
From what person, place or thing have you drawn your greatest creative inspiration?
Whenever I get stuck in a creative block, I find that scrolling through funny TikTok clips is quite effective in sparking new ideas. I also like to go to the park to read books or to stare blankly at how people behave and react to things; it also gives me new ideas.
What do you love about the job?
For me, the brainstorming and problem-solving process. It is a strange combination of having fun while still thinking critically. The more fun the process, the better the ideas. Like David Ogilvy said, “The best ideas always come as a joke.” Also, the perks of working in this creative industry allow me to meet new interesting people with different perspectives and energy!
What about your job are you not so crazy about?
I don’t enjoy multitasking, so the workload is my main concern. It gives me zero time to think and build ideas when I have too much to bear, especially when deadlines loom. That is why I always try to give feedback or suggestions as room for future improvement to the agency or the creative culture.
What is some work you’ve done that you’re most proud of?
Danamon – Financial Fears. It is one of my proudest work accomplishments from the year 2022. My teammates and I at LUP Jakarta managed to develop something everyone can relate to – our concerns about our financial futures.
In the current situation where people just woke up from financial hibernation due to the long pandemic, they are faced with the fact that the world is set to enter a global recession in 2023. This condition has successfully scared everyone from making their next financial moves, like buying a house or upgrading their vehicles. Taking momentum on Halloween night, LUP Jakarta created a campaign to encourage everyone to conquer their financial fears and take control of their financial future through Danamon’s financial solutions.
Another reason why I am so proud of this campaign is that we, LUP Jakarta – made a banking campaign breakthrough that got us nominated and won a bronze medal at the 2022 Citra Pariwara Indonesia festival.
If you had to choose another career what would it be?
Of course, a painter or an artist, to live the dream I never had! Or maybe a radio announcer, hahaha!
