It's More Fun in the Philippines Official Jingle

I just had to share this because it put a giant smile across my face on this dark, rainy, and overall dreary day. We Filipinos are so lucky! To quote from the jingle, "our slippers have touched paradise!" On a fun note, we had an agency meeting yesterday and this campaign was awarded, "Idea of the Quarter". Yebah!

Why Do Filipinos Work Hard?

Advertising serves as the carnival mirror for our society- poking fun at us while simultaneously making us laugh. These two commercials share a real insight at how we Pinoys go to great lengths to make more money. 

 Cebuana Lhullier Pera Padala Raket 

 Sarah selling longganisa is hilarious. I too dabbled in Lucban longganisa reselling. 

 McDonald's McSavers Dance 
This hits home because I work in advertising. I once was part of a pitch 
where we sang, “Don’t Stop Believing” to win back a disgruntled client. 

These spots make us smile because it's true. But do we really just take on extra work because life is hard? Or do we have an innate need to bring home more than what’s expected? Take everyone’s hardest working boxer/ congressman/ host/ endorser/ recording artist/ husband/ and father. 

Does Manny do it for the money?

After the controversial fight, he was going back to opis to do some work. Never has a champion boxer uttered those words. Go back to the opis?!? This is a guy whose net worth is estimated to be in  $26 million to $70 million range. Does he really need to work or does he want to work?


Filipinos are Such Hard Workers

1.     We Have Big Families-

Providing for the family is the driving force for a majority of our countrymen. When your family includes your 3 sons, their families, your out-of-work siblings, your mom and your dad, there is no choice but to take on more work.

2.    The Concept of Sayang-

Pinoys don’t like anything going to waste. Having a party? Pack the leftovers. Bought a can of ice cream? Reuse the packaging. If the opportunity to make more money is there, are we not wired to make full use of it?

3.   We’re a Rice Culture-

In Malcolm Gladwell’s book, “the Outliers”, he talks about how Asians are generally more hardworking than Europeans simply because we used to grow rice and they used to grow potatoes. We worked throughout the year to yield a harvest while Europeans worked seasonally then slept once winter came.

4.    Multitasking is in Our Nature- 

Just look around your village and see how many home business there are. A house is not just a home; it can also be a sari-sari store, a bakery, a dress shop, and an Internet cafe. So an actor can be a politician. A teacher can be in sales. And a copywriter can be a blogger. Again, sayang kasi.

WWF Anti-Plastics Print Campaign

There are so many things I've wanted to blog about the past week, but free time just isn't on my side. I was involved in a major pitch and I'm also getting ready to move closer to Makati. Whut, probinsyana no longer! (For those who were not aware, I was originally based in Region 4.)

So in the meantime, here's an ad that I love. Yes, I worked on it! But I love it because the environment is something I care deeply about. It angers me to see trash on rivers, beaches, and even on the road. I'm sure you've witnessed a similar scene when you're stuck in traffic and suddenly a car near you rolls down a window and unloads trash on the street. I want to scream, "Hey people! The world is not your trash can!" Well, in doing these ads I learned that plastics, the most dangerous form of everyday trash, actually ends up primarily in the ocean.

This last print ad was cited by Bestadsontv.com today. Yay.  

Every year, 70% of plastic wastes are dumped into the sea. Most people are unaware of the massive amounts of plastic circling the ocean. In parts of the Pacific Ocean, plastic particles outweigh plankton - the main food source for most fish. Thus, fish accidentally consume these particles. They end up poisoned or on our dinner plates. The key really is to prevent them from reaching the sea. BBDO Guerrero hopes that with these print ads featuring disposable plastic objects shaped into corals, people will think twice the next time they pick up a plastic stirrer.

Agency: BBDO Guerrero

CCO/Writer: David Guerrero

ECD: Brandie Tan and Tin Sanchez

Creative Director: Pia Roxas Ocampo

Art Director: JP Palileo

Copywriter: Knox Balbastro

Photographer: Neil Oshima and Paulo Gripo

Sculptor: Olivia d’Aboville

Partners: Photolibrary

Account Management: Carmela Quirino and Angelica Uy.

Yes, We Cannes! The Philippines at this Year's Cannes Lions 2011

Our big boss just came back from Cannes competition in France and he was all smiles. 2011 year was a great year for Team Philippines! Hauling home the most medals for the country ever, Filipino agencies had several short lists, 2 Silvers, 1 Gold, and 1 Act Grand Tribute. It's great to see the Philippines making waves in a prestigious international competition like Cannes. Once again, our young clients blazed a trail in the Young Marketers Competition with a Gold Win. Congratulations Angeline Go and Justine Ferrer from Del Monte. I hope you guys become visionary brand people one day.

Watch the video. I hope their company sees the potential in their award-winning idea. Del Monte should seriously think about implementing it to boost their brand affinity and as part of their corporate social responsibility program. 

Special Edition Pepsi Pinas Commercial

Oh my Alvarez! Bigla kong namiss si Rudy Fernandez at kanyang maong na jacket at bigote. Go Pepsi Pinas! Let's bring back good old Filipino action films where the guys being shot at shake uncontrollably before dying. Love love love the lines and humor.

Saridon Wins a Silver Clio

Pain medicine is such a difficult category to do ads for because all the great ideas have been claimed, used, and beaten dead. Maybe, that's why a lot of brands just get an endorser, who can mouth of cutesy lines, to do all the work. When I first saw these Saridon print ads, I was impressed with its cheekiness. It’s a novel way to visualize a hackneyed problem. The idea is simple: a persistent headache is one that mimics your every move, detering you from the task at hand. 

I just loved the gritty Philippine setting combined with the characters: a wet market vendor, a carpenter, and a labandera (laundry woman). Everyday people hard at work- not the typical “aspirational” office worker or artista (actor). These are the people that really need pain relief. They deserve to be featured on ads!  

Congrats to the BBDO Team who came up with it. Brilliant. A Silver Clio is just the beginning, guys! 

Make a Kanta Call for Your Fave Filipino Overseas Worker

Kanta Calls is something I'm very proud of. It's a heartwarming and funny digital effort made by BBDO- Guerrero for our 10 million Pinoys working abroad. It's also an easy way for the millions of OFW kids (like me) to send some love to their hardworking parents abroad.

So what is a Kanta Call? 

Bayantel had us create an application where Filipinos in the Philippines could send a musical call to any Filipino overseas. Just go the site. Pick a genre: Hip-hop. Traditional ballad or Power ballad. Personalize your lyrics. Type in your loved one’s phone number. Then at a time of your choosing, their phones will ring and they’d hear their very own personalized song. And yes, it's absolutely free!

http://www.kantacalls.com.ph/

When we were conceptualized this, I really thought of my parents who have been working abroad for more than 25 years. My dad is a pharmacist who moved to Saudi Arabia as a young man. There, he met a bewitching nurse who captured his heart. Eventually, they wed and had me and my brother. Now, they're based in the States and I see them once a year. People who have never lived abroad can take for granted the sacrifices our overseas Filipino workers make to be able to support their families. I'm glad that I grew up in Saudi Arabia because I've experienced those things firsthand. I'm so grateful to my folks Ruben and Emma. This one's for you Poppy and Mumsky!

Try it out. My friends have been cracking up to the crowd-pleasing Rap version. But being a little old-fashioned, I prefer the Kundiman.

A big shout out to the talented people in our agency who made this possible: Pia Roxas, Corey Cruz, Karen Gosingan, Racquel Narciso, Paul Guadalupe, and Sheena Siao. I hope I didn't miss anyone.

Joy Dishwashing Soap Dishes Out Fashion Advice

 

Joy to the world! Finally Joy dishwashing soap decided to deviate from their usual "most plates per floor space and Michael V's face" kinda ad. This advertising campaign builds from a truly local insight about a Pinoy's habit to wash plates with dish washing soap. The copy reads: “Yaman din lamang at nilabhan mo ang plato sa bareta, isuot mo na ito.” Roughly translated: “As you have washed the plate with a bar, you might as well wear it.” It's campy fashiony way to look at boring old soap.

 

Credits to the Campaigns and Grey and the team behind this:

Chief Creative Officer: Ompong Remigio
Creative Director:  Noel Orosa
Associate Creative Director: Mel Aguinaldo
Copywriter: Noel Orosa
Art Directors: Gil Corcuera, Anton Panajon
Photographer: Milo Sogueco
Production Designer: Rious Caliso
Stylists: Rious Caliso, Noel Orosa

Ingenious Advertising Activation by St. Peter Memorial Chapel

Brave Use of Coffin as Advertisement by St Peter Memorial Chapel

I work in an ad agency where we often pass around ads we think are particularly clever or insightful. Today, our big boss emailed this to us hailing it the "Ad of the Month". He was kidding. I think. Well, it made me laugh because despite its somewhat crude and morbid nature, it encapsulates how Filipinos view death. It's certainly not the end so why be so mopey about it? Most of the wakes I've been too had riotous moments of uncontrollable laughter. Even the most tragic ones had a point when we were all chugging down alcohol and recalling the funny situations we had shared. Filipino wakes are notorious occasions for gambling and karaoke singing. Weddings and deaths are really the big events that bring families together so why not make the most of it?

Our Creative Director for Digital says that St. Peter really does go out of their way to be innovative. They're the first ones to come out with the e-burol (translated to e-wake) so that loved ones from abroad don't have to miss out. Here's their website: St. Peter Memorial Chapel

Spikes 2010 List of Winners from the Philippines

Another great week for Philippine advertising. Metal parade! Woohoo!

Gold for Bates 141  

Gold For DM9 JaymeSyfu

Gold for Young Creatives of TBWA-SMP

 Bronze for BBDO- Guerrero Proximity

 Bronze for BBDO- Guerrero Proximity

Congratulations to the 2009 Agency of the Year: BBDO Guerrero Proximity

Read up on them on Adobo and Campaign Brief Asia.

Young Spikes Competition Answers the Problem of Brain Drain in the Philippines

Some call it human capital flight, but here we all know it as brain drain. 

Put simply, it’s when our best minds and workers leave the country for greener pastures. 1 out of 10 Filipinos either work or live abroad. These OFWs or Overseas Filipino Workers are the crutch that supports this country’s wobbly economic leg. As much as I’d like to bash those who’ve abandoned our country, I can’t. I’m an OFW child, I know where my parents sacrifices have gotten me. It’s afforded me the chance to grow up in Saudi Arabia, travel the world, and graduate from one of the best (definitely the most expensive) university in the Philippines.

But how come I get this nagging feeling that something is wrong?

I would say 30% of my closest friends are now abroad. Childhood friends who grew up in Saudi have decided to follow in the footsteps of their parents.  Friends from my university days are slowly flying out to seek their fortunes elsewhere. I’m proud of their successes. I too went to the U.S. for 6 months and mulled over earning a living there. But in the end, I went back.

If I stayed, I’d be a certified worker bee. Part of the 8 million strong Filipinos who lived to earn money. Those 8 million probably have to do it for their family but I don’t need to earn for my family. I just need to earn enough to take care of me. So that allowed me to dig an even deeper hole for myself. Where am I needed most? 

Duh? Obvious Ba! 

Those thoughts came flooding to me as I confronted the problem of brain drain for the Young Spikes Competition. Along with my partner JP Palileo, we did our best to fix this age-old dilemma.  Here is our solution:

 Our answer to Philippine Brain Drain. It garnered a runner-up position. 

The winning answer to Philppine Brain Drain. 

This board was done by friends from TBWA-SMP who got first place.

Both of them are great ideas. The only question now is how to get those ideas out into the world. Can someone produce these please? (Para masabi ko naman: "Advertising can too change the world!")

Congrats to all the young creatives who joined. This was a drain braining brief to crack! Hugs go out to my bestie Ali- the winning AD, who was a former partner in another agency. Thanks to Adobo Magazine for the photos and for the feature which you can read here. 

Department of Tourism Live Your Dreams Campaign

Early last year, I was a Mabuhay Guide spending an extraordinary amount of time in the Department of Tourism. In their offices, there are tons of brochures you can check out on the latest offerings of popular destinations in the country. This brochure about, "Living Your Dreams" stood out. The campaign done by BBDO Guerrero Proximity encouraged foreigners to buy lots and houses in the Philippines. Though, I'm not sold on the idea of selling off our land to strangers, I loved the ads and the art style.  

Here it is in print format:

These are actual paintings that were used for ads. Have a look at one artist's process in creating this.

It is delightfully meticulous. You really have to look closely to appreciate the story told by all the cutesy details. Did you spot the flying butanding (whale shark)? How about Rizal in his overcoat?  

I'm so happy they did a second installment in the campaign. Try looking for Manny Pacquiao.

This is one campaign I would be so proud to have in my portfolio.  I also would not mind having the paintings on my wall. The art style feels so Filipino. It's color-happy, maximalist, and whimsical.
Please DOT, ask the team to create a third campaign installment.

Manila Design Week Edible Billboard

An edible billboard made out of 13,500 lollipops made by TBWA-SMP Manila was one of the most enjoyable things that came out of Manila Design Week 2010. A scrumptious piece of advertising that crossed over to art installation. I think the young designers who attended really liked it. I personally witnessed hoards of them fill their bags with candy once they realized that the words, "Suck Design" really meant FREE LOLLIPOPS FOR ALL!


The most comedic moment happened at the end of the night when we saw the takatak boy (Filipino roving street vendor) selling some of the sweet loot just outside the venue. Filipinos are so enterprising!

Manila Design Week 2010 TV Commercial is Out

I can watch this television commercial over and over again. The insight is brilliant and the execution is flawless. It reminds me of synesthesia - a condition in which one type of stimulation evokes the sensation of another, as when the hearing of a sound produces the visualization of a color. Great visual design can make something so much more appetizing. Yumyum. I can't wait for Graphika Manila tomorrow! 

A shout out to my very good friends Ali Silao and CJ DeSilva from TBWA-SMP who worked on this. It's fabulous and it makes me proud that events like Manila Design Week are being held in the Philippines.

Philippine Cannes Lion Radio Winners 2010

I posted something about the Philippine Cannes Lions Advertising Winners last June. I didn't know that a radio ad also bagged some bronzes so here is a belated, "Conghraaaaaatyulaysyons!" There are no words to describe how difficult radio can be. To win for not just one, but two deserves a double round of praise. Hurray hurray for "Jun Jun" and "Jen Jen" from JWT!

Click to listen to Jun Jun.

Click to listen to Jen Jen.

McDonald's "Karen Lolo" Television Commercial is Creative Guild's Ad of the Decade

Kidlat is the local advertising award given by the Creative Guild- a collective of Filipino advertising creatives. At the last award's season, this spot was awarded TVC of the decade. I think because it brings out a very real but rare sentimentality in us. You will almost never see a fast food ad where the store is dimly lit, the customers are scant, and the main characters order the basic meal choice. It’s not our usual over the top drama or hyperactive comedy.

On a deeper level, it appeals to every Filipino who has a grandparent. Filipinos are quite attached to their elders. When other cultures ignore them after a certain age, we still allow them to influence our decisions. The West thinks that it’s perfectly okay to send them away, we like to keep them close. This is Filipino culture. We put up with our annoying senile oldies because we love them.

If only, this spot was for Jollibee (The no. 1 fast food in the country and touted to be the Filipino McDonald's), I’d be totally sold. (Although, I’m very biased in the Jollibee department.)

Philippines Bags Three Lions at Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival

For advertising practitioners such as myself, this is an exciting month. Now is the time for the, "Oscars" of the advertising world which is being held in Cannes, France. From my FB news feed alone, I'm feeling a big tidal wave of awe, happiness, and envy pointed at the three works that won. So, go on let's  all drool. The people behind these deserve their time in the limelight.

 

A Bronze for BBDO Guerrero \ Proximity

A Silver for DDB DM9 JaymeSyfu

A Silver for Ace Saatchi & Saatchi

Awesome! Congratulations to all the winners.