MANILA, PHILIPPINES – In a world where creative ideas risk blending into a sea of sameness, standing out has never been more vital, or more difficult. At CreativeFest 2025, held on May 9, 2025, at The Fifth at Rockwell, Chairmom and Founder of Jayme Headquarters Merlee Jayme delivered an inspiring keynote underscoring why true creativity thrives on difference.
Historically, neurodiversity has carried a heavy stigma, not just in the Philippines, but also globally. Merlee is working to untangle that narrative within the creative industry, championing the very traits that make each mind distinct. She reframes what many see as limitations into sources of one’s creative edge.
Neurodiversity: untapped potential
People with dyslexia, she pointed out, may struggle with reading, but often possess expansive visual imagination. Those with Tourette’s may face challenges with motor control, yet develop extraordinary observational skills. Dyscalculia, she noted, may hinder a person’s ability to process numbers, but it often comes with exceptional inventive thinking. Individuals with autism may struggle with social cues, yet possess remarkable memory and an extraordinary eye for detail.
Merlee argued that these aren’t limitations — they’re exactly the kind of abilities that define great creatives: “There is comfort in sameness, and there is courage in being different.”
Merlee shared anecdotes of previous neurodivergent creatives she has worked with in the past. One of which is LEGO Group Associate Creative Director Lex Remalante.
“My hyperfixation uncovered my strength of creating highly detailed art direction. My endless loop of thinking helped me dig deeper into insights that I have experienced, and those insights then translated into ideas that brought truthful and meaningful work and campaigns that then brought me to award shows — representing my agency, representing my country — that then brought me to where I am today,” Lex revealed in a video that Merlee shared during her talk.
After being diagnosed with a mental health disorder, she came to a poignant realization: “I realized that the first and the hardest step is acknowledging that you have a disorder — acknowledging that you can’t be like everybody else. Embrace it, and people will too.”
However, embracing one’s neurodiversity is a challenging feat for many neurodivergent creatives.
“They try their best to mask so you’ll think they’re normal — to try to act as normal as possible — so they don’t get fired or they don’t get bullied,” Merlee revealed. “What I’m trying to imbibe in them is that, even if you’re neurodivergent, embrace the fact that you’re not going to fit in.”
The Misfits Camp and JaymeHQ
“Why try to fit in when you’re born to stand out?” That powerful line from Dr. Seuss has become Merlee’s guiding principle, which took form in 2023 when she launched The Misfits Camp. The initiative was born out of a hard truth: In the Philippines, when neurodivergent individuals turn 21 and age out of special education, the path forward often disappears. For many, it marks an end, not a beginning. Merlee set out to change that.
She began training neurodivergent adults, recognizing the immense creative potential within them. “Eighty percent of students with autism are very creative,” Merlee noted. And that untapped talent became the foundation of her efforts. Through The Misfits Camp, she aimed to upskill these individuals, giving them the tools and confidence to pursue meaningful careers in the creative industry.
Sustaining it solely through donations proved difficult, so she built Jayme Headquarters. This became the next step for Misfits graduates: a space to prove they could survive the demands of agency life.
“This is where their actual training happens — and they do get paid — so they feel also that they are hired,” Merlee explained.
To ensure lasting impact, Merlee has been working closely with HR departments across Filipino advertising and production agencies, advocating for the hiring of neurodivergent talent from both The Misfits Camp and Jayme Headquarters. Her goal isn’t just to train neurodivergent creatives — it’s to create an industry where they are seen, valued, and embraced.
Merlee’s work is a call to action for the creative industry: to break down outdated notions of “normal,” to see neurodivergence not as a challenge to overcome, but as an edge to celebrate. Because when creativity is born from difference, the work becomes not just original, but truly meaningful.
adobo Magazine is the official media partner of CreativeFest 2025 and the 17th Kidlat Awards.
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