ADS CAN CHANGE LIVES

by Roger Pe

Some people say advertising is a waste of time and money. The good thing is, the number of people who say that today is getting fewer and fewer every day.

Advertising educates. It opens people’s eyes and makes people think, giving millions of us a better choice.

It makes brands a lot better because of competition. Without advertising we’ll have no way of finding out what is good and what is bad. On a bigger scale, advertising can build schools, character and even a country.

“Advertising can in fact, change lives,” Raul Castro, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of McCann Worldgroup Philippines, tells Business Friday in an interview.

“When I’m asked my opinion of an idea, I ask my team: What will change because of this? Whose life will it change if we run this?”

In his Lifetime Achievement Award speech bestowed by the Creative Guild, award-giving body of the Philippine 4As (Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies) a month ago, Castro said:

“If indeed it will change something, will it change it positively, for the good, for the better? By answering the questions, everything difficult about the job becomes easier to deal with, because there’s meaning to what you do. It becomes more than just beating a deadline.”

Castro never dreamed of becoming a CEO. Right after graduating from UP College of Mass Communications, the Broadcast Communication major joined the advertising business because it was the “coolest thing to be in during that time.”

The first job that he applied for was in media department because one classmate said “people there get many gifts during Christmas.”

In the application form, he was asked the second department he’d like to be in. He wrote Broadcast Production because he was told that producers also get a lot of gifts on Christmas.

He ended up in creative department as a copywriter. “I thought it was the worst because one didn’t get gifts on Christmas and nobody outside advertising knew exactly what a copywriter did,” he says.

He spent many years in Lowe Worldwide, an agency that has seen many name changes: SSC&B Lintas, Lintas, Lowe-Lintas and finally, Lowe Worldwide. In the same breath, his stature would also change.


He rose from the ranks, emerging as the agency’s creative department head when fancy advertising titles were unheard of and creative directors weren’t a dime a dozen.

“I learned many beautiful and good things from many people. There are so many good things around us that we can learn from if we only know how to harness them. I once heard a punchline from a janitor and used it,” he says.

Many of Castro’s campaigns for Unilever, Surf, in particular (“Lumen” series) were used abroad, dubbed in foreign languages and boosted sales.

He and his team created campaigns one after the other effecting change in the agency’s billings and market shares, eventually toppling market leaders.

Surf used to be a cheap bar until it became Unilever's flagship detergent brand. The ad campaign "Lumen," which was about a bar that could give savings to housewives, increased sales for Surf and was followed by other countries.

At Lowe, Castro helped the agency build a portfolio of commercials synonymous to sequels that became a trend. Remember the courtship of Lando and Lumen, their wedding, birth of the twins and their baptism? Pinoys watched and the world noticed.

In 2007, Castro achieved his lifelong dream of making it to McCann. “I have always been a fan of McCann and there are a lot of reasons. One of them is its culture of doing noble things beyond advertising. I have long been wanting to join an agency that champions positivity on a broader scale,” he proudly says.


“Everything that the agency does makes an impact, not only to the industry that it belongs to but a bigger sphere of the community,” he says with so much passion you can almost hear his heartbeat.

He mentions San Miguel Beer, which united the country after a celebrated pitch and it launched “Iba Ang May Pinagsamahan,” a campaign full of meaning beyond the brand promise.

Biogesic’s “Ingat”, for example, not only made people feel better but also made our community a safer place. If you take a closer look, Globe ads go beyond texting. It tells us that communication shapes lives, businesses and relationships.

Jollitown made television child-friendly. BPI on the other hand, encouraged people to do the best with the money they have. "BPI's Institutional campaigns "Let's Make It Easy" and the Facebook campaign "Talk To Us" empowers Filipinos to be financially well and knowledgeable."

“That’s what I love with McCann. Part of our idea of creative solution is to transform brands as agents of change,” Castro says about the agency’s brand of advertising.


“People in advertising, or those who profess to use the media have a lot of opportunities to do good and effect positive change,” he says.

“In Maggi, we not only romanticized Filipino culture but brought it to the fore and empowered mothers, the people whom we sometimes take for granted.

The Maggi ads we have created gave tribute to all mothers for delighting their families through home cooking. Moreover, our Maggi ads empowered them with the knowledge to prepare traditionally home-cooked Filipino staples.

In Coke’s “The OFW Project”, we wove into the story the most challenged part of our society, the family.”

To celebrate the momentous event, the iconic household name, did it more meaningfully, not with a grandiose announcement and breast-beating logo, nor with a spectacular pyrotechnics display - but by simply becoming real.

Before the cold winds of winter seeped through our homes in December of 2011, Coke was a friend, wanting Overseas Filipino Workers shed tears of joy.


Many of those who saw the soft drink’s virals on Youtube got affected, so affected they cried.

Who wouldn’t? Filipinos have many extended families across the archipelago, even in many parts of the world. It’s safe to say that every Filipino household has an OFW relative and can tell how hard it is to be one. If it affects a non-family member, imagine if the loved one’s story was actually being told.

In this non-traditional vehicle, a girl narrated how she’d rather send her vacation pay home than spend it on airfare. That way, her family could make both ends meet and pay for other needs.

Choked by emotion, a man told us he didn’t see his baby grow up because his family needed money to keep body and soul together.

For millions of Filipinos like them who couldn’t go home no matter how much they wanted to, Coca-Cola gave them precious gifts money can’t buy: The joy of seeing loved ones on Christmas.

“It is not just about selling bottles of softdrinks anymore. It is sharing positive things for the better,” Castro says.

McCann’s “The OFW Project” for Coca-Cola became the country’s most awarded online campaign. When it won the Platinum, the ultimate accolade in the Asia-Pacific Digital Media Awards, the jury described it as “a viral sensation that triggered massive cultural and emotional impact because of the insight-rich strategy and heartwarming video execution.”


At its peak, Coke’s “The OFW Project” was the world’s most shared video, getting over 1Million shares by netizens from different parts of the globe.

Two years ago, millions of commuters along Edsa saw the country’s first living billboard unveiled, a 60 ft by 60 ft of tea plants that could absorb an average of 13 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.

Like the “OFW Project” that went viral, this one got word-of-mouth faster than a speeding bullet.

Advertising bible Ad Age noticed and so did New York’s Adweek, The Huffington Post, Forbes and practically all the world’s major trade magazines and their digital editions.


How is Castro as a CEO? “You become a leader when you put people first.
You can’t be about yourself anymore. You are there to create the kind of atmosphere that will help a greater number of people, provide a panorama of solutions that will transform your clients’ brands and grow their business,” he charmingly says.

Castro was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Creative Guild of the Philippines at the 2013 Kidlat Awards.

In his acceptance speech, he defined successful advertising as, “works that can positively impact on people’s lives. That has become my guiding principle in almost everything I do, in the business I’ve decided to stay in. If, through my works, I have changed, even for a wee bit, one person’s life positively, then I think I have achieved something. Only then would I think, I deserve this award,” he says.

The Guild unanimously credited him for steering the most number of brands to market leadership. His body of works is recognized locally and internationally for creating positive impact on brands, businesses and consumers.
Aside from “The OFW Project” and “Living Billboard” McCann has created landmark campaigns under his leadership: “Iamninoy, Jollibee “Jollitown,” Bank of the Philippine Islands “Let’s Make it Easy,” Enervon “Energive- Energuard,” among others.

Castro joins an illustrious list of advertising mavericks who were previously honored: JJ Calero, Emily Abrera, Mon and Abby Jimenez, Minyong Ordoñez and Jimmy Santiago.

TIRED OF FORMULA ADVERTISING? DO CREATIVE ENGINEERING.

by Roger Pe


What makes a story extraordinary?

It has a simple plot. Interesting characters. Unexpected twist. And certainly, that central character that comes in the nick of time to solve a difficulty, the superhero.

In Greek drama, deus ex machina was often performed in ancient theatres, with an actor playing god or goddess lowered literally by a mechanical device from suspension above the stage.

His role was to bring a solution to overwhelming odds, sort things out and whip up a tidy conclusion to a convoluted situation. He was like superman, a knight in shining armor, ready to give you a happy ending.

In a nutshell, that’s how IdeasXMachina built around its agency idea and got its name, a creative engine in full throttle, an idea machine always switched on when others are switched off, an ‘engine-ius’ presence, so to speak, when brands need brighter and better illuminating creative solutions.

Popularly called with an edgy three-letter name, IXM was one of the newest kids on the advertising block that sprouted when the industry’s landscape experienced tectonic shifts over the last few years.

For its size, accounts won and body of work, IXM ranks high or perhaps already on top of the heap in its category today.

Credit its superhero Third Domingo, founder, CEO and Chief Creative who’s single-handedly made IXM a powerhouse creative boutique and award-winning local advertising agency.

In such a short time, IXM has amassed a sterling roster of clients like Pepsi-Tropicana, ConceptFoods Corp, MakatiMed, AXA Insurance, BoosterC Energy, Senator Dick Gordon, Phinma Properties, Aboitiz Power, SM Men's Fashion, Pasig City Gov't, Hapee Icy Fresh, Meralco Foundation and PalmerAsia, a veritable magnet to brands looking for fresher creative perspective from the tired old formula.


Last year, the agency helped launched Pepsi’s Tropicana Coco Quench with a series of attention-getting tv commercials.
The new product is 100 percent fresh and made from real coconut water, the first locally produced drink with an eight-month shelf life.

IXM is also best known for changing the way people look at pedestrian lanes in Pasig. Remember those eye-catching lanes when you crossed the street in the area?

What’s the secret?

It’s probably Domingo’s creative DNA, the passionate workhorse, tirelessly spinning machine with a gungho “I know I can win” attitude.

It could be his ‘creative engineering’ philosophy. He believes advertising is more of a science, a discipline that respects results and deadlines.

Domingo says IXM moves consumers by devising ‘engine-ius’ communication systems. “It is a pressure we put
on ourselves to create the best work possible for a brand, in its category and in the world. It is the benchmark by which we judge the quality of our existence and paycheck.” Very well said.

“Advertising is a lucrative business if you’re good at it. I can convince and beat anyone,” he tells Business Friday.

You can sense that Domingo has the makings of a David Droga or Crispin Bogusky, two of advertising world’s most successful young creative entrepreneurs because of his strings of account wins.


Domingo calls IXM his baby and dotes on his brainchild. “We’re ready to face the big boys. We are a machine, churning out creative work fast when others belabor and stall time,” he proudly exclaims.

He is the anti-thesis of everyone’s idea of an ad agency CEO, early 30s young, cool, a jeans guy, dashing with his good moreno looks.

You can mistake him for a rocker with loads of talent, a hotshot copywriter who has penned a number of award-winning commercials and steered a string of successful pitches for his former ad agencies.

From the very beginning, Domingo has always thought of putting up his own ad agency that’s why he took up Integrated Marketing Communications in college.

Mentored by some of the best names in the industry and armed with iron-willed determination, there was no reason for him not to succeed. Among local admen who inspired Domingo belonged an illustrious line-up: Teeny Gonzales, Mon Jimenez (now DOT Secretary), Jacinto Puno and Melvin Mangada.

The result: A guy ready to claim the world, someone ambitious to put up his own advertising castle when his peers are still chasing girls and pavements.

He remembers Jimenez for his comprehensiveness, a guy who already knew how a brand would benefit from a campaign proposal at evaluation stage. He’d like to have that gift.

Mangada inspired Domingo for his incisive creativity, dedication to his craft and attention to littlest detail. He attributes Gonzales for painstakingly taking care of him while he was her creative underling, and for being very generous with her time.

From a resident trainee at McCann-Erickson, prolific copywriter at TBWA-SMP, Domingo became the country’s youngest Creative Director (Publicis-Jimenez) at 26, working on brands like Jollibee, Globe, Unilab and SaraLee.


In McCann, he was one of the copywriters for Sprite “Magpakatotoo Ka” campaign, voted as the Philippines' best of the past decade.

Collaborating with the best creative minds in the industry has built him a formidable arsenal of creative weapons, including his mindset.

Unlike most creative people, Domingo is not egoistic. He loves hearing other people’s points-of-view. “At the end of the day, it is still a teamwork,” he explains.

While other creative people are bad at verbal communications, he loves convincing clients with his engaging presentation and convincing skills.

Emily Abrera, one of the industry’s iconic figures once complimented him as someone with “sparkling bright eyes when presenting to clients” – that moment when creative people hug the spotlight to sell their ideas.

The maverick creative that used to hate process has gone a long way and matured considerably. “I am now fond of it and respect it. If you want clients to embrace your idea, we must learn how to put ourselves in their shoes. If you’re in this business, you must learn to understand their business,” he says.

Facing the big boys

You don’t hear the word fear from Domingo. Not even the names of established multinationals brandishing a menu of work and line-up of people. He has beaten them before and would love to do it again.


Winning over some of the industry’s big men in advertising has boosted Domingo’s confidence. He wears it like a badge of courage.

“I believe there are still people out there who look at the work, rather than on credentials alone,” he emphasizes.

A look at some of his campaigns for several local and international ads made for Shangri-La Hotels, Adidas, TouchMobile, Cadbury-Halls, Bic ballpens, Cerebral Palsy Org, Bench, Philippine General Hospital, Diatabs, Alaxan, Solmux, Eskinol, Ayala Land, Nissan, and Apple won awards and brought sales to his clients.

The young teacher who teaches young kids advertising always tells his students: “Greatness doesn’t come easy. You just have to do it like Rizal and his idealistic buddies. Del Pilar, Luna, Lopez Jaena, all started young and they made impct,” he says.

Domingo was very active in the Creative Guild’s “Raw School”, a series of classes attended by young, raw talents from different advertising agencies. Executive Creative Directors from 4A’s member agencies take three hours off their crazy schedules to talk about how to make advertising that works.

How is he as a creative boss? “I give feedback immediately. If I have to sit with the person who’s cracking the brief, I will guide him or her to do it,” he says.

Domingo’s most memorable moment in advertising was when he took the lead in a big business pitch. When his immediate superior was unavailable, he took the bull by the horn and brought home the bacon. That intensified his burning desire: he, too, can lead, do it and win.


Outside of advertising, Domingo organizes learning communities for street kids with a youth club called “MalakingMunti” (BigSmall) and for this was inducted to the Ten Most Outstanding Citizens of Muntinlupa.

He gives back to his alma mater, teaches copywriting and art direction at the University of Asia and the Pacific. Many upcoming young creatives in the industry right now came from his class, chasing their dreams in advertising, perhaps wanting to follow his footsteps.

Got complicated creative problem? Need someone to disentangle your marketing woes? Rev up your IXM.

FRIENDS FOREVER, REGARDLESS

by Roger Pe





A life in the fast lane is not for the weakest of hearts.

A career where expectations from highly demanding clients spell continuous growth or stagnancy needs a reliable ‘friend’ - someone who’ll be there for you. Always.

Advertising is frenetic and if you’re on the production side, you need to be organized, do a lot of networking and make sure everything works for you round-the-clock.

Which brings us to the hectic life of Socorro Fernandez, Sockie to many, accomplished TV commercial and movie director, advertising and multi-media veteran, university professor, topnotch producer, and former marketing director of the country’s biggest production house.

A storytelling veteran Sockie started working at J. Walter Thompson, then the country’s biggest advertising agency while finishing her Broadcast Communication degree at UP.




She moved to McCann Erickson and was a most sought-after producer when she did freelancing after that stint. As a regional producer for Procter & Gamble’s Whisper brand, she produced TV ads destined for Asian, European and South American markets.

She then evolved as marketing director at Unitel, Optima Digital and Brew Productions, eventually crossing over to something she has always wanted to do - directing.

She attended workshops in directing, production design and cinematography at The Workshops, Rockport, Maine, USA. She likewise learned from the masters, having attended screenplay-writing workshops under Armando “Bing” Lao, Doy del Mundo and Pascal Rey of Les Femmes, sponsored by the UP Film Institute.



In 2003, Sockie directed "Liyab", which was awarded as Best Short Film in Cine Manila, Film Academy of the Philippines, and Gawad Urian the following year. It was screened in Cannes, Bangkok and Singapore film festivals, rounding off at dizzying career achievement.

Her film “Gulong” was a finalist in the 2007 Cinemalaya feature film division, and in 2009 in the Asia Pacific Screening Awards (APSA) Best Children’s Film category. The same was screened in 2010 Children’s Film Festival in India and Busan International Kids Film Festival. In the same year, she directed “Mama Tan” a commissioned film based on the life of the Tan Caktiong family matriarch.



Sockie is probably the country’s only woman TV commercial director bred by the local ad industry. In a male-dominated profession, she brings with her formidable credentials that makes her an icon and role model to many.



She is presently essaying the same role at Simple Truth, a content provider, which produces meaningful entertainment and educational video content such as commercials, virals, TV shows, documentaries, and feature films, hoping to bring positive impact to the world.

On nurturing relationships
Throughout her career spanning over 3 decades, Sockie has lived in a ‘pressure-cooker’ but she’d always come out of it unscathed, getting better like wine with the passing of time.

It must be her philosophy in life, having a sunny disposition and being a convivial person. Add to that, her values about relationships and how they keep her grounded.

“I believe relationships are more valuable than any amount of fame or fortune. Making genuine friendships, connections and relationships takes a lot of investment, time, energy and emotion. Once I make them, I tell myself they are for keeps,” she says.

Sockie’s line of work involves a lot of creating and nurturing relationships, from agencies, clients, suppliers, to an entire production team composed of actors, scriptwriters, editors, cameramen, lights men, costume designers, make-up artists, and the list goes on. Establishing rapport is a critical component of her daily routine.



In a broader sense, Sockie is one who wouldn’t throw things easily out of the window because of petty circumstances. To her, challenges are little opportunities to get to know people more, see them on a different light, and make things better. If can be a friend to little things, she can be one to those that give her a sense of meaning – thick or thin, ups or downs.

Her Globe, her way
Much like the kind of relationship she has with Globe Telecom, which provided her mobile connection since 1997. You can call her one of those Globe ‘veterans’, having kept her 0917 for over 15 years.

Close to two decades as a Globe postpaid subscriber, Sockie and Globe have been inseparable, happy together, especially during highly stressful situations.


In her hectic day-to-day work, Sockie and Globe share a symbiotic relationship, more pronounced in her marketing functions where communications should be open and never compromised.

When she’s able to connect and engage with people seamlessly, those things are like sunshine for Sockie.

When time is of the essence and she’s able to get unlimited internet connection at the touch of button, she is fully-equipped and ready for the world.

When she’s able to send photos and videos to her clients for important decisions no matter where she is in the world, life to her is amazing.

When she’s able to indulge on Facebook and Twitter in between shooting breaks to know what’s happening with her friends, things are sweet.

When she gets loyalty rewards and attentive customer service, it makes her feel special.

When activating her roaming service during international film festivals is as easy as finishing off her favorite dessert, love is all around the world.

When things go well according to her plans thanks to her Globe postpaid plan, she values them closer to her heart.



“I’ve always been a happy Globe subscriber right from the start. It’s quite evident with the number of years I’ve maintained my Globe postpaid line. Over the years, I’ve seen how the postpaid product portfolio of Globe has transformed. It just keeps on getting better, especially with how it has evolved to an offer that really looks at and values customer needs. I like how we are given the empowerment to customize and design our own postpaid plan based on what we need, as well as what our lifestyle and budget is,” Sockie shares.

“My relationship with Globe has stood the test of time. It has managed to keep up with the pace of my career and the things I love doing, proving that it is a reliable partner in accomplishing my tasks and nurturing relationships. I see Globe as a friend who I can rely on, and even amidst the challenges, I know there’s no letting go,” ends Sockie.

Is your daily grind just like Sockie’s? Find a friend in Globe My Super Plan which lets you design your own postpaid plan deal. Visit www.globe.com.ph or call 730-1010 to know more about the revolutionary postpaid offer. # # #

THE DAMAGE THAT SCAM ADS DO TO BRANDS

by Roger Pe




It’s awards season again.

It’s the time of the year when young creatives and ad agencies, hoping to gain fame and move up the creative rankings, stamp their class to prove “I-have-creative-DNA, watch-me-as-I-win.”

Local, regional and global creativity award shows will announce the winners in a few weeks. Part and parcel of these heady nights are gnashing of teeth, and occasionally, scandals that lead to seeing heads roll.

Who doesn’t want to win a Cannes Lion or Clio? Because they are highly valued, some will go to the extent of skating on thin ice just to win a handful.

Last week, just as people thought scam ads were a thing of the past, they made a gothic, zombie-like return.



Social media was abuzz with, according to Ad Age, “a ridiculous creative work that has gotten an agency and its corporate client in trouble.”

The campaign at the center of controversy was done by JWT India, posters showing women tied up and gagged in the trunk of a car brand.

One of the ads depicts a bikini-clad Kim Kardashian and her sisters Kourtney and Khloe gagged at the back of the vehicle while Paris Hilton winks at the driver’s seat.

The agency uploaded the ads in “Ads of the World”, a favorite website of advertising creative people that showcases real and ghost work from all parts of the globe. What ensued was a litany of backlash.

The agency also entered the work in India's Goafest Ad Festival. As judging was ongoing, the agency's chief creative officer, withdrew the ads, but alas, it was too late, the damage has been done.

For his part, the car brand’s senior officer for global marketing was forced to start his speech at an international auto show apologizing for the car’s sexually offensive ads.

Four days after, the agency’s head of creative, along with the senior creative director on the account were asked to resign. The car brand’s office in India also fired a senior executive whom it didn't name.




In 2006, JWT India almost won a Cannes Print Grand Prix for its Levi’s campaign - a series of stick figures with a signature red "Levi's" tab stuck to their legs. The only copy said: "Slim Jeans."

The unfortunate turn of events led Ashish Bhasin, Aegis Media chairman and CEO, southeast and south Asia to say:

“The distasteful portrayal of women, coming at a time when India was in the process of putting a law to prevent violence against women, has put the creative agency and client in damage control mode.”

Filipino Executive Creative Director Eric Cruz of Leo Burnett Malaysia, who is in the country to speak in Creative Guild’s “Kidlat Awards” shares his views on the (mal)practice.

“Scam ads are getting harder and harder to recognize against real ads these days, they’re getting more sophisticated,” he says.

Cruz steered LB Malaysia to the top of the rankings in Asia Adfest last month, where Leo Burnett won Agency Network of the Year.

“At the end of the day, any work that’s not done for a client is, in my book, “student work”, created without client’s confines and budget constraints. It is the equivalent of concept work, visionary but not real” he says.

Scam ads around the world

Scam ads are known as "truchos" in Spanish, and Brazilians call them "fantasmas" or ghost ads. Before 1996, it was totally unheard of in the Philippines.

In 2009, organizers of the 3rd Dubai Lynx Awards uncovered a large cache of bogus ads from entries submitted to the competition, subsequently withdrawing the Agency of the Year award from ad agency FP7 Doha.



Seven (7) previously handed out awards were rescinded: 1 gold (print campaign) 1 gold (tv/cinema campaign), 3 silver (print campaigns),1 silver (outdoor campaign) and 1 bronze (tv/cinema campaign).

Additionally, ten pieces that were shortlisted in print and outdoor categories were also disqualified.

At the height of the scandal, Sunny Hwang, president of Samsung Electronics Levant, made the following statement to the public:

"At no time was Samsung Electronics aware of these advertisements and the company has not approved or commissioned FP7 to create any advertising campaigns."

During the agency investigation, names of staff leaving FP7 Doha were not disclosed, whether they have resigned or been fired. It appeared however that creative director Fadi Yaish was among them.

Festival organizers which also run Cannes, released a statement at the scandal’s aftermath: “As a strong demonstration of the seriousness with which we view such behaviour, it has been decided that FP7 Doha will hand back all of its awards from the Dubai Lynx festival, and FP7 Doha has also been instructed not to submit any entries to Cannes Lions 2009.”

An ad for Taronga Zoo in Sydney was perhaps the most high profile ghost ad that got caught in 2000. The Cannes Lion that it won was withdrawn after organizers found out that the zoo did not authorize the winning agency to do the ad on their behalf. The creative director of the ad was dismissed.

Five years ago, a made in Brazil poster enraged Americans. The ad purportedly created for the World Wildlife Fund was much-reviled ad because it showed a fleet of planes flying towards the New York Twin Towers.



To make the matter even worse, the ad was found to have ran only once in a small Sao Paolo newspaper. It won a One Show merit award but organizers has since withdrawn the award.

In 2002, Brazilian independent ad agency DPZ Propaganda scored two gold Lions for a lubricant gel brand. In a statement, the makers of the product said the ad “was created without the involvement or approval of any of the company's employees."

A couple of years ago, a Southeast Asian ad agency won a gold and silver Lions in Cannes, making it the most awarded Asian agency and country as well.

But victory celebrations were cut short. The agency found itself embroiled in controversy parrying accusations that it won with a scam campaign for a beer brand. To this day, the industry remains skeptical and is unconvinced by the agency’s explanation.

Measures against scam

In an unprecedented move to stem the problem, One Show, one of the world’s toughest four award shows, implemented new rules in 2008, to ban agencies and members of creative teams found guilty of making fake ads for a period of five years.

“We need to protect One Show and the industry from losing credibility. It's time to stop this bullshit. The purpose of awards shows are rewarding great work for a brand, not work created for awards shows," Kevin Roddy, One Club chairman said.

The world’s toughest awards show D&AD joined One Show in taking a strong stance against scam ads.

“Work must have been produced in response to a genuine brief and be approved and paid for by the client. Works created solely for the purpose of entering competitions are not eligible,” it announced.



Cannes, the world’s biggest advertising festival has this to say:

“The role of Cannes Lions is to celebrate creativity and to reward the industry for outstanding creative work. Our role is not to come between the client and the agency, not to have a negative material effect on agency business and not to penalize individuals from an agency who have not had any association with the work in question.

But Cannes takes a hardline and says:

“Our key rules are simple: Entries cannot be made without the prior permission of the advertiser/owner of the rights of the advertisement. All entries must have been made within the context of a normal paying contract with a client. That client must have paid for all, or the majority of, the media costs.”

In light of the JWT India incident, Ad Age ran a survey among top agency chiefs and creatives on what the industry should do about it.



Here are two interesting quotes:

John Boiler, CEO 72andSunny: “Scam ads are the most disgusting manifestation of ego in our industry. Hurts clients and agencies reputations. And the ones awarded ultimately deserve, and will likely receive, the legacy of Lance Armstrong. No good for anyone, long-term or short.

Susan Credle, Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett USA: “A scam ad might collect a shiny object or two. A scam ad might ignorantly be celebrated in our insular community. A scam ad might make a portfolio stand out. But a scam ad will not sell a product, build a brand or, if we aim incredibly high, change the world.”

MOBILE BROWSING SHOWING UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH IN THE PHILIPPINES

Mobile browsing has definitely revolutionized the way people use their mobile phones nowadays. Keeping at pace with today’s very dynamic and mobile lifestyle, the mobile phone has become an avenue for people to connect not only with their phonebook contacts through texting or calling, but with the rest of the world with social networking, e-mail, and instant messaging through mobile browsing.

Understanding the potential that mobile browsing will bring to its business, Globe Telecom is looking at its mobile browsing segment to sustain its growth momentum. In fact last year, Globe mobile browsing revenues have swelled to P3.1 billion, a significant 55% growth from previous year’s P2.0 billion.

The growth was attributed to the increase in smartphone penetration due to the availability of more affordable smartphones, the growing popularity of Internet access via the mobile phone, as well as the strong take-up of mobile browsing services and promos offered by Globe.


“We are happy to see how our mobile browsing segment has grown in 2012 driven by strong performance of our offers and promotions that allow subscribers to maximize use of their smartphones beyond call and text,” said Jenny Granada-Echevarria, Head of Mobile Data Services in Globe.

In 2012, Globe unveiled its roster of mobile internet bundles that provide Globe Prepaid and TM subscribers a day of unlimited access to various social networking sites on their mobile phones for only P20. SOCIAL20 gives users access to Facebook, Multiply, and Twitter; FUN20 gives users access to Facebook and YouTube; while MAIL20 gives users access to Facebook, Yahoo! Mail and GMail.

In partnership with internet giant Google, Globe also became the world’s first telecom operator to offer free data access to the World Wide Web and select Google services via Free Zone powered by Google. With Free Zone, Globe Prepaid and TM subscribers get easy and instant access to Google Search, Gmail, and Google+ on their feature phones and smartphone without any cost via http://libre.ph.


Globe also showcased its own roster of mobile applications to provide subscribers a better and richer mobile experience with relevant and premium content. The Globe Mobile Apps, GMESSAGE, GMOVIES, GSERVICES and GCASH, are all designed to suit the interests and lifestyle of today’s smartphone owners.

Finally, Globe launched its PowerSurf plans, which are mobile browsing plans that use megabytes or MB, a unit used to measure the size of internet-related transactions. Through Globe PowerSurf, subscribers get bulk Megabytes (MB) of mobile data, consumable per kilobyte (KB).

Globe PowerSurf is more beneficial to subscribers than the default charging where subscribers are charged P5 for every 15 minutes of online time. Using a MB plan in mobile surfing does not look at the time spent online, but on the activity performed or site visited, making it more affordable to surf on the mobile phone.



Prepaid subscribers can choose from the following affordable PowerSurf plans: 20MB for P15 valid for 1 day, 50MB for P30 also valid for 1 day, and 100MB for P50 valid for 3 days. Prepaid and Postpaid subscribers looking for plans with higher MB allocation and longer validity can avail of the following 30-day PowerSurf variants: 50MB for only P99, 300 MB for only P299, and 1GB for only P499.



To learn more about Globe Mobile Internet, visit http://surf.globe.com.ph, text SURF to 8888, or dial *143# for free on the mobile phone.

PHILIPPINES: BBBETTING ON THE NEW FITCH INVESTMENT UPGRADE

By Roger Pe




Where would investments in Asia most likely yield scintillating returns?

If you ask Fitch, the Philippines is one of the brightest spots in the region.

As the whole nation was gearing up for the Holy Week recess and Europe beset by economic woes, another great news hovered around the Philippine sky and landed down with a big bang – Fitch upgraded the country’s investment rating, a first in its history.

Call it the investment silver lining that’ll most probably translate into gold.

The adrenaline pumping excitement prompted local and foreign observers to give positive feedbacks. Sacha Tihanyi, senior currency strategist for Scotiabank in Hong Kong, for one, described it as “bullish and dynamic turn of events.”

According to Fitch, the Philippines' sovereign external balance sheet is considered strong, relative to 'A' range. With added current account surplus, boosted by incoming remittances from overseas workforce, it is bound to rise to the top.


Over the last five years, Fitch said Manila had stronger and less volatile growth than its counterparts. It expects Philippine GDP growth trend to be in the 5-5.5 percent levels in the coming years.

Fitch Ratings are based on factors such as economic shift, bonds and debt status. Along with Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s it is one of the top three rating agencies in the world,

According to wire news, CNBC, Bloomberg, CNN, and others announcing the upgrade, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s are expected to follow suit, although the latter had already put its outlook to “positive” last month.


Prior to the upgrade, Philippine FDIs rose 12 percent to P289.1 billion in 2012 from P258.2 billion in 2011, data from the National Statistics and Coordination Board (NSCB) showed.

Approved foreign investments for 4th quarter of 2012 reached P230.2 billion, the highest since 1996 and a 37.1-percent improvement over the P167.9 billion in the same period in 2011.

Netherlands, Japan and the US were the top three investing countries in Q4 2012.

FDI flows to the Philippines last year surpassed the growth in other Southeast Asian countries, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said last month.

The UN body said it grew by 15 percent, faster than Vietnam's 12.5 percent, Thailand's 3.9 percent and Indonesia's flat growth while flows to Singapore fell 15.1 percent.

In a statement, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda announced that the President was pleased to hear that the Fitch group upgraded the status of the Philippines from BB to BBB.

Triple B means middle class with an acceptable risk. Applied to business, the outlook means much more than lower interest rates on the country’s debt and more investors buying Philippine securities.

The Philippine Fitch Rating improvements punctuated the country’s fiscal management that’s made debt dynamics more resilient to shocks.

What it means

By and large, the country will have greater access to low-cost funds giving it more fiscal space to sustain and further improve programs on social protection, defense, and economic stimulus, among others.


Because it now has an investment quality DNA in the eyes of reputable rating agencies, hopes are high for more foreign funds and capital inflows, a country seen as stable, safe and profitable, without any danger of default as in need of bailout.

Prior to the upgrade, foreign funds have been flowing into the country, rejuvenating the country’s PSEi.

On March 27, following the Fitch announcement, the Philippine Stock Exchange index closed at a record 6,847.47. Analysts expect the stock index to reach the 7,000-point level after the upgrade. 2Tradeasia.com analyst Freya May Natividad said the latest upgrade would raise optimism on the country’s overall macroeconomic health.


The investment upgrade also means that foreign currency flowing into the country will increase, more companies in the real economy can now consider the Philippines as an investment destination.

Lower borrowing costs for Philippine companies in the international markets would ensue, allowing for local prtners to have higher valuations for their securities.
This will enable Philippine industries to expand, generate more jobs, empowerment and inclusiveness that will turn into benefits across all sectors of society.

With the great news, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) is urging the government to leverage on the recent upgrade and translate it to more FDIs (foreign direct investments).

Chain reaction

The Philippine peso, which had been showing a remarkably consistent performance over the last 8 months, immediately surged against the dollar, a day after the upgrade announcement, raising hopes for more capital inflows into the country.

The dollar fell against the peso after the announcement and last stood at about 40.81, down roughly 0.6 percent for the day.


Investors had already been pricing Philippine bonds at levels similar to investment-grade nations. The upgrade of the Philippines was not completely unexpected, observers say.

In Singapore, a strategist for a multinational bank said, “there's no real surprise here, the Philippine economy is dynamic and more resilient to shock.”

Moreover, Philippine President Aquino said, "The task now is to ensure that expected inflows will be used to maximum effect towards a sustainable, progressively empowering economy.

He said, the country is “determined to build on our economic gains to usher in a society wherein every Filipino, today and for generations to come, may be given the wherewithal to realize their full potential."

FIRST FOR THE PHILIPPINES, DDB PHILIPPINES WINS GOLD AT GLOBAL AME

by Roger Pe



Your ad is creative but is it effective?

Your ad won awards but did it display breakthrough marketing plan inventiveness?

At the prestigious AME (Advertising and Marketing Effectiveness) Awards in New York last March 22, the Philippines won gold for the first time for an ad created by DDB Philippines.

The agency’s entry “Pacquiao Positive” for PepsiCo’s Sting Energy Power Pacq Drink bested entries from 27 countries in the new product launch category. The ad used multi-titled world boxing champion Manny Paquiao as celebrity endorser.


In March of 2012, the campaign took social media by storm through fake articles that attacked Manny Pacquiao’s clean, steroid-free image.

What ensued was an online melee. Thousands of Pacquiao’s supporters and detractors took turns in hurling brickbats against each other.

Within 48 hours, Manny Pacquiao made a simultaneous appearance on major TV channels to answer all allegations.


Millions of Filipinos froze in disbelief as a somber Pacquiao admitted to testing positive - for “Malunggay”, a Moringa plant species that is, the nutritious key ingredient of Sting PowerPacq Energy Drink.

The effort led to 24 millions cases sold in just one month, and exceeded top-of-mind awareness expectations.

“This is a big win for the agency and the entire DDB network,” said Gil Chua, Chairman of DDB Group Philippines.

“Ever since our early beginnings, we’ve always believed in creativity that sells. It’s not just about being creative. We need to continuously strive for results that will propel our clients’ business, and in return ours as well.”



The campaign previously won two golds in “Tinta Awards” organized by UPMG (United Print Media Group) and a bronze in Spikes Asia.



Chua credits his hardworking team for the landmark achievement: Joey Ong, Executive Creative Director; Vina Henson, Client Services Director; Denise Banatin, Account Supervisor; Jackie Caruyan, Account Manager; Patrick Miciano, Mon Pineda, Cardy Santos, Associate Creative Directors; Denise Nicole Oyog, Copywriter; Kelvin Co, Art Director; Eric Salazar, Creative Director, Gomer Barce, Art Director.

McCann Worldgroup Philippines also bagged silver and 3 bronzes, all for its Coke corporate “The OFW Project” and TBWA-Santiago, Mangada and Puno brought home 2 bronzes for its Energizer and Boysen campaigns.

AME came into the picture in 1994 understanding that there is more to just making an ad and winning an award for creativity’s sake.

Since then, it has become the ad and marketing industry’s Oscars, honoring work from around the globe that demonstrates groundbreaking solutions to challenging marketing problems.

Unique awards show

Submissions for AME Awards require the following: entries must address a challenge in the marketplace, utilize outstanding creative elements, incorporate a thorough marketing plan to deliver a successful execution, exhibit specific marketing goals and objectives accomplished through creative execution and strategic planning.

The Grand Jury is comprised of top interactive and multidisciplinary marketers, media planners, strategy directors, social media experts, and creative directors from all over the world.

The first two rounds of judging is divided by regions, (North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Asia Pacific), allowing each entry to be reviewed in its social, economic, and cultural context to determine the shortlist and medal winners.



The Grand AME Award also went to another DDB agency – DDB Tribal, Germany. Other DDB countries like Canada and Hongkong contributed to the total medal, making DDB bag the Most Effective Agency Network of the Year.

A total of 27 countries submitted entries for brands including CNN International, Volkswagen, DuPont, Intel, Bench, Cornetto, among others.

This year, a robust number of entries were entered using celebrity interaction, interactive consumer participation, promotions, environment and cause-theme marketing.

Celebrity-focused campaigns propelled multiple entries to the medal round, punctuating once more that they work effectively in bringing sales.

Lady Gaga, Karl Lagerfeld, Sir Richard Branson, local stars Piolo Pascual and Coco Martin, Christopher Lloyd, Terry Crewes, Ashton Kutcher and British comics Stephen Fry and Jimmy Carr were some of the celebrity endorsers in the entries.

Entries in the Social Benefit categories concentrated on brand initiatives that contributed to the greater good including green-themed “The Donation Army” by Ogilvy Germany for OroVerde Rainforest Foundation; Heimat Werbeagentur GmbH’s “CNN Ecosphere”; and TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno’s campaign “KNOxOUT Project: EDSA” for Boysen Knoxout.

The United States had 15 shortlisted entries; the Philippines with 9; Hong Kong 7; England 5; Canada, and France each with 4; China and Sweden each with 2; and Denmark, Egypt, Japan, Malaysia, and UAE were each recognized with 1.

How to make your ad effective

Ads are very expensive. It’s worth paying a professional ad agency with a great creative team to avoid waste of money.

A few tips on how to make them rise above the clutter:

1. Be single-minded. De-clutter
and focus on one proposition (key message). Avoid
repetitive, meaningless phrases that
make you redundant

2. Execute your message in an unexpected manner. Craftmanship is key. Be a wordsmith. Catchy lines make ads memorable

3. There are no hard and fast rules
in using short or long copy to explain
your product. As long as you
give it a kickass art direction, it will
fly.

4. Use the power of imagery to deliver
your message. Make it high
definition if possible. Remember,
a great picture speaks a
thousand words

5. Don’t beat around the bush.
Focus on what makes you distinct
from other similar products and
say why. Give compelling reasons why
consumers would believe you.

6. Be original. Don’t be a clone.
Don’t parrot what competition is
already doing.

7. Don’t over-explain that you sound
like a broken record.

8. Be definitive on who you are talking
to. Don’t talk down that you
may offend. Talk real based
on consumer insights.

9. Plan weeks ahead and know when and where your targets are most receptive to your ad campaign.

10. Make sure all things mentioned above take effect today and the rest will follow.

Recent changes in the advertising landscape have given a new definition to the word “effective” however.

“Effective” now means bombarding each ad with hard sell messages, the heavier product freights are, the more they think the ad would sell.

The word also dictates that creators of ads use big price bubbles to catch attention.

Sadly, it is not the case. The ad becomes cluttered, full of dizzying elements, suffocated by words and images that defy balance.

Eager to convince their target, the focus dissipates. With too many things filling up the ad from top to bottom, it is bound to produce neither well-intended goals.

Studies have shown that clutter in ads reduces effectiveness, insults the viewer and degrades brands. Is the consumer too dumb he doesn’t get it?

According to a survey made by Burst Media in the US, nearly 30% will refuse to read a cluttered ad and immediately turn to the next page of a newspaper if they see one.

It’s also true in digital media. Just as there are well-produced ads, there are also those that you don’t even bother to look at when you’re browsing.


The same number of respondents said they will leave a website if they perceive it to be cluttered with ads. More than 75% of those who remain on cluttered sites will also pay less attention to the ads unless they are entertaining and make sense.

It is not hard to spot a cluttered ad

“We see ads on newspapers everyday, saying too many things they compete with the news themselves,” says a marketing director known for his top-selling brands.

Some even camouflage a newspaper’s persona just to get attention. Some even make it appear that it is a section of a favorite broadsheet.

He advises admakers to sound real when they do an ad. “Be inventive, don’t write an ad like you lifted the messages straight out of strategy document of a manufacturer,” he says.

The Burst Media survey reveals further:

“Content clutter hurts the reputation of parties that produce them. The way an ad is produced has an impact on consumers’ perceptions of an advertiser’s products and services.”

Half of all respondents surveyed had less favorable opinion of advertisers that produced cluttered advertising and placed them on cluttered media.

“A cluttered ad is a waste of client’s money. Take a closer look and sweep unnecessary communication debris off them,” a 4A’s director says.