LIGHTS, CAMERA ... ABRACADABRA

by Roger Pe

July 11, 2016 issue

Philippine Business Mirror

Full page

Passionate about emotional storytelling with cinematic visuals, two young German filmmakers, 

Daniel Titz and Dorian Lebherzl created a story of two brothers journeying back to their younger days. In the Scottish highlands, the setting of the ad, the two seamlessly integrated Johnnie Walker and put a twist to its long time "Keep Walking" slogan at the end. 

The result was a viral history and their initiative work became talk-of-the-town. By the end of 2015, the haunting speculative television commercial caught the eyes of film watchers across the globe. And influential Advertising Age and Adweek gave them a toast.

Titz and Lebherzl are film students at the Film Academy of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. They produced "Dear Brother", title of the ad, and are hoping to someday make it big in the ad industry. 

More than half of the Philippines’ 100 million Filipinos are young and creative. An equal number are also computer-savvy. Like Titz and Lebherzl, many are hoping to be given a break in tv commercial production.

The Philippines has time and again proven that it can excel and be on par with the best in the world. A real film school can develop their talent and make wonders. The only thing is, we have no school like what Titz and Lebherzl attended as far as technology is concerned. Our universities are not equipped for film and tv commercial production, even in its basic form. 

None also has the magnitude of Miami Advertising School, one of few schools in the world that puts the student at the intersection of education and real-world practice. Miami students learn from instructors who are practicing professionals from real advertising world, unlike some local schools with little or no knowledge of the industry and are there only because of politics or by accident. 

Founded in 1993, Miami allows students to develop ideas and advertising campaigns, videos, social media strategies, websites, apps, products and new business models – all from professionals of the industry. Through partnerships with dozens of advertising agencies and film production companies, students get an opportunity to intern and get real-world experience while they are still in school. 

“Imagine the good if only the best schools and teachers are available to these talented Filipinos. They can easily reach their dreams and help the production industry,” says Ross Misa, founder of prolific Abracadabra, a young film production company that has been turning out better-produced tv commercials recently.

Misa says Filipino talents have to train in local production houses after they graduate. They have to re-learn or even unlearn some theoretical lessons, specifically those from schools with no equipment to do the rigors of real film production.

Misa founded Abracadabra in 2006 out of sheer determination to start anew after twenty-two years of working as an executive producer in a high-profile production company. The name came when his business partner Mari Buencamino were playing music on his laptop. 

While they were at it, a Steve Miller Band song popped out. Dissecting the lyrics “Father, Son, Holy Spirit” and “We create as we speak”, they would be convinced that the word was fun and catchy. They then set up a one-room office space in Roadrunner, a production house owned by Dodie Lucas in Legaspi Village, Makati. The rest is history.

“Our growing up years were luckily, not as tough as those of other players in the industry. We were fortunate enough to have a pool of clients who supported us. This inspired us and we became even more aggressive in chasing for new directors to offer to our growing number of clients,” Misa recalls.

He immediately put Italian Director Franco Marinelli on board. Marinelli was a most sought after tv commercial director who also gave Abracadabra its first regional tv commercial production assignment. 

Abracadabra debuted with an Anchor Beer tv commercial shot in China, in collaboration with ad agency Leo Burnett Guangzhou. They then worked on Qatar Fertilizer, in partnership with Spinifex Australia, afterwhich they produced three more tv ads for Walmart USA, all directed by Marinelli.

Over the years, Abracadabra would win gold awards from the local industry’s Oscars: Ad Congress, Kidlat Awards and in regional and international award shows like Spike Asia, Cannes, and One Show. It even made a full-length movie entry for Sundance Film Festival.

As it was becoming a hot innovative shop, it also meant investing in new equipment and technology. Abracadabra subscribed to the latest Steadicam series to meet the needs of the local film and video industry. 

Recently, it rounded up progressive Philippine directors, camera operators and producers to attend a Steadicam Bronze Workshop, in partnership with Big Brother Manila and Tiffen Steadicam, a global leader in film equipment supplies to address cost-efficiency in the new digital age and other challenging issues affecting the industry. The company also allied with the country’s biggest supplier of state-of-the-art equipment, HD cameras and Final Cut Pro editing facilities.

"We evolve with the times and equip Abracadabra with up-to-the-minute equipment to be competitive in the digital landscape. From content concepts to storyboard production to pre-production to the finished material, we put our years of experience and expertise on each of them,” Misa proudly says.

The company will celebrate its 10th year on July 27^th this year. It is just as upbeat as when it started even with a number of production houses have closed down and old-timers in the industry have retired. 

Misa has no traces of slowing down. On the contrary, he continues to give something back, sharing part of Abracadabra to talented Filipino filmmakers by providing them valuable training ground they never experienced early on.

The next 10 years 

The ever forward-looking Misa has taken note of the evolving episodes in the industry. His plans are ambitious. “We all have to become lean and mean but very smart in the way we approach production,” he says. He believes that it is in the giving that “we receive. It is always the law of seedtime and harvest,” he says.

“I simply want to sustain and continue our services. I want to see Abracadabra become one of the best, if not the best ever creative communications company in the Philippines and in the Asia-Pacific region,” Misa says on being asked how he wants to see his baby in the next ten years.

Misa is not talking empty. He is tireless, forward looking and surrounded by supporters, people with diverse experience, creative and industry people who are experts in traditional and emerging new media. 

He has long been ready even before the digitalization game became a buzzword. He has mapped out plans to face the competition. “Our first and foremost rule: “Adapt to the changing times and master the art of sustainability,” he says matter-of-factly. 

Misa started in tv commercial production when he was accompanying his younger sister for a production assistant interview in a production house called Media Circuit in Quezon City. The frenetic scene, his own curiosity and excitement tempted him to also try. He, too, applied and got hired.

“My first teacher in the industry was no less than Lorna Lopez-Tabuena, the owner and two other pillars of the company, Yayan Concepcion and Ina Lagman. I was trained to do all types of legwork: answer the phone, make copies of storyboards, run errands (food for shoots and interlock meetings, prepare artwork and set materials) and do all kinds of administrative tasks my production managers asked me to do,” he remembers. 

His training also involved technical matters. He was lucky to be able to work with Nelly Vidanes (Mang Nelly to many), Media Circuit’s technical supervisor for tv network engineering. 

He eventually became a Production Manager and worked with some of the best Filipino and foreign directors like Jin Urbano, Naning Padilla, Tony Herrera, Tony Smith, Jeric Soriano, Trevor Hone, Butch Perez, Dante Datu, Vitt Romero, Manolo Abaya, Peque Gallaga, Lorie Reyes, Stasch Radwanski, Franco Marinelli and Neil McDonald.

He remembers with fondness the tv commercials he produced during the early part of his career: Smart tv commercial with Dolphy as talent and produced by one of his mentors in the industry Nanette Ramirez, “Riles”, an advocacy ad for TBWA-Santiago, Mangada and Puno, “Dancing Inmates”, a tribute to Michael Jackson that was co-produced with Sony Pictures USA and the first Jollibee tv ad produced with the late Abby Jimenez.

He, too knocked on doors of advertising agencies, collaborated with in-house agency producers and presented demo reels of Filipino directors and cinematographers, selling his company’s production expertise and experience. 

His biggest break came with “Wok With Yan”, a grueling series of tv commercials created for three ad agencies in one day, a project he considered a turning point in his career. 

“I had to shoot three concepts within 24 hours. 

Here, I learned attention to detail, a “get-it- done” attitude, which I inherited from my boss, coupled with a good relationship with production setmen, otherwise, you’ll never what will happen. Here, we were supposed to simulate the show’s template, follow directions correctly and must deliver based on pre-production meeting agreements. We hurdled the test!” he proudly remembers.

How was the industry back then compared to now? “Ad agencies then demanded quality. Everything had to pass through rigid process and schedules were more reasonable. Production budgets were much higher. There was more leeway for us to use big-named local and foreign directors. Graphics and post-production facilities were mostly done overseas: Tokyo Japan, Hongkong, Sydney Australia, Los Angeles, USA, and Bangkok,” he says.

He laments that social media has changed the scenario and real-time media has become prevalent. “There are now more affordable technology (cameras and post facilities) and user-friendly applications/softwares that enhance executions and they have become readily available. We see these not as a threat but as tools for real talented Filipino artists,” he says.

People in the industry come and go but Misa has crossed over changing landscapes. What makes it so? “I would like to think that it is because of my passion to do my craft well and my willingness to reinvent myself,” he says.

For Misa, life is a constant learning journey. All these years, he has learned the value of team effort, a mantra that has become his principle in life. “I’ve learned to delegate and enjoy the contribution of each player in my organization,” he professes. 

How did he endear himself to a very critical industry? “I love my job and enjoy every minute of it with undying passion. I give back by doing personalized service in many ways than one. In the days that my former company did not invest much in technology and equipment, I developed a strategy unique to me,” he says.

Looking forward

According to Misa, everybody has become a filmmaker with the rise of social media. One can create any form of communication and be seen on mobile phones and other media of the Internet. Competition in tv production industry has become stiffer. Viewership has changed. Users of tv, cable, and whatever satellite distribution, there is, have declined with the exception of news coverage, sports and live events.

People are now watching content on the mobile phones, laptops or ipads. Because of the openness of the system and the free platform that it gives, more and more competitors have become players in content creation – resulting in production budgets that have become thinner and thinner.

What would he advise students of mass communications and juniors in the profession to be successful in the industry? As in any other field of endeavor, Misa says, “one must just follow his heart. Practice makes perfect. Be ready for a more or less 24/7 scenario. Read as much as you can to get updated. Keep your mind open to new ideas. Learn the art of saying No. Think ten times ahead of your clients. Lastly, make things happen,” he advises like a true master.

"BALIMBING': THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COAT

by Roger Pe
July 3, 2016 issue
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Full page

As of today, around 80 Liberal Party congressmen have reportedly joined the exodus to PDP-Laban, the party of President Rodrigo Duterte. Earlier on June 2, eleven from the same party took their oath under PDP Secretary-General Pantaleon Alvarez in a short ceremony in Makati.

In less than a month after the May 9 elections, PDP bragged that it was close to achieving its goal of creating one of the biggest alliances in Congress’ history by successfully recruiting other members from the Nacionalista Party, Nationalist People’s Coalition, National Unity Party, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats and the Party-List coalitions, including Gabriela to form what they call the ‘Super Majority Coalition’.

Politics in the Philippines swings like a pendulum and the ‘balimbing’ (turncoat) rides on the crest of a wave. Hide tide or low tide, would he or she be on your side? It depends where the wind blows.

Balimbings are in season. Their word-of mouth popularity can even make Macopas blush. Why, it is that time of the year when seats of power are up for grabs and everyone is jockeying for a position as the musical chair game begins.

Being referred to as one is tantamount to being addressed with disdain. Worse, the perfidious tag has stuck and most likely, cannot be undone, a term that has made the yellow-green Averrhoa Carambola (scientific name) the most reviled of all Filipino fruits, innocently synonymous to a person who is disloyal, traitor, “doble” or “muchas-caras” (double or multi-faced).

History is replete with ‘Balimbings’. We were made to believe that they began during the Spanish times and flourished when the Americans introduced their political way of life to the archipelago. No, not exactly.

Let’s antedate our thinking. There were biblical ‘Balimbings’ (Judas, Esau, King Saul), and up to the beginning of civilization, friends, Romans and countrymen lent their ears to Brutus and his ilk. And then the number grew, from the Dark Ages to the Middle Age and the Renaissance period.

Monarchs and Despots, Kings and Queens, Emperors and Tsars, Rulers and Tyrants fought wars because of treachery. Up to the modern era, from Wall Street to your tiny little corporate cubicle, a ‘Balimbing’ exists with a “we-live-in-a-disposable-society” mindset. Get hold of Arthur Redding’s “Turncoats, Traitors and Fellow Travelers” book and you are going to unearth more.

Every civilization or society has a turncoat. They come in different shapes, sizes and nom de guerre. When the last vote had been counted and all things had been said, they can only be summed up in either one of these two:

1. “Some people aren’t loyal to you. They are only loyal to their needs. Once their needs change, so does their loyalty.” 2. “My loyalty to my party ends when my loyalty to my country begins,” a line attributed to Manuel L. Quezon.

Famous Filipino ‘Balimbings’

Historian Ambeth Ocampo describes Pedro Paterno as the greatest turncoat in Philippine history. The “original” ‘Balimbing’, according to Ocampo, was “first on the Spanish side and then wormed his way to power to become President of Malolos Convention in 1899.”

Felipe Buencamino was a fine example of the Filipino “muchas caras” at the twilight of Spanish rule and dawn of American regime. When the Revolution broke out, he initially sided with the Spanish, reverted to the Filipino camp after being incarcerated by ‘revolucionarios’ in Cavite and ultimately sided with the Americans in the end.

General Antonio Luna once whacked him on the face for proposing to negotiate with the Americans during a heated debate. They would meet again in a violent confrontation on June 5, 1899, the day Luna was assassinated.

Had Teodoro Patiño shut his mouth and not thought of his own interests, Filipinos would have succeeded in their planned revolt against Spain. Squealing the existence of Katipunan because of a petty two-peso wage dispute, he led Spanish authorities in ransacking a printing shop. The operation yielded incriminating evidences against the Katipunan and doomed the fate of many revolutionaries.

Emilio Aguinaldo would not have been captured in the hinterlands of Isabela if not for Cecilio Segismundo. What made the latter reveal Aguinaldo’s hiding place? He was promised a commission in the Philippine Army and a $300 reward, allowing General Frederick Funston to bring him back to Manila.

From one party to another

Political “turncoatism” or politics without principles has been an integral part of our society. When self-interest mattered and egos are bruised, it is easy to set-up a faction or an entirely new party.

In 1922, a young Manuel Quezon organized the country’s “third” political party - Partido Nacionalista Collectivista with all members coming from the Nacionalista Party. They had accused NP president Sergio Osmena of being an autocrat.

Ramon Magsaysay was secretary of national defense when he bolted out of Elpidio Quirino’s camp and joined NP. He ran against the latter and won by a landslide.

When Ferdinand Marcos was Senate President, the late President Diosdado Macapagal promised to fully support him in 1965 presidential election. Macapagal reneged on his promise and decided to run for re-election prompting Marcos to switch to the NP camp. Marcos ran against Macapagal and won.

Political turncoats had a heyday when Marcos formed KBL (Kilusang Bagong Lipunan). Lakas-CMD (Christian Muslims Democrats) was a political party founded by Fidel Ramos in 1992. He ran because he had lost the LP presidential nomination early on.

Months before the 1992 elections, the House was controlled by members of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino allied with then Speaker Ramon Mitra Jr. After Ramos won, virtually all LDP members jumped ship to Lakas.

In her Philippine Daily Inquirer column, former Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Solita Monsod, said “the sight of the Liberal Party, or most of its members immediately deserting what they thought was a sinking ship, should be denounced. The Liberals, thinking only of themselves (chairmanships bring a lot of perks, including monetary) and not of their constituents (after all, they were elected as Liberals), just abandoned ship,” she said.

What drives politicians to become turncoats?

Many perspectives and different opinions resulted in my interviews with some political watchers from the community. Political Analyst and UP Professor Clarita Carlos, for example says the political party system in the Philippines is broken.

“Political parties are supposed to aggregate interests, articulate issues and prepare a program of government based on a platform of basic principles. They are avenues for socialization of its young members as they hone their skills in governance,” she says.

She cites that UK's former Tony Blair of Labor and David Cameron of Conservative Party did not just come out from a bamboo, and voila, became Prime Minister. She says that “you cannot have somebody from outside, suddenly catapulted to national candidacy, as had happened here, without going through the gauntlet in his/her political party. That position is earned, not freely given.”

According to Carlos, political parties make decisions on the party line to support, who is running in what constituency, support for campaign radio/tv time, etc, and is required to toe the party line in any and all votes in the legislature. Crossing the “aisle" or changing political parties, she says is virtual political suicide.

She woes that it is not so in the Philippines, where so called political parties do not have distinguishing characteristics and platform. Why is turncoatism so rampant? Because it pays to change color, and yes, one even gets better political largesse when he/she switches political groups,” according to her. 

Where politicians are often driven by self-interest rather than ideology, switching allegiances is endemic in the country because the constitution is extremely lax on the ability of candidates to switch parties at a snap of a finger, Political Analyst and De La Salle University Assistant Professor Richard Javad Heydarian says.

Former Senior Research Assistant at UP College of Public Administration Romy Garcia says turncoatism is an inescapable reality in the Philippines. According to him, survival is primordial to these would-be-demagogues. It is ducking the winds of change and living another day to fight, a Middle Age mentality of the vassal system, a kind of pledging an allegiance to the new guy on the block. “Sabi nga ng Pinoy,” just go with the weather, insidious but very effective in insuring self-perpetuation,” he adds.

There are no mass defections in most modern democracies, like the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Australia and New Zealand when a political party loses in the polls, Miriam College instructor Kris Ablan says. “Members stay with their party and understand why they lost. Whatever the cause may be, members of the losing party take responsibility for their actions and accept the peoples’ mandate. Losing and sticking it out with each other is how political parties learn. That's how they become stronger. It sets a good example for the people,” according to him.

Adie Pena who is Institutional Communications Director at College of St. Benilde says the Starfruit Syndrome is not limited to politicians. It happens everywhere. “In the entertainment industry, actors and actresses move from one TV network to another. Creative and accounts people leave their ad agencies to handle a competitive brand in another shop. Even maids and drivers will say goodbye (at a moment's notice!) to move to another household. And it usually all boils down to a better deal. Welcome to Balimbing country!,” he says.

Political Turncoatism is an accepted practice among elected politicians in the Philippines,
Educator-Servant and Professional Urban Planner Gabby Lopez, says. “For very obvious reasons - survival politically and continuing access to valuable resources of the sitting President,” he says. While most declare their principles, one cannot but suspect self-interests as the basic motivation, according to Lopez of Filipino turncoats. He says, adherence to party principles is conveniently shed off when survival  and  demands of personal interests behoove.

“One reads many lamentations these days of former strong leaders who have been abandoned by their “close” followers who have switched to the winning leaders. I have no appreciation of their righteous protestations. They wrought it upon themselves by perpetuating a toxic culture of political dispensation,” he says.

Loyalty to the party seems to be a thing of the past if you ask Pinay Medy Beroy, an independent medical and legal contractor based in Georgia, USA. “Changing political affiliations is now as easy as changing a spouse or a partner. Some candidates would sometimes opt to run as independent, giving them a lot of freedom to campaign for themselves to ensure victory,” she says. She also adds that even one’s own party mate could junk a candidate if he/she hinders his/her chances of winning.

“Now that the post-election balimbing-bashing phase is on it last legs, I’d like to make some space in my psyche for the question: “What’s wrong with changing sides?” Butch Tan, a retired advertising man asks. “All the “que horrors,” the demand for integrity and delicadeza, self-righteous breast-beating, they simply mean that summary judgment is alive and well, the great national pastime,” he observes.

Apart from switching sides, there is no other “truth”, according to Citizen B. Changing sides does not necessarily make one a bad person or at par with murderers, swindlers and sundry scalawags. And yet the public reaction to balimbings ranges from resentment to abhorrence,” he laments.

He argues that, in the first place, political parties in this country, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) excepted, hews to a clear, well-defined ideology. They’re more like clubs and lodges whose purpose is built around protecting its members’ interests and benefiting from being in power.

He then puts in the punchline: “That last sentence is the key. Once a party is no longer in power, it ceases to be a source of power and protection, money. It’s called realpolitik. Being outside the kulambo means being in fiscal and political limbo, and being in limbo affects the good and the bad equally. It’s just the way things are, he says.

Good politicians, according to him, switch sides to make sure their constituents can get their fair share of the national budget. “Not doing so would actually be a disservice. So what about venal politicians who switch sides for self-serving reasons? I address the answer to the ones who vote them into office: Merese!”

Loyalty to country above self

In a news report, Senator Miriam Santiago said: “Most political parties in the Philippines are not composed of citizens advocating an ideology, platform, principles or policies. Traditional politicians who were not nominated by their original party to the position they desire easily changed political parties.”

The prohibition on turncoatism was removed in the 1986 Constitution during the time of the late former President Cory Aquino.

On the other hand, Cass Sunstein, in his Bloomberg “Societies Need Turncoats” article, gives us a mind-changing definition of the turncoat. He said: “Turncoats may be freedom fighters. In democracies suffering from a high degree of polarization, turncoats are indispensable,” he says.
“Turncoats are often independent thinkers and they promote independent thinking in other people. Turncoating can be an act of exceptional bravery. We shouldn’t celebrate those who abandon good causes for bad ones. To separate heroism from villainy, we need to specify the coat and the turn,” he said.

Anyone would like to dispute that?

MARKET RESEARCH: BEDROCK OF BRAND SUCCESS

By Roger Pe
June 20, 2016
Philippine Business Mirror
Full page

What is the difference between a Salesman and a Brand Builder? 

A Salesman commoditizes his products and expects the cash register to continously ring merrily for him. He is sometimes a business copycat with a “Zagu mentality” - one who minimizes risk by lowering his price against prevailing market winds and does not care if his brand benefits are still relevant to the market.

A Brand Builder constantly innovates and improves his product. More importantly, he adapts to the business climate as it changes with the times. His advertising messages get noticed, connect and engage with consumers. His moves are spot on. 

He does not believe in guesswork. He knows his business war and creates a plan with marketing savvy. He positions himself to strategically zero in on his target. He is able to do all of these because he does not sweep Market Research under the rug.

There are many products that do not become brands and eventually become brand failures. Blame it to hit-and-miss salesmen who do not begin with the basic: Market Research. 

“Everything begins with consumer market research, but businesses rarely undertake such studies for new product development and innovations, even testing new advertising campaigns,” says MR expert Germaine Reyes, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Synergy Market Research and Strategic Consultancy. 

The Philippines has seen millions of pesos wasted from failed new product introductions or mediocre advertising campaigns. “Even companies go bankrupt or retrench people, simply because research was not done at all, results were ignored, or research was improperly done,” Reyes laments.

To minimize chances for failure and maximize chances for success, it is imperative that one must think like a Brand Builder. “Do your homework. Do your research,” Reyes says.

What is Market Research? The etymology of Research (Re-Search) comes from the Latin word ‘sercier’ meaning to go around in "circles" till one finds the answer. Reyes says Market Research is “like crime scene investigation work - forensics to investigate not the crime scene but the Consumer Scene.”

Smart marketers use it to know where your brand stands compared to competition. “Your innovation efforts for your brand that address consumers’ unmet needs can also be determined by a good Market Research,” she adds. 

It is also a great way to test product and advertising concepts, including key messages to evaluate which ones your target customers can relate to. 

Here is Reyes in a much deeper conversation about Market Research, its role on brand success and why you should invest on it now:

What is a great Market Research?

A great MR study is one that achieves the objectives set for the study, but also provides other leads to achieve greater, strategic growth. Some examples are: 

An FGD (Focus Group Discussion) originally conducted to understand consumer perceptions towards a particular brand can also help sharpen a brand’s positioning and identify specific areas for improvement in a brand’s advertising executions. 

Study to determine reasons for the weakening of a brand that can also unearth insights into a new product innovation for a potential brand re-launch. 

A customer satisfaction study that provides idea on product quality and service provision enhancements but also emerges insights on relationship handling, specific communication for certain phases of the business, advertising and PR leads.

Why should companies invest on Market Research?

Market Research is the first step in doing business. As Peter Drucker, the father of modern management, preached, “the purpose of business is not to make a profit, but to create a customer”.

The hallmark of the world’s biggest companies and most valuable brands is strong marketing and innovation anchored on their in-depth understanding of consumer brands superior to the competition. 

No less than Steve Jobs insists that development of technology must begin with consumers not in the laboratory. Indeed, everything begins and ends with the consumer. 

What are the pitfalls of doing a business without Market Research?

Global research studies have consistently shown that a major reason for failure in business start-ups and new product launches is a lack of understanding of consumers. 

Companies big and small have fallen into the trap of misreading the market and not developing a thorough understanding of consumer needs and wants, tastes and preferences, and validating if consumers would choose their brand over competitors. 

An innovation that’s not hinged on a relevant consumer need will just be an invention because it answers a question that nobody’s asking.

How advanced is Market Research in the Philippines?

For the local subsidiaries of large multinational companies (MNCs) especially in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector as well as for certain Top 1000 companies, the Market Research practice is far more advanced versus local counterparts.

  

The local companies, however, view research as a cost rather than an investment in building their knowledge about their customers in order to enhance and fit their products and services better with their customers.  

This can put the local companies at a serious competitive disadvantage in the marketplace. We believe there remain substantial opportunities for local companies to drive their revenues and profitability by undertaking more comprehensive and in-depth consumer learning programs. 

This is to make sure that consumers will continue to buy their brand and be resilient from competitive efforts. We need more CEOs who ask business questions to its internal groups, challenging the status quo and asking for a validation of their hypotheses or gut feel in order to stay ahead of competition.

We need them to think of market research as an investment in order to make more targeted decisions rather than a trial-and-error decision-making type. A colleague once said, ‘need to postpone success [by doing research] rather than fail on time’. 

What makes a great Market Research company?

The end-all or be-all of great market research is not just to provide data but to succinctly understand what’s working or not, how they can improve on their performance and what could be options to consider to make better, more informed decision-making. 

This is much the same way that a King consults with his sage for words of wisdom – just like King Arthur and Merlin in Camelot. The market research company serves as the ‘think-tank’ and/or consumer consultant for the Client-company.

Can you name a good case study with a good Market Research?

A petroleum company once was interested in purchasing a small competitor that they believed was the market leader in a niche that they were interested in. The market research revealed that it was not well known to consumers as it was initially thought.  

Likewise, the brand didn’t have the equity that the company assumed it did. So they put off plans for the purchase and saved a couple of hundred million pesos.

A company planning to introduce a new brand in a category that has few players thought that just by creating a lower-priced brand than the leading brand can effect switching.  

It was found that lower price, per se, has to be coupled with a compelling reason (a differentiating factor other than just price) to effect switching from the leading brand, as there is ‘hiyang’ factor to contend with. 

Mothers of a certain socio-economic group segment apparently were looking for something compelling to enable them to switch from their current brand. 

Why is Market Research good for advertising campaigns?

In the words of Advertising Guru David Ogilvy, MR allows client and advertising agency to “TEST” their executions to obtain critical feedback on message comprehension and reactions, recall and purchase intent. 

This should be done before millions of pesos are spent in final commercial production and media to maximize mileage and avoid waste.  

Have learned from my training in BBDO that a strategic campaign with a not-so-good execution is still better than a non-strategic campaign with great execution. I am still a great believer in this.

How did you begin your career in Market Research?

I started in the advertising industry, conducting both qualitative and quantitative research for campaign development, serving as the extended research arm of our clients then who did not have their own market research group in their respective companies. 

We provided inputs for strategic directions of advertising campaigns. The parlance for this eventually became “Account Planners”.

I graduated from the University of the Philippines with BS and Master of Statistics degrees. At this time, I endeavored to connect my learnings in Statistics to the outside world.  

When I started working, I ensured that when I talk about Statistics and results, the layman’s perspective is set in place for better appreciation and adoption by decision-makers and customers.  

I was trained by key research Executives of BBDO New York. This is where I learned the strategic use of market research in advertising and brand development. This included knowing how BBDO’s proprietary tools can help emerge a brand’s SWOT and key positioning learnings for strategic campaign development.  

Our creatives then couldn’t move without the inputs from research re the consumers and their mindsets. Even at that time (early 90s) when ‘’localization” was not yet a by-word, I recommended and helped localize the BBDO proprietary tools in the Philippines’ setting to ensure their relevant application in this market.  

My biggest mentor was Mr. C. Patrick Garner who was a Sergio Zyman close comrade. Zyman is touted as the Steve Jobs in the beverage or probably even the FMCG business. 

Mr. Pat Garner continuously drove the business questions and utilized market research to obtain leads and/or answers to those business questions.  My Coca-Cola stint helped me grow extensively and intensively in the use of market research for business decision-making.  

I got ingrained with Pat’s principle: Research that not only gives the ‘whats’ but also the ‘so whats’ and ‘now whats’. I’ve constantly endeavored to ensure that market research gives these. Otherwise, I feel that it’s shortchanging the users or customers with the power of market research in helping their brands and business grow.

What are some of you achievements, recognitions in the industry?

There’s not much market research awards provided in the country but have helped a Client win awards in the recently concluded Quill Awards because of the studies we’ve conducted for them.

We have success stories to share: A real estate companies sell their project developments in record-breaking time given the relevant recommendations on how to position their project and tweak or improve their offerings.

A utility company, understanding the drivers for satisfaction, which in turn led to development of programs that benefited consumers.

Fine-tuning a utility company’s positioning for an innovative product, which helped alleviate consumer pain points. In another real estate company, we provided inputs for the modernization and redevelopment of its flagship commercial center.

A telecommunications provider in the early-stage development of the broadband Internet market, not to mention the successful product launches in food and beverage industries.

What does it take to be a good Market Researcher?

A good market researcher should constantly be curious and want to learn the business and industry they’re working in. It needs to constantly ask ‘why’ and should be willing to challenge current and/or proven notions, relating these with market realities and environment. 

It should be bold in saying whether the product offering is good for launch, need to refine before launching OR not launch at all. Some market researchers are ‘nice’ in that they recommend launch of a product when the research says otherwise OR just base their recommendations from one metric when the other metrics are telling you something else.

From a client’s perspective, it is desirable for a Market Researcher to have a strong appreciation of any industry-market-company-brand to be able to design an appropriate consumer learning program that can identify key consumer insights that can be leveraged as part of the client’s business plans and marketing strategies.

How would you like to be described as a Market Researcher?

We are a husband-and-wife team and we would like to be described as The Market Researcher tandem, a sage business partner, a unique researcher with a synthesizing mind. 

What is your brand like, your core competence and why should marketers engage with you?

From a three-time client: Synergy is not only very reliable and trustworthy in undertaking different types of market research projects (qualitative or quantitative), but also effective and productive in proposing recommendations that have proven to be right on-target to deliver business results for 3 different clients in 3 different industries.

Other clients acknowledge Synergy is very innovative (unlike other agencies) and has the capability to customize research solutions according to a client’s research needs. In Germaine’s words, “the consumer is not a data point; no 2 consumers are alike.”

When clients engage Synergy, we assure them that we will immerse ourselves in their business and take on the CEO and brand person’s hats so that they will receive inputs, leads and learnings that they can use already for their short- to medium-term planning.

Would a product reach success without Market Research?

Yes, because there is always the element of luck in business, but this is no guarantee. Once competition starts to grow, though, it becomes very difficult to compete.

Some companies engage in market research only when their market shares start to dwindle.  This is instead of being able to defend their market position and continuously develop new avenues for increased volume and market share.  

From a three-time client:  In my own personal experience, I have learned that every time I attend an FGD or a consumer interview or a trade visit, there is always something new you can learn that you can adopt or adapt for your own business. Because wisdom, accummulated from knowledge plus experience, improves over time.

Other things you want to mention about Market Research

I have attended conferences both in the Asia Pacific region and in the US, and there are always talks about the need for market researchers “to up their game more than ever before.”  

Clients want to engage senior market research people who are able to share credibility in the boardroom, who can offer compelling recommendations on a client's business objectives.

This trend benefits the agencies that have a closer or more focused relationship with clients. 
I would like to say that we’ve been doing this for the past 16 years and have seen the benefits to the business of our clients.

IS YOUR BRAND SICK? CALL YOUR BRAND DOCTOR

With Robert Kuan, founder of Chow King and former Chairman of St. Luke's Medical Center
at Philippine Marketing Association BEST Conference.

by Roger Pe
May 23, 2016 issue
Philippine Business Mirror
Full page

On 111-117 Lancaster Road, Notting Hill, London, sits Museum of Brands, the biggest collection of products that ever existed in the world, names that made millions of consumers happy. They are catalogued and exhibited, but quite sadly, most of them have already faded out of our consciousness.

Inside the museum is a kaleidoscope of iconic labels, featuring over 12,000 original items from the unique collection of consumer historian Robert Opie, the guy who assembled them all forover half a century.

Here, you will discover how well loved brands evolved through creative use of packaging and advertising, and how consumers evolved with them. History of consumer culture is also revealed, decade-by-decade in a ‘time tunnel’, from the Victorian era to today’s digital age.

Your brand may someday find its way here, depending on how well you lovingly nourish it. How is it doing lately?

Is it up and about and doing brisk sales at the supermarket or barely making it? How is market acceptance? How often do you have brand reviews across a category landscape?

Is the product just merely answering a need or doing more compared to competition? What interesting added-value does it give to consumers?

What about awareness? Are you seen or even heard? Do you make noise or just go with flow?

Is it showing signs of brand fatigue? Are there signs on the wall and tell-tale indicators of slowing down? Before sales dip any further, get your acts together and immediately have a brand check-up. Go back to the basic. Review product formulation and packaging, including the way you market it. We know for sure, that you wouldn’t want it to go the way that Kodak and Nokia did.

Strong brands today and gone tomorrow, will your brand have that zest to last in the market?

Yesterday’s brands

Many moons ago, your lola would shop with a list of grocery items in her purse. She would hie off to the market with a dab of Cashmere Bouquet on her cheeks. A spray of Freyssinet and perfume bought from Botica Boie would complete her retinue.

She went to Divisoria every Saturday. On her list were: Purico (for frying and other “ginisa” cooking), Camay (for your sister’s facial beauty regimen), Lifebuoy (for your kuya’s after-basketball shower), Darigold (for young kids), Breeze (for your labandera), Pancho Pantera (chocomilk for the unruly kids) and, when she’s overly generous, Glo-Co Lipstick (for the maids).

Once upon a time, other Filipino brands also created rhubarb in Escolta, Rizal Avenue, Azcarraga, even as far as the Philippines’ farthest towns. Esco, Elpo, Ang Tibay Shoes, Chelsea, SigaSiga, Bataan Matamis cigarettes, Radiowealth, Avegon Transistor radios, Three Flowers, Trocadero, Hour-After-Hour, Halo Shampoo were among them.

But where are they now? All gone. They are probably also languishing in Museum of Brands.

We asked Willy Arcilla, one of Philippines’ marketing experts to share his nuggets of wisdom on brands’ staying power and continually changing mashup of brand marketing operations.

As a most sought-after speaker on marketing issues, interviewing Arcilla is like striking gold. He has established a pattern and solid track record in revitalizing old and dated brands and turning around troubled and bleeding companies.

And with over 30 years of experience in marketing and sales, advertising and media, corporate planning and general management, Arcilla’s insights are must-listen to.

Here’s our Q&A with the marketing guru:

Why do brands die?

WA: “From a corporate perspective, a brand dies because of mismanagement. From a layman’s point of view and consumer’s perspective, a brand dies simply because it has lost its customers to competition, direct or indirect.

It boils down to bad marketing and leadership, the most common reasons for brand demise.Marketing encompasses all the 4Ps (Product-Price-Place-Promotion), so failure to assemble a winning bundle of the various elements of the marketing mix can lead to a weakening of the brands.

Like plants and trees, brands need to grow. To nourish them, marketers should feed their brands with relentless innovation and compelling communication campaigns that convince consumers to prefer their brand against competition.

This is premised on a strong and enduring connection or relationship between the client and his consumers. The long-term success of any business rests on the long-term loyalty of its people, which translates to long-term brand loyalty by its customers.

Locally, Bank of Philippine Islands, San Miguel, Shoemart, Mercury Drug, Jack and Jill, C2 Ready-To-Drink Tea, are just a few local brands that have endured the test of time.

Obviously, Apple, Google, Microsoft, IBM, Facebook, Samsung, Toyota, Disney, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola are some of the most valuable global brands we have today. In addition, some brands have benefited immensely from universal and timeless advertising campaigns, like Singapore Airlines’ “Singapore Girl” (over 40 years), Mastercard“Priceless” and Absolute Vodka “Bottle” campaigns.

Can you tell if a brand is dying?

Arcilla says there are symptoms that one can see. “Despite all efforts at revival, you’re losing your sales revenue and market share in a secular downtrend,” he says.

What must marketers do to enjoy consumer preference?

WA: “First, continue to delight, satisfy even exceed the consumer’s needs and wants, tastes and preferences, likes and dislikes, values, attitudes and lifestyle, through your holistic brand experience. Next, capitalize on word-of-mouth marketing, both offline and online – so other consumers will learn more about the benefits of this brand versus competition. Digital word-of-mouth.

Is advertising a solution to dwindling market shares, 
why and why not?

WA: It is necessary but insufficient because the first step is to conduct a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the market that will place a finger on the pulse of consumers. This will then guide the development of a Brand Positioning Statement which must be the Best Positioning Strategy – Important, Specific, Unique. Then the BPS must give rise to Product-Packaging, Pricing, Place, Promotions, etc.

Advertising is the only item in the Profit and Loss that possesses the potential to expand sales by a hundredfold. Advertising communicates the brand and the benefit, the reason-to-believe and even the call-to-action.

Why should a Brand be healed?

WA: Looking back at my corporate career with three Fortune 500 multinational companies and three top Philippine conglomerates across Asia-Pacific, and my consultancy projects, I realized that I was most effective and productive, happiest and most fulfilled from helping revitalize ailing brands and turning around troubled companies.

Healing is holistic and means making something whole again. It also honors my family of doctors (there are 9 medical and health professionals in our family) - my parents, siblings and their spouses. I didn’t pursue medicine because I couldn’t stand the sight of blood, but I relished the sight of bleeding and troubled companies and sick, ailing even dying brands that I can help make stronger and healthier.

I guess that I must have subconsciously imbibed the discipline of medicine after decades of listening in on the medical conferences that would transpire among family members at our dinner table.“Health is Wealth” so my mission is to heal brands because “Healthier Brands are Wealthier Brands”.

What are some of brands that you have helped revitalize?

WA: At P&G, I was blessed to receive first-hand education on turning around a struggling Safeguard to become the market leader and I was part of the team that helped arrest the decline and turn around Tide Bar, one of the leading detergent brands.

In Indonesia, I led the relaunch and regeneration of the entire brand portfolio that helped treble the sales revenue in 6 years. In Hong Kong and China, I helped rejuvenate San Miguel, which was an old and dated brand, as well as local brands like Guang’s Pineapple Beer and Blue Star, a local brand in Northern China.

With San Miguel in the Philippines, I helped revive consumer interest in the beer market with the campaign “Five Thirsty Na” which sought to promote the “Happy Hour” after work while traffic is at a standstill – even back then (which suggests that the campaign may be even more relevant in today’s carmageddon. 

I helped launch the phenomenally successful San Mig Light. Then when I joined RFM we also relaunched major brands like Fiesta Spaghetti, Selecta Moo and Sunkist, and I’m happy and grateful to see that Fiesta has grown to become the country’s undisputed market leader in pasta from a tiny number 5 back in 2000.

When I returned to China with Coca-Cola, I was able to help rejuvenate a struggling Sprite to eventually become the leading softdrink brand in the world’s largest consumer market, even ahead of Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

Then when I moved to URC, I helped resurrect a dead brand in C2 Ready-To-Drink Tea to become the leading RTD Tea brand in Vietnam and even surpass the sales revenues of C2 in the home country, the Philippines.

What makes you unique as marketing professional?

WA: Aside from my unique family background and my zeal for healing brands to make them stronger. My educational background: a mix of La Sallian and liberal education at the UP.

I hold a college degree in BS Business Administration, Major in Marketing from the UP Diliman, but I also earned, by virtue of a scholarship, a Masters of Science degree in Industrial Economics from the CRC, the economic think-tank of the University Of Asia and the Pacific.

This allowed me to form a world-view that can focus on an individual tree without losing sight of the entire forest, so I can appreciate the importance of macroeconomics for the world, the region and the country, as well as its influence on the microeconomics of the individual firm.

My experience with top 500 multinational companies, as well as Philippine conglomerates helped me strike a good balance between the values of western individualism with eastern collectivism.

My regional experience across Greater China (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan) and the ASEAN countries expanded my horizons and strengthened my understanding of various cultures and markets to identify and capitalize on similarities as well as recognize and respect differences.

All these helped me learn to strike the perfect balance between managing the pressures of the short-term like sales volume and revenue, profitability and cash flow with the potentials of the long-term like building brands, growing market share and even expanding market size.

The most important job of a CEO today is to exercise inspiring leadership to motivate his people and synergize the entire organization to become a real source of competitive advantage by being marketing-driven and customer-focused so consumers prefer our brands over competition. 

This is why I advocate the concept of Marketing Leadership because Marketing is what anyone must do, while Leadership is what anyone must have.

Have you written any books?

I have written two books on my two advocacies – Marketing and Leadership. I believe that Marketing is what anyone must do, while Leadership is what anyone must have.

The first is called “Marketing and Advertising with a Conscience” with a foreword from His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, where I argued that since “no one can serve two masters (Mt 6:25), then use mammon to serve God.”

The second is “Leadership is Discipleship”, where I suggest that “we don’t need better leaders, but better followers”, judging from the current state of global affairs despite all the billions or trillions of dollars spent on leadership development in private and public sectors, in schools and the workplace. In addition to these, I have been a regular contributor to leading dailies and trade publications.

As Speaker in PMA BEST Conference with PMA President Henry Tenedero and Director Elton Tan.

What can you offer the business sector and marketing practitioners?

I offer a unique workshop that is a 2-in-1 training-cum-consultancy called “The Marketing Clinic: One Day with the Brand Healer”. It combines several modules of classroom lectures followed by live consultancy sessions where we provide real answers to real questions; real solutions to real problems.

This is faithful to the original definition of a clinic, which meant to teach doctors at a patient’s bedside, and this is why it is very effective as a training and development program.

It is not only for marketing practitioners but indeed for the entire organization because as Peter Drucker said, “The purpose of any business is not to make a profit but to create a customer.” So in fact, we are all in Marketing.