July 2026: Welcomes, Goodbyes, and Everything In Between
- AICREATIVV
- 10 hours ago
- 5 min read
Every month leaves behind a different kind of memory.
Some are remembered for the projects completed. Others for the milestones achieved. July, however, felt different. It was a month defined by people. Across the office, new faces found their place while familiar ones prepared for new beginnings. There were anniversaries worth celebrating, classrooms revisited, productions rolling one after another, and moments outside of work that reminded us why we enjoy doing what we do together.
Looking back, July wasn't simply a busy month. It was a month of transition—while projects eventually come to an end, the people behind them continue growing long after.
New Faces, New Perspectives
Every growing team eventually reaches a point where new people begin shaping its story, and July welcomed two of them.
Joining us as a Media Executive, Syafiq "Sapek" Syafie stepped into the team after years of working as a freelance corporate and wedding photographer. While photography has always been his craft, agency life introduces an entirely different rhythm—multiple clients, fast-moving productions, and no shortage of variety. A week into joining us, he was already out on shoots, settling into the pace that comes with creative agency life. We're excited to see how his experience and perspective continue strengthening the media team in the months ahead.
July also marked the first month of Frances Darlene Mendoza Bautista (Selene), who joined us from Cosmopolitan College of Commerce and Technology as our newest media intern. In just a few short weeks, she's already found herself contributing to projects including Serikandi, First Emporium, Spice Boys and Sugar Sweet getting an early taste of what working on real client productions looks like.
Every new person brings a different way of seeing the world. It's always exciting to watch that perspective slowly become part of the team's own.
Media team on boarding! Filipino throat chakra Sapek :D Sapek in his element
Every Goodbye Marks Growth
While July welcomed new beginnings, it also asked us to say goodbye.
After six months with the team, our IBTE interns Syed Inayat, Hariisah Halwa, and Yasmin Yunos had officially wrapped up their internships. Looking back at their first day, it's difficult not to notice how much changed over such a short period of time. They arrived quietly, careful not to make mistakes and understandably unsure of themselves. Six months later, they were confidently contributing to client work, speaking up during discussions, stepping onto production sets, and in some cases even finding themselves in front of the camera as talent—something they probably never imagined doing when they first walked through our doors.
Watching that transformation never gets old. It's one of the most rewarding parts of welcoming interns into the team, knowing that by the time they leave, they've grown in ways that extend far beyond technical skills.
July also marked the final chapter for two familiar faces in our media team—Rusydinul Aiman and Leemin Sofian. Having first joined AICREATIVV as interns themselves back in 2024, both played an important role in shaping countless productions over the years. From corporate events and client campaigns to internal projects and late-night edits, they've left behind more than just good work. They've left behind friendships, laughter, and memories that will remain part of the team's story long after they've moved on.
To all five of you, thank you. We hope your time here wasn't only about learning the industry, but also about discovering more about yourselves. Wherever your next chapter leads, we'll be cheering you on.
Syed, Yasmin, Hariisah, Leemin and Aiman's farewell presentations and speeches Final group photo of a team of 20(ish) </3
Quiet Milestones Worth Celebrating
Not every milestone arrives with a grand announcement. Some quietly remind you just how far you've come.
This July marked Haziyah Azalmey's first work anniversary with AICREATIVV. Over the past year, we've watched her grow not only as a marketer and creative thinker, but also as someone increasingly comfortable leading conversations, shaping ideas, and supporting those around her. Looking back at where she started, it's been rewarding to witness how naturally she's grown into her role.
Outside the office, Imamull Qhaeer also returned for another year as an Adjunct Lecturer at IBTE. Every semester presents another opportunity to step back into the classroom, this time carrying experiences from the industry rather than simply teaching theory. It's a reminder that learning rarely moves in one direction. Sometimes, teaching becomes another way of learning.
July also gave us two birthdays to celebrate. We surprised Iman Shamsuddin on a day that happened to coincide with the interns' farewell, making for an afternoon filled with equal parts laughter and bittersweet goodbyes. Later in the month, it was Majidah Khirul Abasah's turn, with a quiet office quickly turning into another successful surprise thanks to a cake, good timing, and everyone managing to keep the secret...for once.
Throwback to Haziyah's first week back! Sir Imamull Qhaeer is back Happy birth-farewell to youuu Heading downstairs to surprise the farewell and birthday celebrants WE LOVE YOU MAJ
Another Week, Another Production
If there was one team that rarely stood still this month, it was the media team.
Across the month, productions continued rolling from one project to the next. The team kicked things off with a product shoot for Sugar Sweet BN, followed by video coverage of the PwC Dinner Event, where Syafi 'Aizzuddeen, Alfath Sellahuddin, and Aaqilull Qhaeer completed a same-day edit before the evening was over. Fresh content was also produced for Spice Boys, before wrapping up the week with coverage of the Brunei Fertiliser Industries International Women's Day Forum, documenting the day's conversations and key moments.
Meanwhile, the creative team continued bringing new campaigns to life for clients including Potato Habit, Frost Haus, and Sugar Sweet, adding another chapter to a month that never seemed to slow down.
It's always easy to measure productivity by the number of shoots completed or campaigns delivered. What often goes unnoticed, however, is the amount of planning, collaboration, and trust required to keep multiple projects moving at the same time.
July project: Sugar Sweet! BTS of Sugar Sweet The crew for BFI International Women's Day Celebration Busy busy 
July Project: Frost Haus! BTS of Frost Haus service: ice bath July project: The Potato Habit, World Cup! Food styling BTS for Spice Boys EAF Gym for Takaful
Staying Curious
As busy as July was, we also made time to step away from client work and experience something completely different.
Thanks to the team at CAE Brunei MPTC, we had the opportunity to tour their facilities and even step inside the Sikorsky S-92 helicopter simulator. For an afternoon, we traded cameras and laptops for cockpit controls, learning about the level of preparation and precision that goes into training helicopter pilots. It felt less like a corporate visit and more like going on a school excursion again—just with much cooler equipment.
Curiosity also took us somewhere a little closer to home. Introduced by Elroy Ramantan, the team spent an evening at Artyzen Fight Club, trying our hand at Muay Thai under the guidance of Coach Jon. Most of us arrived expecting a casual workout. Most of us left with a newfound appreciation for how difficult even the basics can be.
Those moments may not directly improve our creative work, but they remind us of something equally important: staying curious often begins by saying yes to experiences outside our comfort zones.
Looking Back
If July reminded us of anything, it's that growth rarely announces itself.
Sometimes it arrives on someone's very first day. Sometimes it quietly appears after six months of learning. Sometimes it looks like celebrating a first work anniversary, returning to teach another class, or stepping into a helicopter simulator simply because curiosity said yes.
The projects will eventually finish. The deadlines will come and go. But the people, the lessons, and the moments shared in between are often what stay with us the longest.
Here's to everything July brought and to whatever chapter August decides to write next.
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