Merdeka LHS gets exceptional freedom to develop brands

Dare to be different: (from left) Huang, Savarimuthu and Lee are the brand architects behind the newly launched Bad Lab men's personal care products.

THERE were big expectations for industry heavyweights Tony Savarimuthu, Huang Ean Hwa and Szu H. Lee when they left the management team of McCann Erickson early last year to start their own brand consulting firm.

During the decade that the trio helmed the multinational ad agency, they had boosted its reputation by racking up six Agency of the Year accolades.