This story is based on true characters in an actual situation. Names had been changed for privacy.

Noah and Oliver are the best of friends since childhood, inseparable, willing to die for each other. They both work for Ace Advertising Agency, known as Triple A, a prestigious multinational.

Noah is in the creative department. He is a top-of-the-line producer-director of commercials, famous in the entire advertising industry. He is so much in demand, that there is a long line of prestigious corporations, waiting to be serviced. They would rather wait than turn to other creative specialists because of Noah’s radical out-of-the-box ideas. Noah is so fulfilled doing his dream job of churning the best commercials.

Oliver is in the marketing department. He is a top-of-the-line Account Executive, who handles the needs of clients. His goal is to be a “pleaser,” making sure all their demands are met down to last detail. Management gives him the hardest, most demanding clients, because he delivers.

The biggest client of Triple A is Andromeda Ventures, a conglomerate, a leader in the food and software industries. Andromeda accounts for more than half of the income of Triple A. Without Andromeda, Triple A would wobble. Lucas is Andromeda’s creative VP, known as a hard demanding creative representative. So, management assigned Oliver as Account Executive and Noah as producer-director, the best team of Triple A. Noah just finished presenting an ice cream commercial which Lucas is launching.

LUCAS — Noah, focus on ice cream, not on close up of the banana.

NOAH — Our purpose is to entice the viewer with the banana flavor.

LUCAS — So what? Change it.

NOAH — I can’t allow that.

Lucas storms out of the room.

OLIVER — Noah, the client is king. You can’t fight the client. If we lose Andromeda, we’re in big trouble.

NOAH — Even if his taste is bad? He does not know anything.

OLIVER — Then give him a bad commercial.

NOAH — I can’t allow that. My reputation is at stake.

Lucas enters, more calm.

OLIVER — We will change the ad, Lucas.

LUCAS — You have no choice. Work on it, Noah.

NOAH — Oliver, I am turning over my work to Leslie. He’s a good director.

The incident of Noah defying clients spread like wildfire across the entire advertising industry. The long line of clients vanished instantly. Suddenly, Noah is not wanted by any client.

OLIVER — You have to learn to deal with clients, who get their stupid ways. It is not too late. I can spread rumors that you have become humble enough in dealing with clients. Noah, I want to save you from yourself.

NOAH — Thanks, Oliver. But I can’t change. I can’t let stupid clients mutilate my work.

OLIVER — Then suffer. Your career is gone. Your ego is your enemy.

True enough, Noah never got a client again. He went into deep depression. He could not support his big family. Oliver helped him financially but only for a while. Noah was serving a mountain of cheap tortang talong (eggplant omelet) for lunch to his kids, not to mention their friends who often stayed overnight. Oliver failed in saving Noah from himself.