In our ongoing series spotlighting young talent in the industry, Branding in Asia presents “One Under 30” – a special feature focused on rising talent in the advertising & marketing world – one person at a time.
This time we talk to Yuchien Wang, previously with Publicis Health, who now works as a Freelance Copywriter in Taipei.
Over the course of our conversation, she talks about how she got her first break in the industry, what she loves about the job, what she’s not so crazy about, some of her favorite campaign work, and more.
The Basics
Name: Yuchien Wang
Age: 28
Agency: Freelance. Previously Publicis Health
Position: Copywriter
Hometown: Taipei
Current Location: Taipei
Education: (University, Degree and Graduation Year): Syracuse University, Psychology; Advertising. 2019
Seven Questions
How did you get your first break in the industry?
I got a summer internship at Virtue Worldwide, an ad agency under VICE Media. I spent the summer in LA observing how people in the industry worked.
Eventually, I joined Publicis Health as a full-time copywriter. The accounts there sharpened my copywriting skills—writing for pharma was no small feat. Then, I took everything I’d learned and joined a startup in Taipei to help them hone their brand voice.
I feel like I’ve never had a “major” break, but all the experiences along the way have led me to where I am today. If it weren’t for my prior agency experience, working hands-on with brands, I wouldn’t have been able to help CuboAi develop their brand book.
“I feel like I’ve never had a ‘major’ break, but all the experiences along the way have led me to where I am today.”
The training I received at CuboAi also made it possible for me to take on the role of creative lead for product launches and Amazon Prime Day campaigns that chart Top sellers in different countries during my time there.
What is your personal mantra?
Do what’s right.
It’s simple: do the right things. If you’re unsure what the “right” thing is, at least make your decisions in the “right” way.
There is no guarantee that any decision is better than another, but at least in my heart, I want to always know that I made a choice I won’t regret down the line.
From what person, place or thing have you drawn your greatest creative inspiration?
There’s an island off the south coast of Taiwan where I learned to free dive—clear water, sea turtles, and coral reefs.
Nature, in general, is always a source of inspiration for me. Creative ideas often come when you quiet your mind. I believe that silence brings you closer to insights that are right in front of you, which is always a great jumping-off point for concepts and ideas.
“Creative ideas often come when you quiet your mind.”
I always visit the south coast and return bubbling with newfound curiosity and fresh ideas.
What do you love about the job?
I’ve always loved writing, but what I especially enjoy is solving problems in a creative and strategic way. In the future, I hope to work more in the non-profit sector.
I’d love to tackle not just business communication challenges, but also social issues that can positively impact the lives of many.
What about your job are you not so crazy about?
Having to discuss an idea before it’s fully formed. Once it’s passed around the room to different stakeholders, it usually comes back watered down. The bright side is that it has taught me how to protect an idea.
What is some work you’ve done that you’re most proud of?
I love this entry my team and I created for the Cannes Future Lions competition. It’s called Play It Forward—a Spotify feature that turns streams into donations.
I also love this cute series of social posts for Smart Temp, a product I helped launch at CuboAi. As the creative lead on this project, my team and I were hands-on from the photoshoot all the way through to execution.
If you had to choose another career what would it be?
Probably a dog trainer! I have a dog at home named Ahu. He’s a Taiwanese Mountain Dog with such a strange, aloof personality. Training him was a lot of fun. I feel like through our training sessions, we found a way to communicate with one another, and it strengthened our bond. I would love to explore that further and see if I could do it professionally.
Or, I could be a cellist. I was trained in classical music, but I’m ready to pivot to jazz if anyone wants to form a band.
