Adam Ham at Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill KL, the first concept outside of the United Kingdom
A prominent name in the industry with over 20 years of experience, Adam Ham is known as ‘The Media Man’ – a title given to him by industry leaders for his astounding capabilities to turn even the toughest of public relations (PR) projects into a success. Having serviced government bodies, corporate companies, celebrities, and film producers in the past, Ham is certain that most people are unaware of how rapidly PR has evolved over the years.
Ham grew up in Japan and furthered his studies in the United States of America as his father served Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad in the government. When Ham returned to Malaysia, he had to serve the government in a field of his choosing for a minimum of 10 years in exchange for having his education sponsored. That is where his journey began at the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) where he worked as an entertainment specialist, primarily coordinating trade missions for international festivals and exporting local content and talents to the global market.
Adam Ham dressed up in a tuxedo
Although his PR skills were instinctive, Ham acquired most of his knowledge in the field from the 10 years spent at MDEC. There, he noticed that failures occur on many occasions when PR and marketing were not planned properly. Ham had creative ideas to bring to the table and was soon given the opportunity to plan and execute PR campaigns for various companies and producers with tremendous success.
As a matter of fact, Ham’s impact is still recognized today, 12 years after leaving the government. The Media Man was recently nominated to be an advisor for the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) for a period of two years, because of the fame he has garnered in international marketing for the creative and entertainment industry throughout his career. The Mandalorian, 6 Underground, The Summit-97, Ultraman, The Kid from the Big Apple, and The Summit-97, are among some of the projects that Ham has taken into his own hands.
“I am here to share my great experience and inspiration for the industry from the PR perspective. Currently, the landscape for trading content has evolved and changed, as TV stations no longer have a huge budget for acquisition, and Netflix is dominant. We have to share our knowledge on how people can make a living from abroad now,” Ham commented.
Adam Ham in the festive spirit during Chinese New Year
Currently, the master in PR owns an agency called Global Creative and Media Agency (GCMA) which is most sought after across all industries. Ham claims that GCMA quickly grew in demand after he had attended several Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA) and gatherings.
“After I left the Government, I truly wanted to build my career in PR and help companies across all industries to come to a realization of how PR can make a difference in their businesses. Most Malaysian companies had no idea about this, and they rarely set aside any budget for this. It was a challenge, but I was all set to take the bull by the horns,” he said.
As a PR agency that makes most of its income from organizing successful events, hence, when the pandemic came about, Ham’s company nearly shut down. Without any income for months on end, Ham did everything possible to survive. Even as much as to offer catering services, just to make a quick buck.
Adam Ham celebrating Pensonic’s 40th anniversary
“We do not know what the future holds. For all we know, there is still a possibility of a lockdown of sorts in the future; thus, businesses must take a 360 approach by preparing for every possible outcome and playing their cards right. Another notable thing to consider is the KOLs and social media pages, which allow for high brand visibility, with easily identified target audiences. Engaging influencers is sort of a norm these days, and it has proven effective in brand visibility and marketing.”
