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Many of today’s top creative dogs in the Advertising industry, including Tay Guan Hin (Regional Executive Creative Director, SEA, JWT) and Curt Detweiler (Creative Director, TBWA\CHIAT\DAY Los Angeles), have worked under Linda Locke to a certain degree. Her intimidating, no-nonsense leadership led many to one single conclusion: Linda Locke is the second coming of Lady Macbeth – an assessment I’m forced to experience within minutes.

So there I was, inhaling a strange combination of the afternoon’s sun and my cigarette, at a cozy Italian restaurant tucked at the corner of Stanley Street, awaiting Linda’s arrival. She was late. Barely minutes really, but I knew that already from a day ago from her Facebook message. You see, unlike our rock star creative directors who stroll into meetings an hour late with a wink for an apology, Linda exercises professionalism regardless of who you are. Of course, it helps that she’s half-English – bless these Brits for their religious need to be polite.

The famous print ad from EDB that apparently caused a standing ovation when PM Lee Hsien Loong walked into the auditorium on his visit to US.

In her 30-year career, Linda has turned two of the biggest advertising agencies in Singapore to dynamic creative empires that produced jaw-dropping advertising campaigns that contributed to the rich bank of awards, including Singapore’s first ever Cannes Gold Lion. Like its Film awards to film directors internationally, the Cannes Gold Lion is the ultimate validation of one’s existence as an Ad person. A frivolous statement perhaps, but I reckon she was the first to make the rest of the Ad world sit up and pay attention to our little red dot.

Deprived of the privilege, I wonder like a curious kitten what it would’ve been like working for Linda in her Dragon Lady years. Could her rumoured merciless tirade be merely the by-product of her obsession with perfection? Is this characteristic not the reason why the Institute of Advertising Singapore recognized her with the Lifetime Achievement Award?

During the interview, an idea sparked off in Linda’s head and she wasted no time jotting it down the old school way – on a napkin!

Sporting an auburn hair cut almost as sharp as her mind, and wearing a gentle gray top hinting of her newfound tranquility, Linda answered my questions with a level of seriousness as if she was training yet another young mind. As a matter of fact, she was. At the end of the interview, I was left feeling like the luckiest bitch on earth. I walked away with a new library of knowledge money can’t buy.

1 / DESCRIBE LINDA LOCKE IN A SINGLE SENTENCE.

Tough but fair.

2 / WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO?

As a consultant (Linda has her own consultancy arm, Godmother), I help brands with their brand positioning, create and conduct training workshops in the industry… And mentorship sessions with young individuals or experienced industry people even. They usually pay me in lunch. (laughs)

For the last year, I have been working with Club21 the leader in the Singapore luxury fashion business. It is interesting observing and working so close to the cash till.

3 / WHAT ARE THE VALUES THAT HAVE GUIDED YOU THRU YOUR CAREER? (QUESTION FROM COLEMAN YEE)

1. A strong sense of justice.
2. The belief in the importance of integrity to oneself and others.
3. The passion to do whatever you do, to the best of your abilities.

Ultimately, I believe in less is more.

4 / YOU AND STEVE JOBS. ANY SIMILARITIES?  (QUESTION FROM COLEMAN YEE)

Yes, passion…  the love and appreciation of beautiful design. The power of aesthetics.

5 / WHERE’S YOUR MOST IMPORTANT SOURCE OF IDEAS AND INSPIRTATION? WITHIN YOU? FROM GROUP BRAINSTORMING SESSIONS? OR STIMULI FROM THE ENVIRONMENT? TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR IDEATION PROCESS  (QUESTION FROM COLEMAN YEE)

Good question – my ideas are formed from the environment, the chemical interaction with people and of course, from the problem itself.

6 / I’D LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER LINDA SEES ADVERTISING CLIENTS IN THE DOWNTURN TURNING TO TRY NEW DIGITAL CHANNELS OR WHETHER THEY SEE THE DOWNTURN AS A MOMENT TO STICK WITH MORE TRADITIONAL CHANNELS LIKE TV, NEWSPAPERS AND BILLBOARDS?  (QUESTION FROM THOMAS CRAMPTON)

The truthful answer is I don’t know, as I do not deal with the range of clients I used to in an agency. My guess is larger companies who have plans to experiment with new digital channels will not be deterred by the current situation and will stay focused. The smaller companies, faced with additional challenges to stay in the black, may resort to more promotional tactics that generate short-term sales – it would depend on their business as to whether digital media or traditional media, is the most cost efficient and effective way to reach their target audience.

The trial of new digital channels is also subject to the nature of the brands themselves and their appeal. For example, One of Club 21’s cult fashion brands is Blackjack. It appeals to young digitally savvy fashion forward people – so social media is a key part of our media mix.

On the topic of the downturn… it’s interesting to realise the power of barter. When you get groups of people with the same vested interest, and objectives there is an opportunity to team up and enjoy cost savings together, by leveraging each other’s assets. It is surprising to me that agencies are generally singularly absent in such collaborations, other than at an executional level.

7 / WHAT IS THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION ABOUT YOU?

That I’m a Dragon Lady with no soft side and no compassion. It is true that I can be a Dragon Lady especially if standards are not what I expect or some injustice has been done, but I always try to be objective and fair.

8 / YOU ARE A LIVING LEGEND IN THE ADVERTISING INDUSTRY, HAVING TURNED SAATCHI & SAATCHI FROM A $6-MILLION BUSINESS TO THAT OF $100-MILLION WITHIN A DECADE. WHAT WERE YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGES?

(laughs) Learning Finance. It was challenging being in a tiny company trying you to replenish revenue yearly and being at the mercy of clients’ up- or down-spend.

Being in a young network in the early 80s with skeleton infrastructure globally and therefore little support was challenging. Many of the network’s agencies at that point where not wholly owned, which made regional campaign assignments demanding.
Years later when I assumed the role of regional chairman I found it difficult to lead both the local office, as well as the region. It was crucial for me to differentiate the two roles I played.

As both the Managing Director and Creative Director of Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore, I was constantly mentally arguing with myself. I frequently found myself weighing the value of creating award winning work versus the threat of losing business by pushing the client to buy better work. On the other hand, it was great to be able to make those decisions myself.

Lastly, the pressure to live up to the standard of work produced by Saatchi London was constant – but it was a good pressure as it pushed you to set the bar high.

9 / WHY DO YOU THINK THE AD WORLD (AND AGENCIES IN GENERAL) ARE LAGGING SO FAR BEHIND CURRENT TRENDS IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE THE BIG WAKE-UP CALL TO GET THEM OFF THEIR ASSES AND REALLY TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY? (QUESTION FROM DARYL TAY)

What’s holding the agencies back are the large clients who are more comfortable in offline media. While there is recognition for the need to change, they cannot do so overnight having made hefty investments in research tools designed for the offline world. It goes without saying that there is a higher risk in investing in any channel that hasn’t already got a tried-and-tested research and measurement infrastructure in place.

Social media is essentially the Nirvana of non-measurements. The whole point of social media is the fact that it is born from a one-on-one relationship and remains effective as a result of that– a blogger to his readers, a person who Twitters to his followers, etc. Agencies, who constantly churn people, will find it difficult to manage these relationships as a service chargeable to clients.

10 / AT ANY POINT, DID YOU FEEL LIKE GIVING UP? WHY DIDN’T YOU?

Many, many times. What stopped me each time is my strong sense of loyalty to my staff and to my clients and not being a quitter by nature.

(pauses)  I quit only after I fell pregnant through IVF. I knew if I didn’t quit, I would’ve lost the thing I wanted most – a child.

11 / WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST REGRET SO FAR?

Not being able to have a second child. And not being able to better manage work and play.

12 / AND YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT?

When I held my child Jackson for the very first time. He is the best product of my creativity.

13 / COMPLETE THIS SENTENCE. CREATIVE PEOPLE THESE DAYS…

Need to understand the clients’ business issues and what it takes to move products and services. They don’t have enough business and strategic knowledge or experience to come up with sound creative solutions.

14 / IF YOU COULD BUY OVER AN AGENCY, WHICH WLL IT BE AND WHY?

Make Studios, because I feel they try and understand the clients’ business issues – what needs to be done and objectives to be achieved. I say this having been their client as well. In spite of being known predominantly for their digital work, they are capable in the offline world. I believe they have great potential, with the right people and support.

For the first time ever, check out never-been-published of Linda Locke spoofs, created by her creative boys who have once worked with her!