Adapt, evolve, create: The ‘challenger mindset’ driving TREYNA forward

In advertising, staying in business for decades is already an achievement. Remaining culturally relevant through shifting consumer behavior, technological disruption, and industry consolidation is something even fewer agencies manage to sustain.

But for TREYNA, longevity has never been about preserving tradition for tradition’s sake. Instead, the agency has built its reputation on continuously evolving alongside the industry — even when that means redefining itself entirely.

Following the Omnicom-IPG merger, the agency formerly known as MullenLowe TREYNA officially entered a new era as TREYNA, with the MullenLowe brand retiring globally. But beyond the name change, the transition signals something the agency has practiced for nearly five decades: embracing reinvention as part of its identity.

Named after its founders and current leaders, TREYNA traces its roots back to 1978, when Francis B. Trillana Jr. — considered one of the Philippines’ original advertising “mad men” — led the local Lintas operation. Over the years, the agency has evolved through several names, including SSC&B Lintas, Lintas: Manila, Ammirati Puris Lintas, Lowe Lintas & Partners, Lowe Philippines, MullenLowe Philippines, and MullenLowe TREYNA, while consistently remaining among the country’s top agencies.

For TREYNA Group President and CEO Mike Trillana, the agency’s ability to stay relevant comes from maintaining what he calls a “challenger mindset.”

“The constant through all our transformations has been a challenger mindset — the willingness to question, adapt, and evolve as the industry and culture shift around us,”  Mike said in a statement. 

“It’s what has allowed us to weather change over nearly five decades and continue finding new ways to stay relevant,” he added. 

_{Founded in 1978, the agency has spent nearly five decades in continuous reinvention. It has operated under multiple names — SSC&B Lintas, Lintas: Manila, Ammirati Puris Lintas, Lowe Lintas & Partners, Lowe Philippines, MullenLowe Philippines, MullenLowe TREYNA, and now TREYNA — the latest coming from the recent acquisition of IPG by Omnicom.} 

That mindset dates back to the agency’s formative years. 

In 1980, Francis B. Trillana Jr. left McCann Erickson Philippines to lead a then 12-person Lintas office. By 1988, the agency had entered the country’s top 10 agencies, a position it has sustained ever since.

Currently, TREYNA remains one of the country’s most awarded agency groups, ranked the #1 Most Creative and Most Effective network agency in the Philippines by the 2025 World Advertising Research Center (WARC) rankings and the #1 Most Awarded Agency in the country according to The Drum 2025 World Creative Rankings.

Yet for Mike, scale and recognition are not reasons to become complacent.

“To us, being a challenger is a state of mind. No matter how big or successful one becomes, it is always best to view oneself as a challenger. That way, you maintain the hunger and humility to make the necessary changes to the business,” he told adobo Magazine. 

A legacy built on cultural resonance

Across generations, TREYNA’s work has embedded itself in Filipino pop culture. Campaigns such as Surf’s “Wais,” Selecta Cornetto’s “Hanggang Saan Aabot ang 20 Pesos Mo,” Lucky Me! Pancit Canton’s “Ticnap Notnac,” Fita’s “Sportscar, Yung Red!,” and SM’s enduring “We’ve Got It All for You” helped establish the agency’s reputation for creating ideas that resonate beyond advertising.

More recently, the agency has expanded that cultural relevance into advocacy-led work with global impact. Campaigns such as “The Right to Care Card,” launched in partnership with the Quezon City Gender and Development Council, and Scoliosis Philippines’ “#StripesFitCheck” collectively earned more than 35 international awards.

With these in mind, Mike believes the agency’s current creative philosophy centers on work that creates meaningful impact. 

“Creativity that makes a difference takes courage, curiosity, and culit (kulit),” he shared, defining TREYNA’s creative identity now that it stands more independently. Hence, this philosophy has become increasingly important as agencies navigate AI, fragmented media environments, and rapidly changing consumer behaviors. 

“As an agency, we preach to our guys that we need to be comfortable with the uncomfortable.  The death of advertising has long been predicted by pundits for many years, and yet we are still here!  AI is simply the latest boogeyman,” Mike said. “We need to embrace these realities and be willing to put ourselves out there if we are to be the best versions of ourselves as an agency.” 

_{Mike shares how the agency navigates innovation and leadership amid change — championing a culture where experimentation, adaptability, and learning from failure are essential drivers of growth.}

Expanding beyond traditional advertising

Over time, TREYNA has evolved from a conventional advertising agency into a broader communications and creative ecosystem.

The TREYNA Group now includes MARC for public relations, Qairos for platforms and technology, Paradigm for production, and HOOK for brand experience and activation. MARC is a two-time Campaign Asia PR Agency of the Year winner, while Paradigm ranks among Campaign Brief’s top 10 production companies in the Asia-Pacific region.

The agency has also continued to expand its client portfolio across multiple industries. Recent wins include campaigns for “Surf2Sawa” by Converge, Mega Sardines, and Beetzee Play, alongside expanded partnerships with Unilever brands such as Creamsilk, Dove, and Rexona.

In the digital space, TREYNA recently launched the Cebuana Lhuillier Jewelry website and handled campaigns for UL Skin Sciences’ Myra Glow Radiance White while also managing PR services for Anlene Philippines.

Despite its international affiliations, TREYNA remains majority-owned by local shareholders, with Omnicom continuing as a strategic shareholder following the global merger.

“We will continue investing in growth with the necessary resources and manpower. Recent major new business wins mean we’ll be hiring across multiple departments next year. We look forward to a new era of success with the local shareholders steering the future of the agency and Omnicom Advertising by our side,” Mike said.

Building a culture comfortable with uncertainty

Internally, the agency’s leadership encourages experimentation, even when outcomes are uncertain.

As TREYNA’s President and CEO, Mike values how TREYNA approaches innovation and leadership during periods of change. The company sees experimentation and even failure as necessary parts of growth rather than setbacks to avoid.

“One of the things we always tell our people is to not be afraid to fail.  In fact, we tell them that if they are going to fail, then fail faster.  Because by failing faster, we can also imbibe the learnings faster and improve ourselves.” 

“We will not always get things right.  And we’re okay with that and that should never stop us from trying out new things.  If we just stuck to our comfort zone, then 35% of our Revenue would not exist today,” Mike added. 

That willingness to evolve has also influenced how TREYNA approaches strategy and creativity today. According to Mike, the agency now applies a proprietary “curiosity framework” designed to create work that genuinely engages audiences rather than simply responding to algorithms.

Importantly, the agency views reinvention as additive rather than destructive.

“We didn’t consciously let go of anything. It’s more addition rather than subtraction.”

As the agency enters another phase of transformation, Mike accepts that the company’s greatest strength lies in maintaining the energy of a startup despite its decades-long history.

“We are a 48-year startup with almost five decades of energy. The heart of a challenger, eyes wide with curiosity. Malalim na maangas. Matapang na makulit. Matulis na mababaw. Mabait na gagi. If all these contradictions make you excited, then you’re the kind of talent we want to attract,” he said. 

“We’ve never let the name on the door stop us from becoming who we need to be. At this point, what excites me most is the unknown,” Mike said in conclusion. 

READ MORE:

How a ‘challenger mindset’ keeps a legacy agency like TREYNA relevant after nearly five decades 

Post-MullenLowe, TREYNA marks a new chapter

Omnicom shuts DDB, FCB, MullenLowe after historic Interpublic acquisition

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