The 22ND Philippine Advertising Congress will be held next week, from November 16 to19, at the Watersports Complex in Pili, Camarines Sur. Like past congresses, this one has an impressive and dramatic theme, “Change the Game.”
It proceeds on the presumption that the advertising industry – in this case, composed of ad agencies, advertisers, media, and companies providing production, research and other marketing services - is a catalyst for change.
According to congress chair, Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the organizing committee envisioned a gathering of professionals and practitioners that “will hopefully inspire change.”
What that “change” is can only be surmised. One can deduce that it has to do with changing the way advertising is created, the way new media vehicles are utilized, and the way products and services are conceived, developed and promoted to consumers.
I was, frankly, hoping that “change” would also have something to do with our national life, particularly the values of our people. As I had hoped in past congresses, I continue to hope that this 22nd Congress would devote some of the creative, production, media and marketing talent overflowing in the conference to the kind of change that finally appeared possible with the assumption of the presidency by Noynoy Aquino.
I am attending the ad congress. I have a number of reasons for doing so. First of all, I simply can’t get the advertising bug out of my system. It isn’t easy getting over half a century of being on the frontlines. I will relish being with colleagues, young and old. I’m sure I can still learn a few tricks from them.
The second reason for attending the congress is the fact that my book, “How To Make A Benta – Anecdotes, Lectures & Articles from the Advertising Wars,” has just been released and, I understand, will be available in the National Book Store branches in Naga and Legaspi, as well in other branches nationwide.
While most books on advertising use case studies in the American setting, this book provides valuable insights on the making of several classic advertising campaigns, many of which I personally created. The book is also a virtual history of Philippine advertising over the past 50 years. It should prove interesting reading for both students and oldtimers alike.
The third reason, of course, is my hope that, somehow, in some future ad congress – if not in this one - the industry will finally do something to achieve the kind of change that our country and our people need.
Indeed, every ad congress is a Gathering of Game Changers, this 22nd Congress, no less. Some of the brightest, sharpest, most creative, most innovative brains in the country populate the advertising and marketing industry. The efficiency with which these brains create products and conceive services and move them from conception to consumption is the key to economic development and growth.
Imagine what this brain power could do if focused on changing what has been described as our “damaged culture.” Imagine what the creative minds gathered in the congress could do if used to create a campaign that will awaken the Filipino to the vast natural and human resources of our country. A campaign that will imbue in every citizen a caring attitude and an entrepreneurial zeal that will enable them to effectively and profitably harness these resources.
Imagine what this Gathering of Game Changers could do if they decide to devote some of their time and talents to stirring the nobility of our people. Strengthening their love of country. Their spirit of patriotism. Implanting in their hearts the value of honest labor and inspiring them in the pursuit of excellence.
I was the chairman of the 8th Philippine Advertising Congress in November 1983, a few months after a bona fide Game Changer named Benigno Aquino, Jr. was brutally murdered. For that reason, I decided on a congress theme summed up by the acronym, ROAR - Risks, Opportunities and Responsibilities of the ad industry in the face of the crisis confronting the country.
Ninoy had returned in an effort to effect the kind of change for the Philippines that was being jeopardized by the terminal illness of President Marcos and the presence of ambitious individuals who had a different concept of change.
He did, in fact, help to achieve that change. By dying for it. His death set ablaze the smoldering embers that the Marcos dictatorship tried desperately to smother. Change happened with the revolt at EDSA.
But it was, sadly, a temporary one. Our culture had been so badly damaged that a benign revolution failed to repair it.
Two years ago, when preparations for the 21st Ad Congress were being made, I appealed to the organizers to consider the significance of the forthcoming presidential elections and the opportunity that the advertising industry had to prepare the Filipino people for it.
The country had just been ravaged by typhoon Ondoy and the advertising industry and private businesses responded heroically to the crisis. They raised money and relief goods and actively helped in alleviating the suffering of the victims.
Encouraged by this, I wrote a column item that expressed the hope that the organizers would use the ad congress as an opportunity to harness the industry’s talents to help educate the Filipino people on the need for militancy and for voting wisely in the 2010 presidential elections.
Dodie Lucas, one of the prime movers of the Advertising Foundation, was the very first to respond to my appeal. He offered to bring it up with the congress organizing committee. But this was to no avail.
As it turned out, it was the Ad Foundation that eventually took up the challenge, launching a competition that honored the advertisers and the print and broadcast media that mounted outstanding campaigns on voter education and clean elections.
In October 2010, the Ad Foundation presented the Gintong Haligi Award to the DDB Group and its client, PLDT-Smart Foundation, for the Ako Mismo campaign; ABS-CBN for Boto Mo Ipatrol Mo; Philippine Star for The Vote 2010 and Smart Vote; Philippine Seven Corporation for 7-Elections; and Bombo Radyo for The Vote 2010.
Change did, in fact, happen as a result of the presidential elections. Since Noynoy Aquino’s assumption of the presidency, there has been renewed hope in finally cleaning up the Aegean stable that our government has become.
But more change is required. And that change has to be initiated first of all – and most of all – among our children. Their minds are still malleable. The proper values can be implanted in them. But these values need to be nurtured up to adulthood. And this is where the creativity and the skills of the advertising industry can be put to such effective use.
It can be done. It has been done.
Over a century ago, an individual, a Game Changer, used his creative gifts to effect change. Meaningful change. Dr. Jose Rizal wrote Noli Mi Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
And Change happened.
(gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)
It proceeds on the presumption that the advertising industry – in this case, composed of ad agencies, advertisers, media, and companies providing production, research and other marketing services - is a catalyst for change.
According to congress chair, Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the organizing committee envisioned a gathering of professionals and practitioners that “will hopefully inspire change.”
What that “change” is can only be surmised. One can deduce that it has to do with changing the way advertising is created, the way new media vehicles are utilized, and the way products and services are conceived, developed and promoted to consumers.
I was, frankly, hoping that “change” would also have something to do with our national life, particularly the values of our people. As I had hoped in past congresses, I continue to hope that this 22nd Congress would devote some of the creative, production, media and marketing talent overflowing in the conference to the kind of change that finally appeared possible with the assumption of the presidency by Noynoy Aquino.
I am attending the ad congress. I have a number of reasons for doing so. First of all, I simply can’t get the advertising bug out of my system. It isn’t easy getting over half a century of being on the frontlines. I will relish being with colleagues, young and old. I’m sure I can still learn a few tricks from them.
The second reason for attending the congress is the fact that my book, “How To Make A Benta – Anecdotes, Lectures & Articles from the Advertising Wars,” has just been released and, I understand, will be available in the National Book Store branches in Naga and Legaspi, as well in other branches nationwide.
While most books on advertising use case studies in the American setting, this book provides valuable insights on the making of several classic advertising campaigns, many of which I personally created. The book is also a virtual history of Philippine advertising over the past 50 years. It should prove interesting reading for both students and oldtimers alike.
The third reason, of course, is my hope that, somehow, in some future ad congress – if not in this one - the industry will finally do something to achieve the kind of change that our country and our people need.
Indeed, every ad congress is a Gathering of Game Changers, this 22nd Congress, no less. Some of the brightest, sharpest, most creative, most innovative brains in the country populate the advertising and marketing industry. The efficiency with which these brains create products and conceive services and move them from conception to consumption is the key to economic development and growth.
Imagine what this brain power could do if focused on changing what has been described as our “damaged culture.” Imagine what the creative minds gathered in the congress could do if used to create a campaign that will awaken the Filipino to the vast natural and human resources of our country. A campaign that will imbue in every citizen a caring attitude and an entrepreneurial zeal that will enable them to effectively and profitably harness these resources.
Imagine what this Gathering of Game Changers could do if they decide to devote some of their time and talents to stirring the nobility of our people. Strengthening their love of country. Their spirit of patriotism. Implanting in their hearts the value of honest labor and inspiring them in the pursuit of excellence.
I was the chairman of the 8th Philippine Advertising Congress in November 1983, a few months after a bona fide Game Changer named Benigno Aquino, Jr. was brutally murdered. For that reason, I decided on a congress theme summed up by the acronym, ROAR - Risks, Opportunities and Responsibilities of the ad industry in the face of the crisis confronting the country.
Ninoy had returned in an effort to effect the kind of change for the Philippines that was being jeopardized by the terminal illness of President Marcos and the presence of ambitious individuals who had a different concept of change.
He did, in fact, help to achieve that change. By dying for it. His death set ablaze the smoldering embers that the Marcos dictatorship tried desperately to smother. Change happened with the revolt at EDSA.
But it was, sadly, a temporary one. Our culture had been so badly damaged that a benign revolution failed to repair it.
Two years ago, when preparations for the 21st Ad Congress were being made, I appealed to the organizers to consider the significance of the forthcoming presidential elections and the opportunity that the advertising industry had to prepare the Filipino people for it.
The country had just been ravaged by typhoon Ondoy and the advertising industry and private businesses responded heroically to the crisis. They raised money and relief goods and actively helped in alleviating the suffering of the victims.
Encouraged by this, I wrote a column item that expressed the hope that the organizers would use the ad congress as an opportunity to harness the industry’s talents to help educate the Filipino people on the need for militancy and for voting wisely in the 2010 presidential elections.
Dodie Lucas, one of the prime movers of the Advertising Foundation, was the very first to respond to my appeal. He offered to bring it up with the congress organizing committee. But this was to no avail.
As it turned out, it was the Ad Foundation that eventually took up the challenge, launching a competition that honored the advertisers and the print and broadcast media that mounted outstanding campaigns on voter education and clean elections.
In October 2010, the Ad Foundation presented the Gintong Haligi Award to the DDB Group and its client, PLDT-Smart Foundation, for the Ako Mismo campaign; ABS-CBN for Boto Mo Ipatrol Mo; Philippine Star for The Vote 2010 and Smart Vote; Philippine Seven Corporation for 7-Elections; and Bombo Radyo for The Vote 2010.
Change did, in fact, happen as a result of the presidential elections. Since Noynoy Aquino’s assumption of the presidency, there has been renewed hope in finally cleaning up the Aegean stable that our government has become.
But more change is required. And that change has to be initiated first of all – and most of all – among our children. Their minds are still malleable. The proper values can be implanted in them. But these values need to be nurtured up to adulthood. And this is where the creativity and the skills of the advertising industry can be put to such effective use.
It can be done. It has been done.
Over a century ago, an individual, a Game Changer, used his creative gifts to effect change. Meaningful change. Dr. Jose Rizal wrote Noli Mi Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
And Change happened.
(gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)
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