Creative Minds: TBWA’s Loo Yong Ping is a Land Rover nerd

Name: Loo Yong Ping

Origin: Singapore

Places lived/worked: Singapore and London

Pronouns: He/him

CV:

• Deputy executive creative director, TBWA Singapore, 2021-present
• Creative director, Ogilvy Singapore, 2017-2021
• Senior art director, Ogilvy Singapore, 2014-2016
• Art director, DDB Tribal Worldwide, 2013-2014
• Freelance art director, 2012-2013
• Digital creative, Red Bee Media, London, 2010-2012

1. How did you end up being a creative?

I grew up with a love for drawing and doodling. You’d find me busy sketching and drawing in my notebooks, textbooks and any scraps of paper I could get my hands on. I would plant myself happily in a corner of the school canteen drawing away, sometimes a small crowd would gather. I vaguely remember starting as early as five or six years old when I drew my first Porsche, and the passion grew with me all the way till I was in my teens. My ‘portfolio’ to design school was a mountain of textbooks that had my drawings, graffiti and designs in them. Clearly, I wasn’t paying attention during those classes. I guess my interest in ‘being a creative’ was always there, and my parents encouraged me to pursue options where I could be creative.

2. What's your favourite piece of work in your portfolio?

It’s hard to pick a favourite as I love everything I’ve done, all for varying reasons. Be it the awards it picked up (Twitter) or something we pushed really hard with a tough traditional client (Singtel), the great memories which came from producing it (The Walking Dead) or the privilege of launching an icon (Jewel Changi Airport). Although, with some scrutiny I can always find areas to improve or hate on my old work.

3. What's your favourite piece of work created by someone else?

I absolutely love this for what it says and means, and what it represents especially to creatives and people like us. Just truly inspiring.

4. What's the craziest thing you've ever done?

When I served in the army, after lights out, a bunch of us decided to strip naked and we ‘swam’ in the camp’s water tub where everybody drew water for their daily shower. It may not sound too crazy, but I don’t even want to think about what would happen if we were caught.

5. What's on your bucket list?

I’m a big fan/nerd of Land Rovers, and something high on my bucket list would be to take a sabbatical and embark on a long overland adventure with my wife and two kids in our Land Rover travelling across continents. To date, my longest overland adventure was 5,000 km when I drove up to Chiang Mai and back with a huge convoy of more than 20 Land Rovers from the club. All in all, I love hitting the road, and enjoy sharing my travel experiences on my Instagram.

6. Tell us about an artist (any medium) that we've never probably heard of.

Can’t remember how I stumbled upon this artist on Spotify: Fauxe. His music is really fresh and has a unique sound and texture inspired by the Southeast Asia region. 

7. What's your favourite GIF/meme, and why?

I love the Batman-slapping-Robin meme. Sometimes I feel like a virtual comedic slap is the only suitable response when people make nonsensical remarks.

8. Tell us about your tattoo(s).

The Ping in my name means peace in Chinese and I had a calligrapher write it for me and turn it into a simple tattoo. It was an old idea I had when I was 13, and when I was living in London, I decided to just get it done to kick off my tattoo journey to celebrate my independence. My calf wrap was done to commemorate the end of my university journey and the start of my advertising career. My buddy from university and I took turns getting ours done at the same time for similar reasons. More to come.

9. Tell us about a charity or cause you think needs more attention.

Organisations like MacMillan Cancer Support, these people are such heroes. I could never do their job and cannot imagine the emotional roller coasters they live through. 

10. Analog or digital?

I would like to say analog, nothing beats the feeling of being connected to an analog experience which tends to be more visceral. Live concerts, photography with a camera, driving a manual car, and reading a printed book or magazine.

11. Cat person or dog person?

Dogs. I’ve had the pleasure of owning four different breeds over many years and while growing up, they are just such special creatures. I do believe all dogs go to heaven. They could almost do no wrong. Cats, on the other hand…