Adobo magazine | january february 2014 by Sanserif, Inc.

The word on creativity

Art & Copy Rachel teotico DM9JaymeSyfu

Katrina encanto Lowe Worldwide

outlook 2014

Bob Greenberg Christel Quek Donald Lim Josser Quilendrino

interview

Marlon Rivera Renaissance Man David Nutter Pilot Whisperer John Zeigler DDB Asia Pacific

the firm

Electrolychee Starcom MediaVest

E D I TO R ’ S N OT E January-February 2014, Issue 49

New Beginnings For 2014, we decided to kick things off with literal, liberal splashes of color on the cover, courtesy of two hardworking industry creatives, Lowe Worldwide’s Katrina Encanto and DM9JaymeSyfu’s Rachel Teotico. As former carpool buddies and current award-winning creatives, we picked their brains (pg 64) to hear their thoughts on what it takes to enter and succeed in modern advertising. For our Outlook 2014 special report (pg 127), agency heads and personalities like Bob Greenberg and Christel Quek penned their thoughts on what we could look forward to over the next 12 months. Some of the results may surprise you! Profiled this issue is an exclusive piece (pg 86) on awardwinning DDB chairman & CEO of DDB Group Asia Pacific, India & Japan, John Zeigler, who shared with us the origins of his legendary love of cars and his thoughts on just what we should watch out for as procurement adopts an increasingly larger role in agency selection and compensation. In our regular sections, we take a look at graphic design house extraordinaire Electrolychee’s (pg 96) increasingly impressive portfolio and Starcom MediaVest Group shared its ‘Human Experience’ reboot. Meanwhile, we let Procter & Gamble country marketing manager Pepe Torres indulge his inner rock star in our Centerfold (pg 74) as industry couples make up our Trendspotting (pg 76) with a concept that really lets the feathers fly.

We also chatted with TBWA\SMP associate creative director John Ed De Vera (pg 58) on his process and why we should all make the time to create a little every day and took a behind-the-scenes look (pg 48) at the men and women who made indie film Transit into a global festival sensation. Also profiled (pg 82) is famed US television director David Nutter, whose current work on Game of Thrones enthralls millions of viewers every week while his resume reads like a ‘greatest hits’ of television from the last 20-odd years. Also be sure to check out our post-event coverage of the ‘adobo Generositee’ initiative launch (pg 112) and see how you can do your part to help the victims of Typhoon Yolanda/ Haiyan. May we all start 2014 with renewed reserves of optimism. As the year looks to be one of change and evolution for the industry, both here and abroad, you can be rest assured that adobo will be here, as always, to cover it all.

Angel V. Guerrero Founder, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

staffbox President & Editor-in-Chief Angel V. Guerrero

Vice-President & Chief Operating Officer Janelle Barretto Squires

EDITORIAL Consultant Editor Sharon Desker Shaw Managing Editor Mikhail Lecaros Editorial Coordinator & Writer Charisma Felix

Digital Editor Carmela LapeĂąa Multimedia Journalist Amanda Lago

Cover Photo Dan Harvey Styling Clint Catalan of clintworm.com Hair & Make-up Bianca Vela & Elvie Recalde

ART Creative Director Victor Garcia Multimedia Artist Ricardo Malit

Graphic Artist & Illustrator Joshua Gonzales

marketing & events Account Manager Tricia Amarilla Business Development & Circulation Officer Andrew Sarmiento

Events Manager Ched Dayot Marketing & Events Coordinator Kriss Luciano

admin Finance Head Steve Pelimiano Finance Officer Elsa Bagalacsa

HR & Admin Officer Romina Claros

For advertising, sales, subscription, editorial and general inquiries, please get in touch. editorial@adobomagazine.com sales@adobomagazine.com subscriptions@adobomagazine.com events@adobomagazine.com books@adobomagazine.com info@adobomagazine.com www.adobomagazine.com Telephone +632.845.0218 / +632.886.5351 Fax +632.845.0217 adobo magazine Unit 203, Bldg 1, OPVI Center (Jannov Plaza) 2295 Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City 1231, Philippines Follow us on Twitter @adobomagazine Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/adobomagazine

adobo magazine is published bi-monthly by Sanserif Inc. ÂŠ 2013 Sanserif Inc. All rights reserved. Printed on recycled paper. No part of the magazine maybe reproduced or transmitted by any means without prior permission of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, the publisher and the editor assume no responsibility for errors of omissions or any circumstance of reliance of information in this publication. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher and the editor. Advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertisers.

CO N T R I B U TO RS January-November 2014, Issue 49

Dan Harvey Photographer

Shampoo Padilla Photographer

MJ Suayan Photographer

Matthew Arcilla Writer

Chris de Pio Sanchez Writer

Bong Osorio Writer

Christel Quek Writer

Brian Tenorio Writer

Abby Yao Writer

April Yap Writer

Tepai Pascual Writer-artist-creator â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Krokisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Clint Catalan Stylist

Tricia Miranda Make-up artist

Trisha Quintana Make-up artist

Cecille Rebollos Make-up artist

Elvie Recalde Make-up artist

Ysa Tiongco Make-up artist

Bianca Vela Make-up artist

Art & Copy Rachel Teotico, DM9JaymeSyfu Katrina Encanto, Lowe Thailand

Trendspotting That loving feeling

David Nutter The pilot whisperer speaks

Table of Contents November-December 2013, Issue 48 Cover Story 64

Art & Copy: Rachel Teotico and Katrina Encanto

Philippine News 08 Won tie 09 Local talent tapped for senior overseas roles 10 Back-to-back 11 P&G takes BBDO Pantene ad global 14 IMMAP on leave from AdBoard 15 Ad Summit

Global News 17 18 19 21 22 23

Microsoft calls for review Publicis readies new media network ‘Dumb Ways’ tops The Won Report Dentsu Möbius scoops up SIA social media account WPP extends Asia digital footprint McCann promotes Lindner

Digital 25 26 28 30

IMMAP digital education program Mobile festival Social media fails Ads leaderboard

The Work 35 38 39 40 41 44 48

Creative Review: Farrokh Madon Ad of the Month Bang for the buck: Red Cross ‘Rapid Rescue’ Creative Corner: Greg Martin Creative Showcase The Won Report Stories of Transit

Design 54 56 58 60 62

Shoe capital Singapore Biennale John Ed De Vera Dan Matutina Graham Fink

Centerfold 74

Pepe Torres

Trendspotting 76

That loving feeling

People 78 82 86

Marlon Rivera David Nutter John Zeigler

The Firm 92 Starcom MediaVest Group 96 Electrolychee

Intelligence 99

Post-Yolanda roles

Marketing 100 102 105 105

Branded edifices Third party story telling Sidedish: Nel Capila In the bag: Mench Viduya-Dizon

Media 106 Evolving branded content 108 Starcom tops Won 109 Ad Spend

Special Report 116 119 120 122 127

adobo Design Awards Effie Awards Primer AdFest Primer Campaign Agency of the Year Outlook 2014

Regular Sections 150 Logic & Magic 151 Downtime 152 Events calendar

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philippine

news

Won tie

DM9JaymeSyfu, Ace Saatchi rule The Won Report 2013 Philippine ranking after star turns at Cannes and Clios

MANILA DM9JaymeSyfu (left) and Ace Saatchi & Saatchi (right) tied for pole position in the 2013 Won Report, with a score that was more than double third-ranked BBDO Guerrero. Both agencies had one of their best years on the awards circuit in 2013 – DM9 returned with the Philippines’ first-ever Cannes Lion Grand Prix for Mobile with ‘Smart TXTBKS’ for PLDT’s mobile communications company. The campaign would go on to win five Grand Prix awards in all, with victories at Ad Stars and Spikes Asia. Tackling what DM9 dubbed as electronic violence against women, its digital-led its ‘Bury the Past’ for Gabriela struck Gold and Silver at AdFest. Ace Saatchi owed its Won position to ‘Screen Age Love Story’ for PLDT’s

top creative directors Name 1

top agencies

myDSL, which scooped four Cannes Lions, including two Gold awards and Spike wins; the Clio Gold-winning ‘Energy Playground’ work for Kraft’s Tiger Biscuits; Ariel’s ‘Olympic Shirt Flag’, a metal winner at Cannes and Spikes, and Silver Spikes for Cebuana Lhuiller’s ‘Sister Re-Meet’. BBDO Guerrero rounded out the Top 3 largely on its ‘Persistent Headache’ series for Bayer Philippines’ Saridon brand, which illustrated pain in graphic detail. ‘Pound/ Stamp/Laundry) bagged a Gold Film Lotus at AdFest and was the only television campaign in Asia to gain acceptance in D&AD’s 51st annual. ‘It’s More Fun’ for the Department of Tourism was another multiple winner, striking Gold at the Asian Marketing Effectiveness and Spikes.

Agency

Pts

CCO

DM9

104

Eugene Demata

ECD

DM9

104

Ace Saatchi & Saatchi

104

BBDO Guerrero

Y&R Philippines

TBWA\ Santiago Mangada Puno

JWT Manila

McCann Erickson Philippines

Leo Burnett Manila

Lowe Philippines

McCann Worldgroup Philippines

top art copy writers

Name

Agency

Pts

Name

Agency

Pts

Buboy Paguio

DM9

104

Aste Gutierrez

DM9

104

Biboy Royong

DM9

104

Paw Berroya

Ace Saatchi

Glenn Lalogan

Ace Saatchi

Petra Magno

Ace Saatchi

Hans Malang

Ace Saatchi

Jordan Santos

Ace Saatchi

Y&R Philippines

Miguel Mier

Ace Saatchi

Sara Badr

Ace Saatchi

BBDO Guerrero

Windel Aboy

Ace Saatchi

Gelo Suarez

Ace Saatchi

Grace Benesa

Y&R

David Guerrero

BBDO Guerrero

Badong Abesamis

Y&R Philippines 35

Rey Tiempo

BBDO Guerrero

Lady San Pedro

TBWA\SMP

Andrew Petch

ECD

Ace Saatchi

Marcus Rebeschini

CCO

Y&R Philippines

Badong Abesamis

ECD

David Guerrero

CCO

Melvin Mangada

ECD

TBWA\SMP

Brandie Tan

ECD

BBDO Guerrero

Nolan Fabular

TBWA\SMP

Marci Reyes

ECD

TBWA\SMP

Gary Amante

BBDO Guerrero

Dave Ferrer

ECD

JWT Manila

Gino Caoile

Ace Saatchi

Tin Sanchez

ECD

BBDO Guerrero

adobomagazine

Pts

DM9JaymeSyfu

top art directors

Merlee Jayme

Agency

January-February 2014

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ON THE MOVE

GLOBAL TALENTS BBDO Guerrero Philippines’ creatives Ray Tiempo and Gary Amante have been tapped to lead the creative department of Dentsu Philippines as the network ramps up its regional creative bench strength. “I would like to thank my friend David Guerrero who taught these two young men how to fly. Dentsu will give them the space to soar,” said Lim, who joined Dentsu Asia less than a year ago as chief creative officer. “Together with the top creatives who have recently joined Dentsu in Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam, Rey and Gary will help generate creative business solutions for our clients across the Asia Pacific and beyond,” Lim said, describing the pair as “global creative talents who can think and work on ground, on air and online”. The two were behind award-winning campaigns such as Saridon ‘Persistent Headaches’ (pictured reliving the Saridon ad for adobo’s Centerfold) for Bayer Philippines and ‘Eurolane Box’, ‘Wrist’, ‘Spine’, and ‘Pelvis’ for FedEx.

Local talent tapped for senior overseas roles AKQA hires Gutierrez, Joson joins Red Fuse MANILA Two young and proven Philippine agency talent – Asterio Gutierrez (left) and Jonathan Joson (right)– have been snapped up for plum roles overseas. Gutierrez, DM9JaymeSyfu’s former associate creative director and writer who was part of the team behind the multiGrand Prix awarded ‘Smart TXTBKS’ mobile work, has joined AKQA Shanghai as assistant creative director and writer. The top-ranked copywriter in The Won Report’s 2013 Philippine ranking, will handle Pepsico and Lego at AKQA. Gutierrez left DM9 shortly after its Cannes Grand Prix win for using copy he had penned while at Ace Saatchi for a DM9 ad in a local daily to announce its coup. DM9 and Gutierrez apologized for the oversight in another ad. In addition to the two agencies, Gutierrez also served as freelance associate creative director at Leo Burnett Kuala Lumpur and Singapore as well as BBDO Guerrero. Joson has been

tapped by full service WPP agency Red Fuse Communications for the newly created role of regional platform strategy director based in Hong Kong. In his new role, Joson will report to Sean De Cuirteis, the regional head of digital and focus on digital strategy and implementation for Colgate-Palmolive‘s portfolio of brands across key markets in Asia, including China, India, Thailand and the Philippines. A founding member of Havas Media (formerly Media Contacts) in the Philippines, Joson is “a digital marketer by accident and an economist by background”. He was until recently Havas’ executive director and in his five years with the agency acquired significant experience in strategic planning, media planning, performance-based marketing, as well as analytics and measurement. Joson has a number of awards to his name, including Planner of the Year for 2012 and, at 27 years, was the youngest person in the “40 under 40” list, both awarded by Campaign Asia Pacific.

January-February 2014

Y&R leadership switch Chiqui Lara has handed over CEO duties for Y&R Philippines to Mary Buenaventura, the agency’s COO. Lara will stay on as president for the coming year. The new CEO joined Y&R in 2002 from sister PR agency Burson-Marsteller, and led the launch of its ‘Action Marketing’ capabilities, a first for Y&R in Asia. “The agency has gone from strength to strength under Chiqui’s leadership, and will continue to do so in Mary’s very capable hands,” said Sanjay Bhasin, Y&R Southeast Asia CEO. No word yet on Buenaventura’s replacement as COO. Ogilvy promotes Puyat Elly Puyat, OgilvyOne Philippines’ managing director, has been promoted to country head of the agency with the retirement of Peachy Pacquing. A 14-year veteran of the network, Puyat will have oversight for businesses within the group, which includes O&M Advertising, Soho Square and OgilvyOne, neo at Ogilvy, Red Works, and Ogilvy PR. Pacquing, who took over the leadership a little over a year ago, retired after 12 years with the agency. Acuna at harrison McCann Worldgroup has moved ECD Peter Acuna to a similar role at subsidiary Harrison Communications. Acuna took over from Alex Arellano, who has retired after serving as Harrison’s ECD for more than six years and concurrently as president for nearly a year. “There is no vacancy left at McCann, and this doesn’t affect operations at McCann,” said a spokesperson.

adobomagazine

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Back-to-back CREATIVE AGENCY GOLD DM9JaymeSyfu Co-founded by Alex Syfu and Merlee Jayme (pictured), DM9’s consecutive Creative Agency of the Year triumph brought to a close a landmark year for the lean and nimble agency that began at Cannes. Smart TXT BKS’ produced the country’s first-ever Cannes Lion Grand Prix, winning in the hotly competitive Mobile race. By 2013’s close, the campaign to re-purpose old mobile phones and SIM cards into text books for less fortunate communities had amassed 5 Grand Prix. A second campaign, the digital-led ‘Bury the Past’ work for women’s group Gabriella, was another favorite on the awards circuit. New business was added with digital and above-the-line work for Senator Cynthia Villar’s political campaign, Smart Bro, and Tanduay Rum’s ‘160 Years’. The agency credited its policy of keeping the team small, nimble and flat and a strong new business record for doubling its profits before tax. “Winning the Campaign Philippines AOY award (for 2012) inspired us to do better. I guess that’s why it created the perfect environment to come up with the nice innovative ideas. The wins made us all happier and hopefully hungrier,” said Jayme. SILVER Ace Saatchi & Saatchi BRONZE Leo Burnett

SOUTHEAST ASIA PEOPLE AWARDS The Philippines was represented in five of seven Campaign Southeast Asia people awards. CREATIVE OF THE YEAR Merlee Jayme The DM9JaymeSyfu co-founder, chair and chief creative officer vaulted to pole position after leading the agency to a landmark 2013, which included multiple Grand Prix awards for ‘Smart TXT BKS’ and pole position in the 2013 Won Report.

adobomagazine

Trio of local agency champs reclaim Campaign Agency of the Year crowns in 2013 bouts

MEDIA AGENCY GOLD ZenithOptimedia The Publicis Groupe network returned to the winner’s rostrum after the shop’s overhaul led to a sharp growth in revenue. “In 2013, ZO re-engineered seriously for the paid, owned and earned media (POEM) world by offering a fully integrated media service approach and driving step change in accountability with our new Live ROI apps and methods. This necessitated a very aggressive training program and an inspired talent management strategy,” said chair Venus Navalta (pictured). The agency also launched Performics for performance marketing and Ninah for marketing effectiveness. Through a partnership with DualActionBlender, a creative digital agency, the agency added content development and production capabilities. The efforts helped ZO win Nestlé’s digital AOR and new business from Sulit.com.ph, Newborn Foods and Ayala Land. “These efforts resulted in our continuous phenomenal growth, future proofing the agency, achieving above industry employee retention rates, one of the highest engagement scores in ZO’s global talent survey and excellent client evaluation scores. Leadership is indeed defined by results.” SILVER OMD BRONZE Starcom MediaVest Group

Under Jayme’s creative leadership, the agency built its reputation as a small shop with big ideas, as seen in its work for the ‘Smart TXT BKS’ and Gabriella’s ‘Bury the Past’. AGENCY HEAD Gil Chua, runner-up DDB Group Philippines president and CEO Gil Chua was the race’s runner-up. He came second to colleague David Tang, DDB Singapore CEO and concurrent vice chairman of DDB Group Asia.

January-February 2014

DIGITAL AGENCY GOLD McCann Worldgroup’s MRM Manila As one of the early birds to reposition its business for greater digital media adoption in marketing, the one-time direct marketing agency turned digital specialist, found itself facing competition as others stepped up their game. There was new pressure for the agency, which helped Nescafé build a committed Facebook fan base the previous year, to set new standards for digital creativity, effectiveness and innovation. Under new managing director Manny Fernando (pictured), the agency crafted its strategy around setting new benchmarks in the area of products and metrics. It also expanded its service set to enable greater innovation around digital solutions for brands. Three key products were launched: MRM Social Command for real-time consumer engagement and reputation management; Multiscreen Marketing Platform to track consumer interaction with different brand assets across multiple screens; and Digital Valuation and Attribution modeling, which tracks digital efforts to ROI. These efforts helped the agency surpass the 168% growth it booked for 2012 and retain the Digital Agency crown in the annual competition. SILVER OgilvyOne Worldwide

NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TEAM Tony Harris and Ombet Traspe, runner-up The BBDO Guerrero pair set out to expand its business base from heavily international to a more domestic clientele. CEO Harris and marketing director Traspe helped the agency win First Pacific Holdings, BDO Unibank and SM Homeworld among others.

PLANNER CJ Jimenez, runner-up Ogilvy & Mather’s strategy leader is credited with diversifying the office’s large anchor clients into a range of consumer categories. TALENT MANAGEMENT TEAM Venus Navalta, Ting Navarro, Maita Consulta, Tricia Macalalad, Dinna Zaratan, runner-up Led by ZenithOptimedia Philippines chairman Navalta, the team embedded digital talent in each account team, focused on cross-training and re-engineered the agency through digital education.

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P&G takes BBDO Pantene ad global

Buys primetime spots on US TV

GOING VIRAL

‘Label’ views explode

Number of YouTube views on launch in November 2013

19m

MANILA Procter & Gamble is taking a Philippine-created Pantene campaign that challenges gender stereotypes global after online views exploded following a shout-out from Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. Created by BBDO Guerrero, ‘Labels Against Women’ shows society’s double standards in judging men and women for the same behavior, a prevalent theme in Filipino culture. Beauty and personal care brands are increasingly using female empowerment as a theme, as seen in rival Dove’s decade-old ‘Real Beauty’ campaign. There is no sign of the shampoo in Pantene’s 60-second film, which is littered with sexist labels routinely attached to women – a strong man is a boss, a woman is simply bossy; he is persuasive while she is pushy; a man who works hard is dedicated but a woman is selfish. Set to a cover of Tears for Fears’ ‘Mad World’, the creative’s accompanying Twitter hashtag #WhipIt was coined as a call to action in whipping away sexist labels so women can shine. Sandberg was an early fan, giving the spot the kind of push money can’t buy in this era of social media as the theme resonated beyond the Philippines. “This is one of the most powerful videos I have ever seen illustrating how when women and men do the same things, they are seen in completely different ways. Really worth watching,” said Sandberg, whose bestseller Lean In raised questions about barriers to women succeeding. Her Facebook post in early December gave the campaign further traction online, especially among US viewers. Its unexpected appeal in the US, encouraged P&G to bankroll a global launch, beginning with a prime-time buy on US television and greater social media firepower.

“Pantene and P&G brands reach billions of women around the world and we want to use this scale and influence to be an agent of change,” said Den Henretta, group president for P&G Global Beauty. During the campaign’s creation, P&G and, BBDO partnered with local news site Rappler to research gender bias and were shocked to learn 70% of men in the Philippines still think women need to downplay their personalities to be accepted.

GroupM adds to Philippine offer Grows footprint with Masscom, Xaxis MANILA GroupM has expanded its Philippine footprint, absorbing Unilever’s local incumbent into MindShare and rolling out its programmatic media and technology platform here. The completion of the Masscom (Media Arts System and Services Company) deal on top of last year’s acquisition of digital specialist agency Netbooster (since rebranded as Movent) and Xaxis’ launch have given the network “both scale and influence” in the market, Ashutosh Srivastava, MindShare’s chairman and CEO for Asia Pacific and Russia, told adobo.

Online views explode after Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg’s glowing shout-out on December 7

31m

Total views as of January 2014 Source BBDO Guerrero

News that the agency would buy Masscom came in early 2013 but the deal was only recently consummated. “With this acquisition, we are creating an unbeatable powerhouse with the combination of the relationships and experience of Masscom and the tools, systems and global network of MindShare,” said Sunitha Gopalakrishnan, managing director of MindShare Philippines. GroupM’s programmatic media and technology platform Xaxis launched in the Philippines and Indonesia in late December, extending its footprint from China to Australia and India. The launches follow WPP’s plan to merge Xaxis with 24/7, with the combined entity taking the Xaxis name. “Several of our regional and global clients are already enquiring about Xaxis based on their experience in working with the company in other Asia Pacific markets,” said Puneet Arora, GroupM CEO Philippines, who described the launch as a competitive advantage. “We see Xaxis playing a very important role in our client’s communication plans from here on.”

Unilever’s Magnum

January-February 2014

adobomagazine

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r3 new business league

new wins HAVOC BOOST Digital marketing specialist Havoc Digital has scooped the digital account for San Miguel Light following a multiagency pitch. The brand’s web development, mobile and social media work will be shifted to the shop, which specializes in online advertising, user-generated content and e-commerce. The brand is looking to expand its digital marketing efforts to better engage its younger demographic consumer base.

PAINT JOB Nippon Paint has pitched its account as the company prepares to expand beyond the automotive to the decorative segment in the Philippines. It is believed that two Omnicom agencies pitched in mid-January for the business to help the company extend into the decorative segment, covering internal and external surfaces. Newly-hired local marketing manager Bernice Bobadilla is expected to participate in the agency selection process alongside Nippon Paints’ regional executives. IN PITCH Mandom Philippines is poised to select an agency following a multi-shop review conducted in early January. The local subsidiary of a Japanese manufacturer of men’s hair styling and body and facial care products wants to grow its Philippines business by more than 30% this year. The account is said to be worth about 50 million pesos.

adobomagazine

Dec 2013 Philippines Top 10 wins Creative Agency

Month

Account

Area

BBDO

Oct

BDO Unibank

Philippines

Leo Burnett

Oct

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare

Philippines

DDB

Sep

Johnson & Johnson Digital

Philippines

BBDO

May

Tourism Australia

Global

Leo Burnett

Jan

Samsung

Philippines

McCann

Aug

Pride

Philippines

DDB

Feb

PLDT TelPad

Philippines

TBWA

Feb

Alaska Nutribuild 345

Philippines

Publicis

Mar

Blackberry

Philippines

Grey

Dec

Metro Retail Project

Philippines

Media Agency

Month

Account

Area

Dentsu Media

Sep

Philippine Department of Tourism

Philippines

Vizeum

Jan

Pag-ibig Fund

Philippines

Universal McCann

Jan

Johnson & Johnson

Japan, Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore

MediaCom

Mar

Bank De Oro

Philippines

ZenithOptimeida

Apr

Maybank

Philippines

Starcom MediaVest

May

Philippine Airlines

Philippines

ZenithOptimeida

May

Merck

Philippines

Havas Media

May

Mundipharma

Philippines

Carat

Dec

Mondelez

Regional

MediaCom

July

Fonterra

Asia Pacific

Aspac wins Honda Accord launch task Drops TV for launch campaign MANILA The Aspac Group scooped Honda’s Accord account has a competitive review late last year to launch the brand’s latest model in the Philippines. The indie agency is no stranger to Honda, having worked on several – it relaunched the CR-V and helped accounts take the new Honda CR-Z flagship car to market last year. The Accord marque had been largely inactive in advertising for a little over a year, but will step up marketing to launch its ninth generation model. The car is being pitched at the same

January-February 2014

market that buys the Camry, with the advantage of it being a leveled-up model –Accord comes equipped with the best seats and accessories so buyers do not need to trade up for component features. As it is pitched at “leaders” who are driven and dynamic, the agency built its campaign around the word ‘Lead’. Aspac is using print, digital and events to support the model’s launch. “There was a lot of talk about whether we should use TV… we’re talking to executives so we didn’t feel the need to do so,” said Aspac’s COO and president Angel Antonio.

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On leave

inactive

IMMAP became 5th group to go on Adboard leave

• Philippine Association of National Advertisers since end 2012 • 4As since February 2013 • Advertising Suppliers Association of the Philippines since June 2013 • Media Specialists Association of the Philippines since November 2013 • IMMAP since December 2013

active MANILA Advertising Board (AdBoard chair) Bienvenido Niles said the “industry is talking” to resolve a membership crisis that rocked the organization all of last year. The Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines filed an indefinite leave of absence in December last year, becoming the fifth member association to do so. Niles clarified that these associations had not resigned but were on a leave of absence. “I can’t really say very much in terms of plans for 2014. I can only say that the industry is talking, and hopefully in the next couple of months, we’ll be able to come up with something regarding how we are all going to move forward,” said

• MORES • Outdoor Advertising Association of the Philippines • Cinema Advertising Association of the Philippines • International Blocktimers Association • United Print Media Group

2014 officers

Three industry groups elect new office bearers

PANA

4As Chairman Alex Syfu – Chief Adviser and Client Relations Officer, DM9 JaymeSyfu

Corporate Comptroller John Lucas – Managing Director, DDB Philippines

President Blen Fernando – VP Marketing, Alaska Milk Corporation

President Norman Agatep – Managing Director & CCO Havas Worldwide Manila

Directors Cecile Velez – Vice-President/ Managing Partner, McCann Worldgroup

Vice-President Sandra Puno – Director of Communications, Nestlé

Golda Roldan – Client Services Director, JWT Manila

Secretary Clint Navales – Country Communications Leader, Procter & Gamble Distributing

Vice President Jenny Wieneke – Division Head, Publicis Manila Board Secretary Titus Arce – Director for Account Management Services, Dentsu Philippines Treasurer Meldy Warren – AVP-Account Management, Campaigns & Grey

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Niles, the president of the Marketing Opinion Research Society (MORES). Niles, however, said industry discussion had yet to touch AdBoard’s assets, believed to be in the multi-millions in pesos, which includes its office premises. “That will be an issue if the decision is not to go forward with AdBoard.” There has been talk among associations that have filed a leave of absence of seeing the assets returned to them to use for educational programs among other things. PANA and the 4A’s leave of absence forced AdBoard to cancel what would have been its 23rd Advertising Congress, an event that been held uninterrupted since its launch.

January-February 2014

Patrick Tolentino – Managing Director, Gallardo & Associates

Treasurer Raul Alvarez – VP and Head, Home Marketing Support, PLDT PR Maye Yao Co Say, Chief Operating Officer, Richwell Philippines, Inc.

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Summit eyes ‘rockstar’ line-up DDB crafts ‘Age of Enlightenment’ theme for inaugural show MANILA The 4As chose the ‘Age of Enlightenment’ as the theme of its inaugural Ad Summit Pilipinas, which will also include the annual Kidlat Awards. Ad Summit is set for May 7 to 11, 2014 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center and is seen as a replacement to the 40-year-old Advertising Congress, which was postponed last year after the AdBoard suffered a membership crisis. Kidlat, organized by the Creative Guild, will host its awards night on May 10 in Subic as well. Ad Summit’s theme was crafted by DDB Philippines, which won a multi-agency shootout for the account, to empower the industry to break away from the norm and move with the times in developing new creative solutions. “Creativity is relative. We have different interpretations of what is ‘cool’, what is ‘in’

and what will or won’t hit the target because we adhere to different ideologies ad creative philosophies,” said Matec Villanueva, the summit’s co-chair along with Alex Syfu. She said the summit aimed to bridge the gap and becoming a melting pot of the industry’s thought leaders and future innovators. No speakers were announced at Ad Summit’s launch event but organizers promised a line-up of “rockstar speakers”, who were iconic and whose work transcended national boundaries, such as talent from global networks and digital experts. “We are not going to fill it with 10 million speakers. We will bring in rock stars, give them the time and the space so people can appreciate what they have to say,” said Villanueva. A trade exhibit will also be held as part of Ad Summit, and will be organized by the Advertising Suppliers Association of the Philippines. Meanwhile, Atty Chot Kabigting, the tourism head of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, promised a event “everybody will remember for years to come”. The Ad Summit Early Bird Promo will be available until February 28. Registration forms are available at Facebook.com/ AdSummitPH and through the 4As secretariat, or at the official Ad Summit website.

Creative Guild Auditor Marilen Forsuelo – Product Marketing Manager, The Medical City

President Bryan Siy - Creative Director, TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno

Board of Directors: Bunny Aguilar – VP Communication Channels, Globe Telecom

Competition Sub-committee Head Joe Dy, creative director, JWT Manila

Darlene Chiong – FVP for Media, Digital, CMI and Activations, Smart Communications, Inc

Members: Blackpencil Manila ECD Kat Limchoc, MRM Manila deputy executive creative director Budjette Tan, Publicis Manila creative director Rey Tolentino, DM9JaymeSyfu creative director Jerry Hizon, Draftfcb executive creative director Syd Samodio, and OP Communications managing director Rhona Arceo.

Stephanie Ann Cua – Marketing Manager, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. Yasmin Mallari – Integrated Marketing Communications Director, Coca-Cola Far East Limited Michael Ngo – AVP Media & Budget, Asia Brewery, Inc.

Young Creatives subcommittee head: Third Domingo, CEO, Ideas X Machina, and Herbert Hernandez, ECD, Y&R Philippines Members: Campaigns & Grey creative director Sammy Pasamba, Publicis JimenezeBasic associate creative director Raymund Sison, and World Impact creative director Joey Feir. PR sub-committee head: Joey Ong, Chief Creative Officer, Aspac Advertising

January-February 2014

Kidlat 2014 Awards May 10 in Subic MANILA The Creative Guild is looking to bring in a handful of foreign jurors for this year’s Kidlat Awards, bankrolled by the 4A’s, which wants to institutionalize the competition within the Ad Summit. Joe Dy (pictured), the 2014 head of the guild’s competition sub-committee, said the plan was to have two foreign jurors for the three judging panels. Each panel is expected to have about seven jurors in all. Organizers plan to invite foreign jurors mainly from the region, with a few from outside Asia, budget permitting, said Dy. Bryan Siy, who leads the guild’s 2014 board, said changes have been made to Kidlat categories that “will make this competition exciting again for everyone”. The ‘What if…’ category launched three years ago has been turned into an innovationonly competition. “What if was always about innovation but there was confusion – it received entries which couldn’t fit in other categories,” said Joey Ong, head of the guild’s PR sub-committee. “We simplified it to innovation, which covers all disciplines.” Kidlat also dropped its planner awards this year, with the decision made to limit awards to agencies, advertisers and production houses. “Given the bigger stage, we wanted to make it more about the company and not to focus on personalities,” said Dy. Dy said Kidlat would remain a solely creative show unlike the Araw Awards, which had requirements for effectiveness, when it ran as part of the Advertising Congress. “While we respect effectiveness, there are other shows that recognize effectiveness,” Dy said, noting that the show is open to work going back the past year unlike Araw’s requirement for campaigns spanning two years. Judging will be held in Manila May 5-6, with the awards set for Subic on May 10.

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t he p h i l i p pi nes

Good as new Brands kick off the year with ads that put a new spin on things

McDonald’s

LBC Express

Ford EcoSport

Fita

Campaign ‘Hooray for Today’ Client Golden Arches Development Corporation Agency Leo Burnett The Work McDonald’s morning motivation for 2014 does away with the almost over-the-top positivity of its previous incarnations, and opts for a more understated tone. It plays with light and shadow, and features the dreamy vocals of Clara Benin, which make the 2014 spot feel more like an indie pop music video or an artsy short film than an ad for a fast-food chain. But its message of hope served at the end is pitch perfect for the new year.

Campaign ‘Lives’ Client LBC Express, Inc. Agency Havas Media Ortega’s Arena Media The Work Courier company LBC Express has come a long way, imagewise, from its ‘Hari ng Padala’ roots. Ads featuring OFW narratives are always a hit with the Filipino audience, and in LBC’s case, the diaspora story is actually relevant to the brand that makes the new ad’s sentimentality more palatable. As part of its rebranding, LBC launched the ‘Lives’ TVC, which all at once honors OFWs and their families, and positions the brand as a service that delivers more than just material goods, weaving shots of families opening Balikbayan boxes with more heartfelt sentiments like ‘I love you’, ‘I miss you’, ‘will you marry me?’ and ‘I wish you were here’.

Campaign ‘Urban Discoveries’ Client Ford Philippines Agency JWT Manila The Work Unlike the usual car ads that show shiny, slow-moving closeups of the advertised vehicle, this online spot for Ford’s newest SUV offering stars funny Pinoy YouTube sensations Bogart the Explorer and Petra Mahalimuyak in a spoof of epic proportion. The spot parodies film trailers across genres, from action to adventure, drama to romantic comedy (yes, Petra and Bogart come this close to an onscreen smooch) and plays on the idea of discovery as the two stars embark on a mission to explore the urban jungle in an EcoSport. The ad leads to a digital activation managed by Y&R, which invites consumers to submit interesting or unexplored spots in their city for a chance to win a 60-day escapade in the vehicle.

Campaign ‘Eenie Meenie’ Client M.Y. San – Monde Nissin Agency Publicis JimenezBasic The Work The signature Fita ad humor is as strong as ever in this latest spot that shows two officemates fighting over the last biscuit in the pack by way of an Eenie Meenie game. The decidedly more assertive one seizes the coveted piece, feigns fairness, but in the end, eats the piece anyway, building on Fita’s trademark idea that the biscuit is simply too good to share.

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January-February 2014

g l o b al

global news

On notice

Microsoft calls review of its complex agency roster losing the US account in 2011 and Deutsch sharing B2B assignments with Y&R. McCann San Francisco has the Xbox brief. 4 Publicis Groupe’s MediaVest agency controls US media planning and buying since taking the business off UM in 2011. Razorfish has deep ties with the advertiser, going back 10 years. It handles digital advertising, from creative to social and some media buying for Windows, Xbox, Surface, Bing, Office, and Microsoft retail following its appointment a decade ago.

REDMOND Microsoft has called a global review of its complex agency roster, which spans multiple holding companies and shops, ahead of the company installing a new global CEO to turn its fortunes around. The tech heavyweight, which has been eclipsed by the likes of Google in software and search, and Apple for products, is estimated to invest more than US$1 billion on global media buys each year. The company is said to be looking at a holding-company solution to maximize its marketing spend. The bulk of its creative and media

business is currently split across agencies of three holding groups: 4 WPP’s Wunderman’s relationship with Microsoft goes back a decade. It serves as its global direct marketing agency, handles data and analytics for Microsoft, Xbox, Bing and Windows, executes local global market campaigns. Other shops on the roster are Y&R, which won the business-to-business account, recently and digital agencies Possible and VML. 4 Interpublic Group agencies lost chunks of the business from this long-standing client. UM now handles non-US media after

Microsoft also does business with a number of independent shops – MCD’s CP&B serves as lead creative agency for brands such as Xbox, Windows and Windows Phone along with independent Los Angeles shop Omelet, which created the ‘Honesty’ campaign for tablets. The review comes some six months after the ‘One Strategy, One Microsoft’ realignment was put in place by CEO Steve Ballmer before his departure. “We are rallying behind a single strategy as one company — not a collection of divisional strategies,” Ballmer had explained. “We will see our product line holistically, not as a set of islands. We will allocate resources and build devices and services that provide compelling, integrated experiences across the many screens in our lives. “All parts of the company will contribute to activating high-value experiences for our customers.”

Havas shareholder names son CEO

responsibilities in 2011, deputy CEO a year later and took on the chairmanship of Havas in August last year. Andrew Bennett, Jones’ global co-president at the recently rebranded Havas Worldwide ad agency, has been promoted to president, reporting to the younger Bolloré. “Thanks to his talent, David has contributed significantly to the improvement of the results and organization of the group and its standing amongst clients and in the industry,” said the new CEO. Jones left the group to co-found and lead a tech start-up that will launch in February. But he has been retained as advisor to Havas chairman and CEO

through this year. “If I were going to stay in the industry it would be at Havas, but I have always had a burning desire to be an entrepreneur and this is too exciting an opportunity to not seize. Those people who know me know my two passions in business are social media and social responsibility and this new venture combines the two,” he said. Jones joined the group in 1998 as CEO of its ad agency in Australia, then known as Euro RSCG Sydney, later shifting to senior leadership roles in the network. He was named CEO of the advertising network in 2009 and in 2011 expanded his role to the rest of the group, including Havas Media.

Jones to lead start-up PARIS David Jones (pictured) has parted ways after a 15-year run with Havas, which has named the son of its single largest shareholder as global CEO of Havas group. Yannick Bollorè, the 33-year-old son of industrialist billionaire Vincent Bollorè, succeeded Jones at the holding company with immediate effect. The younger Bolloré had joined Havas board of directors a little over three years ago, added vice president

January-February 2014

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g l o ba l

ROLL-OUTS

Agencies expand offer K1ND HUB Ogilvy Asia Pacific will launch a brand innovation unit with Mondeléz International as founding client of Singapore-based K1ND. The unit will focus on digitizing product experiences and developing digital services and it will establish an open-source innovation hub. A core team of technologists, inventors and cross-disciplinary creatives is being set up, with the option to draft in specialists into teams tailor-made for each challenge. CHEIL EXPANDS Cheil Worldwide has opened a full-service Malaysian shop, giving it a global footprint of 41 offices across 35 countries. The 20-strong office will service network clients such as Samsung Malaysia, AIG Malaysia and Hankook Tire. “We have made significant hires in digital, retail and experiencedbased marketing. All these resources will be able to complement the traditional agency offering of ATL and BTL,” said the office’s managing director Bong Keun Lee (pictured). SHOPPER OFFER Daniel Ng, the former head of Momentum Singapore, has launched a shopper marketing agency called Day 28. The name refers to payday when cash-rich consumers tend to shop. The company said it “embraced the opportunistic approach” in creating opportunities to make brands relevant and famous.

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EXPOSED A film taking a subtle but nonetheless effective dig at Indian men who shamelessly leer at women in public places launched in late December, marking the anniversary of a horrific Delhi sex attack that sent shockwaves around the world. Whistling Woods International, a Mumbai-based film and media arts institute, created a 90-second spot ‘Dekh Le’ – which translates as look in Hindi – to turn the tables on men who ogle. It wanted to show how uncomfortable this behavior is for women. In the spot, a woman on a scooter flips her reflective helmet visor on, while another puts on her sunglasses, giving the men a reflection of their disturbing behavior.

Publicis readies new media network for Q1 take-off ‘Project Blue’ eyes retail, auto and pharma clients LONDON Publicis Groupe is preparing to launch a new global media network under its ZenithOptimedia banner in the first quarter of this year, focusing on specific categories including retail, automotive and pharmaceuticals. Walker Media, which was acquired by Publicis Groupe late last year and counts Marks & Spencer, Dixons Group, KFC and Halfords as clients, will serve as launch agency for the new network, known internally as Project Blue. “Walker Media has a fantastic track record and reputation in the UK and is ideally placed to be the launch agency of the network,” said ZenithOptimedia worldwide CEO Steve King (left) of the nearly 24-year-old agency. “With the launch of the new network, we have an amazing opportunity to deliver new communications services and to work with a broader range of clients around the world,” he added. Although the new network will adopt

January-February 2014

ZenithOptimedia’s ‘Live ROI’ positioning, it will have its own distinct positioning. In addition to its media capabilities, the new network will also offer creative, activation, digital and shopper marketing services. Initial plans call for launches in the US and Europe. ZenithOptimedia is also eyeing expansion to Asia. The network is expected to help ZenithOptimedia deal with client conflict issues and will operate alongside Zenith and Optimedia and the other businesses within the group: Newcast, Performics, Moxie, Engauge, Ninah and Sponsorship Intelligence. Sébastien Danet (right), the president of ZenithOptimedia France and chairman of VivaKi France, has been promoted to global managing partner of ZenithOptimedia and given additional responsibilities as chairman of the new network. Danet, who has been with the network since 1997, will retain his ZenithOptimedia and VivaKi responsibilities for France.

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Won hit NEW YORK McCann Melbourne and its monster viral hit ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ dominated the 2013 Big Won Report as it did with nearly every awards show on last year’s circuit. Fronted by a cost of ungainly blobs meeting untimely ends, the public service campaign was “the advertising phenomenon of 2013”, achieving cut-through at a time when most consumers can opt out of advertising, according to Patrick Collister, author of the Big Won ranking. The report documented 114 separate awards for ‘Dumb Ways’, including multiple Grand Prix honors from Clio to Cannes, making this jingle-driven multimedia campaign the single most-awarded piece of work ever. ‘Dumb Ways’ propelled McCann to the top Agency for Creativity, Radio, Digital and Integrated. The work also topped multiple categories such as Creative Campaign for All Media, Digital, TV, Film and Video. Its creator John Mescall led the ECD and copywriter league and John Baron vaulted to pole position in the art director rankings. ‘Dumb Ways’ headlined one of Asia Pacific’s best performances in the Won Report. On the strength of McCann’s ‘Dumb Ways’ and a strong showing by a handful of other agencies, Australia climbed two places to finish second in the Top Countries for Creativity league behind the US. “Down Under continues to exert a disproportionate

‘Dumb Ways’ tops Big Won 2013 Report pull on the global awards shows with ideas that are fresh, often innovative and usually funny. (The exception here being Colenso BBDO’s ‘Trial by Timeline’ work for Amnesty),” remarked Collister. “For Australia to rank No.2 in the world is amazing. And with New Zealand at No.9, Singapore at No. 10, Japan at 12, China at 14 and Thailand at 19, the Asia Pacific region has claims to being more of a creative hub than Europe with six countries in the Top 20 or the Americas, which have four.” see page 46

arms race

The cost of creativity

60,000 The amount in euros McCann Melbourne is estimated to have spent on all the shows where it won, according to Big Won estimates.

3m The value of investments of just under €3 million agencies would have spent in entry fees for the 8,004 awards logged in the Big Won database.

30m If the rule of thumb says only 10% of all submitted work wins metal, then some €30 million would have been spent on hoping for an award of some sort, according to Big Won estimates.

Asia appointments DIGITAL THRUST JWT has created a regional digital role, promoting its Australasia digital director Josie Brown to the position as it moves to build strong digital capabilities within each agency. “Our mission this year is to ensure we have a strong, digital heartbeat in every office, and Josie is the right person to add momentum to that drive,” said Tom Doctoroff, Asia Pacific CEO. Brown has a blend of client, agency, digital and entrepreneurial experience, having worked with Lufthansa, online travel agency Opodo, and established digital shop Sputnik in Melbourne. She was digital marketing head of Procter & Gamble for Australia/New Zealand before joining JWT.

STRATEGY LEAD ZenithOptimedia has hired MindShare’s regional head of invention, Chris Harrison to lead strategy across the group in Asia Pacific. The incoming chief strategy officer takes over from Harpreet Kaintel, who has been promoted to chief information officer for the region. During his time at MindShare, he led comms planning and the development of creative media strategy on clients including Unilever and GSK in Asia Pacific and Nestlé, Kraft/ Mondelez and Pepsi in Southeast Asia. “Chris is a brilliant thinker with a unique perspective on the business of brands and consumers,” said Gerry Boyle, ZenithOptimedia Asia Pacific chairman.

January-February 2014

REGIONAL REMIT WPP agency Bates CHI & Partners has beefed up its regional team, promoting its Singapore-based business director Patrick Leclercq to regional client services director and naming Justine Tabone regional operations director. Leclercq, who has worked with WPP agencies, JWT in London and MEC in New York, has been charged with building the agency’s collaborative business model by bringing together the right people to produce effective briefs. Tabone has been tasked with developing Bates’ commercial relationships at all levels and will continue to serve as operations director at WPP sister network, Ogilvy & Mather.

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g l o ba l

r3 new business league

new wins

Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images

MINDSHARE WIN Nestlé Products, one of Malaysia’s biggest advertisers, retained the WPP shop, which battled a local agency in a review that played out over several months. The pair has been together for more than 15 years, making Nestlé MindShare’s longest-running client. The alliance helped Nestlé emerge as the Malaysian Media Awards’ Advertiser of the Year, 2013, based on seven awardwinning campaigns created by MindShare.

DENTSU SCORES The Japan Professional Football League, better known as J League, appointed Dentsu as its marketing partner for the 2014 to 2018 period. The appointment allows the Japanese agency giant to sell marketing rights on an exclusive basis to companies involved in the sponsorship of the league’s matches and tournaments. GAME FOR JWT Vietnam’s first international casino resort, The Grand Ho Tram Strip, handed its creative agency-of-record brief to JWT. Set to open a new wing, the resort has extensive gaming facilities. “We are absolutely united with the client team in their vision and passion for building The Grand as a deluxe, international destination,” said JWT Vietnam CEO Saby Mishra.

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Dec 2013 Asia Pacific Top 10 wins Creative Agency

Month

Account

Area

TBWA

Dec

Black Yak

Korea

Grey

Dec

Xiaomi Project

China

Y&R

Dec

Sermsuk

Thailand

Y&R

Dec

Revlon Project

Regional

M&C Saatchi

Dec

One Piece Digital

Australia

Dentsu

Dec

Yamaha Project

Vietnam

Leo Burnett

Dec

Galaxy (Grand Waldo)

China

Ogilvy

Dec

Cera C-cure Project

Thailand

Y&R

Dec

Chanel Project

Korea

Y&R

Dec

DBS Project

Singapore

Month

Account

Area

Carat

Dec

Mondeléz

Regional

OMD

Dec

Dong Feng Peugeot Citroen Automobile

China

Media Agency

ZenithOptimedia

Dec

Mengniu (Planning)

China

Universal McCann

Dec

Samsung

India

ZenithOptimedia

Dec

Reckitt Benckiser

Regional

OMD

Dec

Theme Parks Capital

Australia

OMD

Dec

Warner Bros. Pictures

Hong Kong

OMD

Dec

Hasbro

Regional

Universal McCann

Dec

Uni President China

China

PHD

Dec

Fererro

Australia & New Zealand

Porsche retains PHD for global job Wins extends a four-year tie-up FRANKFURT PHD Worldwide successfully defended its nearly four-year grip on Porsche’s global media assignment following a competitive shootout that included MediaCom in the final face-off The luxury automotive company first awarded the business to PHD in 2010 after it last conducted

January-February 2014

a global review of the media account. The global account is coordinated out of PHD Germany, based in Frankfurt. Porsche’s media spend has been pegged at US$100 million a year. Mike Cooper, CEO of PHD Worldwide, said: “Porsche is one of the world’s most prestigious brands and we’re delighted that we will continue to work with them and build on the successful partnership we’ve had over the past three years.” Last year, PHD secured the Bentley Motors’ account after the British car maker handed its first global media agency-of-record assignment to the Omnicomowned agency.

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Dentsu Möbius scoops up SIA social media account

new wins

Digital shop triumphs in a 10-agency review SINGAPORE Dentsu Möbius has been awarded a two-year contract to drive Singapore Airlines’ global social media strategy. The mandate was awarded following a 10-agency review. “We know what we are capable of and it is good to know that big names on the market, for some of which social is a new game, are noticing this too and giving us their vote of confidence,” said the agency’s managing director James Hawkins. “We will tap our expertise and passion to harness the power of social for Singapore Airlines.” Singapore Airlines has been shifting its advertising away from the iconic Singapore Girl, which had once been at the heart of its communications, putting its focus more on the passenger. Legacy carriers have been slower on the uptake than their low-cost rivals in building their social media profile. Dentsu Möbius’ win comes months after Malaysia Airlines broke new

ground on social media with the launch of a global Facebook page that spans 18 key markets and 16 time zones. The initiative was initiated by Rally, IPG Mediabrands’ social media specialist, the airlines global agency-ofrecord for social media activations. The move allowed Facebook followers to engage with the airline on a local level with locally-centric competitions and view advertisements with a localized message and flavor in addition to getting the latest news and updates, including deals and travel offers.

Reckitt Benckiser expands roster

ZenithOptimedia will now have to share the business with Aegis Media and IPG following a four-month media review triggered by the arrival of former Unilever senior executive Richard Davies as global media director. Reckitt Benckiser’s billings were estimated at US$500 million globally. “Our media investment is critical for our brands to engage with consumers around the world. RB is one of the world’s fastest growing companies in consumer health, hygiene and home and we’re looking forward to successful growth for our agency partners and us going forward,” said Heather Allen, Reckitt Benckiser executive vice president, global category development. Initiative has been awarded responsibility for managing media planning and investment in eight markets, including Germany and India, a major market where the company is a top five FMCG advertiser. Initiative also has the business in Malaysia and Singapore. Aegis, now part of Dentsu, replaced ZenithOptimedia on the estimated US$400 million US account.

Taps Aegis, IPG for media BERKSHIRE Reckitt Benckiser has launched a global creative review for three of its biggest brands – Air Wick, Clearasil and Finish – just days before it added Aegis’ and IPG’s Initiative to its global media roster Global creative incumbent Havas will defend its hold on the business. The other 14 Powerbrands handled by Havas will not be affected by the pitch. On the media side, incumbents Havas and

January-February 2014

PUMA MANDATE The sportswear brand has named JWT its global lead creative agency following a split with long-time partner Droga5 early last year, which triggered the review. The agency’s New York office will lead the business with support from offices across the network for regional insights and localization of campaigns. Over the last few months, Puma created a unified brand platform – ‘Forever Faster’ – which will be launched this year. KOREAN SHOOTOUT TBWA\ Korea has won the creative and media business for Korean outdoor clothing and equipment brand, Black Yak, following two pitches against four local agencies. The agency has been tasked with further developing the brand’s identity and boosting its brand power with the launch of the first half of a brand campaign in February, running for three months. GREY COUP Malaysian Dairy Industries has tapped Grey Group Singapore to revitalize its cultured milk drink, Vitagen Less Sugar brand. “Grey’s strategic and creative approach to address our communications needs, coupled with their vast knowledge of the Singapore market were decisive factors in entering this partnership,” said the company’s marketing manager Hui See Thio.

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Asian firepower

Regional firms go shopping DENTSU DOWN UNDER Dentsu, the Japanese advertising giant, has taken a 51% stake in Sydneybased advertising company, Oddfellows Holdings, nearly a year after it gobbled up Aegis Media’s global operations. Under the agreement, the independent creative shop will become Dentsu’s wholly owned subsidiary by 2017, according to Dentsu. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Dentsu is looking to enhance its presence in Australia through Oddfellows, which has done work for Toyota, Sunpork and start-up underwear brand jac5 among others.

WPP picks up three social media firms Extends Asia digital footprint LONDON WPP and its companies ended 2013 with a burst of acquisition activity that continued into the new year, when the Publicis Groupe-Omnicom monster merger is consummated in the second quarter. Three of the latest four acquisitions snapped up in the last month or so were social media marketing or analytics companies. Its global media management and investment division, GroupM acquired majority stakes in Singapore-based Vocanic and Vietnam’s ClickMedia, while WPP’s business intelligence unit Kantar bought Singapore start-up Fisheye Analytics. No terms were disclosed for all three deals. Vocanic, which launched in 2005, has offices in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. It counts Unilever, Dell, Mead Johnson, StarHub and Standard Chartered as clients. Its revenues reached S$4.3 million for the year ending December 31, 2012. Market

Publicis, Omnicom wins EU merger nod BLUEFOCUS’ UK BUY Blue Focus, a Shenzhen-based marketing services company, made its first majority purchase to date, spending an initial $30 million for an 82.8% stake in UK’s We Are Social. The two share a number of clients such as Lenovo, Jaguar Land Rover (pictured) and Cisco. We Are Social is the second London-based firm acquired by BlueFocus. Last April, it paid £36.5 million for 19.8% of the listed British PR group Huntsworth. BlueFocus has been on a buying spree since its 2010 listing in Shenzhen gave it a market capitalization of $3.7 billion. It also has a minority stake in Singapore’s Financial PR, which has Hong Kong, Taipei and Beijing offices.

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Pushes completion back to Q2 PARIS/NEW YORK Publicis-Groupe and Omnicom won European Union (EU) nod, moving the pair a step closer to their planned US$35 billion merger to create the world’s largest holding company. “The merged entity would be sufficiently constrained by several competitors, including large international advertising groups,” the European Commission said in a statement. “Should the merged entity increase its prices or decrease the quality of its services, customers would have the ability to switch.” The EU’s sign-off comes after the merger partners announced that regulators in the US had allowed the waiting period under a federal pre-merger notification program to lapse. Along with the US and EU, the pair has cleared regulatory hurdles in Australia, India, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and Canada. But hurdles remain. The merger still requires regulatory approval from China

January-February 2014

sources believe the purchase was driven more by the acquisition of specialist talent in this burgeoning brand battle-ground. Founded in 2008, ClickMedia is a full-service social media marketing firm, which has worked with Unilever, FrieslandCampina and Estée Lauder. Its unaudited revenues for the year that ended December 31, 2012 was VND23.7 billion. Four-year-old Fisheye provides social media intelligence for business and government agencies in Asia, Europe and the Middle East and counts the International Olympic Committee and FIFA as clients. WPP made its 12th acquisition in nine years in India through its Grey Group advertising agency, buying a majority stake in RC&M, one of India’s largest rural marketing group based in Delhi and with offices in Mumbai and Bengalaru. The string of acquisitions underscore WPP’s goal of building up its revenues from digital and fast-growth markets. Digital contributed a third of WPP’s global revenues in 2012 at well over US$5 billion. It recently raised its targets for digital to at least 40-45% over the next five years and from 35 to 40% for each of the fast-growth markets.

as well as registration of the transaction with US and certain European securities regulators, stock exchange listings and approval by shareholders of both companies. The slate of pending regulatory approval is believed to have led the pair to push back their completion time frame to the second quarter of this year. When the merger was announced mid last year, the partners indicated that the deal would be consummated by the first quarter.

Publicis’ Maurice Levy (left) and Omnicom’s John Wren

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McCann promotes Lindner after Martinez’ departure Takes on second most senior role behind CEO Diamond NEW YORK McCann Worldgroup has moved to fill the gap left by Gustavo Martinez’ departure to JWT as its CEO-in-waiting by promoting Luca Lindner (pictured) to the second most senior role in the network. Lindner has been elevated to network president after taking on a broader mandate and additional geographical responsibilities in late 2012 as part of a three-person Office of the Chairman team. Harris Diamond created the team, which included Martinez, when he took over as CEO from Nick Brien. Lindner was president of the Americas, Middle East and Africa prior to his promotion. “Luca is a true globalist and has established himself as one of the industry’s most experienced multiplatform and global marketing leaders,” said Diamond. “He has been a key architect behind the success of McCann.” McCann has not indicated plans to fill roles previously occupied by Lindner or Martinez, who was president for Europe and Asia Pacific. The group is, however, beefing

up its global creative bench strength – Rob Reilly has been appointed global creative chairman, Linus Karlsson promoted to creative chairman of Commonwealth, the McCann Worldgroup agency dedicated to the global Chevrolet account, and Andreas Dahlqvist has been named chief creative officer of Commonwealth and president of the McCann Creative Leadership Council. Reilly joins from Crispin Porter + Bogusky, where he was a partner and worldwide chief creative officer. Reilly will be responsible for creative oversight of the McCann brand globally as well as developing multi-platform approaches by leveraging the group’s broad capabilities and communications resources to help clients meet their creative challenges. Prior to their promotions, Karlsson and Dahlqvist were chief creative officer and deputy chief creative officer, Global Brands, McCann Erickson, respectively. In addition to his Commonwealth responsibilities, Karlsson will also be forming a new venture to be unveiled in this spring.

Global roles MediaCom hires mobile head

Crowther takes GM lead

NEW YORK The network has appointed Ben Phillips as its first global head of mobile to work with the local teams to develop best practices in anticipation of a spending surge on mobile. Phillips joins with 12 years of mobile experience and was until recently commercial director of mobile demand side platform Adloqi. MediaCom’s mobile billings have grown by more than 17% in 2013.

NEW YORK Alex Crowther, the former CEO of MediaCom Asia Pacific, has joined Carat as global client president to lead the agency’s US$3bn General Motors business. The appointment marks a return to Carat after a 19-year hiatus. “He’s a rare talent who brings extensive global experience and a proven track record working with major global brands across categories, but specifically with automotive. He has the entrepreneurial spirit and drive to find innovative ways to drive GM’s business forward in today’s convergent media landscape,” said Nigel Morris, CEO of Aegis Media Americas and EMEA.

January-February 2014

Sports dividend Revising 2014 forecast

$531bn GroupM has cut its 2014 global adspend forecast from 5.1% from earlier last year to 4.6%. It blamed the prolonged Eurozone malaise and US economic gridlock for the cuts in a year blessed by the Winter Olympics, World Cup and the US mid-term elections. It predicted adspend would come in at US$508bn for last year and $531bn this year.

5.3% ZenithOptimedia, however, has upped 2014 projections to 5.3% following an anticipated 3.6% expansion last year. It expects the sporting events will deliver a boost.

6.5% Magna Global is even more bullish, revising its last forecast made in June 2013 to 6.5% for the new year. It expects 2013 global media revenues to reach $489.6bn.

36% In addition to the three event growth drivers, ZenithOptimedia also pointed to mobile as the fourth factor in driving up global marketing investment. It expected mobile would contribute 36% of all extra spend through to 2016.

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g l o ba l

Clash of the ad titans Game on for February’s Super Bowl and June’s World Cup

Doritos

Nike

Adidas

Campaign ‘Time Machine’ Client Frito-Lay Creator and director Raj Suri and Ryan Thomas Andersen respectively, US The Work Doritos’ annual ‘Crash the Super Bowl’ is itself something of a Super Bowl for consumergenerated content. For this year’s edition, ‘Time Machine’ is strongly tipped to crash the big game. One of five finalists to make the cut, ‘Time Machine’ was created for all of US$300. The spot is a charmer – a precocious young boy uses a home-made time machine to dupe an average Joe into handing over his bag of the tortilla chips. A Doc-like Back to the Future character features at the end with amusing results. Two winning spots – one chosen by Doritos and the other selected in an online poll – will air on Super Bowl Sunday, February 2.

Campaign ‘Finger Cleaner’ Client Frito-Lay Director Thomas Noakes, Sydney The Work The gross-out factor is high (though not as bad as GoDaddy’s nerd-kissing model from last year) but ‘Finger Cleaner’ is another Doritos’ contender that could well hit the airwaves on Super Bowl Sunday. The creation of Sydneybased creative Noakes, ‘Finger Cleaner’ is the only non-US entrant to make the Top 5 cut after Doritos took the challenge global for the first time last year. Set in an auto shop, it stands out in a list that banks on office humor (‘Breakroom Ostrich’ and ‘Office Thief’) and cute kids (‘Time Machine’ and ‘Cowboy Kid’). In the spot, a Carrot Top lookalike is urged to stick his Doritos crumbs-covered finger into a hole in the wall by a Breaking Bad Walter White clone with unexpected results.

Campaign ‘Dare to be Brasilian’ Client Nike Brazil Agency Wieden+Kennedy São Paulo The Work Nike is going toe-to-toe with World Cup sponsor and rival Adidas by daring the world to be Brazilian with a 90-second spot that injects plenty of Brazilian flair into the beautiful game. Brazilian stars including David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Paulinho plus legendary Ronaldinho, take center stage, celebrating the Brazilian style of play. Animation is blended with live action and the game moves seamlessly from pitch to street. In one street sequence, Silva, in gangster noir gear, executes a dazzling slide tackle. In another scene, Luiz becomes a giant superhero, while the energetic Bernard is a fleetfooted mini winger who runs rings around his giant-sized rivals. The spot ends with something of a warning – ‘No One Plays Like Us’ – a promise of the drama to come.

Campaign ‘Meet Brazuca’ Client Adidas Agency TBWA\Chiat Day, Los Angeles The Work Adidas unveiled the Brazuca – the official ball of the World Cup – with plenty of fanfare that spanned a high-energy campaign spot, an interactive effort and an integrated push that literally starts at the cradle. Created with input from the world’s top players and teams, the Brazuca is the most tested ball in the brand’s history. Brazilian fans helped name the ball in a public vote. Brazuca essentially describes the Brazilian way of life, apt since the ball’s multi-colored swirl design harks back to the traditional wish bracelets worn by Brazilians. As befits the World Cup star, Brazuca’s launch film – set to The Kinks’ All Day and All of the Night – was told from the point of view of the six-paneled ball as it’s put in play in stadiums, the streets and the beach.

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January-February 2014

IMMAP

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Passport to 8bn market digital strategy for their organizations, to mid to high-level professionals, the communicators who implement but are also capable of making strategic recommendations, and the ‘builders’, the creative, design and developer community. “IMMAP has always catered to the first two groups but we have now have something for the builder group,” Palacios said. Five of nine events are targeted at the builder community. Most are day-long events with a workshop component. Kicking off the series is March’s ‘I Love UX’ event focusing on best practices for user-centric design. Palacios bemoaned the “atrocious” quality of current output, saying there was a need for builders to move beyond pretty pictures and core functionality to improving the user experience. Three events have been created for communicators, beginning with March 21’s ‘Framework Thinking’, focusing on creating strategy around a digital framework, multiple screens and integrating digital touchpoints. An industry thought leader will helm the ‘Rock Star Session’ for the leader group. The event is set for August 13, the day before the annual IMMAP Summit and Boomerang

IMMAP’s 2013 summit

MANILA With an eye to seeing the Philippines become an 8 billion peso digital market by 2016, the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association (IMMAP) has put together a program of activities to create value for the digital marketing ecosystem. A Passport Partnership Program comprising an expanded series of educational initiatives on top of the annual IMMAP Summit has been created by the 2014 board, led by Michael Palacios, IMMAP’s vice president who succeeded Miguel Ramos. Palacios, who is managing director of Havoc, said the 2014 agenda would help prime digital marketers for the next wave, where digital would disrupt consumer, organizational and institutional behavior. He hoped the educational programs would empower members to answer key questions about dealing with digital’s disruptive force ‑ how agencies can keep up with the pace of change, or decide what support services and new staff skills would be essential for the new battle field. The educational series to impart best practices in order to further professionalize the industry will target everyone from the C-suite, the leaders who drive overall

January-February 2014

Michael Palacios

IMMAP crafts digital education program to drive digital growth

Awards, which have been moved up by a week. The passport scheme offers significant savings. For instance builder events run from 6,000 pesos for day events to 12,000 pesos for the two-day Digital Creatives Workshop. Buying these events on an individual basis would cost 36,000 pesos for non-IMMAP members and 27,000 pesos for IMMAP members, while the passport price bundling all five events is 19,999 pesos. Along with Palacios, the 2014 board comprises: 4 Vice president: Menchie ViduyaDizon, digital marketing manager, Ayala Land’s communication business group 4 Corporate secretary: Paulo Pineda, ABS-CBN Interactive business development head 4 Treasurer: Marilen Tantamco, CEO of Hatchd Digital 4 Directors: Norelyn Babiera, Fiera de Manila Inc.; Leah Camilla Besa-Jimenez, Smart Communications; Virginia Glora Brocka, Bank of the Philippine Islands; Mike Constantino, Yahoo! Philippines Services Inc.; Coni Cruz, Henderson Blake, Business Solutions Inc.; Isa Garcia-Sicam, OgilvyOne Worldwide; Roshan Nandwani, BBDO Guerrero/Proximity; Carlo Ople, Di9it/DM9 Interactive; Javier Vicente Rufino, Inquirer Interactive Inc.; Carlo Bernardo Santos, The Nielsen Company (Phils.); Jose Ma. Angel Tanjuatco, Hot Air Balloon Digital Group.

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DIGITAL

mobile festival

Toggling between two screens Second screen rise will be fast, inevitable Words amanda lago

internet advertising, including mobile. But smartphone adoption is growing at a sizzling pace across the world, fuelling an unstoppable rise of the second screen, where viewers typically watch content on television and access additional, contextual content, including social media feeds, on another screen, be it a mobile phone or tablet.

So much so that broadcasters around the world know that the time has come where even the big man on campus needs to befriend the new kid on the block. Mature broadcast markets such as the US and the UK have led the way in making the second screen an integral part of their viewing experience. Apps and additional content have been created

Illustration: Joshua Gonzales

For the foreseeable future, television will remain king of the advertising platforms, commanding the largest share of marketers’ budgets. ZenithOptimedia’s global adspend data puts television’s share of marketing budgets at 39.3% in 2016. Despite digital’s encroachment, television’s share compares favorably against the under 25% stake for

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January-February 2014

mobil e festival

to complement regular programming and extend viewer engagement and involvement with the networks. Second screen content can be as simple as live-tweeting of a TV show or hash-tagging a major event being broadcast on their channels. For instance, Britain’s Channel 4 launched a dedicated iOS app that has been integrated with Twitter for use across most of its live TV programming last year. The always-on, centralized content hub for second screen experiences is aimed at giving the coveted younger demographic something more than just

give viewers the opportunity to voice their opinions on news events they are watching. Yet, while second screen apps keep viewers more engaged with the programming, it also runs the risk of taking eyeballs away from advertising spots. Broadcasters are understandably keen to play up the value of second screen apps. “Right now, the experience that people have is that the TV commercial makes them aware of the product, but generally it’s not really engaging unless they have a promo to participate in,” TV5’s new media vice president Sheila Paul told adobo. “This way,

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De La Paz shared that syncing ads across multiple screens allowed brands to maximize their reach, especially for those that cut across different audiences. “We see an increase in ad effectiveness as digital technology now allows for very precise targeting technology that allows you to serve ads only to relevant audiences, making it much more efficient than the broadcast method wherein there is a lot of waste impressions on off target audiences. “Each screen should convey different messages specific to its use,” he said, explaining that advertisers should

“Right now, the experience that people have is that the TV commercial makes them aware of the product, but generally it’s not really engaging unless they have a promo to participate in.”

the usual television fare. Channel 4 has nearly 8 million people registered with its on-demand service, one out of three of whom are within the 16-24 demographic. In the US, second screen apps have been around since 2011, when Grey’s Anatomy became the first mainstream show to launch a sync app. Most of the major award shows, from the Oscars to the Grammys and the Emmys, followed suit in quick order, providing viewers, for instance, with a peek at backstage areas and other real-time content. These days, most of the major primetime and cable shows offer second screen apps and content. The rise of the second screen is also apparent in the Philippines as use of smartphones and tablets are growing rapidly. Second screen viewing emerged as a discussion topic at the Mobext-organized Mobile Festival late last year in the Philippines on the back of hit shows such as The Voice of the Philippines using its strong social media presence to drive audience participation in the voting process and news networks capitalizing on hashtags to

you can really link awareness on TV with an action that a user can take on the app. That action can be anything from a poll to a coupon, to directly purchasing the product.” Late last year, the network introduced what it calls ‘The Second Screen Experience’, an app that feeds users exclusive complementary content synced with shows they are viewing. Paul shared that the second screen venture was part of the network’s effort to position itself with a younger crowd with a more “progressive and connected mindset”. Indeed, reaching a diverse audience seems to be the attraction when it comes to creating multi-screen content, not only for media owners, but advertisers as well. “Advanced clients, albeit a small percentage to date, already recognize not only the diversification of audience among the different screens but also realize that each screen is consumed differently,” Starcom MediaVest digital director Quad De La Paz told adobo. He described second screen adoption as “fast growing and inevitable”.

January-February 2014

keep logistics in mind when creating content for different screens. “For example, those on smartphones are on the go so your ad can lead them to your store or allow them to call directly. Design for mobile should be simple and legible to adapt to the user having less attention, and the smaller screen while an ad on a tablet can be more visually appealing and lead to a website containing more complete info.” As ads diffuse from TV’s small screen to the even smaller ones on tablets and smartphones, what was – and still is – the advertising platform of choice will soon have to share the spotlight with its newer digital siblings. “There will be some contraction in TV spend as more audiences move into other screens. As a result, reaching the same number of audience on TV as compared to today will become more expensive,” De La Paz noted. “TV networks should start thinking of their content as screen neutral, and therefore available across all screens. Online properties should be mobile-compatible.”

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DIGITAL

s ocial media fails

What were they thinking?

Illustration: Joshua Gonzales

Epic meltdowns on social media in 2013

Greater social media use brings rewards, but also risks, since the platform is not simply a megaphone for marketers. As 2013 proved, even the savviest marketers can commit epic foot in the mouth faux pas. JP Morgan Chase The banking giant was the hands-down What Were They Thinking winner of the year, misfiring spectacularly with its tone deaf Twitter invite to a Q&A session with its vice chairman Jimmy Lee offering career advice. Only trouble is that all this went down after the bank had been slapped with a fine of US$13bn for its conduct in the last financial crisis, hardly the corporate role

model to dish out career tips. Predictably, Twitter users declared open season, hijacking the #AskJPM hashtag to generate 19,000 tweets within 24 hours. User questions ran the gamut from hilarious to vicious: “As a young socialpath, how can I succeed in finance?”, “Can I have my house back?”, “Is it true that, while you don’t always spit on poor people, when you do, you have perfect aim?”, “Did you have a specific number of people’s lives you needed to ruin before you considered your business model a success?”, “Does the sleaze wash off with a regular shower, or do you have to use something special like babies’ tears?” Needless to say, the bank cancelled the Q&A after that very public spanking.

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January-February 2014

Facebook The social media titan found itself with egg on its face after founder Mark Zuckerberg’s timeline was hacked by a Palestinian security developer. He had tried warning the company earlier about a security gap that allowed people to post on timelines to which they were not connected with. Facebook denied it was vulnerable, prompting him to hack Zuckerberg’s timeline to detail the problems he faced trying to report the bug. Rather than the bounty promised for exposing security gaps, the man was denied the reward and had his account temporarily deactivated for violating Facebook’s terms of service. The developer earned plenty of congratulatory messages and recommendations for Facebook to hire him.

social media fails

we suggest whole-grain cranberry scones.” And “Boston, our hearts are with you. Here’s a bowl of breakfast energy we could all use to start today”. Social media users were naturally enraged, calling out Epicurious for its insensitivity. The tweets were deleted and the site apologized to individual followers who complained, quickly containing the disaster. HMV Hapless HMV made the list when it went into administration earlier this year and fired thousands of staff. As it turned out, the 92-year-old retailer was a novice at both firing and social media. It actually fired the person in charge of its official Twitter account before shutting it down or re-assigning the task, leaving the way open for angry staff to vent their fury over seven messages at the “mass execution of loyal employees who love the brand”, using the #hmvXFactorFiring hashtag.

AT&T As A&T demonstrated, no event is sacred for some when it crassly capitalized on the 9/11 anniversary by tweeting a photo of the New York skyline, with the Twin Towers shown on a handheld device. The Twitterverse exploded in a profane orgy that was largely along these lines: “You’re using this tragedy to advertise. GFY.” Duly shamed, The picture was deleted in short order and AT&T apologized for its “poor taste”. Epicurious The international food and cookery site similarly sought to capitalize on the trending Boston bombing incident: “In honor of Boston and New England, may

Kenneth Cole The shoe and accessories retailer is a repeat offender that simply refuses to learn from its mistakes. Shortly after 9/11, its “God Dress America” tweet angered the public as did 2011’s, “Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online” tweet which made light of the Arab Spring. Last year, it hit the trifecta “Boots on the ground or not, let’s not forget about sandals, pumps and loaders”, making light of the Syrian crisis. An unrepentant Cole told Details magazine after the Cairo gaffe: “If you look at lists of the biggest Twitter gaffes ever, we’re always one through five. But our stock went up that day, our e-commerce business was better, the business at every one of our stores improved, and I picked up 3,000 new followers on Twitter. So on what criteria is this a gaffe?” Samsung The Korean gadgets maker bankrolled a dirty tricks campaign, seeding negative review comments to take down its rival HTC. In the astroturf campaign, its marketers anonymously posted unflattering comments about HTC while praising Samsung’s handsets. For instance, one poster spoke of his girlfriend’s HTC One X crashing constantly while praising the superiority of Samsung’s Galaxy Note. Samsung copped to the smear campaign and was subsequently fined by Taiwan’s Fair Trade Commission following an investigation.

January-February 2014

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CCTV China’s national broadcaster attempted to smear Apple but found itself in the line of fire. Its expose of malpractices by foreign brands alleged an anti-Chinese bias by Apple. Celebrities and commentators weighed following the broadcast. CCTV’s role was exposed when one celeb’s comments included the instruction on the time of the post: “Apple plays so many tricks with their customer service? I feel hurt as an Apple fan. Have you done right by [Steve] Jobs? Have you done right by boys who sell their kidneys [to buy iphones], this is an example of big-name shops bullying customers. To publish around 8.20pm.” Netizens saw through the ploy and took CCTV to task: “CCTV, you are blind to Chinese children being attacked at schools, but you see school massacres abroad; you never criticise fake elections at home, but always report shoe-throwings in foreign parliaments; you don’t pressure officials to disclose their assets at home, but you are so excited when a foreign official gets caught drinking a bottle of wine paid by taxpayers’ money.” Les Deux Garcons The Malaysian store served up its baked goods with a side order of attitude so much so that customers took to the company’s Facebook page to vent: “The more frequently I visit your store or have contact with your staff, the less I want to return…”Rather than placate, the company instead lost it: “If you have so much complaint…please buy your desserts in Paris. You will see more attitudes (sic). It will really KILL me to have the kind of customers like this!” The chain then decided the best course of action was to delete all posts without so much as an apology. Needless to say, customers again reacted negatively, leading the company to get even more abusive: “We have no time for bitches.” Amy’s Baking Company Perhaps it’s all the heat in the kitchen. This Arizona-based store also lost its cool after its shoddy business and HR practices were exposed in an episode of Kitchen Nightmares. Viewers called out the company on Facebook and Twitter and were in turn served up with an unapologetic series of rants, all capitalized. They even threatened to sue people who they claimed had slandered them online. As negative press mounted, they took their cue from celebrities by claiming their account had been hacked.

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DIGITAL

ads leaderboard

What Filipinos want online Humor, music and engaging tales drive ads up YouTube leaderboard

important as the ad content itself,” she said. Morales encouraged creative teams to “concentrate first on the story and the emotion you want to evoke and then exercise the freedom to relay the message using different tools and across different formats”. The online audience is more active in terms of interaction; they may opt to click on a YouTube annotation or visit a recommended site after watching an ad. “On the web you have the ability, through targeted advertising and measurement, to reach your desired user and learn through metrics how to successively make better ads. Trust that if you make content that truly appeals to your intended viewers, you will find them and vice versa,” he added.

MANILA Dove’s engaging ‘Real Beauty Sketches’ topped YouTube Philippines’ 2013 Ads Leaderboard, while rival Pantene also made the cut with ‘Whip It’ despite launching at the tail end of last year. The annual compilation was determined by organic and paid views, and audience retention. No single theme dominated the compilation, which reflected the tastes of local consumers. “What’s common across these ads is the ability to engage audiences the way advertising hasn’t been able to do,” said Ryan Morales, Google Philippines head of marketing. 80% of the ads in the list were locally made, “a testament to the creativity of the Filipino advertising industry”. Added Morales: “Many of our practitioners create content that is best-in-class. “The themes of each video show how much Filipinos appreciate humor (‘E.D.G.A.R.’ and SmartNet ‘Da Moves’), music (Smart’s ‘Four Ambassadors’ campaign), and emotionally engaging stories (Dove’s ‘Real Beauty Sketches’ and Pantene’s

‘Labels Against Women’),” he said. “And while these are universal themes, what sets the ads in the list apart is their connection with the audience, enhanced by creative execution.” Where there is good content online, there is real-time engagement, which YouTube said showed that internet-centric strategies worked well. A number of the ads on the leaderboard were made specifically for the web, without a TVC. “As soon as you place advertising on a site where it is a lean-forward experience – one where you can interact with, click on, and share the story – the creative goes to the next level,” Morales said. Lisa Sioson, the creative director of digital agency MRM Worldwide Manila, who shared her insights on why these ads made the top 10, expected more powerful insights and less hard sell in ads this year, as exemplified by the Dove and Pantene campaigns. She also envisioned more creative media placements. “People go to YouTube to be entertained. More advertisers will realize that. Where viewers see the ad is just as

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January-February 2014

Lisa Sioson reviews the top 10: 10. Jessy Mendiola Surprises Teng Brothers (mcdonaldsPH) McDonald’s ads have always highlighted great moments from ordinary encounters. With almost 3 million views, this ad does not break the streak. “It was charming and very timely,” said Sioson. “Everyone knew about the UAAP sibling rivalry subplot; everyone knew about Jeric’s crush on Jessy, too. Brotherhood love + surprise by crush = a video that made viewers grin as widely as Jeric did.” 9. Labels Against Women (Pantene Philippines) As part of its ‘Labels Against Women’ campaign, Pantene’s take on gender bias went viral globally within a month after it was uploaded. It got the attention of international

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ads leaderboard

increase audience retention.” The whole spot also seemed like a film: “Less selling, more doggie tricks,” said Sioson.

media and personalities such as Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer, who reposted the video on her page, saying the ad was one of the most powerful she had seen about the way society held different views about men and women. Since it went online on November 9, the ad now has almost 32 million views. “It didn’t sell shampoo. It was selling a movement against sexism,” Sioson noted.

6. Ramon Bautista, SmartNet Da Moves (smartcorporate) Consumers will always go after free service, but a good promotion surely helps with gaining more patrons. “Aside from the fact that Ramon Bautista (actor, DJ, teacher) is the star, the product promise is highly relevant to netizens. They want to be connected and they want affordable ways to do it. Humorous and relatable storyline, too.”

8. Introducing Samsung Galaxy S4 (Samsung Mobile) The four-minute promotional video breaks down the smartphone’s features in four aspects: Fun, relationship, care, and convenience. Samsung Galaxy S4 was also the second most searched term on Google Philippines in 2013, and the top-searched smartphone.

5. Four Seasons Tang-Go with Ryzza! (TangMNL) The ‘Tang-Go’ dance shows how an online ad can spread offline and generate even more interest. This is especially effective if the ad is driving a positive action from the target audience. This ad had two major elements going for it: Ryzza and social impact. Ryzza Mae Dizon is a talented, award-winning child protégé who’s been a favorite among kids and adored by adults. Using her celebrity status, Ryzza dances her way to encourage fellow kids as well as mothers to be active, creative and motivated.

7. Toffee’s Best Dog Bath Ever (NestléPurinaPH) Nestlé Philippines has made an icon out of the dog Toffee, whose adventures are chronicled on YouTube. “You can’t go wrong with a cute, talented dog. It’s no secret that the greatest phenomenon on YouTube is how furry animals can

4. Iya Shines (PantenePhilippines) TV host Drew Arellano’s mysterious surprise was aired on TV as a teaser and led to the YouTube video that’s almost seven minutes long. Despite the length, viewers were drawn to the inspiring love story. There is no evident product advertisement but then, who wouldn’t want to look her best for her man?

January-February 2014

3. Ely Buendia, Rico Blanco, Raimund Marasigan, and Barbie Almalbis Collaborate! (smartcorporate) Sioson noted the musical powerhouse cast and relatable song for this ad, a combination that enjoys strong appeal with Pinoys. The uplifting ad aired on TV and extended to YouTube. The collaboration has gone further to lead the “country’s first interactive concert” aired live on YouTube.

2. Ramon Bautista vs. Parokya Ni Edgar (NescafePH) “I know a lot of people who didn’t press the skip ad button on this one,” Sioson said. “They were either a fan of Ramon Bautista, Parokya, or Shaider and Power Rangers. The whole video played like some crazy, ‘80s B-movie…and we got entertained! For consumers, that’s what YouTube videos are all about: Entertainment.” The threeminute clip now has 1.7 million views. 1. Dove Real Beauty Sketches (doveunitedstates) A few tears may have been shed in viewing this video, echoing how powerful its effect is and reminding people that everyone is beautiful. Watching it is both a journey and a reflection: “How would I describe myself?” The audience is prompted to visit the site containing the individual sketches in the campaign, thereby prolonging engagement. Not a lot of ads can hold a place in people’s hearts. The video is now at 61.5 million views.

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Virtual imprint Local netizens want to be tracked Words April Yap

Repost whuyou?

c u l8ter n a s l ?

Hello! where hi! are you? c u l8tr

Hindi lang TIWALA ang importante sa isang RELASYON.

ilabyu baby gurl

#ThrowbackThursday

YOLO! d2 na me. where na u? #selfieoverload

Like! lmfao

TGIF! TGIF! TGIF!

Illustration: Joshua Gonzales

As more and more people go online, communicating with them digitally becomes a bigger imperative. Let’s begin with the definition of the Filipino netizen. There are around 20 million people from ages 15-65 online (the number, of course, will increase once we take pre-teens into the count). Of these, 4.5 million are on the internet at least 1.5 to two hours a day. This is the group we will zero in on. To talk to them, there are three things to keep in mind – and these form the principles of the Virtual Imprint. They want to be tracked A look at any teenager’s Facebook account will show how public they are. Their photos and statuses are blow-by-blow accounts of their lives. The simple act of posting means they want them to be read and seen. Together with this public display is the fact that they need to belong. More than half, or 55%, are always concerned about what others think about them. Only 25% will say they don’t want to be popular. 81% enjoy sharing their everyday adventures with friends and family. People do want to be affirmed/ validated online and will often post to illicit reactions. The netizen is talking out loud and they do want their opinions known.

they’ve never met in person (up from 66%) and 46% prefer to talk to people online rather than face to face (up from 39%). Obviously these people also live in the actual physical world – but the numbers show that they have built for themselves an online self. It is this identity that online communications must be addressed to because it is this online self (not the physical self) that interacts and transacts in virtual reality.

Talk to their online personalities How a person is online and in real life are not always the same thing. People tend to be more interesting and good-looking online. Netizens are aware that they have a digital persona and, in fact, 63% say their online identities are very important to them (up from 52%). Around 70% have online friends

The internet and the netizen’s online personalities make people feel like they’re in the know The seemingly infinite stream of information online does make netizens feel that they know a lot of stuff or at least have access to anything they need to know. When they post online, the ones who’ll see it are their friends. The internet therefore

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January-February 2014

is an echo chamber and further boosts their confidence in their knowledge. Though the discipline is not as established as it is with analog media, engaging people online is not too difficult because they are there wanting to interact and communicate. It’s a wide open field that is slowly being defined – but this time, both advertiser and consumer are defining it together. All information was culled from Aegis Media’s Consumer Connection System.

April T. Yap is the Consumer Insights Director for Aegis Media, - the umbrella group comprising Carat, Mediaforce Vizeum, iProspect, Isobar, and Posterscope.

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Digital resolutions 5-point plan to upgrade your digital efforts in 2014

Illustration: Joshua Gonzales

Words jamie tolentino

Doing better in your marketing career is hopefully on your list of New Year’s resolutions for 2014. Here’s some tangible advice to get you started: Review your digital channels and align your budget accordingly Look back at your digital marketing activity in 2013 and review which digital channels worked for your brand(s). For 2014, allocate more of the budget to those digital channels that worked to gain maximum results. Bonus points if you can calculate the ROI for those channels.

elements which you can improve without embarking on a complete website overhaul. Clean up your email marketing list Make sure that your email marketing lists are up to date. Send a warning email to account holders who haven’t opened any mail from you over the last six months to check if they still want to be on your list and remove them if they don’t respond. You may also want to double your unsubscribe page as a preference center so people can choose to receive emails from you less frequently instead of opting-out.

Re-assess the expiration date of your current website design Take a good look at your website and ask yourself if it reflects the year 2014. If it looks more 2010 than 2014-ready, maybe it’s time to put in a business case for why you need a web redesign. If you decide that your website looks trendy enough, check if there are

Treat your clients or agencies like your partners Have a quick ‘start of the year’ chat with your clients or your agencies to make sure that your vision, culture and work ethic are still aligned. Involve them in mapping out your marketing goals for the year. For agencies, this tells your clients that you are being strategic and will make them less likely to think of firing you down the line. For

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January-February 2014

brands, this tells your agencies that you have your thinking cap on and will consequently make them more engaged in your campaigns. Refresh your personal social media profile As a digital marketer, you have to leave a decent digital footprint. Make sure that your bios and profile pictures are up to date. As a rule of thumb, change your profile picture every one to two years if your appearance has changed significantly, for example, if you have put on or lost weight, changed hairstyles, etc. And there you have it, your digital bucket list for 2014. Jamie Tolentino currently works as a digital marketer at a global asset management firm. She was previously an innovation strategist at Quirk London. She writes for TNW (The Next Web) and blogs on the Huffington Post UK.

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THE WORK

FA R R O K H M A D O N

Creative Review In a career spanning Singapore, Amsterdam and India, the Y&R Singapore chief creative officer has garnered over 150 advertising awards. These include a D&AD Silver Nomination, Grand Prix at AdFest and accolades at Cannes, The One Show and Spikes Asia across multiple categories. Work done on his watch has featured on CNN’s Anderson Cooper show and Fox TV in America. Madon was presented the Creative Director of the Year Award in 2013 at the Institute of Advertising Singapore’s Hall of Fame Awards. He is also the only creative leader to be nominated as one of Singapore’s Most Influential Creative Directors by the IAS. He has also written a novel, which briefly sat on the Top Sellers shelf at Books Kinokuniya.

DM9JaymeSyfu ‘Blade/Knife/Whisk’ Bodum Get the benefit. But it’s generic and doesn’t build the brand. The team may have been better off focusing on amusing stories of what happens when people don’t use non-slip grips. More drama. More humor. More brand-building.

McCann Worldgroup ‘Goodtime’ Coca-Cola Sadly the spot isn’t as refreshing as the drink. Other brands have gone down the route of using products to make music. I also can’t help feeling that the execution is pretty flat too. A different style could have made the spot more memorable.

January-February 2014

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crea ti ve review

Leo Burnett Manila ‘Downtown’ McDonald’s It’s a charming spot. Good performances. Nice music. And a happy ending. Puts a smile on your face. Just like the squiggly yellow line on the red box.

Leo Burnett Manila/ Blackpencil Manila Inc ‘Park’ Preview Magazine It’s funny. It’s fresh. It’s twisted. I like it. Execution could have been a lot better, though.

Seven A.D. ‘Hangover’ Resorts World The proposition is good. But the films seem a bit predictable and flat. Maybe flipping the approach into a Resorts World visitor not being impressed by the most exciting things they see in the real world the next day, could have led to more interesting spots. Say for example, a bunch of aliens performing a funky intergalactic dance move to a nonchalant, even bored looking Resorts World visitor. The spot could still end with: Nothing Compares. I think that would open up the creative space.

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January-February 2014

cr eat ive review

THE WORK

TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno ‘Trees’ Boysen Paints Cleaning up a dirty neighborhood with colorful pictures can only be a good thing. Knowing that the paint has a chemical that actually cleans up the air lifts it above the ordinary. I like the idea a lot since it doesn’t just enhance the brand image; it enhances the quality of people’s lives.

Lowe Philippines ‘Roller Coaster’ Selecta Cornetto Predictable angle. I hope the teams had pushed for a more differentiated approach.

January-February 2014

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T HE W ORK

a d of the mont h

Ad of the Month November and december Brands take on a cause in campaigns

november BBDO Guerrero Pantene ‘Labels Against Women’ Chief Creative Officer David Guerrero Executive Creative Director Dale Lopez / Tin Sanchez Associate Creative Director/Writer Donna Dimayuga Writer Lauren Lim Art Directors Liz Castaneda / Isai Martinez Accounts Team Karen Go / Patricia Cui Producers Jing Abellera, Anj Dela Calzada Director Simon Cracknell Production House Filmex

december Lowe Save the Children ‘Makahiya Shrink’ Creative Director Mario Serrano Associate Creative Director Gari Valderrama Senior Art Director Rommel Aboy Copywriter Kat Galang Business Unit Director Do Bagcal Account Director Trina Nadela Account Manager Dea Bobadilla

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January-February 2014

bang f or t he buck

THE WORK

Bang for the Buck a c a s e for e ff e c t i v e n e s s

Red Cross ‘Rapid Rescue’ Client Red Cross Society Singapore Agency JWT Singapore

Award wins The location-based mobile app picked up assorted metal on the circuit, winning Gold at AdFest, two Golds apiece at Clio, Spikes and Singapore’s Creative Circle Awards (CCA), where it also picked up the Best in Digital and Best in Show honors. The work also delivered an armful of silvers at London International, Spikes and AdFest, won a Bronze Effie and was a finalist at Cannes 2013. What is it? This innovative app is the result of a pro bono project JWT Singapore took on after its young creative contenders worked on

the brief as part of Spikes 2011’s young creative challenge. “We felt strongly about the idea because no such app existed at that time but it is such a useful and life-changing utility that could save lives,” said Valerie Cheng, the agency’s chief creative officer. Prior to the app’s launch, the Red Cross was unable to capitalize on its pool of 12,000 trained first aid volunteers and to get them quickly to the scene of a medical emergency when minutes, if not seconds, can make a vital difference. Launched as an iOS app, ‘Rapid Rescue’ is a compelling example of using technology for good: It connects those needing assistance with trained first aid responders with just a few taps of the mobile phone. In a medical emergency, users who have signed up to the service can send out an SOS within a two-kilometer radius, allowing the nearest volunteers to respond before the eight-minute average it takes an ambulance to arrive. Upon accepting the alert, a volunteer will be furnished with the shortest route to the medical emergency. If no volunteers are within the area, the service automatically calls an ambulance and displays the nearest hospital.

January-February 2014

JWT developed the idea, interface design and functionality in-house and collaborated with Omnitoons to program the app. Red Cross provided the database of certified first-aiders and was also responsible for promoting it within its organization and to the public. It launched ‘Rapid Rescue’ on World First Aid Day in 2012 with an on-ground event, attended by the Minister of State. Results Within its first month, the app was downloaded 44,000 times. Ownership of the app was handed to Red Cross three months after launch. Following extensive island-wide coverage, news of the app reached Red Cross societies outside Singapore, which are keen to use the same technology in their countries. Why it worked The beauty of this app is that it provides a vital link between trained responders and medical emergencies through a now ubiquitous gadget. “The mobile phone is the one thing we have with us all the time… especially in a country like Singapore where mobile penetration is one of the highest,” noted Cheng. As such, the app meets the demand for speed when an emergency strikes.

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T HE W ORK

crea ti ve corn er

Creative Corner G r e g mar t i n c r e a t i v e d i r e c t or A c e Saa t c h i & Saa t c h i

Cigarette Why I’m outside

Stack of JO’s Workload Coffee mug Fuel

Ear phones The only way you can hear out here

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January-February 2014

The truck Mobile office/ home Laptop Command Center

cr eat ive showcase

THE WORK

Creative showcase

Publicis JimenezBasic Fita ‘Eenie Meenie’ Creative Director Bingbong Infante Associate Creative Director (Copy) Francis Inton Art Director Joey Diokno Accounts Katie Santos, Anna Antonino and Chelo Bacarro Planner Jojo Leonardo Producer Bau Bautista Director Henry Frejas Production House Filmex

Campaigns & Grey Ligo ‘Santa’ Group Chairperson Yoly V. Ong Chief Creative Officer Ompong Remigio Associate Creative Director Bunny Vivero Account Management Tiffany Dizon, Kit Guerra Production House Revolver Studios Post Production Post Manila Director Borgy Torre

January-February 2014

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T HE W ORK

crea ti ve showcase

BBDO Guerrero Mountain Dew ‘360’ Chief Creative Officer David Guerrero Executive Creative Director Dale Lopez Art Director Dennis Nierra Final Artist Manny Vailoces Photographer Leo Dino

Leo Burnett Manila McDonald’s ‘Hooray for Today (2014)’ Chief Creative Officer Raoul Panes Creative Directors Dante Dizon, Meggy De Guzman Art Director Stepha Mangalindan Copywriters Raoul Panes, Meggy de Guzman Accounts Donny Dingcong, Maik Alturas Producers Steve Vesagas, Lester Parulan Production House Film Pabrika Director Stephen Ngo Post Production Optima Digital Music Allan Feliciano Audio House Loudbox

Workshop One Minola (San Pablo Manufacturing Inc.) ‘Pot of Gold’ Executive Creative Director Joey Espinueva Creative Director Nonon Del Carmen Account Manager Via Cuba Producer Devi De Leon Executive Producer Anjoo Afed Director Jun Carangan Director of Photography Shayne Sarte Production Designer Erik Manalo Art Director Marvel Julian Food Stylist Tonette Asprer & Jonathan Flores Propsman Glenn Manuel Production Manager Karen Victa Production Assistant Maricor Lipa Hair & Make Up Artist Grace Del Rosario Casting Director Rolly Halagao Post Production House Hub 2.0 Production House Brew Productions

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January-February 2014

cr eat ive showcase

THE WORK

Publicis JimenezBasic Skin White ‘Transformer’ Creative Director Lec Flores Associate Creative Director Raymund Sison Art Director Mike Fernando Copywriter Eyds Carreon Planner Jane Cruz Accounts Isabel Prollamante, Tats Cruz Producer Dante Nora Director Paulo Villaluna Production House Filmex

McCann MRM Manila Ayala Land, Inc. ‘25 Stories – Melvin Mangada’ Creative Director Budjette Tan Associate Creative Director Ron Roman Senior Art Director Bojo Torres Art Directors Bow Guerrero, Jason Concepcion Business Group Director Issa Tobias Account Directors Mattel Soliven, Mike Joson Account Managers Kyle Cruz, Andrea Lugue, Patti Sandico Digital Strategic Planner Beau Encarnacion Digital Planning Director Bea Atienza

January-February 2014

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the wo n report

The top countries for creativity in 2013

New kings of Wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hill

Ogilvy ousts BBDO in network race, McCann cleans up elsewhere

1 1 USA 3869 4 2 Australia 3316 3 3 UK 2412 5 4 Brazil 2236 6 5 Germany 1633 7 6 UAE 1534 6 7 France 1201 9 8 Canada 1181 10 9 New Zealand 1168 12 10 Singapore 1139

2012 ranking

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January-February 2014

t he won report

Top networks for creativity 2013

2 1 Ogilvy 3778 1 2 BBDO 3122 4 3 DDB 2226 3 4 Leo Burnett 2208 5 5 Y&R 1577 12 6 McCann Erickson 1433 9 7 Publicis 1259 6 8 TBWA 1167

Top agencies for creativity 2013

1 McCann Erickson

Melbourne, Australia 820

2 Ogilvy Sao Paulo,

Brazil

1 Colenso BBDO

Auckland, New Zealand 166

2 OgilvyOne London,

578

3 Almap BBDO

sao Paulo, Brazil 454

4 Colenso BBDO

Auckland, New Zealand 392

142 3 Ogilvy Sao Paulo,

Brazil 135

4 Draftfcb Auckland,

New Zealand 129

5 Y&R Dubai, UAE 387 6 Draftfcb Auckland,

New Zealand 362

7 9 JWT 950

7 Ogilvy Paris, France 320

11 10 Lowe 884

8 Leo Burnett Sydney,

Australia 308

9 BBH London, UK 301 10 Leo Burnett

Tailor Made, Brazil 284

Top agencies for Direct 2013

5 Serviceplan Munich,

Germany 107

6 McCann Erickson

Melbourne, Australia 107

7 BBDO New York,

USA 85

8 Leo Burnett

Melbourne, Australia 78

9 Wunderman,

Germany 75

10 Leo Burnett Sydney,

Australia 72

GLOBAL WPP and Omnicom have three agencies each in the Top 10 of the 2013 Won Report in which Ogilvy & Mather replicated its Cannes Lions feat by ousting BBDO from pole position in the global network rankings. Won’s network rankings mirrored

Cannes, where Ogilvy stormed to the top with 155 Lions, followed by BBDO and DDB. BBDO, a Top Network for six years running until 2013, had four offices that made the Top Agencies’ Top 20 cut – Brazil’s Almap (#3); New Zealand’s Colenso (#4),

January-February 2014

THE WORK

the most-awarded agency in 2012; New York (#11) and Australia’s Clemenger (#18). Three Ogilvy offices made the Top 20 – Ogilvy Sao Paulo (#2), Paris (#7) and London (#14). Unsurprisingly, McCann Erickson Melbourne was the Top Agency for Creativity, powering to pole position with the charmingly morbid ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ PSA. Having cleaned up from Clio to Cannes and shows in between, the integrated campaign’s record-breaking haul of more than a hundred awards earned the network 820 Won points putting it ahead of the 578 points of Ogilvy Sao Paulo, the agency behind another viral sensation ‘Real Beauty Sketches’ for Dove and ‘Immortal Fans’. McCann stormed the 2013 report, topping the digital, radio and integrated categories while ECD John Mescall was hands-down the Top ECD and Copywriter and Pat Baron the Top Art Director. Having evaluated more than 8,000 awards for the ranking, the report’s author Patrick Collister noted a fundamental change in the industry over the past decade. “Ten years ago, it could be argued that creativity was not necessarily a requirement for advertising success. The interruption model worked fine. “Today, however, with most consumers able to opt out of advertising by one means or another, only those campaigns which get noticed have any chance of having an effect. In other words, to cut through and become talked about in social media, ideas need to be more than just good. They need to be fantastic,” he said pointing to the original, human and engaging content of work such as ‘Dumb Ways’ and ‘Sketches’. ‘Dumb Ways’ was the top campaign across all media channels (725 points to 234 points for #2 ‘Driving Dogs’) as well as being the top radio, TV/ film, digital and integrated work. Collister also pointed to the rise of “ideas without actors” as seen by the work that cleaned up on last year’s circuit compared with a decade ago. Then, TV and video spots that had the benefit of being scripted, directed and acted dominated. In contrast, ‘Dumb Ways’ is a threeand-a-half minute song. The second-ranked ‘Driving Dogs’, which Draftfcb crafted for Mini with a mutually beneficial tie-up with the local animal rights organization, was a stunt covered by broadcast TV and became a viral video. Leo Burnett Tailor

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T HE W ORK

Top Chief Creative Officers 2013

1 Marcello Serpa Almap BBDO Sao Paulo, Brazil 397 2 Anselmo Ramos Ogilvy Sao Paulo, Brazil 344 3 Shahir Zag Y&R Dubai 342 4 Nick Worthington Colenso BBDO Auckland 324

the wo n report

Top Executive Creative Directors 2013

1 John Mescall

McCann Melbourne 819

2 Roberto Fernandez Ogilvy Sao Paulo, Brazil 534

3 Paco Conde Ogilvy Sao Paulo, Brazil 506

4 Luiz Sanches Almap BBDO Sao Paulo, Brazil 365

5 James Mok/

Tony Clewett DraftFCB Auckland, New Zealand 354

5 Gerry Human Ogilvy London 315 6 Chris Garbutt Ogilvy Paris 293 7 Andy DiLallo Leo Burnett Sydney 293 8 Bechara Mouzannar Leo Burnett Beirut 288 9 Marcelo Reis DDB Sao Paulo, Brazil 284

6 Regan Grafton DDB New Zealand 349

7 Nick Gill BBH London 245

8 Thomas H Kim Cheil Seoul 244

9 Susan Hoffman W+K Portland 235

10 Katrien Bottez/

10 David Lubars BBDO New York 271

Geoffrey Hantson Duval Guillaume Antwerp, Belgium 223

Top copywriters 2013

Top art directors 2013

1 John Mescall

1 Pat Baron

2 Hugo Veiga

2 Diego Machado

McCann Erickson Melbourne 794

Ogilvy Sao Paulo 354

Ogilvy Sao Paulo 318

3 Shahir Zag

3 Alexandre Pagano

Y&R Dubai 312

Leo Burnett Tailor Made Brazil 245

4 Pat Baron McCann Erickson Melbourne 266

4 Kalpesh Patankar

5 Joao Caetano Brasil

5 Guilherme Jahara/

Y&R Dubai 231

Leo Burnett Tailor Made Brazil 245

6 Eric Mendonca Leo Burnett Tailor Made Brazil 245

7 Sascha Kuntze

8 Yukung Joo/Youngjun Kim/Yongkyu Choi Cheil Seoul 190

9 Jon Morgan

10 Kris Garford-Spindler

Collister also concluded that 2013 was indeed the ‘Year of Mobile’, as seen in the likes of ‘Dumb Ways’, which became an app for tablets and smartphones, George Patterson Y&R’s ‘Mobile Medic’ or R/ GA’s Nike+Fuelband or TBWA\Helsinki’s

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January-February 2014

Cheil Seoul 202

Marcel Paris 197

8 Jiyeon Choi/Chaehoon Lee/Minjoo Kim/ Hyngkyun Oh Cheil seoul 190

9 Mike Watson

Ogilvy London 167

made’s third-placed ‘My Blood is Red and Black’ was based on changing the colors of a football team’s shirts, while ‘Sketches’ in 4th place was a three-minute film. ‘Cheil’s ‘Bridge of Life’ in 5th place featured a bridge fitted with digital panels.

6 Jinwoo Ryu

7 Bastien Grisolet

Memac Ogilvy Dubai 198

Ogilvy Bangkok 164

Rodolfo Fernandes Leo Burnett Tailor Made Brazil 223

Ogilvy & Mather London 167

10 Justin Carew Leo Burnett Sydney 153

‘Window Shopping’ for adidas. “They are expressions of an emerging brand truth – that communication is more powerful when brands do stuff rather than when they say things. When brands enable rather than when brands posture.”

T HE W ORK

behi nd-t he-scenes

stories of

â&#x20AC;˘

An Oral Historyâ&#x20AC;˘

Words Mikhail Lecaros Photography Ryan Sulit Art Direction/Final Art Ricardo Malit

L-R: Mon Espia (music), Giancarlo Abrahan (writer), Thesa Tang (production designer), Lyle Sacris (cinematographer), Shandii Bacolod (production coordinator), Hanah Espia (writer, director)

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January-February 2014

behind -t he-scenes

At its base level, the story of director Hannah Espia’s extraordinary debut film, Transit, is one of family and change in the face of Israeli immigration law. Effectively tugging at many an audiences’ heartstring as it detailed the trials and tribulations of an OFW family facing deportation of one of their own, Transit scored big with critics and judges at the 2013 Cinemalaya, bagging 10 awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

THE WORK

While much has been made of the chance encounter with an OFW that inspired Espia to craft a film around what would ultimately become her film’s main narrative thread, far less has been written on the team she and her executive producer, Abrakadabra’s Paul Soriano (Thelma, 2011), assembled to make it happen. Simply put, no overnight success happens overnight, and the story of Transit is no exception.

L-R: Jono de Rivera (production manager), Chad Cabigon (first assistant director), Mikko Quizon (sound designer), Paul Soriano (executive producer), Berhil Cruz (cinematographer), Benjamin Tolentino (editor)

January-February 2014

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Hannah Espia (writer, director):

“In 2012, I was working for my mom…I thought that’s what I was going to be doing forever!” laughs Espia. “But then I heard of the Manila Film Financing Forum…I decided I wanted to see what the industry was like, and this was the opportunity to meet a lot of big producers, like Tony Gloria and Mother Lily. So you go in, and it’s like a speed dating event. The producers are sitting at two long tables, and the filmmakers have seven minutes to pitch their films. Funny thing is, as I moved from producer to producer, the story would change based on feedback the previous producers gave (laughs)! Paul was like the last at the table, so he got the best version of Transit (laughs). There were supposed to be 20 producers, but there was a typhoon, so a lot of people backed out. Paul wasn’t even supposed to go, but he went, so I was at the right place at the right time.” Paul Soriano (executive producer):

“It was a Saturday, and the rain was crazy that day…I actually thought that the event might be cancelled, but since I’d already committed to it, I went anyway. I’m glad I did! The story was a bit different, but even then, I already believed in it. The story spoke to me because I could relate to the story of identity crisis that Hannah wanted to tell. We live in a time when there’s a lot of inter-country marriages and kids being born half-this and half-that, so the question of what it means to be Filipino is very relevant. So when it came time for the Forum to vote on the pitches they liked, I downplayed Transit because I knew I wanted to produce it on my own (laughs)! But even then, I told Hannah that if we were going to shoot in Israel, which is what she wanted, we couldn’t set it in the airport – not if we were going to do it right.

behi nd-t he-scenes

With Soriano onboard as producer, and Cinemalaya 2013 being the nearest upcoming independent film festival, he and Espia submitted their pitch, where it was eventually accepted. Soriano: I thought I would have two or

three years to save up for the film, and now, because it was accepted on the first try, I had three months! So I told Hannah we had to prepare. We were going to be working 10,000 miles from home, and we couldn’t afford mistakes – it’s expensive! It wasn’t just my name that would be on the film; it was going to be my savings and my home and my car! My family and girlfriend thought I was insane. They supported me, but they thought I was crazy to back this first-time filmmaker. As for me, I was excited; when I feel a story needs to be told, I get really passionate, which is why I’m grateful I have advertising to fund my dreams (laughs). The more people told me I was crazy, the more I felt I was doing the right thing. To help flesh out the story, Espia recruited friend and fellow UP Film student Giancarlo Abrahan. Giancarlo Abrahan (writer): Originally,

it was about a father and son in an airport. From there, we expanded on it. The biggest change was changing the child from a baby, because we were able to get more drama out of the story from a character who could understand what was happening to him. It was Paul’s idea to move the story out of the airport. Those decisions helped us to make a very different film. For years, we’ve had films that dealt with the workers, but now we’re talking about their children, and I told Hannah that this was what would make the film stand out from being just another OFW story.

Even as writing and casting were finalized, a crew had to be recruited to make the trip to Israel to shoot the film. Given the enormity of the project, and with the limited window to make the festival date, Espia and Soriano chose to go with people the Transit director could trust, namely, those close to her, including friends, family, old classmates, and even a former teacher. Thesa Tang (production designer):

Hannah’s my friend, ever since, but I was still surprised when I found out via email that I would be working on this project (laughs)! Israel? Ok! Lyle Sacris (cinematographer):

I actually get a lot of offers to shoot as cinematographer on my former students’ films, but I’ve stopped accepting. Ever since I started directing commercials a few years ago, I’ve stopped accepting because it’s a different dynamic; the problem with a student-teacher relationship is, I can basically bully them (not that I would) and they would feel they have to defer to me. Why did I accept? Honestly? ‘Coz we were shooting in Israel! (laughs) As the Transit team would discover, shooting in a foreign country was no walk in the park, with permits to be arranged, locations to be secured and language barriers to be overcome, all of which had to be done in a very short space of time. Jono De Rivera (production manager):

We didn’t know anyone in Israel, so aside from Hannah’s family’s connections in the travel industry, we had to start from scratch, so eight of us flew there as the advance team to get everything ready. There were times I was really nervous. How are we going to get all these locations, everything settled in five days before the actors arrived? We had a small team, but everyone pitched in, and we like to say we were relentless in getting the job done. Shandii Bacolod (production assistant): When I went to Israel, as

Mercedes’ (independent actress Cabral) manager, I was only supposed to be her plus-one (laughs)! It’s really hard shooting in a foreign land, and we were having trouble finding anyone in the Filipino community who could help us, so I put up a tweet asking for help, and things happened from there. From there, I began taking care of the actors, the food, etc., and they made me the production coordinator!

Shooting on location at Israel’s Mount of Olives.

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THE WORK

behind -t he-scenes

“My family and girlfriend thought I was insane. They supported me, but they thought I was crazy to back this first-time filmmaker.” - paul soriano

Espia fields questions as Soriano looks on at the 2013 Tokyo Filmex, where Transit won the Student Jury Prize.

CHAD CABIGON (FIRST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR): One of the biggest challenges

that we encountered was the schedule. We were on a tight schedule and we barely got any rest during the whole shoot. We were only there for 10 days and we were shooting for that whole 10 days, and you know how emotionally, mentally and physically draining a film shoot can be. We were in unfamiliar territories, but it helped that most of the crew are my friends. At the end of the day, we could just laugh at everything that happened that day. We had to be open for adjustments, all the time. Tang: I was so excited we were shooting in

Israel that it slipped my mind that, because of the small crew, I would be the one doing all the laundry. So every night, aside from taking care of the props and dressing the locations, I would get all the wardrobe, find as many coins as I could, and head to the laundromat! Soriano: Thesa was so tired, she would actually sleep in front of the washing machines while doing the laundry! Tang: (laughs) That was the most

relaxing part of the shoot! Espia: It was hard, it really was. But when we

started shooting, that’s when I knew it was going to work. The first day of our shoot, we shot the bus scenes, and that was kind of scary because we didn’t have permits for those! There were six of us: Two cinematographers, Paul, me and the actors. We would just get on a bus, pay the fare (of course!) and start shooting. No one was saying anything about it on the bus, but I guess it really depended where we were shooting. It was kind of scary shooting where the migrant workers’

apartments are. A lot of them did not like having their privacy disturbed by our crew shooting in the middle of the night. Berhil Cruz (cinematographer):

Lyle and I were a two-man camera team… we didn’t have the crew we usually have on a film or TV shoot, or even most indie shoots! We only had budget for minimal lights, so we focused on the framing and composition of the shots, rather than the lighting. Sacris: We shot the whole thing

with a couple of reflectors and two LED lights – that’s all we brought! Aside from the fact we had permits most of the time, it was super indie! It really took me back to my roots – my thesis had more people on it (laughs)! Espia: There were some days that were so stressful, Paul gave me fiveminute “cry breaks” where I would literally just go to a corner and cry. Soriano: Because it was her first time, she had a lot of pressure on herself, especially with me and Lyle along for the ride. I’m not even the most experienced – I’m new to features – so I would help her out where I could. I was as hands-on as I could be, but I had to trust Hannah at the end of the day, because it was her story to tell. Even if I was financing everything, I wasn’t going to use my executive producer status to overpower her vision. So I would tell her to defend her ideas. I would say, “If it’s logical and reasonable for your story, then fine, do it. Otherwise, this is the way we should go.” She’s like the sister I never had, so I think we had a great chemistry working together, and in the end, the film speaks for itself.

January-February 2014

Their Israel shoot completed, there remained the task of editing the endless hours of footage into something resembling a film. Unfortunately, things weren’t about to get any easier. Espia: We weren’t happy with the first cut.

All the drama was in the middle, so we would have a build up then the momentum would just drop towards the end and drag on. I was pretty disappointed in it. So Ben (Tolentino) came in, and he said, “Give me a few days with it.” So I gave him four days. Now, I always had this idea of making it episodic, and Ben had the idea of making an episode per character because we had so much footage, and it allowed us to do that. So after four days, he’d taken all the scenes of Jasmine, and put those in one spot, all the scenes with Mercedes, etc. Abrahan: Because we left space for the other characters and their stories, it really helped in the editing, opening us to the possibility of presenting the film from five different vantage points. Benjamin Tolentino (editor): The first thing I did was to watch the first cut and take notes. I would have wanted to watch all the footage (that was shot), but because of the time constraint, I had to make do with what I had, basically working from the shots in the rough cut to decide what I could use. Espia: Ben asked me to leave him alone

for those four days, and I trusted him. It was hard, because I’m an editor, first and foremost. I love taking all this material and just playing with it. This was around a month before the premiere. We were color grading about two weeks before the premiere, so it was a photo finish.

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behi nd-t he-scenes

T HE W ORK

Mon Espia (music, father of Hannah):

I’ve been a musician for 37 years, so music has been my career. What Hannah wanted (for the film), was a minimalist instrumentation – I did the entire score with the guitar, piano and a little bit of cello. I also had a vocalist for the closing theme. I was seeing bits and pieces as I scored the film and only saw the finished product at the Cinemalaya screening. It was kind of surreal because I’ve been watching her since she was born, and now I was watching her film! She gave me a break, too – it’s my first time to score a full-length. Mikko Quizon (sound designer):

We were pressed for time – more or less a week – so the direction we took was to make it very simple in terms of what we had. For the sound design, we didn’t do anything fancy – the scenes sold themselves because we didn’t push it. In the end, the film worked enough that it played itself out without any of the soundtrack overdoing or overpowering it; it helped to bring out the feeling of loneliness of being an OFW in a foreign country. If I had to do anything differently, it would be the beach scene with Toni (Gonzaga) that was shot in Zambales, I think. They wanted me to remove the waves (because the Dead Sea doesn’t have crashing waves) but I couldn’t! The rest, of course, was history, as the film went on to critical acclaim, here and in festivals throughout the region. A key feature of Transit, widely praised, was the bilingual nature of its script, which was accomplished by having the relevant portions

translated to Hebrew and audio recordings outsourced so that the performers could listen and learn their lines phonetically. Following Transit’s sweeping of the Cinemalaya awards, talk arose of the film being submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for consideration in the 2014 Oscar Awards as the Philippines’ candidate for Best Foreign Language Film. Soriano: We’re absolutely enjoying the ride. The film has become such a blessing, especially since it was one of the biggest – if not the biggest – risks of my life, so far. It received 10 awards at Cinemalaya (which is unheard of!) and then it was made the official Philippine entry to the Oscars. We even got a Special Mention award at the Busan International Film Fest, and to top it all off, Dean Devlin and his company, Electric Entertainment, acquired the rights to Transit, which means more opportunities for people to see the film, and that’s why we made it.

As of this writing, Transit is set to screen at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. The film may not have received the Oscar nomination it was vying for, but it’s not something that the team behind the film dwells on. By the time this issue sees press, Espia and producer Soriano will have overseen a refurbishing of the film’s overall shot and sound design in Los Angeles in anticipation of Transit’s pending international screenings under the auspices of blockbuster producer Dean Devlin (himself the product of a Jewish father and Filipina mother) who acquired the foreign rights to the film. With regard to the Oscar hype, Espia

and team were always pragmatic about their chances, placing any hypothetical win firmly in the “nice-to-have” column as opposed to the “non-negotiable”. Espia: At first I would be affected by what people said, especially with the Oscar thing. But I learned to only pay attention to those people that matter to me. I have no regrets. Even the bad stuff, because you can’t appreciate the good stuff without the bad stuff. I’m even enjoying the critics, because for them to take the time to actually watch it has taken me from being an obscure 8-to-5 office worker to someone whose film people actually go out to see. That they take the time, even, to say their thoughts – good or bad – that’s enough of an accomplishment for me. Things like that build character, and Transit has definitely built some characters and tested friendships. What’s good about this crew was that we’re friends first, and most of us went to school together. We were just a year or so out of school, and we were so excited and passionate about what we were doing, and slightly crazy for even thinking we could even attempt something like this.

Ultimately, beyond the awards, haters and so-called controversies, Transit stands, not just as a chronicle of family and change in the face of Israeli immigration law, but as a poignant, heartfelt testament to the guts, audacity and outright insanity of the team that fought tooth and nail to get it told. Maybe someday, a wide-eyed filmmaker looking to break into the business will get around to telling that story.

“I’m enjoying the critics, because for them to take the time to actually watch it has taken me from being an obscure 8-to-5 office worker to someone whose film people actually go out to see.” - Hannah Espia

Hollywood producer Dean Devlin with Transit executive producer Paul Soriano

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January-February 2014

digit al delivery

THE WORK

Retiring the couriers Newcomer makes it a two-horse race

MANILA Until about three years ago, motorbike-riding couriers handled the last mile of a TVC’s journey, from post-production house to broadcaster, in the Philippines. Arriving on the scene in 2010, TVCXpress Manila has all but made couriers redundant with a reliable digital TV ad delivery service that has seen it corner, by its estimates, 70% of the market. Last year, global player IMD came knocking, turning the space into a two-horse race. J Alfonso de Dios launched TVCXpress after leaving Procter & Gamble, where he had notched up a 14-year run in the Philippines and Greater China. Having trialed the service for P&G with Starcom in Taiwan, he appreciated the speed and quality improvements and one-time cost-savings of as much as 30%. Years later, he saw the opportunity of converting the Philippines. But as de Dios was to find out, there were challenges as well. Bandwidth issues meant it was 10 times cheaper for the company to shift files on its dedicated line to Taiwan than use local lines to move a TVC between points in the Philippines. The company talked to the country’s two biggest communications providers and broadcasters, including ABS-CBN, TV5, Solar and the cable channels, and created dedicated lines to stations that bought into the concept. “We funded our own set-up in ABS-CBN for testing and they liked it. But someone wanted to have a physical product though we assured them that we did triple backup,” said de Dios of efforts to convert the country’s biggest broadcaster. He hasn’t given up on working with ABS-CBN. Educating the market was to prove a bigger challenge. “They still wanted to have their Betamax tapes in their hands. My strategy was clear – I had to change the mindset at the input end, the advertisers, and the output end, the networks,” said de Dios. “In the middle were the agencies, the production houses. I knew they would change if I could get the both ends,” he said. He talked up the benefits: 30 to 40%

savings on making the switch, the ability to transmit anytime, even when floods and typhoons render roads impassable, and the no-fuss approach. Agencies or production houses deliver files on USB sticks to its Makati office, where the ads are converted to meet the different formats and standards of the respective broadcasters before they are delivered on dedicated lines to the networks. “The thing that advertisers don’t know is the stations tweak the actual video and audio content to fit their formats,” said de Dio. “Now we’re the last stop. We can tell them the station is going to change XYZ and sometimes we do minor tweaks (to meet station formats) with the producer’s permission.” Three years after launch, the company has signed on some of the country’s biggest advertisers such as P&G, McDonald’s, Smart, United Laboratories and URC as clients. In educating the market, TVCXpress has inadvertently made it easier for a global player – IMD – to step in. UK-based IMD operates in most of Europe. Its acquisition of New Zealand’s eBus in 2005 helped it jumpstart Asia Pacific expansion. Its regional footprint now extends to Singapore, India, China, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Joshua Rea, who leads Asia Pacific market development for IMD, says the company can deliver to about 100 markets globally. IMD’s system is cloud-based – post houses upload directly to IMD, which generates a quality report detailing whether the output meets broadcasters’ technical

specifications, to advertisers and post houses within 30 seconds of receipt. IMD entered the Philippines with a strong wind on its back. Unilever has appointed the company across multiple regions, which includes an exclusive contract for Asia Pacific. Rea said the past year had gone into getting Philippine post houses IMD-rated. Companies that have been accredited to date include Welovepost, Post Manila, Optima, Fluid, Underground Logic and Engine Rooms as well as Unilever agencies JWT, Ogilvy & Mather and Masscom. Rea is confident that ease of use and convenience will help IMD make further inroads in the market. IMD has created security protocols that allow clients to see work across their roster of vendors, but acess for agencies and production houses is limited to the brands they handle. Clients and their partners, from creative, media and production can collaborate on the platform, which will soon be extended to cover regulatory bodies such as the Ad Standards Council. One of IMD’s first deliveries was between a local post house to a network in Indonesia. It was done in a matter of minutes compared to previous arrangements taking anywhere from two days to a week. “This will open up opportunities for agencies and post houses here to do adaptation work,” says Rea, who expects media content will be going back and forth with greater frequency when ASEAN economic integration takes place next year.

January-February 2014

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D E S I GN

s hoe cap it al

Designing for a revival Designers craft rebound for Philippine shoe capital

Words Brian Tenorio (writing from the factory floor of a shoemaking company)

As I write this article, in front of me is Mang Rudy – born in Montalban, Rizal, in 1948, the son of a shoemaker, father of two. But not one of his offsprings is into making shoes. I’ve been in this industry for 10 years as a shoe designer and I’ve not come across a shoemaker younger than 45 years. That practically means that we, citizens of Marikina, have not produced a shoemaker in the last 20 years. Even if we have established various training mechanisms – vocational courses in schools, a throng of seminars and workshops, industry talks and chat ups – the sapatero (shoemaker) population has been contracting at an almost exponentially increasing speed. Design and design thinking may prove to be two of our best strategies for offsetting and disrupting this trend and listed below are five of my most recent realizations from re-organizing my thoughts about the city I grew up and plan to grow old in (a recent personal decision):

1. Know the sapateros’ story. Do we understand the conditions facing our sapateros? How did they get into the craft? How long have they been making shoes? Are their children into shoemaking as well? If not, is it something they willed it to be? 2. Keep our sapateros in Marikina. Of the ones still working, keep them active in the industry. Of the ones thinking of leaving the craft, entice them to stay. Of the ones who have retired, get them to pass on the craft techniques, trade secrets and all. Of the ones who have long retired, give them healthcare support and benefits.

01-03 Marikina’s master cobblers

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shoe cap it al

04-08 Shoe creations from seven young designers were unveiled at the Mayor’s Gala late last year as part of the Sapateros Festival 08

Who would want to be a shoemaker if all the senior and elderly shoemakers they see are uncared for and miserable? 3. Implement a creativity audit Exactly how many sapateros do we have in our city? I have a strong feeling that we have not yet had an audit of our artisan population in the last five years. It cannot all be estimated information. The numbers will give us better ways to gauge our situation, while providing metrics as indicators of improvement when the trends are positive. Audit and do it soon. 4. Realize that the creative layer exists through and throughout the economic, social, and political layers. Our city policy makers should realize that all decisions, strategies, and executions must consider how they all affect the creativity index of the

city. Creative excellence does not always follow efficient infrastructure and economic success. There are several economies in the international arena of creatives that prove this, especially when one realizes that the coolest sorts of creativity have sprung up in the least developed of nations. There must be this type of thoughtfulness when an organization strategizes for creative excellence. One can expect the same thing when trying to lure in hard-to-catch muses. 5. Romanticize the craft but stay authentic We are talking about shoes here! There aren’t many other fashion accessories one can be more emotionally attached too. Shoes are the end points of the lines that define our bodies. Beyond that, shoes convey to the world one’s psycho-social situation – whether we are professionals or amateurs, stylish or

January-February 2014

unconcerned, affluent or otherwise. No other city in the Philippines holds this much power in fashion branding in the minds of Filipinos. There is no fashion capital in the country, no style capital, but there is a shoe capital! Our city must realize that our greatest asset is not our vast inventory of shoes that we turn over, but our human assets – our sapateros and the heritage they practically personify. Managing this thick layer of creative energy will require the most potent mixture of time, humanity, and society. Marikina City Mayor Del de Guzman hosted the Mayor’s Gala of Marikina in November 2013. This benefit dinner cum fashion show featured the shoe designs of some of the most talked-about creatives in the Philippines – Andre Chang, Brian Tenorio, Kristel Yulo, Leeroy New, Maco Custodio, Nereku, and Vania Romoff. The ancestral house of Kapitan Moy was transformed into a modern fashion space for the show hosted by celebrity Angel Aquino and shoe designer Brian Tenorio. Funds raised from the benefit dinner have gone to the Marikina Sapatero Scholarship Fund, which will be launched this year to help increase the population of Marikina craftsmen and sapatero, as a way of reviving the city’s heritage and designer-clad past.

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s ingapore bi ennale

If the world changed SEA artists in the spotlight At 4th Singapore Biennale Words abby yao

For its fourth edition, the Singapore Biennale made a bold statement for Southeast Asian art by gathering 82 artists and artist collectives, who came mainly from the region, a departure from the international superstars of its previous outing. Launched in late October last year and running until February 16, the Singapore Art Museum’s premier contemporary art event was held in various venues in the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct. With the theme ‘If the World Changed’, the exhibition of contemporary art delights, disappoints, surprises and puzzles audiences with work in a range of media, from paintings and sculptures to video and sound art to clever interventions and breath-taking installations curated by a 27-strong team that included the Philippines’ Charlie Co, Kawayan de Guia, Abraham Garcia Jr and Claro Ramirez. While some of the resulting pieces failed to live up to their concept, took the

best of times, worst of times The Philippine contingent had a strong showing, made even more relevant in the context of a post-Yolanda world. Leslie de Chavez and Oscar Villamiel portrayed urban landfills in two very different ways. The former captured a cast of characters on canvas; the latter assembled discarded dolls from Payatas into a powerful setting for a nightmare. Nikki Luna’s 1000 sugar-and-resin diamonds from Bacolod and the Talaandig Artists of Bukidnon’s soil on canvas painting moved the focus away from the metropolitan centers of production, as the AX(iS) Art Project allowed bulol (tongue-tied) artisans to share space with a National Artist in a Cordillera version of horror vacui.

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January-February 2014

theme too literally or ignored it entirely, there are inspiring, moving and thoughtprovoking works of art that make the Biennale worth the trip to the Lion City.

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06 01 Shirley Soh, ‘Seeing (from) the Other’, 2013. Mixed media installation.

02 Leslie de Chavez, ‘Detritus’, 2012-2013. 240 x 570cm, oil on canvas. 03 Kiri Dalena, ‘Monument for a Present Future’ (installation view), 2013. Single-channel video and mixed media installation. 04 Ken + Julia Yonetani, ‘Crystal Palace: The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nuclear Nations’, 2012-2013. Metal, UV lights and uranium glass, 31 pieces. 05 AX(iS) Art Project, ‘Tiwtiwong: The Odd to Unends’ (installation view), 2013. Mixed media installation. 06 Siete Pesos, ‘2243: Moving Forward’, 2013. Mixed media with refurbished motorela, banca with life jackets, popup cards, video.

Tragedy was fodder for art in Kiri Dalena’s video and installation – memorials to the politically-motivated Maguindanao massacre of late 2009 – as Cagayan de Oro collective Siete Pesos outfitted a motorela with a banca and life jackets as a remembrance and call for unity after Typhoon Sendong, which devastated the area in late 2011. Play time It’s not all somber and serious, however. Vietnamese artist Uudam Tran Nguyen’s video of choreographed motorcyclists in rain ponchos and face masks proved to be one of the light-but-not-lightweight works in the Biennale. His countryman Vu Hong Ninh’s irreverent ‘Little Soap Boy’ in the courtyard of the Singapore Art Museum and its miniature cousins on wash basins at SAM at 8Q made washing one’s hands feel so wrong. Indonesian duo Irwan Ahmett and Tita Salina’s ‘Urban Play’ series of intervention projects could

well be ideas for viral branded content. Several of the artists chose environmental change as their subject, with varying degrees of success. Among them was Singaporean collective ZNC and their garden of colored plastic bottles humorously entitled ‘Gardens, By the Way’. Only Anggun Priambodo took on consumerism directly with ‘Toko Keperluan’ (A Shop for Your Needs), filled with unnecessary goods and ironic slogans. Mass effect Japan brought striking and unforgettable images that played with darkness and light. Ken + Julia Yonetani’s uranium glass and UV light chandeliers provided an unconventional representation of the nuclear nations of the world. The interactive digital installation ‘Peace Can Be Realised Even Without Order’ by teamLab was a visual spectacle that brought out a childlike wonder in Biennale visitors as they roamed through a room where

January-February 2014

07 Vu Hong Ninh, ‘Little Soap Boy’, 2009. Mixed media.

projected festival dancers moved under the influence of the viewers’ movements. Simplicity and scale brought success to Malaysian-born Kumari Nahappan’s hill made of 4,000 kilograms of saga seeds and Indonesian Toni Kanwa’s universe of microscopic sculptures. Manny Montelibano used the formula in reverse, with five large screens simultaneously playing YouTubesourced videos of public figures. But the most touching works were still the most personal. In separate installations, Malaysian Ahmad Abu Bakar and Singaporean Shirley Soh let inmates share their stories through handwritten notes and embroidery, and gave viewers a means to respond and send messages of hope, the single constant in a changing world. More than reinforcing Singapore’s status as an arts and culture hub for Southeast Asia, the Singapore Biennale shows that the region’s artists have come of age.

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D E S I GN

john ed de vera

Hands-on TBWA\SMP’s John Ed De Vera speaks up on his creative process Words Carmela Lapeña

TBWA\Santiago Mangada Puno’s John Ed De Vera has always been a tinkerer. Case in point: In his younger days, when his friends bought plastic remote-controlled cars, which they modified to go faster, De Vera chose to do something different. “I didn’t want to just make it fast, so I modified mine with wires and LED lights, then I made a cage to make it look like a Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome car.” To say that De Vera has come a long way since then would be something of an understatement. Beginning his professional life in retail with a junior artist position at Gift Gate for Swatch, the young creative would move on to seven years at Cole Haan and GBX as an ad and promo officer/ product developer/ creative. By this time, De Vera was gaining recognition through projects he would do on the side, such as album covers for bands like 6CycleMind, Tanya Markova, and Imago. After his stint in retail, De Vera decided that it was time to spread his creative wings. “I wanted to focus on the creative side, and I had the feeling that I was getting left behind,” he said. As it turned out, the cure to De Vera’s creative restlessness would be found in an industry he’d never planned on entering: Advertising. “I was afraid I would never get to sleep!” laughs De Vera. Regardless, the young creative took the leap and hasn’t looked back since. That was six years ago.

Flashing forward to the present, De Vera is a mainstay of the local design scene, with a portfolio of metal-winning work under his belt (including last year’s Silver Lion-winning ‘The Biggest Air Filter’ for client Boysen and an enviable personal creative output on top of his day job as associate creative director at TBWA\ Santiago Mangada Puno. Outside of advertising, De Vera remains active as ever in expressing his creativity through a variety of media, incorporating everything from traditional watercolor (“I like the wash technique!”) to more whimsical executions of rubber stamp art, cardboard, paper money typography, and hexaflexagon art. While his love for crafting is very analog, he also dabbles in digital. Using a MaKey MaKey circuit board, he began to experiment with making music with objects, such as chairs made from cut up soda cans. “My interest has shifted to design tech, merging analog art with technology.” “In terms of influence in my art, it’s different per project because I work with different media,” says De Vera, citing Gustav Klimt, Schiele, Audrey Kawasaki and James Jean as being among his among his favorite foreign artists. “I love their composition and style, but I’m starting to be more excited towards installations. I like TROIKA and their art installation projects, they’re really inspiring. Locally, I like Arturo Luz, Dan Matutina, and Leeroy (New) to name a few.” Photo: Anna Manlapas of Adphoto

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john ed de vera

02 01 Hexagon art for Bloom Arts Festival 02 Rooster Origami 03 Paper cut design for Lakihan Mo Logo 04 De Vera’s “Mad Max” customization of a toy car 05 Tin can chair 06 Movie poster: Ano ang kulay ng mga nakalimutang pangarap? 07 Money typhography 08 Hair typography to welcome 2014

An integral part of De Vera’s process is to document every step of his projects’ creation (which can be seen on his Instagram feed). “I’m not obsessive about it, but it’s like every stage of the project is a different piece of art that becomes something else entirely when you finish it.” Indeed, visual proof of a work-inprogress’ aesthetic qualities can be seen in the stop motion videos De Vera made for Lakihan Mo Logo 6’s announcement video, and one he produced for last year’s Bloom Arts Festival. Consistent through all of the work is the wide-eyed wonder and hands-on approach De Vera displayed when he was modifying toy cars into post-apocalyptic conveyors of death – the artist has lost none of his love for crafting things in the old fashioned way of just rolling up his sleeves and going for it. With so many projects on his plate,

it’s perhaps inevitable that people have taken to asking, “Do you still get to sleep?” The answer, De Vera says, is yes. But this doesn’t stop him from keeping busy all his waking hours. “I had to stop and think, but then I realized, I somehow still find time to play DOTA and PS3 while doing these projects (laughs)! So it’s really a balance of your time and it’s a balance of what you want to do. A creative’s job is about talent or skill, so it doesn’t feel like work. And it’s innate for every human being to create.” “Come to think of it, says De Vera, in one of what must be several light bulb moments he gets in a day, “I just remembered… at my first job with Swatch, the tagline then was: Time is what you make of it.” For more of John Ed De Vera’s works, visit http://www.behance.net/johned

January-February 2014

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D E S I GN

dan mat ut ina

Maps with personality Dan Matutina brings his inimitable design aesthetic to mapping cities Reporting by Charisma Felix

In Dan Matutina’s hands, the humble map is transformed into a stunning work of art, a modern spin on the work of medieval cartographers who would inhabit their canvas with dragons and mythical creatures to mark out unexplored territory. Maps, as the award-winning designer and illustrator see them, are more than just a jumble of directions and landmarks. “Maps are interesting because it gives people who see it a sense of place. It’s a good introduction to places they haven’t been to,” explains the UP Fine Arts graduate, whose work spans multiple platforms, from commercials to magazine, products and even food. It’s a design viewpoint all too evident in the growing body of maps he has created since trying his hand with them in 2011. Matutina’s maps are illustrative, capturing the personality of the city, rather than being purely functional in the way educational maps are. One of the first maps Matutina created was for adobo’s Trendspotting section, with a design that echoed the spirit of The Collective in Makati, then an up-andcoming mini art and entertainment center. The map of the area’s galleries, restaurants, independent stores and other outlets run by artists, young entrepreneurs and free spirits pop with color, each store depicted in a way that vividly communicates the outlet’s offerings. Matutina’s spin on The Collective made him a natural choice to map out Manila for the CREATIVE©ITIES project launched by Singapore-based Jackson Tan of BLACK and Justin Zhuang of In Plain Words. As part of the project, 10 illustrators

from across the region were invited to showcase their hometown as they saw them. Matutina’s Manila is a visual treat, effortlessly capturing the city’s eclectic mood, culture, history, key landmarks and roads. Unsurprisingly, his representation has garnered the most number of “Likes’ on Facebook. His passion for map-making has seen him partner with Wander, where he was part of a pioneering team in launching a series of city guides. Styled like micro-guides, each edition opens up to reveal a gorgeous map along with insider tips and facts about the featured city. Matutina has worked on the Manila and Bueno Aires maps, effortlessly capturing the cities’ vibe with a clean, stylized look and a palette of colors. “I started with other creative friends: Inksurge, Dang Sering, Kissa Castaneda, Charles and Grace Buenconsejo. It’s a passion project for the group,” he said. With content, including maps, going digital, Matutina’s work is a reassuring nod that there are some things best appreciated when it is printed on paper.

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Matutina on mapping out a city’s personality What is it about maps that intrigue you? “Illustrative maps give people a quick view of what’s in a particular city or country. The intriguing and challenging part about making maps is encapsulating the personality of the city/country in one visual. It’s actually quite hard to do.” What are the ideas that you bring to bear in making maps visually appealing? “For me as an illustrator, I want to make illustrative maps that visually

show the personality of the place instead of showing the accurate locations of landmarks and tourist spots.” How big a creative challenge is it to create maps of cities? “It’s very challenging and fun at the same time. Maps are in general about information design. So in essence, it should be very functional. Functional maps are what you see in travel – the locations should be accurate. The maps I make are not purely functional. They’re very illustrative so they can work as centerpieces in books, magazines and city guides. The main purpose of an illustrative map is to be attractive and at the same time it should say something about the place.” Were you inspired by any maps from the past? “I like maps in general. I like looking at maps when I travel. I use different map apps on my phone. Subway/metro maps are also good sources of inspiration because they’re not geographically accurate in relation to the city, but shows the different stops and connections. Maps in fantasy books and comics are also nice to look at. But my favorite maps are those you see in video games because they’re both functional and beautiful.” Tell us about the elements you selected to feature in the maps you have created “The elements I put are those that best represent the place. It’s good to mix both popular – i.e. tourist spots – and obscure ones. Popular landmarks are important so people can easily recognize the city, while the obscure ones are for people to discover something new. It’s also important to include people, food and culture.”

da n mat ut ina

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05 01 Dan Matutina 02 Manila for Wander 03 Design Triangle for Wander 04 The Collective for adobo 05 Buenos Aires for Jaime Oliver 06 Metro Manila for Creative Cities

January-February 2014

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graham fink

Immortalized in marble Ogilvy creative chief Graham Fink unveils first exhibition Words carmela lapeña

Faces are everywhere, from flaking paint to knots in the wood. These take form in filmmaker and multi-awarded creative Graham Fink’s debut exhibition ‘Nomads’, in which the artist records these images on the purest white marble. Fink, the chief creative officer at Ogilvy & Mather China since 2011, discussed ‘Nomads’ with adobo, sharing that the exhibit is something he had been working on for years. “I keep seeing faces everywhere. In clouds, fire, the scrapings at the bottom of a porridge bowl. I began to notice them in the street as I travelled everywhere and started taking photographs of them.” Fink refers to these as pareidolia (an imagined stimulus, image or sound which

appears to be significant). In the exhibition notes, the prestigious Riflemaker Gallery in London explained that visual images are all around, just waiting to be seen. As Fink said, “I think it’s no coincidence that ‘man’ sees faces in things. A kind of ‘Soul’ looking back at him. So in a way we are in every one of these pictures.” In ‘Nomads’, Fink printed 12 of the most insistent ‘pareidolia’ onto Thassos, the purest white marble on earth. The artist shared that the choice of medium came after a year of printing on different surfaces. Fink had experimented a lot with copper, but always had a problem getting the ‘Whites’. “So instead of using Persil Automatic, I tried marble. I researched many different types as I didn’t want any veins running through it. I eventually found Thassos. It is the purest whitest marble on earth and in fact is from the same quarries as the Venus de Milo. The stone has a sparkle to it. Very beautiful,” he said. Fink, who has never exhibited any of his art in the past, shared that he was both excited and nervous about ‘Nomads’ Prior to this exhibit, his photographs had been featured in award-winning ad campaigns, such as ‘Blood’ for Sony Playstation and London’s 2012 Olympic Bid. Fink compared ‘Nomads’ to his work in advertising, saying the similarities are creativity and self-expression. “I remember the late, great Paul Arden once saying to me, ‘Don’t put the brief on the page. Put yourself on the page.’ I have always tried to do that. and with this work it is no different. I am putting myself onto that marble surface.”

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01 Blue Face 02 Scream 03 Cardinal 04 Old Face

On a more humorous note, Fink said being an agency creative helped in the creative process for ‘Nomads’, as “it paid for the very expensive materials”. ‘Nomads’ opened at Riflemaker on January 9 and will run until January 22. Riflemaker is at 79 Beak Street, London.

ADVERTORIAL

GENERAL Shot on location at the General, C1 Building Upper Ground Floor, C1 Building Upper Ground Floor, Taguig City

THIRD DOMINGO Third Domingo is a man whose position is one hard won. Headstrong and beholden to none but his own rules, the co-founder and CEO of IdeasXMachina has successfully led his upstart shop to a position where it could hold its own against some of advertising’s biggest players. In an industry where titles, awards and rankings reign, Domingo prefers to let his work do the talking. “Once you start thinking you’ve made it, that’s when you start declining,” he says. As his brainchild pushes ever-forward, the highflying professional once known as the country’s youngest creative director hasn’t forgotten his roots, remaining ever forthcoming and gregarious in sharing his expertise with the next generation. Leader, Maverick, Mentor – such is the way of Third Domingo. And such is the way of the General.

WARDROBE: TOP Bag: Herschel Little America Backpack. Rust Jacket: Victorinox Zip Mock - Tec Fleece. Grey Shorts: Lyle & Scott Vintage Chino Shorts. Storm Footwear: Clae Winston. Navy Blue BOTTOM LEFT Shirt: Victorinox Villamont Shirt. Navy Jacket: Victorinox Insulated Tec Fleece. Grey Pants Lyle & Scott Chino Trouser. Sand Footwear: Johnston & Murphy Mckinnon 1 Eye. Brown BOTTOM RIGHT Shirt: Lyle & Scott Small Collar Chambray. Dark Chambray Pants: Lyle & Scott Chino Trouser Pants. New Navy Footwear: Johnston & Murphy Westmore Wing Tip. Tan

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Rachel Teotico takes cover with a handy book as Katrina Encanto helps execute our headline.

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They began as strangers to each other, a copywriter and an art director, two young unknowns looking to make their make their names in an industry notorious for both its brutal workload and its ability to make its practitioners world-famous. Interview Angel guerrero & mikhail lecaros Words Mikhail Lecaros Photography DAN YUSAY HARVEY Make-up Hair Bianca Vela and Elvie Recalde Styling CLInt CATALAN of clintworm.com

The art director was Katrina Encanto, now the regional associate creative director at Lowe and Partners Worldwide, based in Bangkok. 2013 was a good year for Encanto, with her work on Sunlight’s ‘Seperate Them’ campaign helping her to bag two Golds and a Bronze Lion at Cannes, as well as Silver and Bronze metal at the London International Awards (LIA). Carpooling to Makati with Encanto every day was copywriter Rachel Teotico, now an associate creative director with DM9JaymeSyfu. The offspring of a commercial director father and banker mother, Teotico is fresh from five successful years at BBDO Guerrero, where she struck Silver and Bronze at Cannes and a Gold at the LIA for Pepsi’s ‘Bottle Light’. “Our industry is really very small, and we both lived in the same area – Katipunan – so I became good friends with Rach when someone told us that, since we both lived so far, we should carpool,” Encanto told adobo. “So I called her, and that was it! “That was so long ago!” laughs Teotico. “ When I moved from Campaigns & Grey (to BBDO Guerrero), I met K.E., or ‘Kisabel’ (her middle name is Isabel!) through this guy who also lives in La Vista and used to work in Draftfcb – we would all ride to work together.

There’s nothing more fun than a “school bus” full of creatives: it’s noisy sometimes and moody on other days, but it was fun to just talk. That went on for a good year, but then the other guy decided to go in earlier and K.E. and I didn’t want to get up that early (laughs). “She’s so bubbly, and we would alternate driving to work and back,” remembers Encanto. But when it was my turn to drive in the morning, most of the time she’d be asleep before we got past Katipunan (laughs)! But it was nice, because it meant I would always have a good conversation before I got to the office (before she passed out). We would talk about what pissed us off at work, or what was nice about the day before. And so we became close. It was nice knowing there was someone you could get a beer with at the end of the day.” With the seeds of friendship and camaraderie planted that would see them through their early years (to say nothing of many a car ride), Encanto and Teotico are currently among the best and the brightest the industry has to offer. adobo caught up with the two former carpool buddies who took the long way around to be reunited in this feature where they share the challenges, thoughts and insights they’ve learned to survive and succeed in the topsy-turvy world of modern advertising.

“Even in high school when people would ask me what I wanted to be, I would always say I wanted to be in advertising.” – Teotico

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When people ask you what you “do”, how do you answer?

TEOTICO Copywriting is actually a hard thing to explain to someone who works in, say…immigration. I always get the question, “What does a copywriter do? Do you patent stuff?” I have to explain that I write for commercials, I write for TVCs, I write for shelf strips for grocery shelves, I write for ads on the back of bathroom stalls, and for 30 seconds in between a mother’s life. A lot of people think it’s so easy to write a 30 second commercial – and I guess it is if you just want to get it done and out the door. Most of them just stop listening when I try to explain it, they just stop listening because it’s not interesting for them to hear that I got the client or whatever, but it does surprise a lot of people to know that their shelf strip took three months to be made. It surprises people that it takes time. It surprises people to know that someone other than the client who works inside the company is actually writing taglines. It baffles them that someone is getting paid to write these lines (laughs)!

Two of the multi-award-winning executions for Saridon’s cheeky ‘Persistent Headaches’ campaign that Teotico worked on during her time at BBDO Guerrero.

ENCANTO I usually liken it to storytelling.

I guess that might be the simplest way to describe what we do, because I can’t just say, “I do the visual part of ads,” because our jobs have become so much more than that. Today, it’s about coming up with a good, clear story and – if you can – trying to create positive change with our ideas. Why are you in advertising?

TEOTICO The money is good (laughs)! The number one reason is because of my upbringing – my dad was in advertising. When I was very, very young, we would watch Shots together! So, instead of getting to play computer games, he would sit me down and say, “Watch this, it’s fun!” I remember this British girl who would introduce the ads…I was drawn to it, but I never wanted to be a director. Even in high school when people would ask me what I wanted to be (and they all wanted to be lawyers or doctors) I would always say I wanted to be in advertising! When I picked my college degree, I knew what I wanted to get, which was communication arts, which, looking back now, I would actually change because it didn’t turn out to be so valuable – It’s a four-year party, and that’s all I’ll say about that! I maybe should have taken a writing course, but then my dad would always tell me there was no money in

it! But basically, I was always geared towards advertising, and that’s how I ended up here. Do I love it? It’s a job, but it’s a fun job, I have to say. It’s not a cubicle job or one where I have to come in and feel I’m going to be doing the same thing, or putting things in Excel boxes, which I’m really, really not good at. I don’t like formulas or math. With the skills I’ve been given, this is the best application. ENCANTO Well, apart from the fact that,

in college, finance and architecture didn’t want me, advertising is a good career to have if you’d like to create positive change. People tend to overlook that potential; if you look at how something like Havaiianas made Brazil popular through the work of (AlmapBBDO’s Marcello) Serpa (which made Brazilian advertising famous while building their brand from a local to a global one), imagine the potential for our own country. It’s a good way, I think, of helping the businesses of our country and, for me, I knew I wanted to be in communications, so it seemed like the most suitable role. So I found my path in communications, and I like being able to tell our stories as Filipinos.

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Tell us about your first job.

TEOTICO My first job was advertising. I was in Campaigns & Grey for one year, under Kite Lacuesta. How I got the job was, when I was in college, I would write short stories for people in creative writing stories who were too lazy to write their own – they would pay me! So, for my portfolio, I didn’t have anything, so I stuck those in! I also dabbled in art classes, but I guess I wasn’t very good because they (Campaigns) got me as a writer. So that’s what got me in, those short stories! The stories were dark, one was about a prostitute who had suggestion cards, weird stuff like that! My boss said that there was no connection between me and my stories, like a Jekyll and Hyde kind of thing where the Hyde part is all my stories. In person, I’m super mababaw (easy to please) and everything can make me laugh, but when I write stories, it’s always about death and prostitutes or hate – it’s very angry, and I don’t know why. I always try and make the language funny, but the plots are always dark. ENCANTO After four months of lazing around

after college, my first job was at Saatchi &

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Saatchi, and I was hired as an art director. First, I was working on PLDT, doing basic stuff, before moving on to P&G. Everything was new to me and very interesting, and I liked seeing how multiple departments worked together to make a single campaign, the whole idea of different people with expertise coming together to create the best execution. How did that prepare you for what you do now?

TEOTICO I must say that the prostitutes and death didn’t (laughs), and it certainly wasn’t school. If you think about it, a lot of people in advertising don’t have degrees or even finished school, and they’re brilliant with their ideas. If anything, it was reading a lot when I was younger. We lived in a very, very remote area of Antipolo where TV only came when we were older. We always had books and people to be around with, like my sister, who’s a super nerd (she has double PhD’s!). A grasp of words and an understanding of language and articulation, those were what prepared me for advertising All of those are necessary for paper, necessary for talking to people, necessary for presentations and necessary for bullshitting your way through things (like interviews!). ENCANTO Saatchi was a good school for

me in the sense that it taught everything I came to know about advertising. It was the first agency that taught me the discipline of coming up with ideas. Sometimes, there’s this misconception that coming up with ideas is spontaneous. You learn to become a

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creative professional when you take sometime and practice coming up with ideas, and it doesn’t happen overnight – it’s something you work hard at. If you’ve read Outliers, it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert in anything, and the same goes for ideas. It taught me to have a regimen of dedicating a certain number of hours in a day, apart from your regular work, to just thinking. Every agency has its own way of doing things. What was it like adjusting to the culture of your current agency?

TEOTICO (on DM9) It’s very different. The

people and the way they train or act – it’s like moving to a new school (laughs)! I always say I grew up in BBDO, and now that I’m in DM9, I’m learning to adjust. The good thing is, a lot of us moved out of BBDO at the same time, like Ray and Gary, so I have a lot of people to speak with about this. And we all feel the same way, we all grew up there (in BBDO), it’s where we started. I’d been there for five years, and my only other experience was Campaigns (& Grey) for a year, so I guess part of me just felt it was time, and another part of it is because a lot of my friends were leaving, so I just had to get on that school bus (laughs)! I figured it was really the right time, and just really a test of independence and trying to get a grasp of a different place, a different culture. ENCANTO (on Lowe Bangkok) I work on the regional team, so most of our ideas are for the whole region, and when we do come up with stuff, most of it is translated. In

terms of dealing with people, you learn to be more diplomatic and empathic, so as to understand what irks them or what makes them smile, so as to work better together. The challenge is seeing what the common things are in the Venn diagram of countries and working from there. It can be frustrating because of the nuances, but at the same time, it teaches me to learn about countries around us, which is very interesting because of the wider look it gives me and my creativity. I think, apart from the fact that Thailand has great advertising and crafting, I like the fact that it’s kind of a good model for creativity in the third world sense; I feel it’s what Manila could be if we focused a bit more on our resources and crafting. Our sense of humor and diskarte (the ability to make the most of a situation), is kind of similar. And like I said, I made the decision to find work somewhere in Asia so I can be close to the Philippines, which is the end destination. What do you consider to be your area of expertise and how did that come to be? What sorts of brands do you feel comfortable working on?

TEOTICO Young brands are always fun, those are the brands that I look for and want to work on, but you don’t have a choice. Most of my career has gone to brands that are not me at all, but part of advertising is being psychotic and taking on different personalities. J&J was my client for the longest time, and I had to be a mom (laughs). Of course, that’s fun too, pretending to be someone you’re not! ENCANTO Every industry has an interesting

story to tell, and it’s up to us to be empathic about it. The interesting thing about our job is being able to put ourselves in the position or situation of the people you want to sell the ideas to to, whether it’s a mother who wants to have more time with her kids rather than do laundry or a dad who wants to spend time with his kids by buying them ice-cream. There are a lot of interesting stories to tell, and even if sometimes, it seems

01 The utterly insane TVC for Pepsi Pinas that Teotico feels best expresses her personality. 02 The award-winning ‘Bottle Light’ initiative that Teotico worked on to metal glory at Cannes, Spikes and LIA

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C O VE R ST O R Y

“More and more, the heads of advertising are looking at a wider range of disciplines. It’s not just communication or visual arts. - Encanto

like those are dictated by the brands, it’s really up to us to push ourselves and dig for those stories that people want to listen to. How far off is what you do from what you studied in college?

TEOTICO It’s very different, because if you want to go into communication arts, it’s all very theoretical, so you might want to be an AE or strat person. But if you want to be in the creative department, it would help you more to take something related to what you want to do. Like, I wish I’d taken a writing course, even if they say there’s no grammar in advertising, of course there is! But the nice part about Communication Arts is that it’s a party for four years; your brain is just waiting to be turned on again! What I got out of it was a fun persona and great friends! Ok, I had two great teachers. One of them was Greg Martin, who was then the only copywriting teacher in Ateneo. He always tease me because I would always did all my homework in crayon outside his classroom, right before class (laughs). My other teacher was Hans Lopez-Vito, who taught me what integrated marketing was. The first thing you have to contend with when you enter advertising is all of the acronyms (Online, offline, AE!) so that was a good introduction. ENCANTO I studied Visual Communication,

which could have gone into illustration, editorial design or making films, but in the end, I figured that advertising was a good channel to reach a wide number of people. I guess that, for me, was interesting because it was like a kind of propaganda, but in a good way, because you could

influence a huge number of people with the belief that you’d like them to adopt. More and more, the heads of advertising shops in the Philippines are looking at a wider range of disciplines. It’s not just communication or visual communication they’re looking at, because it’s getting input from experts in different fields, and the progressive creative heads are seeing that. After JWT, before Lowe, I took a year to study in Italy for a masters in Strategic Design. I did that because I wanted to get a complete idea of what I was doing. It wasn’t quite related to advertising, but it is related to creativity, teaching you how to transform businesses through creative ideas, and that opened up an opportunity at Barilla, where I was able to work in their design department for eight months. That was interesting, since it was kind of on the client side, and related to what we were doing in school since we were trying to look at creating new platforms that could be helpful to people. It’s something that advertising could eventually be, going beyond just communication and going into products and services, which we’re already moving towards. It was a valuable experience, but I missed advertising because I felt I could do more, so I made my way back and chose Lowe (Bangkok) because I wanted to be close to the Philippines. When I come back to the country, I want to have added value and knowledge we wouldn’t be able to get from here. Being in different countries exposes you to the different ideas that other worlds apply to advertising. It also teaches you about diplomacy and other values related to being creative. It also forces you to become a novice again, which is important in creativity.

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What notions/misconceptions did you bring to the table when you were starting out?

TEOTICO That copywriting would be similar to “writing-writing”. The first thing I had to learn was to keep things short. Greg taught us that in college, but if you really, really write stuff, you tend to just write a lot, so when I wrote my dialogue or descriptions, it would always just be too long, because I thought it was the same kind of writing, and that’s the number one thing I had to learn. The second thing is that ideas would come easy. You really have to stare at the wall for long periods of time. Another truth that I learned is that it really is a booze party (laughs) ENCANTO At first, I thought it would be

easy, that coming up with ideas didn’t require you to do your homework, but that got very embarrassing because everyone else is there as a professional, coming to the table with multiple ideas and trying to come up with ways to make something work. How do you know you’d made the right choice?

TEOTICO Because I tried to get out of it, and when I did, I had this really weird anxiety attack! I wasn’t eating – it was like a break-up! That was December 2012. I had this whole existential, “What am I doing? Am I in the right place?” thing. Because I was always geared towards advertising because my dad was a commercial director, so I was always on that path. It reached a point that I was thinking if I was only in the business because my dad was. But eventually, I realized I really

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01 Encanto received her first metal win at the 2007 adobo Design Awards with this poster heralding the Filipino’s rising reputation in creativity. 02 The winning entry in Advertising Age’s global cover design contest, by Encanto and creative partner EJ Galang, which bagged for the duo a trip to Cannes 2013

Someone once said that we only improve by learning from our mistakes. Tell us about your biggest on-the-job screw up.

do like advertising as a job, but I needed something that would fuel the creativity that I needed to release in a non-“shelf strip” form. So that’s when I started to write – I just tried out a class and I really liked it to the point that I decided to pursue it a little bit more. It lasted until I realized that this (advertising) is what I’m good at and what I can do best with the skill set that I have. What’s the best part about your job?

TEOTICO The ideation process is the part I like the most. It’s mentally tiring but…when I was thinking of getting out of advertising and taking a marketing job, I couldn’t seem to accept that the day would come that I wouldn’t have to think of ideas. It’s tough, but if you like that, you’re gonna keep coming back, and I do! The idea that you can be paid for your ideas, that’s what keeps you in advertising. ENCANTO That really is coming up with

ideas, and part of that is being able to understand different needs and lifestyles of different kinds of people; it’s all about empathy, and that keeps things interesting.

pitch, sometimes there’s just a lot of clients. Awards are another reason for extra hours because most of your day goes toward doing real work. If you ask the young people, it is hard to keep up with the awards system of advertising. If you make a commercial that sells soap, for example, that’s not going to win an award. So you need to take extra time to do the work that would win an award. Sometimes you have to do additional stuff on top of the real work. It’s just part of it. The sad part of it all is that it kills the passions of your creatives if they don’t have time for their passions, where painters don’t have time to paint or writers don’t have time to write. “I don’t have time to do the stuff I want to do” is a common complaint among creatives because “If I do the stuff I want to do, someone is going to get ahead of me because they’re putting in the extra hours, doing just advertising work. If you’re starting out, you don’t realize that because you’re just trying to compete. ENCANTO I guess there are bad things you

I entered BBDO, I suddenly got a lot of hyperacidity attacks. It really takes a toll on your body. The stress levels are high, that’s something you can’t deny about advertising. It’s not just when there’s a

complain about on a daily basis, but for me, the trick is not to let myself get so bothered. I’ve learned to block some things out so as to avoid becoming jaded, which affects what you can do by keeping you from doing good work. Advertising has a lot of good characteristics about it, but it’s up to us to overlook the little things and try to look at the big picture of what it is we can be. Advertising people have soft hands. There a lot more difficult jobs out there (laughs)!

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What’s the worst part about your job?

TEOTICO The stress levels (laughs)! When

TEOTICO I thought I was putting a fake phone number in a print ad, but it was actually someone’s real phone number, so as soon as it came out, this poor woman was receiving calls! She called up the client and the client called us and they called BBDO to ask them to take her number off the ad! Make sure your false copy is really false! David said, “What the fuck?” and Simon (Welsh) said, “What the fuck?” – they’re British, what else would they say (laughs)? ENCANTO How much time do you have

(laughs)? I guess when I was young, I put a lot of pressure on myself then because I wanted to be successful as quickly as possible. Back then it felt like the end of the world if you didn’t win the award or did a bad presentation. But I learned that advertising is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. So I learned to take those moments as opportunities to learn, to look back and see what it was that went wrong and how I could improve it. TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRST AWARD WIN.

TEOTICO It was at the Araw Awards for XO candies for Campaigns. It was a bit confusing because you hear about all the parties before you get into the industry, but they don’t tell you about the awards shows, how they’re treated like the Emmys or the Golden Globes. So my boss told me to wear a nice dress because I normally wear jeans, and when they announced us as winning, I was like, “What’s going on?” I think I was 21 or 22. You never get used to it! But that’s part of it, you hate awards, but when you hear your name.. “IS THAT MY NAME?!” It’s always a thrill to be recognized! You never go, “Ho-hum, another award.” Well, maybe that guy who did ‘Dumb Ways to Die’ (laughs). ENCANTO I got one when I was an intern at

Ogilvy & Mather, but I didn’t really do much

“I put a lot of pressure on myself then because I wanted to be successful as quickly as possible... But I learned that advertising is not a sprint, it’s a marathon.” - Encanto

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A print campaign Encanto designed highlighting people’s love of cheese for client Kraft Eden Cheese

need to do for my brain to just shut down. I’m a very anxious person, and there is always a lot of things going on inside anyone’s head, so you need to shut that off. Sometimes just sitting down helps, and it arrives when it wants to. I used to have an officemate who would lean back in his chair and look like he was sleeping, and then he’d just open his eyes and go, “Alam ko na!”. Ray, Gary? They all sleep first, they’re narcoleptic! Oh, and bathrooms are very, very effective for writers. I don’t know why! Maybe because that’s usually when you’re most focused on other things?

and was just happy to be there. I guess the first award I would consider to have won on my own would be the one I got at the adobo Design Awards (in 2007). That one was quite memorable because it was something I looked at as a break from doing the every day kind of work – it was a channel for creativity. What do you do to fuel your work, inspiration–wise?

TEOTICO I read a lot of books, not for information, but more because I want to make sure I can still read and write well. I like Vonnegut, so that’s a little bit dark, but kind of funny. I also like Lorrie Moore, who’s also very dry – maybe that’s why I like David, he’s also very dry (laughs) – and I was also recently introduced to Alan Moore. I also gravitate towards David Selaris, who’s funny, but whose humor is very dark. Then, sadly, there’s the internet and, of course, going outside and taking a walk. Again, not necessarily for information, but because sometimes inspiration can’t get in when your mind’s not relaxed. A lot of downtime is required for me to function. I need to go out, I need to see a movie, I need to be really, really dumb sometimes, but these are the things I really

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ENCANTO For me, that would be swimming

in the morning and playing soccer, but since leaving the Philippines, it’s been hard to find games for girls (laughs). I also like going to the library – Bangkok has this great library that I like going to – or a park. I also love to travel when I can. You really have to know how to shut off; I mean, of course, you think about your task, but it really pays to walk away from whatever you’re doing, just step out and do something, because it puts you in a state of wonder which is important. Do you have any favorite campaigns? (not necessarily your own work)

TEOTICO For digital, there’s ‘Dumb Ways to

Die’, which is really fun, but my favorite TVC is the one of Guinness, ‘Surfer’, and ‘After Hours Athletes’ for Puma...I remember thinking, how do I write copy like this? I really like the

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Van Damme one, the ‘Epic Split’! It’s one of those things that you think isn’t possible – how did they sell that to the client?! And I’ve always liked the ‘Real Men’ commercials of Bud. I don’t think, “Fuck, I’d never have thought of that”. It might bring you down a little, but it should also motivate you to maybe get there if you work hard enough, which is what your real parents and your advertising parents tell you. ENCANTO I like those campaigns that have

built a brand, like the ones of Havaianas or Nike, and in the end also helped the cities they belong to. When you think about Brazil or Portland, for example, and how they became famous for creativity because of what advertising contributed. I also like the ones that redefine advertising by going beyond the category or what’s expected. How much of yourself is in the work you put out? Which of your works do you feel best represents your personality?

TEOTICO I would say a lot of me, that’s really important. Of course, brands are brands, and you have to write as a brand, but your language and ideas are your own. Part of growing up in advertising is getting your own taste and personality. It’s not always the same and it’s not always right, but you have to have something that is you and it has to come out in your work. I can’t say we’re artists, right (laughs)? But in some ways, I

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think that a lot of the work that I produce has to be something that I like, and therefore, that comes out more, sometimes less. The one that has the most, I think was the work for Pepsi Pinas; I know it’s a group thing, but we all kind of had the same minds – we could have been just one brain walking around. It didn’t win much, nothing internationally, but that was so fun! My most internationally-awarded is ‘Bottle Light’, but if it I had to choose based on my personality, it would have to be Pepsi. I think it’s funny!

and social media. So it’s easy to appear busy. But sometimes, you need to just sit and stare. You need to be able to step away from the distractions, otherwise there will never be time for you. You need that sanity time. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received, and who gave it to you?

TEOTICO If it makes you laugh! But it can’t just be you, so you do something that makes you laugh then you show it to your art director, and if he laughs, you’re good! I always say that art directors are the litmus test of what’s funny or not because they don’t over think things, they just look and know whether it’s funny or not.

TEOTICO When I was leaving BBDO, David asked me what my positive goal was. We all have life goals, but he said a positive goal was something I needed to know my path. “Why are you leaving?” “Because I hate advertising, because I hate people, bleh bleh bleh!” “Ok, but what’s your positive goal?” “I just want to write.” “Well, you can achieve that in advertising if you make time and apply yourself. You can attend seminars or continue your studies!” I don’t think he knew he was saying something that would affect my life, but it was something that I brought with me, so now, whenever people ask me what they should do or where to go, I ask them, “What’s your positive goal? (I’m just mimicking him!)” You have to identify your positive goal because once you know you’re heading towards your positive goal, you’ll know you’re headed somewhere good.

ENCANTO It’s about finding the right balance,

ENCANTO One piece of advice that was given

because it doesn’t matter what you think is good, it’s how well you can convince the client, and it’s not the job of agencies alone. It takes a really courageous client, because without an open-minded client, we can only go so far. If, for instance, if the client is really adamant about the concerns he is focused on, such as sales, that does affect the work. Of course, the client needs a hard working agency that’s done its homework, not just pulling ideas out of a hat and really considering the client’s objective. This is not a complete-service industry, it’s about collaboration to find solutions.

to me when I really felt bad about something (that I thought was important to being successful) was that I had to learn to step back

ENCANTO That depends on what round

of revisions it’s in (laughs)! Well, I think in every brief I’m given, I really think about it, to give it the respect it deserves, so I try to really put my time and effort into creating the best solutions, which is really the great challenge for creatives. In your opinion, what makes a good campaign?

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and look at the bigger picture. It’s not just about a festival or a bad presentation, our jobs are more than that, and we should be looking at the purpose of our jobs and what we can do. It’s about perspective and being able to pull yourself out and putting yourself back in is important to surviving in this industry, because you get caught up in small things that don’t do anything but prevent you from your potential to do good work. You should try not to be involved in office politics or who’s doing what – you should focus on what we can do. What would you be doing if you weren’t in advertising?

TEOTICO My friend and I have this dream where we’ll be hobo writers! The story is, they’ve gotten used to this lavish, luxurious life where they can eat at nice restaurants because they were copywriters and they earned money. Until the day they decide to quit and become hobo writers. So what they do is they write outside wine shops and wait for people to leave and then they drink their wine (laughs). If I had a dream job, I would want to be a hobo writer. ENCANTO I would like to live a small life,

probably have my own small community that I could do things for, like having a café with a library – which is every creative’s dream – or get into a community-based business to affect a small area while working towards reaching more and more. I could imagine myself doing that.

Encanto’s double Gold Lionwinning campaign for Sunlight dishwashing liquid for Unilever

How do you maintain a work/life balance in this crazy business?

TEOTICO You make the time. If you try and find it, you’re never going to have free time. You have to just shut off. David was telling me about this one writer who put superglue inside his Ethernet port so that he could never connect to the internet! The thing is, today, with the internet, the world is noisy wherever you go, with smartphones, laptops

January-February 2014

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Right now, Pepe Torres is something of an industry rock star. In just six years, he was named the country manager for total hair care at Procter & Gamble, and now the Pantene ‘Labels Against Women’ campaign he helped launch continues to make noise globally. But, musically, the young brand builder turns out to be a bigger fan than he is a rockstar. Though not a musician himself, (“That’s one of my personal frustrations in life!”), Torres is a “huge supporter” of the local music scene. “When I was younger, I would always be way up front, moshing and going crazy. Outside of the Philippines too, I put a lot of effort into traveling for music, for festivals.” With a trip to Coachella already planned Torres’ music-fueled wanderlust shows no signs of ebbing. “If it’s really a band that you love, the sheer experience of being in the same room as they are, that’s just something that you can’t replicate.”

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Words Amanda Lago Photography Shampoo Padilla Art Direction Joshua Gonzales venue Edsa Shangri-La Tower Wing Presidential Suite Special thanks to Patrick Schaub, Claire Hernandez and Angel Velasco

THAT LOVING FEELING

Words Mikhail Lecaros Photography MJ Suayan Art Direction Ricardo Malit Makeup and Hair Bianca Vela, Elvie Recalde, Trisha Quintana Styling Ysa Tiangco for Miss Kayce Clothes Basic Thread, Greenbelt 5

Joey Tiempo Creative Director Tbwa\SMP Rey Tiempo Creative Director Bbdo Guerrero

Vicky Ortega Master Brand Storyteller and Planner Havas Media Ortega Jos Ortega Chairman and Ceo Havas Media Ortega

trendspot ting Whether you chalk it up to the chilly weather or that moon with a halo everyone was talking about from a couple of weeks ago, there’s no denying that this time of year can bring about feelings of amore in even the most jaded creative. Just ask any of the

industry couples featured on these two pages, who didn’t need much prodding from adobo to come down to the studio and wallop each other with pillows. While all the world may love a lover, we’re just the ones who had to clean up the feathers.

Mike Sicam Creative Director OgilvyOne Worldwide Isa Sicam General Manager OgilvyOne Worldwide

Wella Tan Business Unit Director Seven A.D.

Budjette Tan Deputy Executive Creative Director Mrm Manila

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Renaissance man Marlon Rivera is as busy as ever after signing off from Publicis Manila Words Carmela Lapeña

Who is Marlon Rivera? This is a question not easily answered, as the man has several hats. A teacher, fashion designer, copywriter, make-up artist, production designer, costume designer, and director, Rivera also has a flower shop and events company. Not surprisingly, Rivera is used to being asked how he manages to be so many things at once. His answer is simple: “People always ask me this question, and I’ve always given the same answer — ‘Kung gusto may paraan, kung ayaw may dahilan’ (If there’s a will, there’s a way, if not, there’s a reason).” His ability to handle several creative pursuits began early — as a student, Rivera was already working as a props man at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). “The circumstances of my life have been built around having multiple interests. Doing more than one thing has always been my brand equity,” said Rivera, who grew up all over the Philippines. Because where he lived depended on where his father, a civil engineer, would have projects, Rivera became used to moving and presenting himself in a different way. However, all the moving around did not seem to affect his capacity to stay in one place for long. Rivera worked in advertising from 1988 until he resigned from his post at Publicis Manila in 2013. Before advertising became his staple career, he also worked at Regal as an intern, and at Channel 4 as a production assistant.

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Posters from Rivera’s directorial efforts (L-R) Ang Babae sa Septic Tank and My Little Bossings.

“When I decided to go into fashion, I already knew how to sketch and do patterns from breaking things apart and learning how to cut them.” adobomagazine

Rivera shared how a film changed his life. “When I was young, I loved the natural sciences. I really thought I was going to be a doctor. Then I saw Fame and it changed everything for me. I wanted to get into the performing arts. I went to the CCP, did workshops at Bulwagang Gantimpala and directed plays for the culminating activity,” he told adobo in a previous interview. It is his thirst for learning that fuels his passions. Rivera said that while his ability to switch roles may look effortless, the hard work to make things happen actually begins much earlier. “When I decided to go into fashion, I already knew how to sketch and do patterns from breaking things apart and learning how to cut them. But you don’t want to tell that to people. You want to come out like, ‘I just did it today’. But actually that’s not true.” According to Rivera, the secret to multitasking is to not multitask. “When I’m doing something, it’s to the exclusion of everything else,” he said. Whether it’s doing a fashion shoot for MNR or Folded & Hung, or handling a class, or shooting a movie, Rivera is 100 percent there. Back in 2011, Rivera took a leave of absence to work on Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (The Woman in the Septic Tank), which went on to win Audience Choice, Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Actress, and Best Director in the Cinemalaya independent film festival. Earning 38.4 million pesos, the film became the highest-grossing indie film in the country.

January-February 2014

It was also Ang Babae sa Septic Tank that opened opportunities for Rivera to do films, which was part of the reasons influencing his decision to leave Public Manila, where he was president and chief creative officer. “I take a long, long time to incubate major decisions in my life, so the timing of my resignation is just the end point of a long process,” Rivera said. Noting that he had spent 10 years in the post, and was approaching 50, Rivera continued, “the digital age has arrived, and the way the business of doing advertising has change.” Although he did not reveal his next move in the advertising world, he offered, “I can say this much though, I still believe in advertising as a discipline but the way the business is built around it is something I want to change to suit my way of life.” Change is something very important to Rivera. He shared a famous quote from one of his mentors, Antonio Mercado: “When you stop changing, you’re dead.” Since his resignation, Rivera has come out with My Little Bossings for the 2013 Metro Manila Film Festival, and is building a house. Whether in or outside advertising, seeing more of Rivera’s work is a sure thing. “I think I will always do some form of mass salesmanship. I’m really interested in digital, contagious work, conversation-changing work. I might stop doing agency work, but I’ll always be part of the conversation,” he said.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima places Napoles and Reynald on the Bureau of Immigration’s “lookout bulletin.”

In an Inquirer report, Napoles denies involvement in any scam and attacks Benhur’s credibility by saying he is a “drug addict” and a “thief.”

The Inquirer publishes the first of a six-part series on the investigation of the NBI on an alleged P10-B pork barrel scam. The series is based on the affidavits of Benhur and five other whistleblowers who allege that Napoles operates bogus NGOs and offers commissions to lawmakers for the liquidation of their pork barrel funds.

The Office of the Ombudsman announces in a statement the formation of a special team of six investigators that would conduct a parallel inquiry with the NBI in relation to the pork barrel fund scam. In a briefing, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda says President Aquino has instructed de Lima to ensure that the pork barrel scam be “exhaustively investigated.”

Facing the media with her new lawyer, Lorna Kapunan, Napoles, in a statement, says she is willing to open her bank accounts and undergo a lie detector test to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation into her involvement in the pork barrel scam.

DOJ places Benhur under the Witness Protection Program.

On the same day, Napoles and her brother Reynald submit their opposition on the motion for reconsideration filed by the NBI at the DOJ in relation to the dismissal of the serious illegal detention case filed against them.

Kapunan says in radio interviews that Napoles would sue the Inquirer and an online news site for libel for failing to get their side and for printing “false” stories about them.

The Inquirer starts publishing the five-part verbatim transcript of the paper’s roundtable discussion with Napoles.

President Aquino tells reporters that he is not keen on abolishing the pork barrel, saying that “as in everything else, there are good uses, and bad uses.” He adds that, “Perhaps the right thing to do is to apply the appropriate punishment for the misuse, but support its good use especially in communities outside the National Capital Region.” In a surprise press conference aired on national television, President Aquino says he is pushing for reforms in the disbursements of the corruption-plagued pork barrel funds. He adds that he is scandalized by the COA report and blames the irregularities on the Arroyo administration.

In the morning, President Aquino announces a P10-million reward for any information that would lead to the arrest of Napoles.

Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares says her office has been conducting a comprehensive investigation on whether Napoles paid her taxes properly for her reported multimillion-peso properties. At night, Napoles goes to the Inquirer main office in Makati for a roundtable discussion with Inquirer editors, columnists and reporters.

A branch of the Makati Regional Trial Court issues a warrant of arrest for Napoles and her brother, Reynald, for the illegal detention of Benhur. However, the siblings are nowhere to be found.

The Court of Appeals freezes the bank accounts of Napoles, as well as those of her other relatives and her alleged NGOs. The Department of Foreign Affairs also cancels the passports of Napoles and her brother at the request of the DOJ. On the same day, the Commission on Audit releases its report saying a total of P6.2 billion were transferred to 82 NGOs “in clear violation of the law” from 2007 to 2009. COA adds that 10 of the 19 NGOs that received the bulk of the pork barrel funds are linked to Napoles.

Angry Filipino netizens and ordinary citizens gather in at least 30 spots nationwide and abroad for the ‘Million People March’ protest, which calls for the abolition of the pork barrel. In Manila, at least 85,000 people flock to Rizal Park for the first largest protest assembly under the Aquino administration.

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David Nutter, directing a sequence from TV movie The Advocates

ec il l a ikh s M d r Wo

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While David Nutter’s name won’t ring a bell for most people, it’s a pretty safe bet that you’ve come across at least some of his extensive television work – Homeland, Game of Thrones, The West Wing, Arrow and Entourage are but some of the programs bearing his directorial stamp.

I’d played a lot of golf, so when I was in L.A. with nothing to do, I started playing again. So I went off one Sunday to play golf with two buddies of mine, and a guy joined us to make up a foursome; his name was Patrick Hasburgh, who’d just created a show called 21 Jump Street and basically, they were hiring a lot of old directors, so there was this communication gap with the young actors. We played 18 holes of golf, I guess he liked what I had to say (he was asking me questions while we played), and he gave me an episode of 21 Jump Street to direct. I was just playing golf with him! That was my big break. ADOBO How do you know when something

is right for you? What do you look out for? In Hollywood circles, Nutter has gained a reputation as ‘the Pilot Whisperer’ for his unerring ability to shoot prospective series’ premiere episodes and have them approved for a full season, having done so for a record 16 shows in a row, with Roswell, Smallville, Without a Trace, Supernatural and The Mentalist being prime examples. adobo was able to catch up with the Pilot Whisperer in Singapore, where DDB had flown him in as part of their ‘DDB Presents…’ seminar at the Spikes Festival of Creativity. ADOBO How did you get into

this crazy business? NUTTER When I moved to Los Angeles, I

couldn’t even get a job directing traffic, and when you’re a director who can’t get work, you have a lot of free time. In junior high,

NUTTER It’s the kind of thing where I just need

to be moved by it. It’s like when you walk into a room and you see a beautiful woman (and) you go, “Wow” and you know you’ve fallen in love. It’s kind of a gut instinct, a part of ourselves that we all have but seldom use. I try and follow my instincts as much as I can, and I also put a lot of importance on the first impression, because so much of the time, that’s really all the audience will have as they watch your pilot. You have to focus on that impression because that’s what the audience is going to see see, and (be careful) not overthink it or wrap your head around it or where it’s going. Stanley Kubrick once said that he would always write down his first impression after reading a novel or even just a chapter, because he knew he would never have that impression again, and he wanted to be able to fall back on it, if necessary.

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ADOBO You’re not as obsessive

compulsive as Kubrick, though? NUTTER: No one is! (and) I don’t have the time to be, in the television world (laughs). ADOBO You directed the “Rains

of Castamere” episode of Game of Thrones, which featured the infamous Red Wedding. Did the reactions to the events of the episode surprise you? NUTTER: No one knew, going in, what that

would be like, but it’s really an example of amazing story telling. The audience was so invested in those characters, that when you saw what happened to them, you were touched by it – they were part of your family! People have been saying that it’s the most grotesque, violent situation they’ve ever seen, when it really wasn’t! What made it grotesque was that it happened to someone you cared about, and that’s what really moved you. If you can do something that touches people, touches them in the heart, then you’ve succeeded. ADOBO How do you adjust when making

the jump from one genre to another, like, say, fantasy to a police procedural? NUTTER To me, it’s all about grounding

it. Look at Entourage. Is it frivolous? Yes. Is it titillating? Yes. But if you look beyond the glitter, these guys are like a band of brothers; they care about each other, they love each other, they support each other, and that’s why you love them. The thing is,

On location for Game of Thrones, Nutter direct to Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister on the series.

January-February 2014

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“I’ll never learn all the new technology and know everything that’s going on, but if you work with people who do, then you get one step up, and that takes your work to another level” adobomagazine

we all want to be the fifth member of the entourage, part of that crazy Hollywood hype thing and that’s what made it a lot of fun.

low-budget, straight-to-VHS movies called Trancers 4 and 5. This was basically right after Ceausescu had been overthrown, so I was working with a lot of people who hadn’t really had any freedom in their lives – my first AD was making $60 a week, and he was happy. That’s not a lot of money; he had a wife and children, but he would walk in every day with a smile on his face, singing! So it was that situation that made me realize that what I had to do was go to work each day and do my very best and then let go of it, go on to the next thing and not have regrets, because I feel I’ve done my best, but I can’t control how someone might react to it. All I can do is put my emotional and visual standpoints on it and be happy with that. I have to be content with my work, and that’s something I’ve learned in the last couple of years: how to accept failure and move on to the next thing. ADOBO Who would you like to work with?

ADOBO Which of your works stands out

as especially memorable for you? NUTTER Like anyone, I would have to say the

Red Wedding, simply because of the reactions to it, the Iwo Jima episode of The Pacific...I have lots of children, and I love them all. ADOBO If you could, is there anything

you would do differently? NUTTER In 1993, before The X-Files, I couldn’t get a job in television because none of the producers I knew were working. So I went off to Romania and directed two

January-February 2014

NUTTER You mean my bucket list? I’ve been

so very fortunate with every actor I’ve worked with, but there was one who got away from me back when I was doing the Roswell pilot for Fox. I remember him walking in and auditioning for the part of Max and right after, the big Fox executive turned to me and asked me what I thought of the young man. I said I saw a mystery and maturity (and a few other platitudes), and the executive said, in a room full of people, “I don’t see any of that.” That actor was Heath Ledger. That was a situation again where I should have gone with my instincts.

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ADOBO We understand you’ve

directed some commercials as well. Can you tell us about that? NUTTER Oh, yes. I did something for

British Gas, I did the trailer in Thailand for the Scarlet televisions of LG (it was confusing, because people thought it was for a television series, but it was really about selling a series of televisions), I did something for HP (for a tablet/phone thing that basically got canned after a couple of versions) and a McDonald’s thing for Australia years and years ago, so basically a little bit of everything.

NUTTER In television, I get the opportunity to work with a lot of great talent; I’d rather be near the top of that group of directors that get the best material, whereas with features, a lot of scripts just aren’t as compelling, moving or as powerful to me – I just find the storytelling better in television. I also find that television screens are getting larger, and movie screens are getting smaller. A lot of the big movies are already formulaic, and I don’t want to do a formulaic film. I also don’t really see myself working on a movie for a year and a half where 80% of the movie is visual effects. ADOBO Having directed for three decades

ADOBO Have you thought about

giving features another try?

now, with all the technological advances, how has your process changed?

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NUTTER What that’s done for me, basically,

in terms of hiring crews and working with talented people, is trying to find those who have the real goods. I may not have the great ideas, but it’s about getting great people and inspiring them to do their best and let them have their way with it, let them run with it. I’m able to adjust and affect things when I need to, but it’s about collaboration, being in a situation where you’re always willing to listen to the best idea. In that way, I learn a lot and get a lot out of the people I work with. On my end, what’s important to me is making the attempt to inspire them because we’re all working together. I’ll never learn all the new technology and know everything that’s going on, but if you work with people who do, then you get one step up, and that takes your work to another level. 01 Successfully bringing DC Comics’ emerald archer to the small screen, Nutter’s development of Arrow has been a smash hit, with a Flash spinoff already in the works. 02 Nutter directed the pilot to Supernatural, which is still going strong with a 10th season on the way. 03 After a successful pilot by Nutter, Smallville ran for 10 seasons, the longest live-action superhero series in history. 04 Pictured here with the main cast, Nutter saw the Entourage boys off when he directed their series finale 05 21 Jump Street, starring a youthful Johnny Depp, was Nutter’s first TV directing gig. 06 Following his 80’s TV work, Nutter got back in the game in 1993 with work on episodes of The X-Files.

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john zeigler

Interview Angel Guerrero Words Angel Guerrero and Mikhail Lecaros

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adobo flies to Singapore for a one-on-one with the legendary DDB Asia chief My first chat with John Zeigler, chairman and CEO of DDB Group Asia Pacific, India and Japan, happened back in 2006 while we were walking along the La Mesa Watershed at a DDB Philippines tree-planting event. As we walked, and the conversation turned to his innovative business practices, I was struck by how his insatiable brain never seemed to stop working. He told me that on some flights (he spends close to 600 hours a year jetting between at least 14 countries to oversee the 26 agencies, 14 countries, and more than 3,200 employees under his purview), he could browse through as many as 30 magazines. “I read everything,” he explained, “But never for the process of taking in the story – I graze, picking a bit here and there about seeing what’s happening on the social scene, cars, photography, art, some Rolling Stone. Sometimes I rip out articles and tuck them in my suitcase. It’s an abstract association of connecting different things together, like putting a skeleton together and then saying ‘that’s possible’”. Referring to his very specific form of attention deficit disorder, Zeigler affectionately calls his condition “Zeiglerism”. “My two children are the same way,” he laughed. Call it what you will, John Zeigler’s unconventional approach to business is one that has served him well in one of the most remarkable careers the advertising and marketing industries have ever seen. From his days as the co-founder of upstart agency Kzzynski & Zeigler (believed by many to be the world’s first integrated agency) to his current role heading up DDB Asia-Pacific, Zeigler has consistently redefined the boundaries between creativity and effectiveness, to great success. As the head of DDB Group Asia Pacific, Zeigler has steered his network to numerous top honors, including Creative Network of the

Year nods from Campaign in 2010 and 2012, as well as back-to-back Spikes Network of the Year wins in 2010 and 2011, and AdFest Network of the Year in 2011 and 2012. Mumbrella made DDB Network of the Year in 2013. In 2010, Zeigler was named Campaign’s Agency Head of the Year. On not winning the Campaign Network of the Year crown in 2011, Zeigler declared the loss as the best thing that could have happened, as, “There is nothing that fires passion more than losing.” In 2013, the Academy of Marketing Science World Marketing Congress (WMC) recognized Zeigler as Marketer of the Year. On the win, Professor Mike Ewing, Monash University’s Peninsula campus Head of the Faculty of Business and Economics, said, “John heads the most important regions in the world in terms of growth, opportunities and challenges, for one of the most significant marketing communications companies in the world, who, in turn, work with many category-leading global brands. What more can one say… he is a global marketing leader.” As it turns out, the so-called “Zeiglerism” the DDB chief credits his industrious nature became apparent in his life at roughly the same time as his legendary love of cars. When Zeigler was a child, his parents owned a service station, where he would start out each day by doing odd jobs such as sweeping the driveway and cleaning oil stains. Early mornings would be spent on these chores, which continued when the young man came home from school. Zeigler’s entrepreneurial streak manifested itself at the age of 11, when he took one of the chores he hated – weeding the backyard – and established his first business out of it. The young man discovered that if he rode his bike over them, the weeds would come out. He would call his friends over and charge them 20 cents to have BMX races in his backyard. Weeds were out, the

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01 01 Zeigler was the 2013 recipient of the Marketer of the Year award by the Academy of Marketing Science World Marketing Congress (WMC) and named Campaign’s Agency Head of the Year for 2010. 02 Under Ziegler, DDB has been the recipient of Creative Network of the Year nods from Campaign (in 2010 and 2012), back-to-back Spikes Network of the Year wins (in 2010 and 2011), and AdFest Network of the Year in 2011 and 2012, and Mumbrella Network of the Year in 2013.

“Restoring cars keeps me sane – I like the process of the problem.” adobomagazine

job was done, and he made money. At 16, at the height of long hair being in fashion, Zeigler made big bucks from renting out wigs to his schoolmates to help them pass their school’s regular inspections. At 19, he set up a photography business for a real estate agency that needed fast photos processing using a technique he’d found to take and deliver the shots in record time. Entrepreneurial endeavors aside, Zeigler didn’t get into much trouble during those years. Instead, he would spend what free time he had restoring a ‘33 Dodge, which he toiled over with sheets of sandpaper to bring back the vehicle’s original luster. Little did Zeigler know that this project would be the start of a passion that would stay with him the rest of his life. To Zeigler, there was magic in taking, “something no one wants” and restoring it to “something everything wants”. “I did not finish the Dodge, but we ended up selling it for much more than it had been bought for. But it left a bad taste in my mouth, after spending over 2,000 hours on it. But that left me with a hunger and I swore never to do it again, but then I saved to buy an old Porsche and I did!” Following his graduation from university, where he took up business and marketing, Zeigler’s preternatural business and marketing acumen have seen him through positions across virtually every major industry there is, including, travel and leisure, automotive, f and b, banking and finance, entertainment, and automotive, playing key roles in companies across three continents. So why did he get into marketing?

“I was 37 years old. I saw marketers had nice cars,” laughs Zeigler, who now has an

January-February 2014

impressive collection of classic automobiles to his name – many of which he painstakingly restored on his own. He takes pride in performing the restorations himself, as opposed to just buying a roomful of brand new, comparing the latter to a museum exhibit or an agency long after the creative process has taken place. “It’s like walking inside a studio and just seeing a finished ad!” “Restoring cars keeps me sane – I like the process of the problem. With a car, I start restoring one to buy a better car, and then start another. So no matter how many problems I have, I always go. “Where’s the car? What do I have to do next?” Everything would change in 1986, when Zeigler co-founded what has since been recognized as what could very well be the world’s integrated agency, Kzzynski & Ziegler. “In 1986,” said Zeigler, we got sick of agencies selling us bits of advertising. So we said, ‘Let’s sell this to our client fully-integrated.’ That’s when we created the world’s first integrated agency, with fully through-the-line ideas, predominantly promotion, packaging and a little bit on advertising – we created full solutions.” The world of advertising would never be the same.

With the goal in place to “reverse the takeover of the ad industry”, Zeigler set about introducing a more collaborative work model than existed at the time, wherein the agency would act almost as a consultant to their clients. Instead of just executing every brief with a series of ads, said Zeigler, “I start by thinking what is the business problem and bring a relevant business solution.” Put simply, the integrated service

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“Today we have become so efficiencyfocused that we have forgotten creativity is a much an art as it is a science – both need equal management to produce results for clients” solutions approach Kzzynski & Zeigler introduced worked, and it wasn’t long before companies like Unilever, Nabisco and Kraft were added to their list of clients. The agency’s logo of two owls was meant to be a reflection of wisdom and youth, a description that Kzzynski & Zeigler felt best described them. “We were a couple of young honchos, who acted like we knew everything.” It was not long before this fast growing agency was acquired. The early 90s would see Kzzynski & Zeigler acquired by DDB Worldwide. “(When) we sold it to DDB,” said Zeigler, “I fell in love with DDB’s culture and stayed there.” The rest, as they say, is history.

John and I picked up our conversation in DDB’s posh Singapore office, where over a 100-strong creatives were hard at work around us. Our topic for the day was one of increasing concern to the ever-forward thinking Zeigler, namely, the role procurement plays in clients’ agency selection process. A supporter of procurement in its original form, wherein it was introduced as an accounting process designed to deliver efficiency of expenditure for the client, Zeigler, says, “somewhere along the way it went very wrong”, due to the inability of creative agencies to tangibly commoditize the “very intangible” value of their creativity. “Today we have become so efficiency-focused that we have forgotten creativity is a much an art as it is a science – both need equal management to produce results for clients.” The problem lies, Zeigler says, in procurement consultants’ lack of general understanding on efficiency, effectiveness and

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“Creativity is the only thing we can build our competitive advantage on to our client because of the environment we are working in.”

the quality of creative output, despite studies – including one by Peter Field – finding direct correlations between creativity and effectiveness. If this shift in the marketing life cycle is left unchecked, says Zeigler, we could be facing the death of the creative agencies. Unfortunately, as of this writing, “The industry has not (yet) classified its strengths or categorized its agencies enough”. Were he to have his way, Zeigler says he would ask the procurement consultants to change their models, to be more analytical and know the differences between the agencies. 01

01 Seen here with a 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GT Berlinetta Coupe from his collection, Zeigler is a lifelong auto enthusiast, with a number of restored classics to his name. 02 A dedicated family man, here’s a shot of the Zeiglers on holiday in Rome. 03 Zeigler strikes a pose in DDB’s Singapore office. 02

Indeed, the procurement’s role should be that of a chaperone to their clients. In his introduction of TV director David Nutter in Singapore at last year’s Spikes, Zeigler reminded his audience of the importance of creativity to our industry: “Creativity is the only thing we can build our competitive advantage on to our client because of the environment we are working in. We sell brands and creativity finds a ways to bring value to clients and to bring more value to our business of creating ads. We are in the business of creating solution for our clients, we need creativity to achieve results and to be successful.” Keeping in line with the mission to provide business solutions that he set forth when he co-founded Kzzynski & Zeigler all those years ago, Zeigler reminds me, “We make money from bringing business solutions; if we do not get paid for creativity and value, we will be out of business.’” Prognostications of gloom and doom notwithstanding, Zeigler is level-headed and practical about what must be done to ensure the survival of the creative agency, without necessarily doing away with procurement altogether. What is required, he says, is more akin to a rethink of the process: “As a profession, we can go on complaining about being drilled down on fees or we can start building a strong case for ensuring we invest in creativity to achieve the best possible results. I welcome a new era where clients and agencies take responsibility for the precise role and scope the purchasing function plays; when procurement departments have an in-depth understanding of what can be achieved with high-end strategic creativity; when it starts to appreciate the real value lost by cost reductions; and, instead looks at ways of better investing in creativity and brand differentiation.” In short?

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January-February 2014

“Bring it on!”

UA&P Asia-Pacific

Tambuli Awards 2014 CALL FOR ENTRIES Brands that celebrate humanity. Brands that inspire purpose. Brands that deliver results. Asia-Pacific Tambuli Awards. The only global award on Integrated Marketing Communications Effectiveness and Social Good. Submit your entries on or before March 28, 2014. Visit www.tambuliawards.asia

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sta rcom me diaves t group

Starcom sprints ahead brands â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Human Experienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; reboot Words sharon desker shaw

Starcom's Global Experience Committee converge on Manila for judging late last year.

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st arcom me diaves t group

T H E F IR M

In Puerto Rico, prisoners are given internet access to tweet about their jail house experiences in a move to de-glamorize a life of crime among the country’s youth. In the Philippines, a company offering vitamins and nutritional support products becomes part of the community through a livelihood program that, among other things, helps participants earn extra income to buy products to improve their family’s health. Over in the Netherlands, a mobile phone brand helps the Dutch say hello to the country’s astronaut in space in a way that brings the community together like never before. These ideas are a world away from advertising as consumers know it. Yet, the measured numbers they produced showed that the work had engaged and connected with consumers, delivering volumes of earned media with minimum media expenditure. For their agency creator, Starcom MediaVest Group, it’s just another day in the business of being “the human experience company”, a shift the Publicis Groupe network made three years ago. “For a media company to have come out three years ago and said we’re going to pivot our entire organization to experience creation and become a human experience agency, that is a big deal… a brave thing to do,” said John Sintras, the chairman of SMG Australia and director of the network’s Global Experience Committee. “Now everyone’s starting to talk about experience, (back) then, it was unique. When you talked about it then, there was a bit of an eye roll – oh here we go again, what does this mean? They’re creating more fluff where there’s actually no substance.” For the agency leaders, there was only one thing to do: They had to bring the positioning to life for the rank and file by letting the product inspire and challenge staff to take the next step with the way they craft media programs. Accordingly, the global product committee was revamped, its role expanded beyond judge and jury. “We turned the product committee into the core mechanism to inspire our organization

John Sintras, (back row, fourth right) and Jeffrey Seah (front row, second right)

January-February 2014

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and to develop the thinking frameworks on how to design the work and to produce bespoke training modules,” said Sintras. Rechristened the Global Experience Committee (GEC), the group shifted from an evolving to a permanent chair, now held by Sintras. “We’ve found there’s a corporate memory that’s important when you’re benchmarking quality of work across 80 or so offices. It’s important that the base is consistent and that you are building on the base over time,” he said. It also helped that the network typically only swapped a third of committee positions in any given year, giving it the benefit of fresh perspective but also the experience that comes from having sat through the

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product evaluation process for some time. Other changes were more dramatic. Starcom also expanded and overhauled product categories to better reflect the new rules of consumer engagement. The scoring criteria was also revamped, making these “simpler and a lot more human… more focused on the way we were thinking and what we felt was making great work”. Changes were also made to the format of the awards ceremony. This year’s show, set in Dubai in February, operates as a conference and includes global management meetings, making it a focal point for the entire organization. The ‘Human Understanding’ category celebrates work that has a particularly

powerful piece of human inspiration inside that sparks the human experience. The ‘Experience Design’ category looks at the way a campaign is put together – from the integration, interaction and response aspects of the work – while the creativity competition focuses on real innovation. Internal categories have also been included in the mix: A ‘Working Smarter’ competition focuses on work practices which innovate the way the agency works internally and with clients and vendors in order to generate value for both sides. The Humanity category covers cause-related work done either for clients or for Starcom’s internal operations; work that aims to make a difference in the world while building the agency’s culture. ‘Follow2Unfollow’ is perhaps one of the category’s most powerful examples. This multi-awarded initiative has arguably set the category bar high. The effort came from staff of Liquid Thread, the agency’s content-driven arm, in Puerto Rico, who felt the country needed to turn crime reduction efforts on its head. They persuaded the government to take the unprecedented step of giving three prisoners access to the internet based on the insight that the only way to turn young people away from crime is for real prisoners to depict the misery of life behind bars in real time. “That to me says there is a role for social when there’s an insight and when it’s done well. You don’t need to spend large amounts of money to actually make an impact in our society today,” said Sintras. “That’s what is really exciting about the opportunities that we have – it’s of the community, for the community. The campaign wouldn’t exist without these people. It’s a collective experience,” he said of the campaign, which saw a quarter of the country’s Twitter users participating and interacting with the prisoners.

01 'The Netherlands Greets André' 02 'Follow2Unfollow' from Puerto Rico 03 'First Step to Livelihood' from the Philippines

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January-February 2014

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T H E F IR M

“We’re taking this whole global connectedness thing really seriously.”

Community was also a cornerstone of Starcom’s work for Mobile Samsung, which backed the Netherlands’ grand send-off gesture for its astronaut to the international space station. As part of the crowd-sourced campaign, 35,000 Dutch citizens submitted their Facebook profile pictures. A graffiti artist, known for his work with smartphones, used the individual shots to create an image of the astronaut on a 2,000-kilogram canvas large enough to be seen and photographed that was from space. With the astronaut tweeting about the gesture, the effort brought the proud community together like never before. “The connectedness of all these people sending this message to this guy alone in the middle of space looking down on earth – it’s incredible.” Sintras, who visited on Manila along with his 30-member GEC team for a round of judging cum training session late last year, also singled out the Philippines as a star office. It was the first market in the network to apply the human experience framework – within three weeks of launch with work for United Laboratories and Coca-Cola, according to Jeffery Seah, VivaKi’s country chair for Southeast Asia and SMG chair of the Asia Digital Leadership Team. For Coca-Cola’s centennial anniversary, the office helped the brand re-connect with distant teens by appointing a ‘President for Happiness’, increasing brand awareness and love by 100%. Recma’s top-billing agency for nine straight years, the Manila office helped United Laboratories create a livelihood

program for women in the province to generate additional income through simple activities such as soap making, massage among others. The 'First Step to Livelihood' program for 15 United Home Products range helped embed the company in provincial communities: “Unilab has given birth to a unique distribution channel that not only supported moms who belong to this target market, but also incentivized them to recommend the product,” said Seah, noting that work such as these would help local offices, particularly the Philippines, transform local advertisers into global network clients. For Sintras, GEC’s impact in helping “operationalize brilliance” across the network is deep. Markets that have hosted GEC have shown some of the highest scores across the network. “I can’t help but think there must be a connection between 30 amazing diverse people coming to a market, super-charging them, making our purpose real, grounded, human.” Beyond the GEC, Starcom also tweaked its working model, becoming more open source and collaborative to sharpen its creative product. Sintras explained: “By the time you build your own stuff, particularly in the tech space, it’s already out-of-date so we’re always about who can we partner with, learn from, help to either gain insight or deliver, activate quickly.” The open source approach extends to the strategic process – people and communities are co-opted, their input collated within a global human experience center staffed by 150 specialists, whose job is to ensure the agency has the best human understanding, bar none.

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There are panels for everyone, from moms to millennials. A men’s panel is due to launch across eight markets with others wired in as and when needed. All provide an always-on community that can help with co-creation or distilling consumer insights for clients and pitches. “We’re taking this whole global connectedness thing really seriously. (Network CEO) Laura Desmond is obsessed with connectivity, obsessed with one global tribe that is able to come together and leverage seven-and-a-half thousand people. People want to be part of something bigger than themselves,” said Sintras. Innovation is naturally high on the agenda. The agency has struck partnerships with TED, taking the platform to Cannes to fire up discussion on ideas that can change the world; Berlin School of Creativity; and MIT Labs, among others. Anticipating and adapting to a changing media market has been good for business, not to mention its creative profile. The Won Report crowned it the Top Media Agency for 2013 based on the awards won for its creative media campaign. Three years on from tweaking its brand DNA, the network booked well over 40% of its revenues from non-traditional work across the world, a number that is expected to reach 50% by year’s end. Sintras noted: “That’s an extraordinary achievement… all the growth in our business is coming from these areas. It’s not coming from traditional media. In the majority of markets, traditional media is either stagnating or going backwards.”

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electr olychee

January-February 2014

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T H E F IR M

Marcushiro and Bru of Electrolychee on fighting, their dream project, and design in 2014 Words Carmela Lapeña

Funky and sweet, soft and sharp - there are a lot of words that can be used to describe Electrolychee’s work. In the design duo’s own words, their style “plays within the realms of both slick, computer-generated vector art (electro) and organic, hand-drawn imagery”. Plays is definitely an appropriate word to use, as the way Electrolychee merges illustration with design conjures up sunlit afternoons, childhood games, and the sticky-sweet sensation of aratilis fruit when it bursts on the tongue. Electrolychee’s work is simply fun. Electrolychee is Marcushiro and Bru, both full-time visual artists based in Manila. Their space, as featured on photographer Mitch Mauricio’s blog anik-anik love, reflects their playful style. Every color imaginable – shelves bursting with books and toys, bright sneakers, art in every corner, assorted musical instruments, and plenty of knick-knacks. The design and illustration studio has participated in several design conferences, as well as collaborated with both local and foreign artists. “Ayaw na namin nang may amo. Gusto naming kami na magpasweldo sa sarili namin. (We don't like having a boss. We like generating our own income),” the two shared when asked how Electrolychee was formed. According to Marcushiro and Bru, their designs have become cleaner and, of course, better in the eight years since their 2005 launch. Their colorful pop-inspired work can be seen everywhere from children’s books to album covers, sneakers to postcards, restaurant walls to stickers, gallery walls to driveways, and even on soda bottles. Apart from Electrolychee, Marcushiro also keeps busy with indie-rock band Bagetsafonik. The two also have their individual artistic pursuits – Bru’s first

’zine debuted last December at BLTX small press expo. Electrolychee described the way they work together as “para kaming left and right brain. Tapos pag pinagsama mo yung dalawang hemisphere, bonggang idea. O minsan, mas bonggang away (We’re like a left and right brain, that when combined, result in a great idea, or an even greater fight).” Be that as it may, their client list is impressive: Nike, Unilever, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Smart Communications, Nokia, Ayala Foundation, Universal Records, Terno Recordings, Details Trading, Bigfish Productions, Human, Bratpack, Grab Jeans, Shu Uemura and Pony. At one Pecha Kucha Night in 2010, they shared that even if creative juices didn’t always flow, inspiration was everywhere. “You can even make something out of things you don’t like,” they said. Electrolychee is currently working on Biyaheng Langit, a book they are producing with publisher Tahanan Books. Partially funded via Artiste Connect, Biyaheng Langit is due to be released in the first quarter of this year. This is the pair’s first book project and it revolves around a topic which, as they shared, began because they were drawn by the eye candy. “It’s about religious jeepney vinyl art. Ang tagal pala ng gestation ng libro. Kami nag-research, nagsulat, nag-document, at, madalas, nag-away-away (The book has had a long gestation period. We did the research, documentation, and, frequently, the fighting),” they shared, saying the book was their most challenging project so far. “What was initially a tickled fascination became a long-term obsession with preserving this often taken for granted aspect of Philippine folk art,” the project description reads. The book will be filled with over 100 photos of colorful, hand-rendered jeepney graphics they amassed during

January-February 2014

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electrolychee

01 Fete Dela Musique 2013 poster design 02 Baguio wedding invite 03 Tarsius LP sleeve design 04 Customised Coke Bottles - for the inauguration of Coca-Cola plants in Misamis Oriental and Cebu 03

“We're like a left and right brain” adobomagazine

their travels around Metro Manila and its nearby provinces, as well as interviews with jeepney sticker artists, drivers, and experts on religious iconography. Like many of their projects, Biyaheng Langit carries distinctly Filipino elements, but Electrolychee maintained that there was no conscious effort to integrate local flavor in their work. “Natural lang na lumalabas ang influences namin, chiefly kabaduyan. Hindi naman kailangang maging literal yung approach. Hindi naman pag Pinoy, automatic jeepney (Our influences, chiefly, cheesiness, come out naturally. The approach doesn’t have to be literal. Pinoy doesn't automatically mean jeepney),” they said. Asked what their advice would be to young designers, the two said they should avoid trying to be cool. “Wala kang mapupuntahan kung hindi ka naman nag-aral nang mabuti ‘nung college. Swerte na nga niyo na may design courses ngayon eh, parati namang nagcu-cut. Galingan mo nalang mag selfie, mayaman naman parents mo. Kung mapilit ka parin, balikan mo yung inaral mo nung college. Sipag, tiyaga at kumpyansa lang yan

January-February 2014

(You won’t get anywhere if you don’t study hard in college. You’re already lucky that there are design courses now, but you keep cutting class. Take good selfies, your parents are rich, anyway. If you still want to try, return to what you studied in college. It’s just about perseverance, hard work, and confidence)." Designers who possess these qualities are the ones who will stand out, they said. The pair also expressed delight at designers who return to organic, hand-drawn work, such as one video artist who does calligraphy. “Siguro mas halo-halong styles ang lalabas sa 2014 (Maybe more combined styles will emerge in 2014). Pinagdaanan na natin yung (We’ve already gone through) maximalist, yung minimalist, paper, stop motion, Matutinism (local designer and illustrator Dan Matutina, who is known for mixing styles and textures) etc, etc,” they said. At this stage of their business, the pair's aspirations are modest: “Mabilis magbayad na kliyente. Madaling kausap na kliyente. Masaya na kami doon (Clients who pay fast. Clients who are easy to talk to. We’d be happy with that).”

post yolanda roles

IN T E L L IG E N C E

Brand expectations McCann study underscore brands’ role in recovery drive

the lives, not just of the survivors of the typhoon but of society at large,” noted Raul Castro, the group’s chairman and chief creative officer for the Philippines.

Brands and private companies are seen as “effective” contributors in helping with recovery efforts in the Philippines, a survey conducted after the world’s strongest storm devastated large swathes of the country’s central region late last year. McCann Worldgroup Philippines’ PostYolanda Consumer Sentiment Survey found: 96% of Filipinos aged 21 years and older expect brands and private companies to play an effective role in post-typhoon recovery efforts. 97% expect the same from organizations (such as the United Nations, the Red Cross, and the World Health Organization, as well as the international community, seeing them as “effective” contributors to the recovery efforts. According to McCann, the study underscores the bond between Filipino consumers and the brands that are part of their daily lives. “Not only are brands seen as symbols of quality products and services; brands are indeed seen as part of the Filipinos’ lives and that in challenging times such as this, as a partner that could help empower and catalyze positive change,” notes Gino Borromeo, the group’s vice president and chief strategy officer in the Philippines. “The onus therefore is on brands to make themselves visible, relevant, and reliable during these times. Brands should position themselves as partners not just in good times, but also in challenging times.” That said, Borromeo also saw a danger

of being seen as opportunistic and solely concerned with selling and achieving business goals. He advised brands to be true to themselves and to be respectful of the consumers. “Brands have to be visible and be seen as relevant but should be very cautious such that they are not seen as opportunistic. Consumers know the stark difference between a heartfelt desire to help and an opportunistic desire to push one’s agenda during these challenging times.” Catalysts for positive change 75% of survey respondents said brands should “inspire others to continue helping”, when asked about recovery projects or activities brands should consider undertaking. McCann said this underscored the need for brands to be involved, not just in short-term relief and recovery efforts but also for continued involvement as the country rebuilds after the destruction. 73% of surveyed Filipinos want brands to “actively cooperate in the Philippines’ recovery”. 75% called on brands to “be more environmentally-friendly” and be supportive of climate change initiatives in the Philippines and globally (70%). Global climate change has been blamed for the stronger and more frequent storms arriving on Philippine shores. “Brands are no longer just symbols of quality, of prestige, or of differentiation. They have evolved to become catalysts of and engines for positive change. Filipinos now expect brands to play a more active role in the betterment of

January-February 2014

Optimism abounds 71% of Filipinos surveyed expect that the full recovery from the ill-effects of Yolanda to last somewhere between one to five years. However, optimism abounds among the surveyed Filipinos. 84% expect that the Philippines will be better off in the next six months, with only 8% saying that the country will be worse off. 49% also said that the Philippines would be better off after it fully recovers from the effects of the typhoon. A return to basics 66% said they have become more grateful and appreciative of the things that they now have, 64% were more ‘aware of my blessings’ and are more positive about life in general and 61% are finding recourse in prayers. McCann surveyed 500 respondents aged 21+ from Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in early December.

03 01 Give Yolanda survivors a reason to smile: SM Cares set up donation booths 02 Smart Bro organized Davao concert for a cause 03 Bench/ partnered directly with Red Cross for Yolanda relief

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M A RK E T I N G

bra nded edif ices

Everything in its right place Having the right digs is core to brands & experiencing their identity judging by the city’s towering edifices words Matthew Arcilla

While the history of architecture is littered with the names of mavericks and auteurs, truth is, sometimes a building is just a building. But when the tenants are companies with big goals, that building can also be an expression of ambition. Some stay comfortable within the confines of rented office space, others find the need to build their own home. In recent years, companies like Globe Telecom and Bench have outgrown their modest digs and broken ground to build true operational bases that say something about them that cannot be said by the office buildings of yester-decade. Something to the effect of, “We cannot be contained.” In the case of Globe, they wanted a building that would not only highlight their identity as a technology-based company, but encourage environmental responsibility. The Globe Tower, which began construction in 2010 and was finished August last year, was designed to meet Leadership in Environment and Energy Design (LEEDS) standards, which is the green building rating system from the United States Green Building Council. Not only was the tower built using environmentally responsible construction techniques and proper waste disposal, it was designed to have a minimal to zero operational impact. That doesn’t just mean a paperless office, but a company hub designed to make use of the best in technology to minimize impact and make a positive contribution to the rapidly growing built environment of Bonifacio Global City. As for the offices, built-in LTE provides high speed data transfer to all employees and an advanced videoconferencing

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01 Zuellig Building 02 Globe Tower 03 TV5 Media Center 04 Bench Tower

January-February 2014

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infrastructure provides flexibility in scheduling and concluding project meetings. Of course, the Globe Tower isn’t the only green building in the Philippines. That distinction goes to the Zuellig Building, a 7 billion-peso office highrise owned by the Zuellig Group, and reaffirms the pharmaceutical distributor’s confidence in the Philippines. With the Zuellig Group’s philanthropic bent, it only makes sense for the Zuellig Building to be one of Makati’s premier green buildings; it is also the first to acquire a Platinum level award from the United States Green Building Council. The Zuellig Building has an on-grid photovoltaic solar power system to generate renewable energy, as well as systems designed to recycle grey water and collect rain water to reduce its water needs. It also features high-speed elevators, auto-adjusting light fixtures and glass walls that conserve energy and reduce heat. Already the building is attracting a broad range of tenants looking for premium office space. Not just medical tenants like the StemSource Cell Bank facility and the EA Regenerative Medicine Center of Excellence, but tenants from finance, telecoms and business. The Bench Tower is another remarkable example of a company that’s moved to Bonifacio Global City in search of swankier digs. The 24-storey building was originally built to unite the different businesses of the Suyen Corporation, including but not limited to fashion brands such as Kashieca, Human and of course, Bench. With clean lines and rich finishes, the Bench Tower is a citadel for creativity and style. From the white marble walls and black

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stone floors of the elevator lobby to the dark glass panels and elegant wall cladding, as well as masterful landscaping at the 23rd floor and the basement, the Bench Tower speaks to the Suyen Corporation’s identity as one of the leading design brands. The Bench Tower is an excellent example of corporate digs that identify the company in a way that no amount of personalization can do with traditional office spaces. Then there’s the TV5 Media Center, the new home of the broadcasting corporation once known as ABC5. Part of the network’s efforts to modernize itself with updated technologies and facilities (including digital broadcasting technology), the TV5 Media Center brings the Kapatid Network to a better broadcast position in Mandaluyong ensuring it remains competitive in the face of more established broadcast networks. Before the Media Center, most of TV5’s media productio facilities have been scattered across the metropolis and making logistics one of their principal inefficiencies. And although the studios in Broadway and Novaliches have been retained, the Media Center helps the company bring many of those production facilities under one roof. It also reinforces the network’s commitment to the future of the industry with a dynamic facade that greets visitors with a history of communications. Each of these companies and their respective headquarters make one thing clear. If a company is to truly express its identity and its core, you can do no worse than with the right digs. Whether it’s the importance of style, a commitment to values or a dedication to industry, what matters is that a business, and everything else, is in its right place.

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thi rd part y st oryt elling

Around the World in 80 Brands Pair on odyssey of third-party brand storytelling Words CARMELA LAPEñA

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January-February 2014

For many people, seeing the world is a dream come true. But for Maarten Schafer and Anouk Pappers, traveling the world is about meeting people with a vision and brands with a purpose – and then sharing the stories they find. “We were born and we’re gonna die, and let’s do something fun in between, and something relevant,” Schafer told Pappers when they met in an Amsterdam bar 12 years ago. When Pappers made the suggestion to travel the world to meet people and brands, Schafer added, “Why don’t we

t hird part y st oryt elling

travel the world, meet people with a vision and brands with a purpose and share the stories to inspire other people? In this sense, we have a purpose ourselves.” The two are now on an expedition called Around the World in 80 Brands – a journey that includes Manila, Dubai, Mumbai, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, Tokyo, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Amsterdam, London, Paris, Sao Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro. Through the CoolBrandsNextWorld Storytelling project, the team spreads stories around the world via a network of

25,000 opinion leaders and influencers. They also work with curators, who are able to identify people the team should meet as well as cool stories that are relevant. Pappers described their work as third-party storytelling, in which they listen to a brand’s story and tell it from their perspective. “The idea behind it is that if I tell you a story, peer-to-peer on a horizontal level, it’s much more credible than when a brand tells us a story top down. In these times, we don’t really trust brands or top down communication anymore,” she said. Pappers added that through their

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work, they try to make companies realize and experience how storytelling can add value to their brand. “Because in this time of information overload, people are not looking for information. They want to have stories that they can relate to,” she said. CoolBrands also provides storytelling workshops to companies to help people think differently about communications in the workplace. “What usually happens is that when we are sitting in days and we overlook the storytelling. And as soon as you go into our office, we suddenly, we start transmitting information,” she said.

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thi rd part y st oryt elling

Stories are easy to understand, remember, and repeat, Pappers said. “This is how our stories work. It can influence our emotions and our behavior in long term,” she said, adding that from a brand perspective, employees are the most important brand ambassadors. “You have to make sure that your employees know how to tell a story of your brand,” she said. As an anthropologist, Pappers shared that she has always been intrigued by brands. “We believe that brands or companies can really make a difference. And consumers can influence companies. It’s a fascinating world,” said Pappers, who shared a story about GE, which integrated the triple bottom line – people, client and profit – into their core business.

Meanwhile, Schafer shared a story about Osklen in Brazil, where fish-skin is used for shoes and clothes. “First they start using waste material which was meant to be thrown away. Second, they will provide an extra income to the fishermen, and the good thing is that people from other fashion brands read this story and also wanted to use these materials. It’s a good example that inspires other fashion brands,” he said. Recently, the two swapped stories with Nissan Global’s marketing VP, Roel de Vries, Marc Wesseling, director at Tokyo creative agency UltraSuperNew, and Kim Beck of Jigsaw Research in China. According to Pappers, the biggest challenge is finding the wow factor in the story. “People look from the inside, which

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January-February 2014

makes it hard to see what makes them different. We look with an external view to the brand, and ask the right questions to find the wow factor,” she said. Schafer added that another challenge was that people were not used to storytelling. “The moment we started talking to business owners, or CEOs and CMOs, they understand storytelling. In lower levels, they think they should do corporate communications,” he said. Schafer added that what they look for is a brand’s purpose — a brand that exists only to create shareholder value will not survive. “We think a brand should always have a purpose in consumers’ lives and create stakeholder value. Even if a brand is just providing jobs to people, is already something good. But there must be something more,” he said.

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adobo Sidedish

Nel Capila

Digital Marketing Manager Unilever

2 10 7

Any skill you faked till you made it? Surfing. People thought I was good given I have a top-of-the-line surf board, cute surf outfits, but really, I was not.

9 8 6

If not marketing what would you have done as a career? Probably a travel photo journalist working for Nat Geo. Or probably a professional traveler, if there’s such a thing (you know, paid just to travel). Best advice you ever received? Do what you love.

in t he b a g

Favorite campaign of all time you didn’t work on Oreo ‘Daily Twist’. Conceptually strong and executed brilliantly

Favorite campaign of all time you did work on ‘Clear Dream Match’. If you had to create a tagline for your personal brand what would it be? Do More. Be More!

Neal Capila has been with Unilever Philippines for bearly six years, starting as merchandising and operation manager before moving to her current role in November 2009

My Desigual bag was bought on a trip to Vienna in September 2012. Desigual is not native to Vienna but I fell in love with the bag’s unique print and material. It reminds me of the city’s love for the arts and design. Plus it was 30% off. I also like it because I can match it with different colors and it can brighten a basic outfit.

Mench Viduya-Dizon Digital Marketing Manager of Ayala Land Viduya-Dizon is also a mom of two kids, who still finds the time to be a marathoner and a triathlete. “I am passionate about travel, learning and running,” she says.

Garmin 910XT Multisport Watch – I workout everyday and use this multisport watch to track my training.

MAC lipstick, lipliner and gloss

Blue wallet

Energy Bar – I’m afraid of getting hungry. Since I work out one to two times a day, I have to make sure that I have enough sustenance to last me throughout the day.

Coin purse

Baby Aquaphor – My two-year old daughter has skin asthma so her skin needs to be always moisturized.

Lego block – My four-year old son constantly leaves Lego pieces in the car and I always put these in my bag, reuniting these with the rest of the set as soon as I get home.

iPhone in a Lifeproof Case – I lead a very active life so I have to ensure my smartphone is protected from all the elements.

Boarding pass – We just came from a trip during the holidays. We love to travel and explore the country and the rest of the world.

Bare Minerals foundation, Mineral Veil, bronzer, mascara, eye liner, brushes

January-February 2014

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MEDIA

v i ewpoint

Evolving branded content creation Listen to create truly engaging content Words Joshua Black, COO GroupM ESP Asia Pacific

Content marketing was the marketing buzzword of 2013. Whether it was talking about how to measure it, how to create it or how much to spend on it, marketers all had it on their radars. As media continues to fragment and advertisers find it more challenging to reach and engage with their audiences through traditional advertising spots and placements, content marketing will continue to expand in 2014 at an accelerated pace. Several other factors will drive the growth in content marketing and a key one is the growth of internet-based media. As the reach and frequency of the internet expands in growth markets like the Philippines, internet based media will become a more appealing platform for advertisers. Advertisers in this space are not limited to the 30-second spots that TV typically offers and can therefore create new forms of content that run shorter or longer. Engaging fans on social platforms is heavily reliant on branded content and this will also be a growth driver. What I have found over the last five to 10 years is that many brands generally do a good job setting their branded content objectives, looking at audience habits and insights but then typically go straight into content creation with a brand message they wanted to say to consumers – more often than not, it was something that a 30-second spot couldn’t deliver. As consumers continue to have more control over what, where, when and how they consume content, brands and their agencies need to evolve their branded content creation process. Brands that only focus on creating branded content around “what they want to say” will possibly miss the mark more often than they hit it as this messaging generates low consumer engagement/involvement. There

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will of course be exceptions to this rule though from time to time, however, I think most brands that just follow this simplistic process will have more failures then successes. On the other hand, brands that start listening to “what consumers want to hear or find” (search data) and “what they are talking about socially” (social data) will be able to create branded content that we think has a much higher chance of success. There are a range of tools and analytic platforms available to gather this audience data and brands that integrate this into their messaging development will drive better returns. They will have broader acceptance of the message, stronger engagement and consumers will more often than not follow the desired behavior of the message being delivered. These brands will also be adding real value to consumers content experiences which is what consumers are really seeking when they seek out content, branded or otherwise. As brands get their heads around

January-February 2014

this evolved creation process, I think we will see more and more branded content worth talking about, more brands getting involved in this space, bigger budgets being allocated to branded content and continued organizational changes that are required for an evolving communications landscape. Content marketing is no longer a fad, new media or non-traditional. Brands that evolve and start engaging with consumers on the terms those consumers want and set will be the winners in 2014.

Joshua Black spent 10 years at PepsiCo International, working across brand and sports marketing before launching a start-up agency and then joining GroupM three years ago as the chief operating officer of its ESP Division across Asia Pacific. At ESP, Black oversees the operations of the business which now spans 14 markets and employs over 300 content specialists. ESP is the entertainment, sports and partnerships division of GroupM.

MEDIA

the wo n rep ort

Big Won’s 2013 Top Media Agencies

rank

Getting to know…

#1 Starcom Mediavest

#2 OMD

#3 Havas Media

#4 Mindshare

#5 Naked Communications

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#6 UM Curiosity Works

#7 PHD

#8 Initiative

#9 Horizon Media

# 10 Carat

Points

108

How has your time at Solar been to date? It’s been six months and with the number of channels we have, it feels like it’s been two years! But in a good way. Were there sleepless nights? Only when I have caffeine late in the day. What was the biggest learning curve at Solar? Adjusting to an email system that is a far cry from what I was used to in WPP. How have your past roles helped in your current position? I’ve always said that if you’ve run a company before, then running another company is pretty much the same thing; the end product is the one that varies. And working in advertising has exposed me to good creative work. But apart from all that, I do have a master’s degree in TV production, and I’ve always kept up with US network news. What excites you about your Solar job? Trying to integrate all of Solar’s resources and mentoring people to be the best they can be. And that’s not BS! What is the one thing you would like agencies to know about Solar? More than one thing: We want advertisers and agencies to know we have our eyes towards the future. We are just about ready to launch all our platforms that will reflect how people consume media. We are also taking a more strategic approach to our partnerships that will benefit our clients while still delivering the best possible content to our viewers.

* Points awarded by the won report

Starcom tops Won report NEW YORK StarcomMediaVest Group (SMG) quietly cemented its media supremacy in 2013, topping the Big Won report in a year when its rivals were tussling over the Cannes Lion media crown. The agency rode to the top of rankings with award-winners such as social media hit ‘Follow2Unfollow’, a real-time connection effort to de-glamorize crime among Puerto Rico’s youth, the real-time ‘Coke Polar Bowl’, featuring the brand’s iconic polar bears reacting to live events throughout the 2012 Super Bowl and the content-driven ‘Shower Stories by Zest’. Its ‘Save 11’ work for US insurer Allstate Corporate to lobby Congress to sign a teen-safe driving bill succeeded in having the law passed, was judged as Won’s 20th Top Media Campaign for 2013. The Won achievement is largely the result of the network pivoting to become the “Human Experience” agency three years ago, reframing the way it helps brands connect with consumers.

Mitos Borromeo spent two-thirds of her career in ad agencies, and the remaining third in media agencies. She has worked at Bates, JWT, and Lowe on the ad agency side, and with MindShare and GroupM during her days in media. Solar marks her first appointment as a vendor.

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Mitos Borromeo Solar Entertainment’s COO

January-February 2014

“The last two years in a row have had something like a 16% increase in the quality of our recognition,” John Sintras, chairman of SMG Australia and director of the network’s Global Experience Committee (GEC), said. He expected 2013 delivered a 30% increase in awards won over the previous year, or well over 400 prizes. “These are not just any old awards, but the highest level (at the major award shows) that really make a discernible difference to our industry and set the benchmark.” Sintras said the GEC was responsible for ensuring every market contributed to the overall tally from competitions such as the Effies, Cannes and Festival of Media among others. Sintras noted greater contribution from Asia to the global awards tally. Regional offices have scored a number of ‘best use’ awards across multiple mediums, with the Philippines winning the local 4As Best in Media Creativity. The Publicis Groupe agency faced off against a strong contender, OMD, which last year captured 10 Cannes Media Lions while its Sydney shop was crowned the show’s Media Agency of the Year. OMD also featured in the actionadventure ‘The Vet and the N00b’ campaign for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, which unseated Wieden+Kennedy to take the Grand Effie in the US competition.

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M E D IA

Media Spend Highlights Top 5 Categories Based on Spend DECEMBER 2013 vs. DECEMBER 2012 Hair shampoos, rinses, treatment/hairdressing prod

3,147 1,807

Top 5 Categories Based on Spend NOVEMBER 2013 vs. NOVEMBER 2012 Hair shampoos, rinses, treatment/hairdressing prod

74%

3,305 2,947

Top 5 Categories Based on Spend OCTOBER 2013 vs. OCTOBER 2012 Hair shampoos, rinses, treatment/hairdressing prod

12%

3,250 3,251

Detergents & laundry preparations

2,214 1,368

2,722 2,043

2,443 2,169

62%

Communications/ telecommunications

1,557 1,367

14%

Other food products/ Other than biscuits & bakeshop

1,318 955

38%

33%

Other food products/ Other than biscuits & bakeshop

1,531 1,266

21%

Skin care

1,237 961

29%

Communications/ telecommunications

1,415 1,004

13%

41%

1,233 1,017

21%

Dentifrices, mouthwashes & toothbrushes

Skin care

Other food products/ Other than biscuits & bakeshop

1,075 708

1,100 646

1,179 1,073

52%

70%

10%

*values expressed in million pesos based on published rate card costs **regular thematic and promotion spots only

Top 5 Advertisers Based on Spend DECEMBER 2013 vs. DECEMBER 2012

Top 5 Advertisers Based on Spend NOVEMBER 2013 vs. NOVEMBER 2012

Top 5 Advertisers Based on Spend OCTOBER 2013 vs. OCTOBER 2012

Unilever Philippines, Inc.

4,551 2,447

86%

Procter & Gamble Phils., Inc.

2,179 2,094

5,023 3,177

58%

Procter & Gamble Phils., Inc.

3,253 3,016 United Laboratories, Inc.

1,363 1,130

1,379 1,067

21%

United Laboratories, Inc.

1,184 796

49%

Selecta Wallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Inc.

651 424

3,933 3,091

27%

United Laboratories, Inc.

29%

1,338 1,153

16%

Colgate-Palmolive Philippines, Inc.

1,101 1,657

1,203 1,439

-34%

Selecta Wallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Inc.

54%

28%

Procter & Gamble Phils., Inc.

Colgate-Palmolive Philippines, Inc.

4,477 3,487

640 464

-16%

Monde Nissin corporation

38%

444 464

-4%

*values expressed in million pesos based on published rate card costs **regular thematic and promotion spots only Source: Nielsen Advertising Information Services

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generosit ee

Generositee launch adobo does its part with innovative t-shirt initiative December 12 saw the launch of adobo’s GenerosiTee intitative to provde relief good for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda. Mounted in conjunction with Lakihan Mo Logo, the event was held, at B-Side at The Collective along Malugay Street in Makati. Among the hands that performed were Imago, Moonstar88, Pedicap, Sandwich,Shoulder State, Marty McFly,Pasok Mga Buwitre, Obscure 90s and Turband. Over two million families were affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda, which swept through the Visayas early in November. While aid has poured in from all over the world, there is still much to be done on the road to recovery. Every little bit helps, and for its part, Generositee was adobo’s way of putting a little more meaning into its annual Christmas giveaway. As conceived, adobo GenerosiTee is a t-shirt that doubles as a container to hold relief goods for turn over to Red Cross while also providing an environmentally-friendly alternative to the plastic bags and other unnecessary packaging often used in relief operations. Included with the adobo GenerosiTee is an instructional guide on how to wrap the relief goods, as well as a list of items recommended by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. These include

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6 kg of rice, three cans of sardines, eight packs of instant noodles, eight sachets of coffee, and three cans of corned beef. According to DSWD, these will be able to feed a family of five for two to three days. “We wanted to inspire people to keep helping the survivors of Yolanda. This gift is not just for Christmas, but can be sustained for as long as help is needed,” said Angel Guerrero, president and editor-in-chief of adobo magazine. The shirt is a sunny yellow, with a bright red logo of an open hand. Apart from the t-shirt itself, adobo GenerosiTee aims to become a movement. To launch the campaign, adobo magazine will

January-February 2014

give free GenerosiTees to 200 ad industry VIPs, including ambassadors who will promote the campaign by wearing the shirt and through photos and video demonstrations on how to use the shirts as bags for relief goods. The GenerosiTee t-shirts are currently on sale for companies and individuals. All who participate in the movement are encouraged to upload a photo or video of their adobo GenerosiTee relief packs using the hashtag #GenerosiTee.

For more information, please visit www.adobomagazine.com/generositee

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01 Y&R ECD and Lakihan Mo Logo founder Herbert Hernandez rocks out for charity 02 OnMedia’s Armand Sazon with adobo’s Angel Guerrero and BBDO Guerrero’s David Guerrero 03 Mayumi Gomez of Imago 04 Philippine Red Cross’ Ryan Hopia and adobo’s Angel Guerrero 05 GenerosiTee supporter Dave Clinton donated cash 06 Event’s hosts Jasmine Mendiola and Syke with TBWA\SMP’s John Ed De Vera and JWT Manila’s Apol Sta. Maria 07 Lakihan Mo Logo crowd enjoying for a cause 08 GenerosiTee ambassador Kean Cipriano of Cala Lilly 09 BBDO Guerrero’s Gary Amante and Rey Tiempo with WYD Production’s Denise Galoyo 10 P&G’s Pepe Torres with BBDO Guerrero’s Donna Dimayuga

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on the job

adobo presents ‘On The Job’ First-ever Philippine screening of international cut

On December 4, 2013, adobo magazine hosted the country’s first ever screening of the international cut of Erik Matti’s critically-acclaimed On The Job at the Power Plant Mall Cinema. Playing to a packed theater, the event featured a panel discussion with the film’s director Erik Matti, producer Dondon Monteverde, musical director Erwin Romulo, and production designer Richard Somes. A noir-inspired crime thriller that drew rave reviews when it had its world premiere at last year’s Cannes International Film Festival, OTJ is the story of Tatang (Joel Torre), an inmate in a Manila jail whose status as a prisoner is conveniently deferred whenever the odd assassination job needs to be carried out. Under his wing is Daniel (Gerald Anderson), a fellow prisoner and hitman-in-training. Following a particularly brutal hit carried out in broad daylight, police Sgt. Acosta (Joey Marquez) is tasked with apprehending the culprits. Assisting in the investigation is Francis Coronel (Piolo Pascual), a hotshot NBI agent officer. What Francis discovers over the course of his investigation will cause the young man to question everything he has ever believed as he is pulled deeper and deeper into a web of conspiracy, corruption, and murder. Attending the screening were members of the advertising community, including DM9JaymeSyfu’s Merlee Jayme, Alex Syfu and Eugene Demate, who graced our previous issue’s gatefold cover celebrating their agency’s accomplishments. Cocktails were served prior to the screening, with free flowing drinks, courtesy of Emperador and Manila Wine, while all who attended were treated to exciting giveaways from Bodog Nation and adobo and a raffle. adobo editor-in-chief Angel Guerrero moderated the panel discussion which followed the screening wherein director Matti pointed out the differences between the international and local cuts of OTJ. While the main story remains the same, the international cut is faster-paced, eschewing scenes such as those detailing Acosta’s family

life and a coda hinting at a larger conspiracy. “We showed the film to [programmers], and the main comment that came in, ‘we love the Acosta role, but we don’t think you need the family story of Acosta. It just slows down the whole film, move on to the plot.’ Unlike the plot of Joel’s family, Tatang, wherein it’s integral to the development of the plot, the character of Acosta with his family is really an aside to the film. So when we went back, we cut out those two scenes,” said Matti. “Also, one scene that was in the local cut was the phone being discovered by Rayver Cruz at the end. Even on script, the ending of the script is as described here. The script ends with a shot of Manila which we took out and just the face of Joel in the blur of the wiper. That’s as written in the script because it

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January-February 2014

begs the question, is that me? Have I become so blurry? He’s so gray as a character, he’s so complex, he has become this lovable animal, that kind of guy, and that whole image kind of pictures it for all of us as filmmakers. That’s the Cannes cut,” Matti explained. “In the Philippines, we brought back the phone cut. It was a long discussion with producers.” Matti announced that the international cut of OTJ would be released on Blu-Ray in the United States – the first-ever Filipino title to be released in high definition – on February 14.

adobo’s screening of On the Job would like to thank Power Plant cinema, Bodog Nation, Emperador, Franco’s, ShampooShots, PhotoMan and Manila Wine, without whom this event would not have been possible.

on t he job

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on the job

01 The panelists answer questions from the audience L-R Moderator Lilith Reyes, Erwin Romulo, Dondon Monteverde, Direk Erik Matti and Richard Somes 02 adobo’s Misha Lecaros and Dic Malit proudly share the OTJ photospread in adobo magazine’s Nov/Dec issue with Erik Matti 03 DM9’s Merlee Jayme, Annette Eufemio of Brew Productions and JWT Manila CEO Melissa Crucillo 04 Eventscape’s Stephen Ku (right), who plays a small but key role in the movie, with Punky Canoy and WWF Ambassador and model Rovilson Fernandez (left) 05 Carlo Casas with Tomasso and Kim Cavalli-Sforza 06 The Director with Federal Phoenix Assurance president Ramon Dimacali 07 adobo’s cover girl DM9JaymeSyfu’s Merlee Jayme (4th from right) with partner and new 4As chairman Alex Syfu (far right), showing off adobo’s latest issue With them are: L-R DM9 Di9it’s ECD Eugene Demata, adobo’s Angel Guerrero and Apple Manansala 08 Wine was provided by Manila Wine and served personally by owners Romain Charpentier and Matthieu Gaillard 09 Event partner Bodog Nation invite a guests to their booth promoting their ‘Fire Yourself’ recruitment campaign 10 Radio guru Tony Hertz of Hertz Radio, (and other foreign nationals) were pleased to be given the chance to view this Filipino masterpiece with English subtitles. Seen here with Hit Productions’ Salito Malca

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adobo design awards

2014 SPECIAL REPOrT

For the fifth year in the row, adobo magazine is hosting the adobo Design Awards, a competition that seeks and celebrates the best in the design industry. This year’s awards features a powerhouse jury of 19 experts in the design and creative industries, as well as new formats — Photography and Wearable Design — that open the competition up to a wider range of creative disciplines. Jury Lucille Lozada Tenazas - Head of Jury Based in New York for the last 35 years, Tenazas is a design luminary. She has received countless awards for her work, including a National Design Award in Communications Design from the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in 2002, and most recently, the 2013 AIGA Medal — perhaps the most distinguished award in the field of graphic design and communication. Presently, she is a professor at the prestigious Parsons The New School for Design, and heads her own communication graphics and design firm, Tenazas Design.

Jowee Alviar Alviar is the founder of Team Manila graphic design studio, which began as a two-man team in 2001 with the mantra to inspire Manila’s visual culture.

03 Amina Arañaz-Alunan Arañaz is a bag designer and co-founder of the School of Fashion and the Arts (SoFA), and a co-founder and member of the Fashion and Design Council of the Philippines (FDCP).

Kenneth Cobonpue A multi-awarded furniture designer and manufacturer from Cebu, he is known for using locally-sourced materials and unique designs.

John Ed De Vera De Vera is an associate creative director for design of TBWA\ Santiago Mangada Puno, and has worked on award-winning campaigns such as the Boysen ‘KNOxOUT Project EDSA’.

AJ Dimarucot An entrepreneur and creative, Dimarucot is director at Love & Madness Clothing Corp., and an independent graphic design professional.

07 Dave Ferrer JWT Manila’s executive creative director, Ferrer has worked on successful campaigns such as the Cannes Lion award-winning Schick ‘Icons’ series. He was also the youngest creative to be inducted into the Philippine Creative Guild Hall of Fame. 08 Arch. Tobias Guggenheimer A design educator, published author, and lecturer, Guggenheimer is the dean of the School of Fashion and the Arts (SoFA). In 1991, he founded Tobias Guggenheimer Architect, PC to provide quality architecture services for high-end residential and commercial projects.

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ad obo design awards

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Merlee Jayme Chairman and chief creative officer of DM9JaymeSyfu, Jayme has earned an impressive number of metals from local and international awards, and was the first Filipino to be awarded Creative of the Year in Campaign Asia Pacific’s Agency of the Year 2013 awards.

10 Dale Lopez As BBDO Guerrero executive creative director, Lopez was part of the team behind several triumphant campaigns, including the hugely successful ‘It’s More Fun’ campaign for the Philippines’ Department of Tourism.

Sid Maderazo Director and partner at 88Storey Films, Maderazo has spent over a decade as a TVC director.

12 Miguel Mari Mari is the creative director of Rogue Magazine. 13 Dan Matutina Born in Tacloban, Leyte, Matutina is a designer, illustrator, and co-founder of design studio Plus63 Design Co. He was recently awarded the Art Directors Club Young Guns award for 2013.

Armand Serrano Currently a visual development artist for Walt Disney Animation Studios in California, Serrano is also a lecturer in animation and design, and conducts workshops and demos locally and internationally.

Jay Tablante A professional photographer, Tablante has held several one-man exhibits, guested in various regional comic conventions, and published Geekology 101, the first-ever book on cosplay photography in the country.

Budjette Tan MRM Manila’s deputy executive creative director, Tan is also the creator of award-winning graphic novel, Trese.

18 Brian Tenorio Currently an international consultant for branding and design at the Asian Development Bank, Tenorio also heads Tenorium Ent, a multi-disciplinary design agency in Manila. He is also a fashion designer, most known for his shoes.

Jose Maria Yupangco Yupangco is the dean of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s School of Design and Arts.

14 Leeroy New A sculptor, artist, and designer, New’s practice is an attempt to overlap and intersect with the different forms of visual arts including film, theater, and fashion.

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Category line-up Professional – Open to Philippine or foreign-based professional design practitioners, companies, or individuals, this category welcomes entries in the following formats: 4 Press & Poster 4 Corporate Brand Identity 4 Typography 4 Illustration 4 Books/ Publishing 4 Packaging 4 Outdoor/ Ambient 4 Environmental/ Spatial Design 4 Product Design 4 Wearable Design 4 Photography 4 Production Design 4 Video 4 Digital/ Interactive Open/ Theme – With the theme ‘Design for the Future’, the category is open to professionals, freelancers, and students. It calls for creative solutions and design that is socially relevant, environmentally conscious, uses locally sourced material, and reflects Filipino sensibilities. This category welcomes entries in the following formats: 4 Packaging 4 Wearable 4 Environmental 4 Furniture 4 Others “How can design help certain issues and problems? It’s not commercial anymore, it’s life-changing, it’s for the betterment of the future,” Alviar said. “We’re excited to see all the issues that the designers and creatives are looking at and how they can participate in solving these issues.” Jayme noted that ‘Design for the Future’ does not necessarily entail high technology. “It’s not that. It’s more of it will change lives. It will change the world later on. It’s really the idea and the design of the idea that can change lives,” she said.

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adobo design awards

Snapshots

a d o b o d e s i g n awa r d s

01 adobo’s Angel Guerrero (5th from right) and Janelle Squires (6th from left) with jurors for the 5th adobo Design Awards, L-R, Sid Maderazo, Toby Guggenheimer, Dan Matutina, Jay Tablante, Jowee Alviar, John Ed De Vera, Dale Lopez, Merlee Jayme, Leeroy New, Brian Tenorio and AJ Dimarucot. Jurors who are not in the main photo are Lucille Tenazas (pictured 05), Dave Ferrer, Miguel Mari, Dean Jose Maria Yupangco, Amina Aranaz and Kenneth Cobonpue 02 Former Head of Jury and shoe designer Brian Tenorio doing an adobo Live interview 03 TBWA’s John Ed De Vera is the competition’s youngest juror and former winner 04 Guerrero and Squires with Yupangco 06 adobo’s Guerrero shows off adobo Design Awards 2014 Entry Kit 07 Arch Guggenheimer 08 Venue partner for the adobo Design Awards, 2014 - 1771 Group of Restaurants 09 DM9JaymeSyfu’s CCO Jayme returns as judge for the 3rd consecutive year 10 New (left) with Team Manila’s co-founder Alviar, who is also back for a third judging stint.

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primer

This year, the Confederation of Asian Advertising Agency Associations (C4As) brings the Effie awards to a regional level, launching the 2014 APAC Effie, which recognizes significant achievements in marketing effectiveness across Asia Pacific. The regional tilt is an addition to the national awards already being held in the region- Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, India, China, Hong Kong, and South Korea. Finalists and winners of the awards will be included in the Effie Effectiveness Index, a ranking of the marketing communication industry’s most effective agencies, marketers, and brands. Connie Chan is the APAC Effie Awards 2014 chairman, while heads of jury include Ajay Kakar and Ben Lightfoot. Chan was a founding member of specialist company MEC Global Solutions, which she now leads as managing director. She is also the president of the Singapore 4As, the first woman to hold the role in the group’s 64-year history. Kakar is chief marketing officer-financial services of the Aditya Birla Group, where he leads marketing across the group’s lines of business. Kakar has also worked at Ogilvy & Mather, across the three key disciplines of direct marketing, advertising, and public relations. He has chaired the Effie India Awards for the past three years. Lightfoot has been CEO of McCann

Connie Chan <

Worldgroup in Singapore since 2010, when he was appointed after re-establishing the McCann presence in the New Zealand market as creative and managing director. He is also an APAC Effie Committee member and chairman of Effie Singapore. Special Awards In addition to the Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners, a Grand Effie will also be awarded, selected from the Gold Effie winners to recognize the “Best in Show.” Gold, Silver, and Bronze wins, as well as finalist entries will be assigned points. Points will then be added to determine the recipients of the Agency of the Year Award and the Agency Network of the Year award. Categories Categories are divided into Single Market, and Multi-market. Single Market categories are for open to all cases, whether they have run in a single market, or across multiple markets. Multi-market categories are for entries that have run across two or more markets in Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific Brands is a new specialty category under single and multi-market. The category is meant to recognize brands, whether established or emerging, that have been successful in their campaigns even as they compete against strong global players. The Asia Pacific Brands category is open to all brands that have its roots in Asia Pacific, and are born and bred in the region.

ben lightfoot <

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Category line-up Single Market – Product & Services Categories: Agricultural & Industrial, Automotive, Beauty & Wellness, Beverages – Alcohol, Beverages Non-Alcohol, Consumer Electronics and Durables, Corporate Reputation/Professional Services, Restaurants, Financial Products & Services, Food, Government / Institutional, Healthcare, Household Supplies & Services, IT / Telco, Media, Entertainment & Leisure, Real Estate, Retail, Travel / Tourism, Other Products & Services Single Market – Specialty Categories: Asia Pacific Brands, Brand Experience, Brand Revitalisation, David vs Goliath, GoodWorks – Brand, GoodWorks – Non Profit, Media Innovation, New Product or Service, Small Budget, Sustained Success Multi-market – Product & Services Categories: Products, Services Multi-market – Specialty Categories: Asia Pacific Brands, David vs Goliath Timeline First round Judging: January 17, 2014 Second round Judging: February 20 & 21, 2014 Announcement of Finalists: February 2014 Awards Gala: April 2014, Singapore

Ajay Kakar <

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AdFest 2014:

Co-Create the Future Now in its 17th year, AdFest has announced its theme, challenging Asia-Pacific practitioners to “CoCreate the Future”. This year’s festival will focus on how marketing communication between businesses and consumers has become increasingly more diverse and transparent. In a statement, AdFest Working Committee Chairman Vinit Suraphongchai said that the influence of the modern consumer voice in defining the value of brands and these voices is louder and clearer than ever, making for crucial collaborations between them, brands, agencies and media. Keeping with the festival’s theme of creation, this year’s logo, a stylized 01 spirograph, has been created by Taproot India chief creative officer & co-founder Santosh Padhi. “AdFest is a collaboration of creative minds,” said Padhi. “It is all about rewarding fresh, new and innovative ideas. So we’ve come up with an icon that is not constant, like an idea which is never the same. The icon is of two parts: one is a symbol of co-creation, and the other is the output or expression of such co-creation. The playfully simple spirograph can create hundreds and thousands of wonderfully creative expressions.”

AdFest 2014 March 6-8 Royal Club Hotel Pattaya

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01 JURY PRESIDENTS Rei Inamoto Grand Jury As one of the primary figures leading the way towards advertising’s future, AKQA CCO and VP Rei Inamoto is uniquely suited for his role as this year’s Grand Jury President. “In a world where the only certainty is change, we can’t quite predict the future,” says Inamoto. But what we can do is to create it. AdFest is a celebration of today’s best creativity. It’ll undoubtedly give us a better idea of what the future holds.” Originally from Tokyo, Inamoto studied fine arts and computer science in the United States before joining AKQA New York in 2004. Playing a key role in growing the agency’s reputation as an ideas and

January-February 2014

innovation company, 2012 saw Inamoto inducted into the American Advertising Federation’s Hall of Achievement. In addition, Inamoto is also a member of Google’s Creative Council and has placed twice on Creativity magazine’s annual “Creativity 50” list. Inamoto will preside over the Interactive Lotus and Mobile Lotus as Jury President and also head the panel comprising of other Jury Presidents in judging the Integrated Lotus, INNOVA Lotus, Lotus Roots and the Grande of Humanity. He will also be a keynote speaker on the final day of the festival. 02 Kentaro Kimura Direct Lotus & Promo Lotus Hakuhodo Kettle Inc. Co-CEO and executive creative director Kentaro Kimura believes that the Direct and Promo Lotus categories are the most dynamic for ideas that move people in a short time, regardless of the media. “It may be an activity for social good, moving content, or a platform for experiences. There are a lot of possibilities for activating people. It is these inventions to move people that make the categories so exciting,” he noted. Kimura is one of Japan’s most awarded creatives with no less than 100 metals from the world’s top awards shows, including 2 Grande Lotuses from AdFest.

Yang Yeo Press Lotus JWT Shanghai’s China chairman and North Asia ECD, Yang Yeo’s awards from various shows have put Chinese advertising on the map. Among those metals was the China’s first-ever Gold Lion at Cannes for the Adidas Beijing Olympics campaign in 2008 and China’s first-ever Grand Prix three years later for the Samsonite ‘Heaven and Hell’ print campaign. As Jury President for the Press Lotus category, Yeo shared, “I look forward to entries that successfully use the marketplace as forums to create shared values between

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the brands and their audiences, so as to deepen their level of engagement, albeit much tougher for Press category to do this.” Originally from Singapore, he moved to Shanghai in 2006. As an advertising practitioner, he has handled roles at different agencies like BBH Asia, BBH London and Fallon in Hong Kong and Singapore. He was also crowned ‘Designer of the Year’ in 2012 by the President of Singapore for an expansive body of work, from advertising campaigns to design projects and architecture. 04 David Park Design Lotus & Print Craft Australian designer David Park launched Maud in Sydney, Australia in 2008. As founder and creative director, Park leads a team of design thinkers with extensive knowledge across local and international clients including Google, Diageo, Coca-Cola, Toyota, Carlton United Brewers and Tommy Hilfiger. Under Park, Maud has emerged as one of the most innovative studios in the region by reimagining the role a brand design studio can have in driving the businesses of its clients. Talking about being this year’s Jury President for the Design Lotus and Print Craft category, he shared, “The design scene in Asia and the Middle East is incredibly vibrant, and I’m expecting to see a lot of world class work at AdFest this year. It’s an exciting time to be a designer and I’m honored to join the line-up of Jury Presidents at AdFest this year.”

05 Andy Wilson Effective Lotus and Media Lotus Based in Singapore, Andy Wilson is head of strategy, Asia for BBDO/ Proximity, leading planners in across the region and developing innovative and effective communications strategies. “I am honored and excited to be serving AdFest as a Jury President. AdFest has always had its finger on the pulse of communications in the region, and is one of the most dynamic showcases of the best communications on offer. I am particularly excited to be overseeing what must be the two most dynamic categories — Effective Lotus and Media Lotus,” says Wilson. As chairman of his network’s Asia Planning Council, he is one of the industry’s most influential strategic executives. He leads strategy from the front and is personally heavily engaged with campaign development on a selection of accounts, including Fonterra, Guinness, SingTel, Aviva, FedEx, and J&J. 06 Shahir Zag Outdoor Lotus Chief creative office at Y&R Mena, Shahir Zag moved to Dubai from Mumbai in 1997. He played a big role in turning the creative spotlight in Middle East. In 2012, he was ranked the number one copywriter, art director and chief creative officer in the world by an annual global report tracking the award performance of agencies, the Big Won Report. “I’m really kicked about the ‘Co-create’ theme at ADFEST this year. Doing great creative is no longer a writer-art director thing. It’s evolved into a wonderfully collaborative process. More and more, we’re seeing the influence of in-house producers and editors, artists, inventors, consumers, and interns doing social at two in the morning. It’s great that AdFest as a festival is celebrating this.” said Zag. Zag’s writing, design, and art direction have won trophies at ANDY, Art Directors Club, Cannes Lions, Clio, One Show, D&AD, London International, and New York Festivals.

January-February 2014

Hozefa Alibhai Film Craft Lotus & New Director Lotus Born and raised in Mumbai, Hozefa Alibhai dropped out of college because it stifled his natural leaning towards chaos, instead joining Ogilvy Mumbai. From here, he headed up the film departments of Publicis India and McCann Erickson before assuming command of the South Asian operations of Gobsmack Films, one of the most influential production and content creation houses in India. Today, Alibhai is managing director of 200 not out FILMS in Mumbai, where he is also in the process of producing his first Bollywood feature film. “Being appointed as Jury President at AdFest is a matter of great prestige. I had a great experience last year at AdFest meeting some very talented co-jury members and watching some mind-blowing work, which enriched me at a personal and professional level. I am looking forward to experiencing this again,” said Alibhai.

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agency of t he year

Flying the flag Agency of the Year races reveal networks’ geographic strengths

ASIA PACIFIC Campaign’s roster of Agency of the Year winners across its sub-regional competitions provided a telling view of the geographic strengths of the competing holding companies and their agencies. Australia and New Zealand are effectively Omnicom territory. It had more than 10 agencies in Gold or runner-up positions. The US holding company’s agencies dominated the creative (Whybin TBWA and DDB Group for Australia and New Zealand respectively) and media (OMD in both markets) races. Omnicom shops held the top two digital agency positions in New Zealand (Colenso BBDO and DDB). The world’s most-awarded creative, John Mescall of McCann Worldgroup Australia, flew the flag for Interpublic Group, winning the Australia/New Zealand Creative of the Year prize as did the company’s Draftfcb and UM brands. WPP’s acquisition of PLAY Communications Australia a year ago through GroupM gave it a Gold winner in Australia/ New Zealand’s specialist agency race. Greater China was a two-horse race – Omnicom had a bigger overall haul but WPP shops walked away with more Golds. WPP’s strengths were more apparent in the creative competition, where Grey Group and Ogilvy enjoyed star turns and JWT’s Polly Chu won the Greater China Creative of the Year prize.

Omnicom’s strengths were really in media – PHD won the Greater China and China award while OMD took pole position in the Hong Kong/Macau race. Dentsu’s purchase of Aegis gave the Japanese giant a bigger presence on the Greater China leaderboard that it otherwise would have had. Isobar was the clear star in the group’s brand stable, taking the digital prize for Greater China, China and Taiwan. It was a surprisingly neck-and-neck competition between Dentsu and Omnicom, in Japan and Korea. Omnicom dominated the creative competitions in both markets. The TBWA\Hakuhodo partnership triumphed in the Japan Creative Agency race and swept the people awards, winning Gold in five of the six categories. Dentsu Aegis prevailed in Korea’s media race with Carat, while Isobar took Gold for digital in both markets. South Asia on the other hand is WPP’s turf. Its agencies dominated the creative races, Y&R Asia Pacific chief creative officer Marcus Rebeschini, Campaign’s Asia Pacific Creative of the Year

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January-February 2014

winning in India (Ogilvy) and Pakistan (JWT). JWT was the overall South Asia Creative Agency winner. MindShare struck Gold in India and was the overall South Asia victor. Omnicom had more Golds in the people races, winning through DDB MudraMax in three South Asia categories – Agency Head, New Business Development Team and Young Achiever through DDB MudraMax Dentsu had a look in through Santosh Padhi, the co-founder of Taproot India, who was crowned Creative of the Year. WPP led Omnicom in overall trophies for Southeast Asia but were on par with Gold wins. Publicis Groupe shops were not far behind with the Golds. Region-wide, WPP emerged as the dominant holding group with Ogilvy & Mather’s sweeping victory. Ogilvy won five of the eight categories – Creative Agency, Digital, Agency Head, Account Person and Planner. MindShare as Media Network and Y&R with Marcus Rebeschini’s triumph as Creative of the Year gave WPP an unassailable lead in the Asia Pacific races.

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CAMPAIGN AGENCY OF THE YEAR 2013 awards

greater China

Japan/korea

South Asia

Southeast Asia

Creative Agency of the Year Gold Winner

JWT Grey Group

DDB Group

Media Agency of the Year Gold Winner

MindShare PHD

MindShare

Digital Agency of the Year Gold

Isobar

Winner

Ogilvy & Mather

PR Agency of the Year Gold

Ogilvy & Mather Group, Hong Kong

MediaCom Korea

Edelman India

Leo Burnett Group Malaysia

Silver

Ogilvy Public Relations, China

COSMO Public Relations Corporation Japan

Avian Media India

Edelman Kuala Lumpur

Bronze

Edelman Hong Kong

Edelman Japan

McCann Health China

McCann Health Communications Japan

Ogilvy Public Relations, Singapore

Specialist Agency of the Year Gold

Geometry Global india

VLT Malaysia

Silver

Accuen China

Targis Group Japan

DDB Mudramax India

E-GRAPHICS Singapore

Bronze

Proximity Live China

SPI Japan

Social@Ogilvy, India

i-Prospect Singapore

Gold

VITAMINE China

MediCom Korea

ibs India

TSLA (The Secret Little Agency) Singapore VLT Malaysia

Silver

Amber Communications China

COSMO Public Relations Corporation Japan

Capillary Technologies India

Vocanic Singapore

Bronze

Labbrand China

Asiance Korea

Winner

Irene Shum, Saatchi & Saatchi Shanghai

Yuko Kawamura, TBWA\Hakuhodo Japan

Sonali Sehgal, Ogilvy & Mather, Mumbai

Ian Loon, Starcom, MediaVest Group Singapore

Runner-up

Koo Yeat Mung, BBDO China

Kimi Yamanaka, Ogilvy & Mather, Japan

Chandana Agarwal, Ogilvy & Mather, Gurgaon

Shaun Tay, TBWA\Kuala Lumpur

Winner

Adil Zaim, Carat China

Ichiro Zama, TBWA\Hakuhodo Japan

Pratap Bose, DDB MudraMax

David Tang, DDB Group Singapore

Runner-up

Adam O’Connor, Ogilvy & Mather Group, Hong Kong

Yusuke Akib, Aegis Media Japan

Ranil de Silva, Leo Burnett Solutions Inc.

Gil G. Chua, DDB Group Philippines Tan Kien Eng, Leo Burnett Group Malaysia

Kazoo Sato, TBWA\Hakuhodo Japan

Santosh Padhi, Taproot India

Merlee Jayme, DDB DM9JaymeSyfu Philippines

Ajay Gahlaut, Ogilvy & Mather, Gurgaon

Marcus Rebeschini, Y&R Asia

Pratap Bose and Mandeep Mahotra, DDB Mudramax

Frank Bauer, Valeri Cheng, Sosuke Koyama, Jenn Hoe, Abhijit Chaudhuri, JWT Singapore

Independent Agency of the Year

iris Worldwide Singapore

Account Person of the Year

Agency Head of the Year

Creative of the Year Winner Runner-up New Business Development Team of the Year Winner

Strategy and Insights Team, Omnicom Media Group Hong Kong

Runner-up

Eric Choi, Patrick Wong, Arthur Chan, Y&R Hong Kong

Yuko Kawamura’s Team, TBWA\ Hakuhodo Japan

Tony Harris and Ombet Traspe, BBDO Guerrero Philippines

Planner of the Year Winner

Hans Lopez-Vito, BBDO China

Andreas Krasser, DDB Group Korea

Ganapathy Balagopalan, Ogilvy & Mather, Mumbai

Sutapa Bhattacharya, Leo Burnett Group Malaysia

Runner-up

Tania Huang, OMD Taiwan

Gary Klugman, TBWA\ Hakuhodo Japan

Anoop Menon, Ogilvy & Mather, Mumbai

CJ JImenez, Ogilvy & Mather, Philippines

Talent Management Person/ Team of the Year Winner

Laura Cheng, Wunderman Shanghai

HR Team, Lowe Lintas and Partners Yanyi Chee, Ogilvy & Mather, Singapore

Runner-up

Human Resources Team, Aegis Media China

Pankaj Suri, Edelman India

Venus R. Navalta, Ting Navarro, Maita Consulta, Tricia Macalalad, Dinna Zaratan, ZenithOptimedia Philippines Marilyn Yeong, PHD Singapore

Samyak Sanjoy Chakrabarty, DDB Mudramax

Rachel Tan, BBDO Proximity Shop SIngapore

Young Achiever of the Year Winner

Jason King, BBDO China

Runner-up

Lyndon Morant, MindShare China

Takahiro Miura, TBWA\Hakuhodo Japan

Kredrada Benjaathonsirikul, Initiative Thailand Sanuree Gomes, DDB Mudra Group Curren Seow, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide Singapore

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agency of t he year

Out-and-out victory Ogilvy dominates regional Agency of the Year races

ASIA PACIFIC WPP agencies returned to Campaign’s Agency of the Year after a one-year hiatus to dominate the regional competition. With WPP and Campaign resolving issues over the make-up of the judging panel, Ogilvy & Mather returned to nab the derby’s ultimate regional accolade. The eight-time winner of the Creative Network of the Year beat BBDO for the prize and steamrolled the rivals to take five of the nine Asia Pacific prizes, including the Digital Network honor along with 20 other awards in the sub-regional categories. The remaining regional prizes were people awards: • Chairman Paul Heath, the architect of the network’s commanding form, won the Asia Pacific Agency Head of the Year award • Regional vice president Soames Hines, described by the agency as its “lead rainmaker”, took the Account Person prize • Regional vice president Ganapathy Balagopalan was Planner of the Year. The Greater China, South Asia and Southeast Asia sub-regional categories delivered a further 20 awards. These included the top creative accolade for Hong Kong/ Macau, Thailand and India, the PR agency prize for Greater China and the digital award for Vietnam. Heath credited the network’s dominance to a program dubbed ‘Fuel’ that was launched

in 2012 to ignite the organization, its capabilities, product, business growth and people. In short, turn Ogilvy into “the region’s most creative, effective and social agency” through a range of inter-connected initiatives. Under Fuel, the leadership pursued the twin peaks of creative and effective excellence. In its push for “pervasive creativity”, Ogilvy set out to make every part of the regional network creative. Its ranks were challenged to bring new solutions to their department, the way they work with clients, distilled insights from data among other measures. “We believe creativity is the secret weapon available to today’s marketers,” Heath told adobo. Efforts on the creative front helped the region contribute to last year’s global haul of 146 awards.

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Paul Heath, Asia Pacific Agency Head of the Year winner

Campaigns such as Australia’s ‘Share a Coke’ delivered Ogilvy’s first Cannes Effectiveness Lion, while Singapore’s ‘The Sharing Can’ for Coca-Cola and China’s ‘First Monkey in Space’ campaigns produced multiple awards at Cannes, Clio and Spikes. For the second year running, Ogilvy was crowned the world’s most effective network at last year’s global Effie, which also bestowed the Mumbai office with the coveted most effective individual agency office award. The Asia Pacific operation now contributes close to half of all global Effie wins after its share climbed from 38% in 2012 to 47% last year. Retaining its digital leadership was another Fuel goal. “We believe everybody needs to be fluent in the digital language and we treat it as a group-wide policy,” Heath added. To this end, complementary capabilities were acquired through Singapore-based Ventricurl to beef up its marketing automation and CRM; and India’s digital delivery and production company PennyWise to fuel its digital delivery capabilities. Rollouts of Geometry Global, innovation hub K1ND, Luxury@Ogilvy and Smarter Commerce & IBM offered new creative solutions. Meanwhile, Social@Ogilvy and global adaption and production unit Red Works expanded their regional footprint. Fuel initiatives to ignite the network were ultimately anchored on recruitment, development, management and retention of its talent base. There were significant continued on pg 125

Soames Hines, Account Person of the Year winner

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Media heavyweight MindShare wins media prize with adaptive marketing focus

ASIA PACIFIC MindShare returned to the Agency of the Year competition after a year’s hiatus to beat Carat Asia Pacific for the regional Media Network of the Year crown Ashutosh Srivastava, MindShare’s chairman and CEO for Asia Pacific and Russia (6th from left, front row), said the network was a different agency from what it was at its last AOY outing in 2016. In that time, the agency had been re-engineered to embrace adaptive marketing, allowing it to adapt to new market and client conditions and the new media landscape. Accordingly, the agency structure was overhauled, staff retrained to ensure digital skills extended across the network, not within a silo, and its offering was sharpened in digital marketing, branded content, data and analytics, research and technology. Along with training, the network also snapped up talent and companies across the region to add to its bench strength and bouquet of services. Independent Unilever agency Masscom and Netbooster (rebranded as Movent were acquired in the Philippines, giving it scale and influence in the market. The agency also bought and rebranded Netbooster in Indonesia, and social media agency Vocanic in Singapore. “It’s about how do we expand the kind of things that we do with clients and, as you can see, all the growth is coming from digital,” said Srivastava of the acquisitions.

In the last two years, digital marketing has grown from 8-10% of its business, with revenue coming mainly from Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and China, to 25%. “(There’s) a surge in the digital part of our business and it is not just buying campaigns; its content creation and distribution, it’s analytics and ROI on the back of that; it’s the entire area of search and social,” he said. “What that is leading to is a greater focus in both getting the talent as well as acquiring businesses to get the capability, the scale as well as lots of talent to be able to do the kind of work for more of our clients.” Digital’s growing share underscored a significant change in the composition

of the agency’s business, the kind of work produced for clients and the composition of its talent profile. He said the network had “by design created one of the most diverse talent pool in terms of leadership”, having made a series of changes at the very top. The new leaders have since gone on to assemble teams with talents from social, content creation and other newer disciplines in line with MindShare’s adaptive marketing focus. This shift in focus has paid dividends on the pitch front last year. Headline-making wins included its successful defense of the Unilever business in Asia Pacific, extension of the GSK assignment to new markets and winning Chanel in multiple markets in Asia.

new hires such as Reed Collins as the first-ever chief creative officer for Hong Kong, Nicholas Courant as integrated creative director and Ed Booty as global planner for Unilever based in Singapore. Ogilvy bankrolled thousands of hours in regional training and mentoring programs, which helped cut the staff churn rate, produced cost savings and made Ogilvy the only advertising agency to make the cut of the 100 most ‘InDemand’ employers on the LinkedIn network.

Fuel was also key to the network’s high client retention rate and delivered one of Ogilvy’s best years for new business – it won a selection of non-aligned accounts across global (Huawei), regional (Mondelez International and IHG) and single (such as Qualcomm and Nikon for China) markets. “We had a very good year in 2013 in terms of our global performance,” said Heath. “… it was nice for Asia to do its part, pulling its weight as seen in Campaign’s Network of the Year award.”

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Ganapathy Balagopalan, Planner of the Year winner

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out 2014 128 Is there still gas in the tank? 132 Year of massive disruption 134 Cutting out the middlemen? 136 Front row seat to the future 138 Think content, context and advocacy 140 Bold step to digital maturity 141 Meaningful activations 142 Ready for take-off 144 Shifting gears 146 Rage against the machine? 148 Pushing retail boundaries

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outloo k 2014

Is there still gas in the tank? Agencies fear new normal of cost cuts to drive growth Major advertising groups are all looking to squeeze more growth from Asia, a region that has helped shore up corporate bottom lines after developed economies went into a tailspin when 2008’s global financial crisis struck. But does the region have enough gas in the tank to continue driving growth as Western economies struggle to produce a convincing turnaround. The forecast for 2014 is far from promising. The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific pointed to “another sub-par growth in 2014 due

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to slow recovery, policy uncertainty and protectionism in developed countries”. “I think 2014 is going to be very hard for the industry,” warned John Zeigler, chairman and CEO of DDB Group Asia Pacific, India and Japan. “There is a significant mind shift from growth focus to cost management focus, which means cuts are being made in the absence of long term growth. There is a concern that this is affecting both clients and agencies… once cuts are made, it’s very hard to turn the tide around. We are being asked to achieve more with less.” Zeigler’s assessment gels with what

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ESCAP calls the “new normal” for the region – sub-par growth for the coming years. In this “new normal” era, companies like JWT are counting on new business rather than existing clients to drive growth. “It’s nothing like the feeling you get when a recession is on the horizon. And it certainly is nothing like a financial crisis,” says Asia Pacific CEO Tom Doctoroff. “But is there optimism? No. Is the industry far less optimistic than it should be? Yes.” Brand marketers, he says, are being unduly conservative and anxious because the American economy recovery will turn

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01 Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific chairman Paul Heath

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02 JWT Asia Pacific CEO Tom Doctoroff

out better than expected. He also expects China’s “state of suspended animation” (the result of recent leadership changes) will lift once it becomes clear whether or not the economic reform agenda is taking off. While ESCAP may have trimmed GDP projections for developing Asia to 5.6% in 2014, the forecast still beats the 2.5% for the US or 1.5% for Western Europe. Asia’s large consumer market, led by the mega population centers of China and India and growth momentum in developing countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Indochina bode well for brands. “I don’t think any client can afford not to look for growth and get growth in emerging markets,” Ogilvy & Mather’s Asia Pacific chairman Paul Heath remarked, even after a year when Europe and North American stock markets performed better, growth slowed in China and India faced political change in 2014. Saatchi & Saatchi Asia Pacific chairman and CEO Chris Foster echoed the point: “Asia Pacific is still going to be where brands will see growth in 2014.” BBH Asia chairman Charles Wigley was similarly persuaded. “I certainly can’t remember another January when we have been involved in so many pitches across the region and current clients looking ahead in a positive manner.” Be that as it may, client budget directions run the gamut – stagnant for some; growing cautiously for others, according to regional agency heads adobo spoke to. “It’s not a question of growing spend; that can’t be the objective,” said Matthew Godfrey, Y&R Asia president. Agencies

and clients should instead be looking at increasing the return on marketing investment – with so many analytics at our disposal this is increasingly achievable.” Traditional media channels continue to consume the bulk of marketing investments though all eight regional heads interviewed noted higher earmarks for digital media. “Traditional media remains a very important engine for big markets – Indonesia, India and China,” said Heath. “Traditional media spend continues to grow with the possible exception of print “Where we see faster growth is in the online space, which is from a smaller base, and in new areas like mobile,” Heath said, pointing to social, content and display as growth areas for his network. “Digital opens up new ways of telling stories – the whole area of content is one massive area for us as an industry as we move away from the push model to one of engagement.” Chris Thomas also noted a significant change in the way clients treated digital these days. “They are not separating out online – but are just regarding it as a normal part of everyday planning and communications implementation,” said the chairman and CEO of BBDO Asia and chairman of Proximity Worldwide. “Online is a traditional medium (now).” Even so, digital media still ranked third behind activation and events account in terms of spending patterns for some agencies, including Y&R and DDB clients. Saatchi & Saatchi, which nabbed Gold Lions for its Philippine agency’s ‘Screen Age Love Story’ series, has seen greater investment earmarked for branded

January-February 2014

content, while BBDO clients were putting more of their online dollars on search. “In this rapidly changing media landscape, we should ignore not just the ‘deniers’ – (who believe) nothing will really change – but also the ‘all changers’ – all traditional media is dead,” cautioned Wigley. “The media landscape is changing massively but media tends to layer rather than completely replace – finding new roles and niches for themselves. You can watch a film anywhere, anytime – but cinemas remain because they are a great social night out. News is becoming commoditized, but great subject-specific commentary is flourishing. And, it turns out, video didn’t kill the radio star – see Spotify.” While consumers are still hooked on Facebook and other social media platforms, Doctoroff says the game has moved on. “It’s not all things digital; it’s sort of gone up one level to all things data, and then up higher to big data. “So advertising agencies definitely need to up their game in terms of analytics, just as they need to up their game in terms of infusing the agency with technological capabilities to complement strategy and creative capability that already exist. “I think you are going to see significant investments in technology and data and analytics professionals by the mainline advertising agencies.” Client demand for big data analytics varies from brand to brand. While the world’s biggest advertisers are embracing big data, few clients here have a data optimization strategy in place.. “I am not saying that people are not more interested in data, but the accountability of the agency and the parameters on which an agency is judged and compensated have not fundamentally changed,” Doctoroff said. “To use data requires very sophisticated marketing orientation and it also involves a lot of collaborations between different product and category silos. In Asia in particular, things are very sales-driven, which is not very easy to reconcile with a forward-leaning data strategy, which is inherently cross category.”

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What has your network done to be a better partner to clients?

Opportunities for the network?

Opportunities and threats for marketers in 2014?

Advice for marketers in 2014?

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Chris Thomas

John Zeigler

CEO, BBDO Asia, and Chairman Proximity Worldwide

Chairman & CEO, DDB Group Asia Pacific, India/Japan

Great work starts with great people. Talent has been and always will be our focus. We were the first network in Asia Pacific to introduce the IPA training/accreditation course across all our offices. We have leveraged talent across the network –brought back Ronald Ng as CCO in Singapore with the mandate to turn around the creative standards of the office; expanded responsibilities of regional MD for Proximity, Richard Fraser, to include the Middle East and Africa; promoted Andy Wilson to head of Asia for BBDO and Proximity.

• Evolved from take the brief to create the brief with the vision of solving business problems not just advertising problems. • Academic rigor becomes commercial reality. The head of business and economics at Monash University named professor-inresidence to build theoretical models to complement strategic planning departments. • Invested significantly in high-end specialist services in key cities. With ColLaboratory’s technologists and engineer, DDB Singapore has evolved from a creative to a marketing innovations company.

To continue to leverage our developing market experience across Asia. We are the only network to organize ourselves in this way and it is yielding real benefits of knowledge in understanding how to reach different consumer groups across the region. To leverage our network knowledge and experience more locally – large local clients are emerging as real players. Bringing to bear network knowledge with local insight and creativity can generate dramatic results.

Our biggest threat and our biggest opportunity is procurement. Accounts are won and lost on a dime. However, procurement incorporated to identify growth strategies, deploying funds into creativity and innovation could be a real opportunity.

We live in a world of hyper competition – for consumer attention, on the shelf, for the best media and talent. This requires brands to be brave, purposeful, provide meaning and to stand apart in how they deliver and communicate.

We live in a world where product differentiation is negligible – the product differentiation comes in the way of branding and communications. This is our opportunity.

I would advise far more time experimenting and learning; less time pre-testing. In a world of hyper-competition, by the time we have tested, the world has changed. We need to be making more content and then really investing heavily behind work that gains tractions. Invest the testing in defining the strategy, vision and purpose of the brand – then create great content that is tested for real – with real measurement – of consumer – not promised – behavior.

I always ask marketers, “What keeps you up at night?” because this question gets to the heart of what matters in their business. So I say, stop giving us the ad brief to make a TVC but give us your big business problem. It’s about creative business solutions not just an ad.

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Jarek Ziebinski

Chris Foster

Matthew Godfrey

Leo Burnett Asia Pacific President

Chairman & CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi Asia Pacific

President, Y&R Asia

• Launched the Leo Burnett Institute of Behavior with an Asia-wide remit to offer companies competencies focused on behavioral knowledge and insights across brand consultancy, research and innovation to reframe how contemporary brands are built. •Developed specialist centers of excellence throughout the region to deliver end-to-end: e-commerce, social media, mobile and e-CRM/data analytics. With these centers, we have developed an innovations hub of strategic alliances to leverage next generation technologies and platforms to support clients.

We believe the agency of the future is fully integrated. In response, we’re bringing our capabilities under one roof to offer creative business solutions that transform our clients’ businesses, brands and reputations. We have done this by combining three separate P&L’s (Asia Pacific, Singapore, and Saatchi Lab); integrating digital capability with Saatchi & Saatchi Arachnid; making expertise available to our clients in social innovation, sustainability and business transformation; and growing our digital reputation across the region.

As it is Y&R’s ethos to be our clients’ most important partner, innovation and development were key to our network development in 2013. Collaboration with VML saw us grow our capabilities and our business. Innovations like Generation Asia, the biggest survey into the 18-35 demographic, helped clients better understand them and the Spark Plug initiative has welcomed exciting start-ups into the agency, offering cuttingedge innovation solutions to our clients.

Speed and talent – being able to accelerate investment in our talent and capabilities, and finding and retaining the talent are opportunities and threats in equal measure. Marrying innovation with clients. Some clients embrace innovation more rapidly; some are more hesitant. We must collaborate, educate and inspire constantly.

The emergence of new formats and platforms have created new territory to be explored – especially in terms of how people interact with campaigns on television and through digital mediums. This is exciting when you think of kind of ideas that can brought to life, but agencies also need to have the capability to execute – what can sometimes be highly complex campaigns – within short turnover times.

To produce great content regardless of the medium

Data – there will be greater purchase on relevance. Brands will need to build strong and more meaningful relationships with people who are becoming increasingly more demanding of brands in their quest for relevancy and value. E-commerce – the shift from retail as the transactional destination to one of primarily experiential is accelerating. In turn, e-commerce, m-commerce and social commerce present the next milestone of transformation

Speed is going to be something to be reckoned with in 2014 – the speed in which great ideas need to get to market, how quickly consumers will voluntarily feedback into brands, and the overall demand for interesting content people can share and build on.

Increased competition and fragmentation remain the two key challenges for marketers. Since the global crisis, international brands have faced growing competition from cheaper, often locally produced rivals. While fragmentation continues, the path to purchase becomes increasingly complex.

To put the focus back on people – to truly understand how they behave, what they think and feel. Respect them; listen to them; recognize them wherever they are at any time of the day or night.

The saying that the “Consumer is Boss” is nevermore. Consumers are driving the conversation and to really engage with them on a meaningful level that sees – not only returns in revenue, but increased loyalty – brands need to create moments of experience. They need to harness the world-changing capability of creativity to produce emotional moments that people want to share and be involved in.

To move as fast as consumers and technology. Things are moving and evolving so rapidly. If you can keep pace, it’s an opportunity. If you lag behind, it’s a threat.

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Year of massive disruption Consumer trends, earned data will reshape industry Words Bob Greenberg

With each New Year, I – like many others – take a moment to reflect on what the future holds for agencies, brands and consumers. With new technologies launching almost every day and icons of the industry attempting to reinvent themselves as start-ups spring up around them, what does the future hold for those in the business of advertising? New year, new business models

For starters, the term “advertising industry” doesn’t mean what it used to. Clients are embracing new business models that massively disrupt advertising as it was understood in the past. Brands are moving away from horizontal integration, instead embracing new business models that no longer rely on traditional mass advertising to drive growth. We’re now seeing that

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growth will result from a new form of innovation – one that relies on innovative new uses of technology along with a brand new set of marketing channels that drive both awareness and purchase. However, the purchase is only the beginning within this new, connective business model that brings consumers into an “ecosystem of value,” generating further purchases. Apple, Google and Amazon are great examples of brands that have already done this with their ecosystems. Their customers keep returning to buy more and more. The rise of connected devices

2014 will also bring a large shift in the uses of technology. These new business models will be founded in the integration of physical products and digital services. These connected devices – like Nike+

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FuelBand will have marketing “built in”. A majority of FuelBand fans learned about the device through social channels, and devices that collect and share data through social platforms and digital services will continue to transform consumers’ lives, and therefore the entire marketing industry. Last fall, R/GA launched a start-up ‘Accelerator’ program at our New York headquarters in partnership with TechStars. The ‘Accelerator’ program has allowed us to invest in 10 start-up companies working on new products in the connected devices spaces, but has also allowed us to expose our clients to technologies at the early stage that can help drive their own business growth. In addition to helping the startups with all aspects of marketing and product development including business strategy, design, technology and branding, we’re also gaining an ownership stake in each of the companies. Agencies transformed

But clients and developers aren’t the only ones who will experience major change this year. Agencies will have to adapt as well, transforming into companies with expanded ranges, providing services such as business transformation consulting, technology innovation (development of digital services for brands), product innovation, brand development and a diverse host of production capabilities. I like to say that the “agency” part of these new

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companies will only represent one piece of the puzzle, no longer the entire business. It’s interesting to consider this trend in the context of the recent merger of two of the largest holding companies, which are creating an even larger holding company that will still hold the same types of assets. Instead of bringing new capabilities to clients and agencies, the merger simply makes the existing companies bigger, rather than better. That gives room for new partners to enter the picture and forge relationships with major clients. Earned data > Big Data

One topic that was big in 2013 and will only get bigger in 2014 is Big Data. Rather than relying on paid, third-party sources, brands will increasingly “own” their consumer. But consumers won’t give up their data freely. Brands will actually “earn” information through providing digital services that deliver clear value. Consumers will view brands who navigate this shift successfully as partners that harness personalized information from anything ranging from

finances to health and fitness to vacation destinations and dinner plans and more. I believe that in 2014 and beyond, the marketing world will eventually become divided between companies that have invested in digital platforms that capture and utilize relevant, personalized data, and those that have not. The companies that have recognized and capitalized on this opportunity will earn crucial data that can be used to inform everything from CRM programs and product development strategies, to targeted marketing tactics that deliver customized, actionable messages at a fraction of the cost compared to standard mass media approaches. Environmental stewardship

One topic that is increasingly important to everyone – not just brands and agencies – is sustainability. As consumers become more passionate about the environment, brands need to address their business’ own sustainability issues to demonstrate exactly how they will continue to innovate without contributing to natural resource depletion, overcrowded waste management systems,

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and climate change. Savvy millennial consumers won’t tolerate brands that don’t prove their commitment to environmental issues, so brands will need to prioritize “green” initiatives and demonstrate their commitment across all business units. New beginnings

This is an exciting time to be in the industry. All of these “big” shifts in technology, data, agency structures, and brands’ relationships with consumers mean that we’re on the brink of a new kind of advertising economy that heralds both greater transparency and greater relevancy. Bob Greenberg has been a pioneer in the advertising and communications industry for nearly four decades. He leads the vision for R/ GA, an agency that serves as the digital partner for Fortune 500 companies and world-renowned brands. R\GA emphasizes the importance of business tranformation, product/ service innovation an breakthrough communications.

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Cutting out the middlemen? Marketers begin buying digital media direct

WPP’s chief Sir Martin Sorrell famously dubbed Google a “frenemy”, unsure whether the internet giant with its massive inventory and technology to deal directly with advertisers would be a friend or foe to agencies. Billions in ad sales later, the agency jury is still out on Google, but as agencies have discovered, the digital space is littered with more than one frenemy. One threat comes from an unlikely source: Clients The pieces are falling into place for advertisers to move from agency-run programmatic buying desks created for multiple clients to private desks for digital media buying. Advertisers have amassed huge amounts of data and they want to control its use, judging by recent moves by multinationals to ring-fence their data from their agencies. One-time allies are also greasing the shift. Ad-tech vendors are increasingly targeting end-users, offering customized “demand-side platforms” (DSP) that allow advertisers to bid and buy direct. DSPs are essentially management dashboards used by advertisers to bid for digital ad inventory in public or private exchanges. Advances on the supply side are proving equally helpful. More publishers are putting their inventory on programmatic platforms. Writing in brand-e, Tod Sacerdoti, the CEO of online video advertising provider, BrightRoll,predicted that publishers would start allocating more of their premium inventory, previously sold through direct relationships, to private exchanges this year. “I believe that we will see publishers experimenting with different types of private exchanges, including closed environments where only one advertiser may bid on inventory (a sort of programmaticdirect model), as well as controlled environments where a limited number of

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‘invited’ brands can bid on inventory.” Sacerdoti also predicted that advertisers looking to better manage their video buys would similarly drive video publishers to programmatic platforms. “2014 may well be the year we see programmatic upfronts, where publishers provide advertisers a first look at premium inventory and preferred ad rates. All in all, there will be a big shift in the perception of programmatic inventory, from cheap and remnant ad space, to valuable premium inventory.” Which may explain the findings of a CMO Club survey of US marketers late last year. Close to half of the 130 respondents said they wanted to work directly with DSPs. This was on top of the 15.4% who currently do so. Unsurprisingly, it’s the big advertisers with the wherewithal, multiple brand portfolios and access to rich data that are in the vanguard. The internet has over the past few years cut out middlemen across numerous industries. Will media agencies be next? Not so fast, say media agency heads. There will be more than one model in place in the way advertisers manage data and their programmatic buying, according to MindShare’s chairman for Asia Pacific and Russia, Ashutosh Srivastava. “Asia will not be isolated from this kind of development,” he said of the move by some of the world’s largest advertisers to ring-fence their data. “I would like to be practical on this – so there will be big global companies who have the wherewithal and infrastructure to actually pool their data, look at its strategic value and say Ok we need to have all this in-house and we can work with third parties – the agencies or analytic companies – to help convert all the knowledge we get from our data into better marketing for our brands.” Equally, he said there were other big global companies and many small companies that do not have the infrastructure or scale to manage data or take programmatic buying in-house. “I will say there is opportunity for everyone and there is no right or wrong in this. There will be different models, which will develop. This is not a one-year thing; this will go on for the next four-five years as things will start to settle.” As with data, he anticipated multiple buying models would emerge, even as some of the biggest advertisers have set up private buying desks. “Multi-brand clients with big portfolios and lots of data can probably set up their own platforms although they still need an agency or a third-party to operate those platforms,” he says, pointing to MindShare’s work with Unilever and other clients.

Even so, Srivastava saw ample room for the private model to co-exist with agency run programmatic desks for multiple clients. “You might be a small marketer with two brands. For you to target consumers better you probably need much bigger insights than just what is happening on your brands. That’s where agencies are creating their data search to pool data across categories and that gives you much richer insights.” VivaKi’s Jeffery Seah believes agencies have a vital role to play in buying. “They may be exploring (launching their own), but trust us to be objective and to be their advocate,” said VivaKi’s country chair for Southeast Asia and Starcom MediaVest Group chair of Asia Digital Leadership Team. “Our own trade desk has grown because we trade in transparency.” All the major networks have their own programmatic buying services. GroupM’s Xaxis is available in most of the mature markets and expanded its Asia footprint into the Philippines and Indonesia. Omnicom has Accuen, while Publicis Groupe has Vivaki AOD. Aegis Media has Amne. “Media agencies used to be purely in the service business. We’re creating products now and that creates jobs in other areas,” said Seah. “We’re now taking messages in real time and matching them with the right content and the right people as we try to keep up with the consumer.” Starcom and MindShare, for instance, are no longer the same companies they were just three years ago. The have re-engineered their organizations from the ground up, from the talent recruited to the companies acquired, the work produced and services that have been added in areas such as data management and analytics, technology and content development among others. “If you look at our agency today it’s almost unrecognizable compared to when Starcom launched,” said John Sintras, the chairman of Starcom MediaVest Group Australia and director of the network’s Global Experience Committee. “We have not just digital people, but digital people splintered into 10 different specializations, as well as analysts, econometricians, sociologists, anthropologists.” To bring it all together, the agency is looking to recruit what it terms as “business integrators”. “They are more consultant-like; they are able to look at the word and the thousands of thing we have access to and to synthesize them or to know which are the right things to bring together to put the right solution in place at that point in time.”

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Photo: CES Intel demonstrates new 3D technology with a whale above the audience at their CES keynote

Front row seat to the future Media, tech worlds converge at CES Convergence of the worlds of media and technology has turned Las Vegas’ Consumer and Electronics Show (CES) into an event to rival the Cannes Lion as the most important date on the industry calendar. For a show that usually draws the big names in tech, this year’s also attracted close to 10,000 industry executives, just 2,000 shy of the numbers heading toCannes. CEOs from most of the creative and media agency networks, including Ogilvy & Mather, MindShare, IPG, Starcom and VivaKi Ventures made their pilgrimage to Nevada in early January. Marketing heads from non-tech companies such as Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Kimberly Clark, American Express also made the trip. As did the car companies, which exhibited in record numbers, making CES an important stop on the annual automotive show circuit. Connected car technology grabbed the

spotlight, with Audi getting into the tablet space with an Android gadget to control its vehicles’ infotainment functions, while another exhibitor showcased technology to turn any car into a driverless one. “Every exhibitor and presenter demonstrated immense commitment to understand consumers’ needs. That is the basis to each of the new offering,” noted first-time delegate Jeffery Seah, VivaKi’s country chair for Southeast Asia and Starcom MediaVest Group chair of Asia Digital Leadership Team. He said exhibitors underscored the importance for companies to be “sensitive and respecting to (customer’s) needs”. “Technology is now expressed in the same sentence as ‘transparent’, ‘intimate’ and ‘wearable’. Just like the curved TV gives better viewing and audio, the technology and marketing worlds are now converging to view the same picture,” said Seah by way of explaining

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CES’ growing appeal with agencies. There no better hunting ground than a show that touches every aspect of consumer technology to suss out the next big, disruptive thing that might be six months to a year from hitting the market. “Insights applied before the competition,” as Seah explained. Accordingly, the show is seen by adland as the place to seek inspiration, broker deals with tech purveyors of emerging technologies and plan for the future. “CES is an educational and inspirational experience for our agencies and our clients,” VivaKi CEO Frank Voris told adobo. To this end, MindShare launched its ‘Fast Forward’ initiative with clients Nescafé and Kimberly-Clark to search for start-ups that will help them engage better with digitally savvy consumers in the future. Both advertisers provided briefs to a pool of pre-selected start-up and technology firms through Mindshare’s VC partners. A shortlist of companies based on responses to that brief were invited to present their ideas in-person at CES. Ideas were then evaluated to determine whether they would proceed for further exploration and/or investment. “These digital consumers continue to erase the boundaries that once defined distinct marketing channels. We want to turn the world into our lab … to connect with the future first,” Kimberly-Clark CMO Clive Sirkin said of the venture. VivaKi Ventures, the company tasked with

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driving collaboration across Publicis Groupe, bankrolled a ‘Meet the Next Generation of Storytellers’ event, showcasing 13 promising start-ups it has or plans to collaborate with. “To connect with today’s empowered consumers we increasingly have to engage them through electronic devices, new technologies and surfaces. We have to compress our brilliant ideas… our powerful stories, words and pictures… into tiny bits of data that can transmit and translate across multiple screens. Screens that get smaller, and also larger,” said Voris. “We have to tap into a universe of data and pluck meaningful, actionable insights from the chaos so that when we meet the consumer, we can deliver messages that are meaningful to them. We call this ‘Next Generation Storytelling’. It is unleashing the potential of technology to entertain people. It is providing utility and service to people—empowering them to make their lives better. Brands and messages have to fit into people’s daily journey with purpose.” VivaKi’s line-up included Los Angelesbased DAQRI, offering augmented reality, advanced image recognition and interface design, which has developed campaigns for the likes of Cadillac, Lego, Sony, 20th Century Fox among others; rewards providers ifeelgoods and Jana, mobile rewards network Kiip and social media specialist Mass Relevance. “We have worked closely with Jana to introduce them to clients throughout Asia.,” said Voris. “Jana has built the world’s largest rewards platform in the fastestgrowing markets, where mobile airtime is often viewed as equivalent to cash. By integrating into the billing systems of 237 mobile operators in 102 countries, Jana can instantly reward 3.48 billion emerging

market consumers with prepaid airtime in local currency. The client introductions have resulted in several RFPs for Jana to date.” Beyond the private briefings, the exhibition floor offered agencies plenty of food for thought on how consumers could be using technology in the years to come. This year’s show brought The Jetsons’ home closer to reality. The emerging “internet of things” (IOT) concept – as seen in the latest Cisco ad (below) – was everywhere on the shop floor, with manufacturers connecting everyday appliances and objects to the web. Internet-ready appliances that were unveiled included Samsung’s multi-room speakers to stream audio wirelessly from the cloud; voice or text-activated ovens and washing machines from LG; smart alarms, door locks and sports equipment to track and record performance and fitness levels; and connected cars. But is there really a need for an internetenabled crockpot or toothbrush? French start-up Kolibree debuted the latter, which can tell users where they need more cleaning. Mainstream adoption for IOT devices could be a challenge. A recent Forrester report found that only 28% of Americans were interested in using connected home devices though that figure could be higher in Asia Pacific, where the appetite for the latest gadgets and technology seemingly knows no bounds. That said, progress has been made to simplify the once confusing array of connection technology used for the different appliances, which could make IOT more user-friendly and pave the way for mainstream adoption. Office supplies retailer Staples and partner Zonoff, a smart home platform provider, made arguably the biggest advance

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in pitching the benefits of a connected home. Their Staples Connect home automation kit supports multiple connection technologies or, as CNET put it, “the largest curated ecosystem of smart home devices”. Another big theme to emerge was the rise of personal technology in the form of wearable devices and greater use of biometric tools. From the yet to launch Google Glass or smart watches that are starting to look less like smartphones for the wrists, wearable technology is expected to dominate in 2014. If consumers weren’t already always-on, these devices are guaranteed to see this behavior is set in stone. As will the use of biometric tools since sensors have become cheaper and can be embedded on clothing, earphones, wristbands, on anything, in short. Which means consumers can now be tracked throughout the day, resulting in even more customer data that brands can collect and analyze to hone their products and communications strategies. Biometric functionalities for voice and facial recognition are already providing advertisers with a way to deliver more customized advertising or online experiences. Tesco has begun installing facial scanning technology at gas stations in the UK to identify a customer’s gender and age and serve them ads tailored to their demographic. This new world of discrete consumer spying has of course raised the hackles of privacy advocates. “Privacy, as a noun or verb, will take on whole new meanings in a sensor-everywhere world, where every wearable (item) is a data drone,” said Vivaki’s Seah. “Marketers will have to fight to be heard even when given permission to have an intimate dialogue with a consumer. And they must stay attentive.” Seah agreed the technology bonanza could end up becoming wallpaper to consumers, which could make it even harder to reach and engage with them. “Consumers will develop – evolve – new attention (patterns) when spoken to,” he noted, likening it to the way mobile phone users have conveniently stopped remembering phone numbers. “It will take more to understand them, to select the right tone and manner to enunciate a message.”

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Think content, context and advocacy Taking the next step in social, metrics and more Words Christel Quek

2013, you really were a year to remember. From the explosion of short form content, to wearable technology grabbing headlines, and to Twitter’s IPO, the numerous events that have happened just proved how change is the only constant in the industry we love. This landscape is characterized strongly by evolution and transformation – and technology has, very quickly, impacted and driven much of the digital behavior we have seen today.

Instead of grouping these as a generic trends piece, I’ve also decided to group it according to three key areas: Trends in Content, Context, and Advocacy for 2014. Content, together with context, and how they can drive real advocacy are the ways brands can communicate real value for users after they have successfully understood real user issues, and use their brand’s expertise to solve them. Content

4 There’s a massive inundation of content and noise, and users becoming more acutely aware that there is a need to only engage with knowledge that matters. Content needs to be focused, frictionless, and agile.

1. Social Intelligence Centres We have heard of social listening centres created by brands such as Gatorade and Dell and we have heard of brand newsrooms with agile content teams for events such as the Super Bowl. Social Intelligence Centres as a concept is not new, but it is fundamentally important to create a virtual hub (not necessarily a physical location), which can combine the best of social listening, analytics, content amplification, content iteration, and influencer mapping. This is an exercise that is not just exclusive to marketing, but should gradually evolve into covering other parts of the business such as recruitment,

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Here’s the context:

4 Mobile devices, for many, have become an irreplaceable extension of personal identity. When I did a quick poll of my audience at a keynote for Econsultancy’s Digital Outlook, nearly 90% admitted to first checking their smartphone for updates before they brush their teeth.

product development, public relations, and customer service. It’s about harnessing social capital to develop social intelligence, and ultimately grow social influence. 2. From Ego Analytics to Business Metrics Marketers and brands are de-emphasizing vanity metrics, and re-focusing on baking social as a more meaningful layer across marketing plans – through data capture, improving existing customer relationship systems and advocacy programs, or quantifying what ‘engagement’ really means. Gone are the days of chaos, denial, and hype. It’s time to put back the purpose of what social and digital can do for business – instead of chasing it through tactical campaigns and without a concerted, overarching strategy. Context

1. Battle of the Feeds We live in an age where we are inundated with different content feeds – whether it is on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, providing short, sharp bursts of information that rewards the “pleasure centers” of our brains. 2014 will only signal the increasing importance of agile, sticky content

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creation as marketers attempt to win at this battle of content feeds. It’s important to understand optimization, have a clear content strategy and understanding each nuance of every unique platform to win. 2. Micro Social, Macro Possibilities Social media is not about just Twitter and Facebook, but about people and conversations. It’s about being where people are. With that idea in mind, it’s important to consider the prevalence of micro social networks, such as chat apps and the growing dominance of how it can be a meaningful touchpoint for marketers to consider- thanks to the stickiness of the platform. Absolut Vodka just conducted the world’s first Whatsapp campaign in November 2013, and brands like Starbucks and Nike have done interesting work on WeChat. Advocacy

1. Passion Points for Celebrities, Influencers, and Advocates 2014 will be a year of driving hardcore advocacy, but it’s more important to identify

key passion points around your brand and showcase how your brand can be enablers of such passion points – such as a telco brand in enabling passions around consumer technology, music, gastronomy, and so on. This will tie in with an overarching content strategy (and defining key content pillars) while segmenting the digital population into clear modes of engagement- identifying celebrities, influencers and brand advocates, and understanding who are content creators and/or social amplifiers. 2. If it’s not Relevant, it’s not Real Real time marketing had its fair share of buzz in 2013, but let us also think about making it relevant and aligned with what the business wants to achieve- campaign bursts, brand sustenance, and so on. Responding to an enquiry on Twitter isn’t real time marketing, it’s customer service. You can’t make real time marketing work if one hasn’t planned out the actual content or engagement calendar of activity and understand how to make marketing “relevant”. So before you try to make the next Super Bowl Oreo

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campaign, think about fixing your current content and engagement plan to be relevant. Engage in “Relevant Time Marketing” before you plunge into Real Time Marketing. I wish I can gaze into my crystal ball and give more answers, but the truth is, you can’t really predict the future – but you can understand what are the drivers that characterize the landscape that we see today. The lessons from the past are our insights into the future for the landscape as it continues to evolve, shape and amplify our behavior, reactions and interactions with technology, marketing, and brands.

Christel Quek has joined Twitter as regional content lead for Asia, Middle East and Africa after serving as Samsung Asia regional social business lead for Southeast Asia, Oceania and Taiwan. The former Havas Media global social marketing manager was named by The Guardian as one of 10 Digital Strategists to Watch in 2013.

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Bold step to digital maturity Think integration and social data Words Donald Lim

I do not have a crystal ball for 2014, and would also like to dispense with the usual answers of this being the year of the mobile app, or wearable technology, or video. Instead, I would rather look back and see how the learning of the past can help us in moving forward. Looking at the past three years in Philippine digital marketing, we have seen the excitement of using Facebook as the ultimate digital marketing platform, as brands raced to get as may fans or likes as they could, pouring their budgets into creating apps and rewards to get their target customers to “like” them. The top brands on Facebook

wore their achievement like a badge, as if they had won the marketing war already. But after the dust settles, have they really? The issue is not about winning the war in one particular platform, but to continue moving as our digital audience evolves. Because of the speed digital moves, digital age can be similar to dog years. If we were to use dog years as a guide, we can say that Facebook, since its inception in 2004, is already a decade old, and its digital age would be about 70 years. The internet on the other hand, since its introduction to the public in 1995, is in its second decade, making it more than a century

old in digital terms. Today’s generation would look at the floppy disks and the dot matrix printers as relics of the past, even though most of us here have experienced using these before. Moving forward, the challenge is not to keep on predicting where digital technologies will go, but to keep our ears to the ground to hear how our consumers are using digital instead. I believe the marketers and agencies have learned a lot from digital, and are ready to take one bold move towards the next level of digital maturity. Here are my three big bets for 2014: 1. Less focus on platforms (like Facebook), and more on content. Brands will not ask for more likes on Facebook or followers on Twitter, but how agencies can create compelling content to engage their customers. As an imperative, agencies should now learn how to work with media companies to deliver branded content to brands instead of pure advertising. 2. Less digital-only executions, more integrated digital campaigns with other platforms. Less Facebook- or Twitter-only campaigns, and more digital campaigns that are integrated with television, radio or print. Digital agencies will be mandated to present campaigns that are digital led, but SHOULD have an extension towards above-the-line, or activation. 3. Less obsession with digital metrics like pageviews and fans, but more into data about the customer. Social listening and social data about the customer will be the anchor of most digital asks from agencies, as companies start planting their seeds to really execute social CRM. Agencies should now anchor all their recommendations not on digital metrics, but more on how well they can collect and mine customer social data. Here’s to a fun digital ride this 2014!

donald lim is the Chief Digital Officer of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation. Prior to his current role, he served as Chief Innovation Officer of McCann Worldgroup Philippines and Managing Director of MRM Manila.

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Meaningful activations Understand, collaborate and measure in 2014 Words Josser Quilendrino

The business of bringing brands to life through engaging experiences has never been more exciting. The widespread adoption of technology has paved the way for numerous creative and innovative solutions and accelerated ways to crack ideas, monitor and track effectiveness, and analyze results. These changes present great challenges to activation agencies. Not only will they determine the quality of ideas and executions but also profoundly impact the role we play in this highly competitive industry.

and real-time engagement analytics.

Here are some of the biggest innovations to look out for in 2014: All for the good With great transparency comes greater accountability. Technology has put consumers in a relatively better position to know more about brands. They actively research to understand brand positions on issues relevant to them. They compare quality and prices. They are always on the look out for brands that share their passions and interests. Presentation of value is vital in addressing this consumer attitude. Every event must communicate the purpose a brand shares with its consumers. Every experience must be built towards encouraging trust. These efforts may not immediately lead to sales but will surely go a very long way.

Collaboration makes you king Crowdsourcing, crowd-sharing and user-generated content remain de rigueur for consumer engagement but expect collaboration to rise a notch higher this year. With the sheer amount of data, knowledge and stratification of their target audience, buyers and consumers, coupled with ever-decreasing advertising and activation budgets, brands and institutions will find it more acceptable to form alliances and create collaborative or complementary campaigns to target specific groups. The success of campaigns like ‘Wear Happiness’ by Coca-Cola and Bench and Smart’s multi-awarded ‘TXTBKS’ initiative highlights the value of finding like-minded brands and institutions to champion your cause. Expect more ideas that celebrate partnership and collaboration.

Tech-savvy experiences The use of technology in creating brand experiences will be more pronounced this 2014. Wearable and ultra-portable computing devices will make their way to live events from readable bracelets, augmented reality, to NFC technology and face recognition. All these innovations will result in hyper-targeted invitation lists and registration check-ins, more dynamic ways of mining consumer profiles, feedback and sentiments, increased interactivity,

Relevant and consistent multi-channel experiences To cut through media clutter, careful selection and integration of relevant channels must be ensured. This requires thorough understanding of the various functions of every channel across all phases of involvement. For 2014, the use of event-specific websites and apps will increase to target the ever-connected consumers. These platforms will not be limited to promoting the activity or encouraging attendance. They will be

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transformed into more dynamic and robust ecosystems for sustainable participation. Mobile will become a key part in the engagement strategy. A number of mobile-driven activation campaigns have already been introduced, but a much more pervasive use, optimization and integration of this channel can be expected. Metrics matter We cannot know what we cannot measure. With the availability of a variety of event planning tools and programs to measure effectiveness and efficiency of every campaign, defining the success of an engagement solely based on sales and attendance will be a thing of the past. Realtime data collection in every event will yield real-time analytics that will help us measure engagement over periods of time. We will be able to identify the spots where merchandising needs deployment, generate leads, drive event traffic or even move the needle on the quality of interaction and engagement.

Josser Quilendrino is the Creative Director of Excite, Inc. With more than eight years of professional experience in below-the-line advertising, activation and events management, he has handled campaigns for brands like Smart Communications, Samsung, Nestlé, San Miguel, Yahoo!, and Blackberry.

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Ready for take-off Local brands warm to search as consumers lead the way Words Chris de Pio Sanchez

As 2013 raced to an end, Google revealed its Zeitgeist, the search firm’s yearly list of top search queries in the Philippines. Taking pride of place in the list was a motley mix of showbiz topics, including recently deceased actors Paul Walker (the top search in the Philippines in 2013) and Cory Monteith and the Miss Universe 2013 beauty pageant; both local and international politics, including May’s mid-term elections, President Aquino’s State of the Nation Address, the slow-burning pork barrel issue, global democracy icon Nelson Mandela’s passing; popular technology, such as the latest smartphones from Samsung and Apple; sports, including the ever-popular UAAP and FIBA; food, from international brands such as International House of Pancakes’ Philippine debut to local buffet standout Vikings; movies and travel brands, such as the low-cost PAL Express carrier; and so on and so forth. According to Google Philippines country communications manager Gail Tan, Zeitgeist’s results are truly indicative of Filipinos’ thoughts and interests in 2013 – interests that drove them to learn more about these and other hot-button topics for the year. Looking forward, thanks to top trends in technology and search itself, search is foreseen to become wedded even more intimately to Filipinos’ lives in 2014 – to such an extent that it may even be possible to claim that this will be the year it truly takes off locally.

Zeitgeist should come as no surprise. Sales figures compiled by research expert GfK show that from January to September 2013, sales of smartphones in the Philippines jumped 39%. Searching on the go

It’s perhaps no coincidence that two of the top slots in the 2013 Zeitgeist were nabbed by two of the most popular smartphones, in terms of both sales and mindshare, that debuted in 2013. Samsung’s range-topping Galaxy S4 and Apple’s class-leading iPhone 5s ranked #2 and #10 respectively, an eye-opener in a Top 10 list dominated by what may be termed as more traditional Filipino favorites. But the popularity of these phones and other forms of mobile technology in 2013’s

What sort of impact had these developments had on search in the local context? Google Philippines’ country manager Narciso Reyes has talked about smartphone usage becoming more widespread among Pinoys. No less than seven out of 10 Pinoy smartphone users claimed to never leave home without their devices, and 33% said that they spent more time online in the preceding six month-period than before it. More and more Pinoys are getting most of their local info from mobile searches. In an interview with the Philippine Star, Reyes cited the findings of a survey conducted by market research firm Ipsos MediaCT, which found that fully 88% of local smartphone users look up product or service reviews on their phones; 63% search for product information; 53% seek travel information; 49% look up places to hang out, like bars or restaurants; and 38% seek housing information. Overall, no less than 93% of respondents use their smartphones to seek local information, and in a boon to businesses and establishments with an online presence, after finding them online, 88% of users purchased their goods or services, visited them and/or told others about them. Fully 44% said they searched daily and 72% weekly. “Marketers are getting more savvy with

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digital. For the last two years, the main – and sometimes even sole – interest was social media,” notes Isabelle Turpault, ZenithOptimedia Philippines digital director. “They are now exploring other avenues including search, which has the appeal of being CPC based hence seen as cost effective and with a low entry point. The continued increase of digital budgets is also a contributing factor leading marketers to expand the range of their digital efforts. “And, based on our experience, marketers who try search are happy with the results hence very willing to continue/ expand their efforts. The only limitation, if any, is the limited volume of searches that certain categories like FMCG receive versus travel or technology for example.” Taking things personally

Search in this day and age is becoming far more mobile than previously, commensurate with the platforms that access it more and more. But is it getting more personal as well? The answer is that, yes, search is indeed becoming more personal – both to better meet existing needs and to ramp up for what many pundits have identified as The Next Big Thing. Search, along with data use, is going voice- and hands free-friendly, and correspondingly more intimate and personal than ever before. During Google’s 15th birthday celebration in September last year, the search giant unveiled the most recent update to its search engine, after having surreptitiously launched it the month before. Nicknamed Hummingbird, it represents a sea change in

how the search engine goes about its business. As detailed by contributor Jeremy Hull in a post on Wired, prior updates to Google’s search-engine algorithm were undertaken to improve its ability to gather information. Hummingbird, however, is focused on improving user experience, and, as such, aims to boost the search engine’s ability to understand what searchers are really looking for, so it can provide them with the answers they really need. In a nutshell, Hummingbird enables Google to examine the search query as a whole and not on the basis of examining individual words. The result, says Hull, is that Google can now provide much better answers for longer, more sophisticated, conversational-style queries than it could previously. Other experts, such as Claire Cain Miller in the New York Times’ Bits personaltech blog, say that these queries affect as much as 90% of all searches nowadays. Prepping for The Next Big Thing

This innovation is vital – especially given that smartphone users are less apt to use longer search phrases than those using devices with full-sized keyboards, like desktops and laptops – due to the fact that Google, like many other firms, is leaping headfirst into the era of voice searches and wearable technology. Hummingbird is aimed at improving search performed by voice inputs via features such as Google’s Google Now and Apple’s Siri, which run on the current crop of devices. However, Google is looking even further – beyond the smartphone paradigm, and is also keeping in mind devices such as its own Google Glass wearable computer as well as “smartwatches” (computerized wristwatches with integrated data connections or mated to devices like smartphones) such as Samsung’s Galaxy Gear and the Pebble. Google is working to ensure that its search engine will stand ready to meet the needs of users when these devices, as well as others set

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to join them – including Apple’s rumored ‘iWatch’ – gain widespread adoption. However, Google is far from alone at the forefront of search. In March 2013, Facebook debuted its Graph Search to a limited number of users – a “semantic search engine” (one that aims to understand the intent of searchers as well as the contextual meaning of terms – as opposed to just the literal meaning – to boost search accuracy). Graph Search seeks out information from within users’ friend networks, and works with Microsoft’s Bing search engine to provide additional results. With an eye to the future, Facebook has also unveiled plans for a mobile interface and expanding coverage to include Instagram content.

mobile searches

88% local smartphone users look up product or service reviews on their phones

53% seek travel information

49% look up places to hang out, like bars or restaurants Source: Ipsos MediaCT

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Shifting gears Mobile commerce, changing priorities, disasters weigh on local marketers

L’Oréal’s decision to launch its new secret Maybelline line through an m-commerce channel in Thailand has created tremendous excitement as digital continues to disrupt the landscape for marketers. With just three clicks, customers could purchase the new range last December, before its release this year, and have it delivered to their door. Cash-on-delivery (COD) was also offered for consumers wary about releasing their credit card details online. The Thai subsidiary of Line, a mobile messaging platform with a social media service, and e-commerce logistics company aCommerce, which handles everything from warehousing to customer service and fulfillment among others, teamed up with L’Oréal for the flash sale. Line is no stranger to flash sales, having sold out character-branded iPhone cases within 25 minutes of its first such promotion. The Thai venture follows the

sale of 150,000 smartphones in about 10 minutes in China on Xiaomi, underscoring the growing attractiveness of messaging apps in the m-commerce space. “Everyone’s excited and are looking for proof of concept,” said Havoc managing director Michael Palacios of L’Oréal’s m-commerce play. Palacios, who is the newly installed president of the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines, said local brands would need a big name like Nike to move its distribution to an online shopping portal like Zalora to trigger the shift, particularly with payment challenges resolved by the availability of COD options. The expected expansion of e-commerce and rise of m-commerce are local issues marketers will be grappling with going into 2014, on top of last year’s natural disasters that leveled large swathes of central Philippines. Margot Torres, vice president of marketing at McDonald’s, forecast a challenging 2014. “Consumer spending

Becoming better partners

Marketers on agencies

Bunny Aguilar, Globe “Listen to clients carefully. The answers to all their questions are usually said already. Read the briefs over and over again because this is always the foundation of how the work will be judged. The measure of good creative work will always be the business performance for the client. This is what we pay the agencies for.”

Margot Torres, McDonald’s “Listen – you will be a better agency partner if you understand our business more and if you now our needs; don’t be afraid to collaborate with other agencies – you may learn a new thing or two; find new ways of doing things and getting things done.

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will continue to focus on medium to long-term investments,” she said, pointing to education and real estate as priorities. “This affects disposable income.” Bunny Aguilar, Globe Telecom vice president of communication channels for consumer marketing, tipped a stable year on the expectations that the major Western economies would bounce back from the protracted hangover of 2008’s global crisis. “I think the lower consumer demand projected to happen in the Visayas will be offset by the increased buying power of the peso because of the strengthening of the dollar as our OFW families will have more spending power,” said Aguilar. Agencies were more optimistic in their assessment of the market. “By and large, I feel positive about the outlook for 2014,” said Tony Harris, chief executive of BBDO Guerrero. “While the economy will look a little slow in the first quarter and possibly into the second, it should still be growing. “The link between imaginative communications and successful economic returns is a message that clients are really starting to embrace. Fortune inevitably favors the brave in marketing and most clients seem to be feeling bullish.” McCann Worldgroup’s Tricia CamarilloQuiambao expected strong consumer spending on the back of remittances, the booming BPO sector and governmentprivate sector initiatives to jumpstart investments to fuel the economy. Even so, McCann clients were keeping their marketing investments steady. “Clients are closely observing the business environment post-Yolanda before fully committing to investment decisions on marketing and advertising. We expect shifts in marketing where brands would be more sensitive in their directions, and efforts would contribute to rebuilding initiatives.” The same could be said for Publicis Manila clients though CEO Matec Villanueva said more investments were being diverted to online platforms. BBDO Guerrero, which has the Department of Tourism (DoT) and Bayer on its portfolio, is seeing clients increasing their marketing outlay for the year “albeit with an air of watchful caution”, keeping the increases in the single digit percentage range. “I think they will watch and wait and may deploy their budgets in different ways but will continue to spend in order to demonstrate confidence. This is probably most likely

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Becoming better partners

Agencies on marketers Angel Antonio, Aspac “Really start engagement efforts with your market. Build true, tangible and two-way relationships between your brand and its users.”

Tricia Camarillo-Quiambao, McCann Worldgroup “Brands need to position themselves as partners no embrace. Our advice is for brands to focus on how to be most helpful to consumers not just in good times, but also in challenging times. Now more than ever, this is the philosophy and value system that the Filipino asks all of us in business to embrace. It is important that brands behave in ways that will not be seen as opportunistic.

Tony Harris, BBDO Guerrero “…keep faith in the Philippines. There is a remarkable economic shift on the cusp of taking place and despite the difficulties that are constantly put up – cultural, political and meteorological – there is tremendous opportunity to be found.”

Matec Villanueva, Publicis Manila “When you declare the consumer is king – or queen – then walk the talk.”

to be true of the DoT, which, despite the terrible calamities, will be keen to see the momentum of their previous efforts continue in the coming months,” Harris explained. Even if budgets have been maintained at last year’s level, digital marketing can count on getting a greater share of the pie. Whether or not overall budgets have increased, agencies and advertisers reported that the bulk of investments were still going towards traditional channels – TV, print, radio and outdoor. McDonald’s, which is bumping up its overall marketing budget by 15% for the year, and Globe will both be putting more pesos into digital marketing. Digital will be their second biggest outlay after traditional channels followed by activation, sponsorship and design and packaging. The fast-food chain, which has tested the waters with digital-only efforts for certain products in the past, returned with its mobile Ang Pao campaign for Chinese New Year after last year’s initiative exceeded expectations. “In terms of digital, we focus on social and mobile as well as search. Video is a new platform we are exploring through branded content,” said Torres. Globe splits its marketing resources similarly, investing the bulk in traditional platforms followed by online and activation. Most of its digital investments go on display

followed by mobile, search, branded content and social media, according to Aguilar. Overall though, agencies still reported reported a slightly lower ranking for digital in client spending patterns. Digital came behind traditional media and activation with Publicis clients and was fourth on the spending totem for BBDO’s roster. Harris said the agency’s clients were investing more on digital but the amount was “not as great as you might think”. A point echoed by Aspac’s chief operating officer and president Angel Antonio: “There are some re-allocations of ATL budgets to online, but it’s really not that significantly to majorly affect ATL versus digital contributions to the agency’s business.” McCann, however has been seeing funds going to digital, in particular for social and search optimization. “We are also seeing the start of mobile ads and branded content play,” said Carmarillo-Quiambao. Digital spending patterns, however varied from agency to agency. McCann, which made its name with social work for the likes of Nescafé, saw clients investing firstly on social followed by search, display, branded content and mobile. Aspac’s Antonio ranked social, branded content and display as top categories drawing client spend, the same spending patterns reported by BBDO, which had

January-February 2014

search and mobile rounding out the top five areas for digital investment. As the digital shift becomes more established, marketers can count on sleepless nights as they grapple with the question of who should they work with and how the selection will affect integration efforts. “Clients are asking themselves how should they structure digital – where does the scope end for traditional agencies and where does it begin for digital agencies,” said IMMAP’s Palacios. Advertisers who have been early adopters of digital marketing were beginning to slice and dice assignments, given digital’s broad remit which spanned everything from search to social, branded content to mobile and more. “For marketers, it’s really a question of the expertise within agencies. What I found is that agencies pitch digital strategy according to their strengths,” Palacios added, predicting that digital offerings could be fragmented further to the point where there will be one-stop shops for mobile analytics or in-game advertising or social among others. For Aguilar, “the competency of agencies in the digital space” is an issue that will challenge advertisers as they shift their marketing pesos online. “He wants agencies to show competency of going beyond creating digital ads and offering clients real digital solutions based on business needs.”

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Illustration: Joshua Gonzales

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Rage against the machine? JWT sees rising tech resentment among consumers Even as technology becomes more omnipresent and powerful with “telepathic” machines that offer brain-computer interfaces in the coming year, 2014 will see people resisting and resenting technology. In its 9th annual 10 Trends Report, JWT spotlighted “rage against the machine” as one of the key trends that will shape consumer mindset and behavior in the years to come. As a result of this digital resentment, JWT sees people gravitating towards more balanced lifestyles, traditions— albeit remixed and imperfections.

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“Consumers are both welcoming and resisting technology’s growing omnipresence in our lives – for many, technology is a gateway to opportunity, but those who are most immersed are starting to question its effect on their lives and their privacy,” said Ann Mack, director of trendspotting at JWT. “One result is that more people are trying to find a balance and lead more mindful, in-the-moment lives,” she said.

and brand experiences will become more immersive and enveloping. Example Coca-Cola’s Happiness Truck “rolled out the happiness” by creating a CocaCola branded picnic experience for passersby, setting up a bottle-shaped patch of green in the middle of a gray city square, complete with a vending machine that asks you to go barefoot and trees that sprout toys and guitars. Visual Vocabulary

The Top 10 Trends: Immersive Experiences

In a bid to capture consumers’ imagination and attention, entertainment narratives

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Thanks to the explosion of image-capturing and sharing tools, consumers are developing a visually-based vocabulary that’s supplanting text. Photos, emojis,

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and video snippets are becoming a new lingo that needs to be mastered. Example Temporary photo messaging app SnapChat emerged as one of the most downloaded smartphone apps this year, while Facebook, Viber, and WeChat have all included stickers in their chat functions.

Our expectations for speed and ease are rising exponentially with the on-demand economy and always-on culture goes mainstream. As businesses make their products and services available more instantly, our impatience will only keep rising. Example Amazon has started testing a new delivery system that makes use of drones to deliver packages to customers within 30 minutes of their orders being placed. Other big retailers such as Walmart To Go, eBay and Google have introduced same-day delivery. Mobile a gateway to opportunity

For the next billion consumers in emerging markets, the mobile device is becoming a vital channel for serving up life-changing opportunities in business, healthcare, education, finance, and more. Example Taxi booking apps such as GrabTaxi and EasyTaxi allows commuters to find safe rides even in the direst situations all from their mobile phones. At the same time the apps provide taxi drivers with a steady stream of passengers.

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Example California is host to Camp Grounded, a digital detox summer camp for adults that offers activities such as yoga, stargazing, hiking, meditation, even solar carving –pretty much everything that doesn’t involve digital technology (not even digital cameras!).

Telepathic technology

Age of impatience

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The rise of brain-computer interfaces and emotion recognition will make brands more adept at understanding minds and moods and reacting in a personalized way. Example The Melon Headband monitors brain activity across various activities such as studying or exercising, and helps users understand how to improve focus while engaged. Nestlé and JWT Singapore wired up students with headsets to track their brainwaves while they ate their Kit-Kat bar then generated a piece of art that reflected their state of mind to showcase the power of a Kit-Kat break.

Remixing tradition

With social norms quickly changing and a new anything-goes attitude, consumers are mashing up cherished traditions with new ideas, creating their own recipes for what feels right. Example Jewelry brand Tanishq in India created a taboo-busting ad by adding a twist to traditional Indian weddings. Lowe Lintas broke ground by introducing the concept of remarriage in a country that has traditionally shunned widows or divorcees.

The end of anonymity

With the rise of sensors, biometrics, drones, and more, it’s getting all but impossible to remain off the grid. Anonymity is becoming elusive. Example In the UK, Tesco has installed face-scanning cameras at its petrol stations to determine an individual’s gender and approximate age and target tailor-fit ads to them, while tracking how long people look at the ads.

Proudly imperfect

Rage against the machine

Consumers are starting to both fear and resent technology, fretting about what’s been lost in the rush for progress as they move further into the digital age. People will start to increasingly question technology’s siren call.

Imperfection and even outright ugliness are taking on new appeal. The quirky, the messy, and the flawed are coming to feel more authentic and meaningful. Example Airbnb has been going from strength to strength with a business model that allows travelers to rent rooms in other peoples’. In doing so, it provides a more charming, personal and authentic alternative to the impeccable luxury of five-star hotels. Mindful living

Drawn to the idea of shutting out distractions and focusing on the moment, more of us will develop a quasi-zen desire to experience everything in a more present, conscious way. Enter the era of mindful living. Example Google is offering its employees a mindfulness-based training program called ‘Search Inside Yourself’, which cultivates emotional intelligence and even teaches meditation.

03 01 The Melon Headband 02 Call A Taxi App 03 Google Search Inside Yourself employee program 04 Digital detox at california’s Camp Grounded 05 Coca-cola creates immersive experiences with its Happines Trick

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Pushing retail boundaries Retailers co-opt technology to truly personalize service Words Carmela Lapeña

Showmanship and products were the key drivers of retail in the not-so-distant past. Not any more when data and analytics are revolutionizing the business, allowing retail brands to finetune everything from store design to merchandise. Mobile commerce, social retail and technology are also driving the reinvention of retail. Here are key 2014 trends:

1. Digital or bust In its Top 10 Tech Trends for 2014, Forrester Research notes: “A great digital experience is no longer nice-to-have, it’s a make-or-break point for your business as we more fully enter the digital age.” The upsurge in digital use is spurring the convergence of digital and physical realms, leading customers to expect

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the same level of personalized service whether it’s on their mobile, online, instore or a combination of touchpoints. But the rush to go digital has its risks. Forrester notes that a number of companies that have taken a mobile-first approach failed to deliver elsewhere because “systems of record cannot keep up with engagement needs”. 2. Showrooming In an interview with the The New Zealand Herald, Jon Bird, chairman of retail marketing specialists IdeaWorks, saw “showrooming” and “click and collect” as key retails trends this year. Showrooming refers to shoppers who browse in a bricks-and-mortar store, simultaneously researching online, and eventually making the purchase online at

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Yihaodian has created augmented reality stores that can be accessed in public areas, using smartphones. Mexx in Dusseldorf has tweet mirrors that allow shoppers to share pictures of their outfits with their friends on social media. Topshop has created virtual fitting rooms, dispensing with the need for shoppers to undress to try out items. Cameras monitor customers’ movements, telling them when to turn to view outfits from various angles. Adidas has made it easier for any retailer, no matter its size, to display its 8,000-shoe range through a virtual footwear wall. Body-scanning is another technology being explored for future retail use. Retailers are also pushing the envelope using discrete and sophisticated technology embedded in mannequins to track better customer demographics and preference.

a lower price. This trend, Bird said, was driven by the growth of smartphone use. On the other hand, click and collect refers to consumers making online purchases, and then picking the item up instead of waiting for it to be delivered. These two trends make it impossible for a business to thrive without a strong digital presence. 3. Tech apps revolutionize retail Technology advancements are delivering a myriad of applications, which retailers are starting to use in-store to enhance the real world shopping experience. Retailers have capitalized on the range of apps, including social media to make shopping a social experience: Tesco’s Homeplus launched the world’s first pop-up grocery store on metro platforms in Seoul to target timepressed shoppers, while Chinese retailer

4. Data drives growth Data empowers retailers by telling them who their customer is and how to communicate to them, harking back to the early days of retail when corner store shops knew who were their customers and what they bought. These days, retail heavyweights like Amazon are obsessed about collecting, managing and squeezing customer insights from the data that is collected. Data collected these days extends beyond basic demographic information and purchase history to include call center interaction, mobile/social interaction and more. Data also allows, retailers to analyze transaction volumes, foot traffic, waiting times at payment counters in order to refine store design, range of merchandise, in-store and promotions tactics or even arm sales personnel with tablets to better serve their internet-connected customers in store. 5. Exploding mobile Much of the new consumer behavior has to do with the smartphone boom. According to John Heggestuen and Marcelo Ballve on Business Insider, mobile commerce is exploding, with sales on mobile devices accounting for over 20% of US e-commerce spending on Black Friday in 2013. Among the trends underlying the mobile commerce boom are mobile coupons, location-based data gathering, real-time promotions, loyalty

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programs, and the mobile wallet. When looking at mobile, brands must not see it as an alternative or separate channel, but integrated with other channels, whether traditional or digital. As Mike Palacios, president of the Internet Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines, told adobo, one big trend for 2014 is the use of data to create better customer experiences. “It’s really about right place, right time messaging,” he said. 5. Convergence Even with the arrival of new channels, mainstream media or PR still has a role to play in reaching the consumer. As Ryan Holiday, director of marketing, American Apparel, said on Digiday, “2014 is about integrating all the new stuff from the last few years together. There has been so much rapid change that everyone really needs an opportunity to put it all together in a comprehensive strategy.” Brands need to track the consumer from platform to platform, whether through social media, email, geofencing, or even in-store technology. As Bird notes, the key is to take a multi-channel approach to retailing. 6. Goodbye, hard sell While keeping up with the trends, brands also need to strike a balance especially amid growing concerns about privacy. As social media has an increasingly strong influence on product decisions, brands must now focus on relationship marketing and thought leadership. According to Vend’s retail trends and predictions for 2014, retailers will learn to invest in these instead of going for the ineffective hard sell. “The role of the associate will change from an information provider to a facilitator of engagement,” Vend quoted Internet Retailer, predicting that retailers will invest more in training staff for this role, as well as arming them with the right tools. The bottom line, they said, is that the future lies in the hands of consumers. Thanks to the internet, consumers have grown smarter, and also have more control over their purchases. “The emerging trends of 2014 are all about grabbing and keeping the interests of shoppers. Retailers are learning that their survival depends on how well they adapt to this customer-centric reality,” they said.

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logi c & magic

BONG OSORIO is an active marketing and communications practitioner, educator, and writer. He currently heads ABS-CBN’s corporate communications department, and is a professor at the University of Santo Tomas, as well as a columnist at the Philippine Star.

BONG OSORIO

Logic & Magic

Expand your mind and be genuinely triumphant Good thinking is your most potent weapon to be successful in a highly competitive marketing communication industry. In professional or personal transactions, the power of good thinking is always an edge. If you know the “how of things” you may not run out of a job, but if you know the “why of things” you can turn out victorious. A good thinker is a problem solver. He is never short of ideas and always maintains a “hope springs eternal” mindset. Edward de Bono, lateral thinking guru and creative maestro, parallels a thinking mind to a beautiful mind. He says, “Beauty is something that can be appreciated by others, thus a beautiful mind is a mind that can be appreciated by others. It is not a mind of a person that sits in a corner and solves very complex puzzles. It is a mind that’s valued—usually through conversation.” A beautiful mind is achievable. You can have it if you master the process of good thinking. It is not a matter of innate intelligence or great knowledge. It is how you use your mind that will spell the difference. How can you be a better thinker 2014 and beyond? Take some lessons from John C. Maxwell’s How Successful People Think. The tome advocates connecting to progressive methods that can guarantee a perked-up mind.

Network with good thinkers. Reach out to other people and build a network of individuals whose direction is to achieve success. Networking doesn’t mean sucking up to your boss, or choosing to hang out with important people only. Real networking is about building relationships at all levels inside and outside of your work environment--friends, colleagues, subordinates, superiors, suppliers, and clients, among others. Seek out and choose to spend time with people who will challenge you with their thinking and their actions. Believe that sharp people sharpen one another, just as iron sharpens iron. If you want to be a sharp thinker, be around sharp people. Be deliberate about the thinking process and choose to think good thoughts. Make thinking a discipline and a priority by having a “thinking schedule.” It will help fight the frenzied velocity of life that discourages premeditated thinking. And as you follow your agenda, be passionate about what you have decided to think about. Love what you do and apt rewards will follow. Think and then act. Know what you want, paint  a dream, define a vision and have a clear idea about what you want to do,

Have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and information. Regular exposure to good input is a must. Look for things to get the thinking process started, because what you put in always impacts what comes out. Realize that knowledge has long been recognized as a key component to success. Being constantly curious and getting intrigued from time to time by people, things, situations and ideas encountered are good thinking boosters. Curiosity can kill the cat, but the lack of it can breed mediocrity.

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to be, or to accomplish. Put your goods thoughts and set goals into deeds. Ideas have a limited shelf life. You must act on them before the expiration date. Allow your emotions rule and create another good thought. You cannot wait until you feel like thinking to carry it out. Once you engage in the process of good thinking, you can use your emotions to feed the process and create mental momentum. Doing this can stimulate additional thoughts and creative ideas. Do the thinking process over and over again. It will be pitiful if you only have one idea. One good idea does not make a successful existence. Avoid being a one-hit wonder, a flash in the pan, a predictable speaker or a one-time inventor who spends life struggling to protect or promote a solitary idea. “Nothing is so embarrassing as watching someone do something that you said could not be done,” Sam Ewing declares. Indeed, good thinking fetches good possibility for triumph. And to triumph, you must “try” first then “umph.” Success doesn’t come overnight. You have to incessantly expand your mind, catch your dreams and be genuinely triumphant.

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Downtime

All Nippon Airways THE UNFRIENDLY skies Whether they thought it would be funny to put their own spin on Blackface (which isn’t funny) or someone just wanted to get back at all white people for Mickey Rooney as Mr. Yunioshi in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, this ANA ad takes the cake for most racist ad of 2014 (so far!).

BUD LIGHT At US$4m for 30 seconds, commercial space during the Super Bowl is some of the most desired airtime money can buy. Wanting to maximize their adspend, brands have taken to creating teasers and trailers for their Super Bowl spots, and Bud Light is no exception. Ok, we’ll bite. Anything with Arnold Schwarzenegger as a Björn Borg lookalike, Don Cheadle taking a llama for a walk and Reggie Watts jamming in the back of a stretch Hummer can’t be all that bad, right?

L’OREAL’s TALE OF TWO Keatons FANBOYS adobo managing editor Mikhail Lecaros and MRM deputy executive creative director Budjette Tan got their inner fanboy on when they met Game of Thrones director David Nutter in Singapore. We still can’t get them to stop talking about it.

Mere seconds after people were remarking how wonderful Diane Keaton, 68, looked at the Golden Globes (left), she’d barely stepped off the stage when a L’Oreal ‘Age Perfect’ TVC, featuring a digitallyairbrushed representation of the legendary actress was aired. Brilliant.

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R E G UL AR Secti on

Events Calendar Feb 2 Mad World SMX Convention Center

March 16-18 Festival of Media Asia Pacific

www.facebook.com/ philippinejunior marketingassociation

Singapore

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March 17 Young Guns Awards

London

February 3: Entries open October 1: Awards Night Clio Awards

www.dandad.org/awards14

New York City

www.ygaward.com

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www.clioawards.com

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January 29: Deadline of Submissions March 19: D&AD New Blood Awards Deadline July 3: Awards Night D&AD

www.festivalofmedia.com/asiapacific

USA

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Jan 31 - March 3 Philippine Arts Festival Philippines artsfestival.ph

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January 31: Deadline February 14: Extended deadline May 5â&#x20AC;&#x201C;9: Creative Week The One Show

February 7 AdSpeak â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;14 Colegio de San Juan de Letran

Las Vegas Nevada, USA

www.adspeak14.com

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www.nabshow.com

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April 23-24 The Internet Show 2014 & The Mobile Show Asia 2014

enter.oneclub.org/theoneshow

February 14: Judging Round 2 April 14: APAC Effie Awards Gala APAC Effie Awards

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Singapore

mobile-show-asia/index.stm

www.apaceffie.com

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New York, USA

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/

January 31: 2014 Call for Entries Final Deadline April 2014: Announcement of Shortlist May 1: Announcement of Winners NYFEST: International Advertising Awards

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Ayala Museum

May 26-27 CMO Asia Summit

New York, USA

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Hilton Kuala Lumpur

February 21: Deadline of Entries March 28: Design Talks and Awarding Ceremonies adobo Design Awards

advertising.newyorkfestivals.com

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February 1 Graphika Manila

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April 5-10 NAB Show: Where content comes to life

May 7-11 Ad Summit Pilipinas Subic, Olongapo City ----

www.cmoasiasummit.com

March 6-8 Asia Pacific Advertising Festival (ADFEST)

SMX, Mall of Asia

Royal Cliff Hotels Group in Pattaya, Thailand

www.graphikamanila.com

www.adfest.com

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January-February 2014

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