The methodical mad man: Learning in advertising from “strat” to CEO:

In another universe I would be a professor but in 2013, I got my first job in advertising and it changed my life.

At IDEASXMACHINA, we come from a multitude of backgrounds. We look for storytellers, crafters, planners, and more. Diversity feeds the machine of creativity. My background in biology has helped me take a different approach to marketing and advertising. Who knew that the scientific method could be applied to something as chaotic as creative work?

That’s the sei-katsu-sha* insight aspect of it, and there is no formula for creativity. Varied backgrounds make beautiful synergy and I am proof of that.

Sei-katsu-sha insight is at the center of all our work. We understand that our team, clients, and target markets are comprised of multitudes. Personally, I have come to apply this to the art of advertising—along with my background of science.

At IXM, as a member of the Hakuhodo Group, I find I’m growing every day. In advertising, you have to be a lifelong learner and have an ear out for the next big thing. Our world has changed, and strategic thinking has helped us change with it. I find myself in classrooms again. They might look like boardrooms or writing rooms, but part of spreading sei-katsu-sha insight is learning that everything is a learning opportunity and a teaching one.

These days, I am always teaching, learning, and finding new ways to lead. As it turns out, I was destined to be a teacher, just not in the way I thought.

* “Sei-katsu-sha” is a term we use to describe people not simply as consumers, but as fully rounded individuals with their own lifestyles, aspirations and dreams. 

Roles and titles current when this article was published in April 2023.