There's no recession—if you try, you can do it.

Taiwan's development has been strongly influenced by the global economy. Recessions are no exception. Yet Taiwanese people possess an optimistic nature, turning immediate challenges into opportunities. Having worked in production and sales within the advertising industry for over two decades, I'd like to share two observations.

First, the entire citizenry is passionate about "invention." From 8-year-old elementary students to police officers, street vendors, and university professors, Taiwanese people across a wide range of ages and professions engage in inventing. When there's no money for shopping, the only option is to modify things around them. Not only does this save money, but it also offers the potential to profit from that ingenuity.

Unique inventions born in Taiwan from this drive to save money and expand utility range widely—from large-scale commercial automatic noodle-making machines to smaller innovations like silent steak knives, magnetic tiles, and even high heels with interchangeable heel sections. Many of these have successfully entered the global market.

In 2012, at the Geneva International Invention Exhibition in Switzerland—one of the world's three major invention expos—Taiwanese inventors won 8 Special Awards, 45 Gold Medals, 52 Silver Medals, and 25 Bronze Medals out of 46 participating countries and regions. This marked their third consecutive year as the top-ranked nation. Their award rate reached 97.6%, setting a new personal best.

I have served as a judge on the TV program "Taiwan's Inventor King" for many years, and I feel that even in today's economic downturn, Taiwanese people's creative drive remains strong.

Second, in modern Taiwan, "affordability reigns supreme" and "affordability is the trend." For example, the private brand "7-Select" launched by the convenience store chain 7-Eleven emphasized that "affordability is a trendy lifestyle."

This sales strategy boosted consumer purchasing desire and contributed to a significant increase in sales of related products. While sales of various branded goods declined due to the recession, "7-Select" was selected as one of Taiwan's Top 10 Hit Products in 2011.

The environment creates trends, and trends change the environment. As a creative director, I must use creative power to forge new consumption trends and new lifestyles. I believe business opportunities lie within inspiration.

(Supervised by: Dentsu Inc. Aegis Network Business Bureau)