Photo courtesy of Lindsay Ingram
interTrend, the creative agency which will soon occupy the entirely renovated Psychic Temple building downtown, has announced its newest addition to the advertising firm’s family: the hiring of Jeffrey Ng as its new Executive Creative Director.
Ng, known in the creative world as “jeffstaple,” is no stranger to creative spaces and business, having worked with his menswear collection Staple Pigeon, his boutique creative agency Staple Design, and his lifestyle retail concept known as Reed Space.
The move marks a very specific shift for the agency, which focuses entirely on Asian and Asian-American markets: a more pointed focus on the influence of Asian-American culture.
“I really think [Asians] been paving the road—perhaps unknowingly,” Ng said in an interview. “I’ve never spoken with [interTrend CEO and co-founder] Julia [Juang] about this, but I would imagine she saw a necessity in the marketplace and she realized she could fulfill it. The original necessity was that there was a need for U.S.-based companies to communicate effectively with Asians. As time has progressed, that messaging has needed to be more and more sophisticated.”
Ng has always been vocal about the ascendence of Asians, having quoted Dave Choe’s abrasive but pointed assertion: “This is the absolute best f*cking time to be an Asian.”
“In my opinion, Asians are very often at the pinnacle forefront of almost every facet of culture,” Ng said. “We are in a very enviable position. As a company or brand, it’s no longer, ‘You should communicate to Asians.’ Now it’s, ‘You must communicate with Asians—and it better be damn good.’”
As for Long Beach, what does Ng look forward to being more around?
“Clean air, sunny skies, and Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles.”
Read more: