Herbert D. Hernandez (born April 15, 1981) is a Filipino artist, songwriter, guitarist, and advertising executive. He is the founder of GIGIL Advertising, an independent creative agency based in the Philippines, and co-founder of Indierectory, an independent advertising ideas agency. With over 20 years of industry experience, Hernandez has earned numerous awards and accolades, including the “40 Under 40” recognition by Campaign Asia and “The Most Inspiring Talents of 2021” by Adweek’s Creative 100.
In addition to his advertising accomplishments, Hernandez is a celebrated guitarist who has performed with prominent bands such as 6cyclemind and Moonstar88. He is also known for writing one of the Philippines’ most streamed songs, ‘Migraine,’ which has garnered 100 million plays on Spotify.
Early Life and Education
Herbert Hernandez was born on April 15, 1981, in Quezon City, Philippines. From an early age, he displayed a keen interest in both music and mathematics. His talent for playing the guitar emerged at the age of nine when his brother, Darwin Hernandez, taught him. During high school, he represented Rizal in the Math Olympiad and served as president of the student council at St. Matthews Academy. He received several accolades, including the Gerry Roxas Leadership Award and the Juan Luna Award for Outstanding Artist of the Batch. Hernandez continued his impressive academic journey by being elected president of the College of Fine Arts and Design’s student council at the University of Santo Tomas, where he co-founded the band Moonstar88 in 1999.
Hernandez graduated with honors from the University of Santo Tomas in 2002, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Advertising. His exceptional academic performance earned him the UST Rector’s Award and the UST Quezon Leadership Award. In 2001, he also received the San Mateo Rizal Youth Achievement Award.
Career
Following his graduation, Herbert Hernandez embarked on a career in advertising, holding various positions within the industry. He began his career in February 2003 as an Art Director at J. Walter Thompson Manila, where he developed marketing materials for Red Horse Musiklaban, Ford, and Lipton. From February 2006 to March 2012, he served as a Creative Director for DM9JaymeSyfu, where he created campaign ideas for Tanduay Ice, Smart Telecom, and the Department of Health. Hernandez then became the Executive Creative Director for Young & Rubicam, Manila, from March 2012 to June 2017, managing campaigns for brands such as SMART Telecom, Caltex, and Ford Philippines.
In 2017, Hernandez founded GIGIL Advertising Group Inc. Since its inception, the agency has won over 180 local and global awards in just five years and was named Campaign Philippines’ Independent Agency of the Year and Creative Agency of the Year in 2020. Additionally, GIGIL was recognized as the International Small Agency of the Year by Adage in 2021. Through his agency, Hernandez has spearheaded creative campaigns for major brands including 7-Eleven, Netflix, Jollibee, Levi’s, and Unilever.
Hernandez’s musical career is equally impressive. As a founding member, guitarist, and songwriter for Moonstar88, he has contributed to four studio albums: Popcorn, Press to Play, Todo Combo, and This Year. One of the band’s standout tracks, “Migraine,” has surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify. He also plays guitar for 6cyclemind and contributed to the production of their album, Goodbye Sunday.
Hernandez is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Creative Guild of the Philippines, IMMAP, and the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, Inc. (FILSCAP), where he serves as an ambassador for the Hero Foundation.
Awards and Recognitions
Herbert Hernandez has been recognized as “The Most Inspiring Talents of 2021” by Adweek’s Creative 100.
He has also been honored with the “40 Under 40” title by Campaign Asia (2020).
GIGIL was awarded “Creative Agency of the Year” by Campaign Asia (2020).
The agency has received nominations and accolades at prestigious events including Cannes, One Show, AWARD Awards, The Clios, ADFEST, APAC Effies, LIA, AD Stars, and Spikes Asia, acknowledging its excellence in creative work within the industry.
Personal Life
Herbert Hernandez currently resides in Manila, Philippines. He is married to Heidi Borja Hernandez, a beauty queen, makeup artist, and commercial model.