#IWD2025: Merlee Jayme's fight against limits, stereotypes, and harassment

In the Philippines' agency scene, women have been driving creativity, shaping brands, and influencing culture. But their path to leadership hasn't always been easy—it's a story of resilience, determination, and challenging the status quo.

This International Women's Day 2025, we celebrate the women who are redefining success in the country's agency world, breaking barriers, and paving the way for future generations. Hear from Merlee Jayme, founder and chairmom of Jayme Headquarters and The Misfits Camp, as she shares her journey.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What inspired you to pursue a career in this industry, and what has kept you motivated along the way?

Jayme: My journey into the creative industry was sparked by a deep-seated curiosity and a desire to understand the world and the people around me. At 13, I sought answers in an unconventional way, entering a convent. This period of intense self-reflection and observation ignited my passion for understanding human nature and the power of communication.

Leaving the convent at 16, I felt a calling to return home and use my unique perspective to create the impossible. I realised my ability to "read people" was a powerful tool, and I channelled this into a career in communication, becoming a writer, storyteller, and visualiser. I was driven by a relentless curiosity and a thirst to create campaigns that resonated with audiences, making a difference for brands and people.

What has kept me motivated throughout my 35+ year career is the constant opportunity to learn, grow, and evolve. Each project has been a chance to delve deeper into human insights and solve problems from a different perspective. The desire to move beyond "purpose telling" to "purpose living" led me to found The Misfits Camp and Jayme HQ, where I can use my global and regional experience to empower neurodivergent creatives and create a more inclusive industry. Ultimately, I am driven by the belief that diverse creativity is essential, and I am committed to building a world where "great minds think unalike."

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that shaped your approach to leadership or creativity?

Jayme: Let's be honest. Having labels such as Mom Boss, Girl Boss, and Boss Lady feels wrong. Why do we have to qualify our leadership into genders? This even encourages stereotyping. These hashtag-meme-worthy titles may look good on a mug or, worse, on an apron, but they reflect the pain and long journey we women go through to prove to the world that we can lead. More so, that we can lead amazingly well.

However, when I founded my agency, I wanted to own the leadership I wanted. The kind of values I wanted to promote. The type of relationships I wanted to foster. The kind of culture I wanted to nurture. I came up with the title "chairmom." This title was a solid combination of strength and authority, a visionary and a nurturer.

In the Philippines, we all respect and, to an extent, fear our mothers. This stems from the fact that we have a matriarchal society. The term Ilaw ng tahanan (light of the home) accurately describes how we all look up to her in our families. She represents wisdom, discipline, and unconditional love. I wanted to remind myself of these qualities every day when I took the chairmom title. I am a mother at home and at the same time at work. I want to instil the values we all grew up with, inspired by our very own mothers, into our everyday work. There were many instances when I had to protect my team from clients who didn't treat them well and were quite abusive in their language and demands.

As a creative leader, I take a big responsibility for using my creative power to convince and persuade people. While I love pushing brave work, I encourage my teams to use their creativity to change people and the world for the better.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What challenges have you faced as a woman in the industry, and how have you navigated them?

Jayme: I have a set of glass ceilings that I have smashed and continue smashing to this day. Here are some:

I was stereotyped: As a female copywriter, girly products were thrown my way. You're supposed to be suitable for these jobs as a woman. I was given cooking brands even if I didn't cook. Sanitary pads, cosmetics, and laundry were my main projects.

Don't get me wrong; I loved it. But it was very predictable and stereotyping. After years of working on a shampoo brand, I wanted to expand my writing to something more challenging and meaningful than inventing hair shots.

I smashed this glass ceiling by going up to my ECD and asking if I could be given any brand that needed help. I was willing to work on anything but, I was given a pitch for a plywood brand for contractors and construction workers and won it. I worked for roof sealants, fuels, and oil lube. I had to do actual research on these. It wasn't easy, but it was definitely out of my comfort zone. Then, I knew I could write for anything.

I was sexually harassed: I have many stories on this topic. Every encounter made me a stronger warrior.

This happened in my first agency; my biggest client visited our office. After the meeting, the client asked me to join him in the elevator to the building lobby, where he started advancing toward me. I had to activate my Kungfu moves, warning him to stay away and behave himself. A security guard saved me out of that situation.

I smashed this by letting go of this client. Losing the revenue hit us hard. But we'd rather suffer and pitch for ten more accounts than continue working for that pervert.

One more glass ceiling was the "mom issue."

Some women call this glass ceiling a "maternal wall." When you have an ambition yet choose to be a mom, you can imagine the layers of glass suddenly appearing. One layer would be a distraction. Another is capability. And another would be time.

Management in companies take one look at you, and they can tell they're hiring someone who's not 100% dedicated.

I have four daughters. When people hear this, they say, "Wow, that's brave." I guess more than being brave, I have the energy. Being a mom in this industry takes a lot of "unbalancing." I saw myself pitching and going home in the wee hours of the morning while I was eight months pregnant.

I was able to smash this little by little by integrating my two worlds. First, I set up my agency with my own rules and then moved near the office. I can work the whole day, go home and tutor my girls, have dinner, and put them to sleep. Need be, I go back to the office.

Secondly, I admitted I couldn't do it all. My husband and my parents helped out. It is crucial to have a support system like this. They covered for me. However, I was at every important school event and helped them with their homework.

Lastly, I show my clients the creative benefits of being a mom. My ideas are fresher and more inspired by my kids. I wrote a story for McDonald's about sibling rivalry that didn't feel like advertising. This is creativity based on experience.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What's one piece of advice you'd give your younger self when starting out?

Jayme: Looking back, I think I was crazy enough to follow my gut—every single time. I'd encourage my younger self to do the same.

As women continue to shape the Philippines' agency industry, their journey is one of courage and perseverance—driving change that goes beyond brands to redefine the industry itself.

Join us this coming 3 April for #Content360, an extravaganza centered around three core thematic pillars: Conquering Media Fragmentation; From Ideas To Impact; and Balancing Authenticity And Technology. Immerse yourself in learning to curate content with creativity, critical thinking, and confidence with us at Content360!

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