When people think of the creative minds behind major mall campaigns, they often imagine large agencies with bustling offices and teams of designers working around the clock.
But in Iloilo City, one creative studio is proving that great ideas don't always come from big teams.
Meet UNCRTN—a solo-operated creative studio founded by 25-year-old Cedrick Alegroso, who has quietly built an impressive portfolio contributing to some of SM Supermalls' biggest projects across the Visayas.
What began with a single opportunity just a year ago has grown into more than 10 projects spanning SM Puerto Princesa, SM Iloilo, SM Roxas, SM Seaside Cebu, and J Mall—all led by one creative.
It's worth noting that SM has its own in-house marketing and creative teams responsible for developing its overall campaigns and strategies. Cedrick's role isn't to create SM's marketing direction, but to execute it—transforming campaign concepts into compelling visual assets, from initial design to final creative output. Often working independently, he delivers work that larger agencies might assign to an entire team.
Some of the studio's most notable works include the visuals for SM2SM Run, the AweSM Cebu campaign, and SM Wonderland, a large-scale mall takeover whose creative execution was completed while Cedrick worked remotely across Dubai, Bangkok, and the Philippines. The studio also worked on J Mall's The Devil Wears Prada 2 installation, a collaboration with Disney, as well as the Roots Reimagined installation.
Closer to home, UNCRTN also created the key visuals and TikTok AR filters for the opening of Iloilo Markets, the public-private partnership between SM and the Iloilo City Government.
What makes UNCRTN stand out isn't just its growing client list—it's the fact that it isn't limited to graphic design. The studio's capabilities extend to 3D visualization, CGI, motion graphics, branding, and video editing, delivering the kind of multidisciplinary work often associated with full-service creative agencies.
And the story doesn't end there.
What started as a one-person studio is gradually evolving into a broader creative ecosystem. UNCRTN Visuals now handles photography, video production, and design projects, while UNCRTN Technologies aims to bring advanced creative technology and digital solutions closer to businesses in Western Visayas.
Behind every project is a simple philosophy that continues to guide the studio's growth: "Not for what it gets you, but for who it makes you."
It's another reminder that some of the country's most exciting creative work isn't only happening in Metro Manila. Sometimes, it's being imagined, designed, and delivered from right here in Iloilo City. 🎨✨