See what the Filipino can do…

I thought I’ve already turned my back from the advertising world when I jumped to Client side but I should’ve known… being in Marketing Services now, there’s a chance that I will still get to visit it once in a while.

One such instance was the 21st Philippine Advertising Congress held in Subic Bay last November 18 to 20. Although I would always say that the I’ve attended too many AdCongresses in my lifetime as an ad slave (ha!) it was nice seeing familiar faces, listen to great forums and talks, witnessing unique and brave performances from individuals I’ve worked with and realizing that, however “cold” the industry’s culture may be, it can still find a way to show that is has a heart.

Here’s this year’s AdCon anthem, and no kidding, this gave me all the hope that I needed.

21st Phillipine Advertising Congress theme song

English Translation: (I know that it’s a “big sin” to translate someone else’s work – well that’s how I was taught when I worked in advertising – but I’m throwing that BS away and translate anyway as most of my readers do not understand Tagalog)

 

Will you let the waves tumble you down?

Or will you face the challenge?

Will you refuse to get up on your feet?

Or will you stand up and get out from the water?

 

Will you give in to the currents?

Or will you fight the thunderstorms?

Are you losing hope?

Or will you pour all your strength?

 

What do you think the Filipino can do

To show the world?

What do you think the Filipino can do

To show the world?

Get out from the water and unite.

Change is in our hands.

Show the world what the Filipino can do.

 

Will you let fear beat you?

Or will you fight the sadness?

Are the clouds covering you?

Or are you wearing the rainbow?

 

Will you give in to the currents?

Or will you fight the thunderstorms?

Are you losing hope?

Or will you pour all your strength?

 

What do you think the Filipino can do

To show the world?

What do you think the Filipino can do

To show the world?

Get out from the water and unite.

Change is in our hands.

Show the world what the Filipino can do.

 

There’s no choosing when it comes to helping out.

Let’s all unite, brown-skinned ones.

You or me, no one is selfish.

Let the blood of heroes flow.

Red, Yellow and Blue; 3 stars and 1 sun/

Stars that shine behind the clouds can be seen.

Hand in hand, hold on, don’t let go.

What do you think?

Together, let us hold hands/

3 stars and 1 sun.

And shout…

 

Will you give in to the currents?

Or will you fight the thunderstorms?

Are you losing hope?

Or will you pour all your strength?

 

What do you think the Filipino can do

To show the world?

What do you think the Filipino can do

To show the world?

Get out from the water and unite.

Change is in our hands.

Show the world what the Filipino can do.

 

What do you think the Filipino can do

To show the world?

An Ad Worth Mentioning

A masterpiece from one of my best friends.

Simple yet powerful. You know what you have to do after seeing the ad, right?

 

Hail to the chief

Next friday is the last day of one of my favorite people in the office. It’s so sad because I’ve finally found someone I can really look up to, depend on during hard times, can cause me to exhale once the going gets tough, can laugh with everyday, can chat with whenever he’s in the area, can talk to if I had too much at work and would like to be in the near future due to his simple, yet brilliant, thinking…

He’s like David Ogilvy, but more down-to-earth.

A great leader, but a good friend at the same time.

A teacher and a colleague.

He is one in a million, and the agency he will be heading as GM is so lucky to have him.

I hope we get to work together again soon.

“A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position.” – John Maxwell

Who Did You Think I Was

Here is a line that you won’t understand

I’m half of the boy but I’m twice the man

I carry the weight of the world in the palm of my hand

Who did you think I was?

more about “John Mayer Trio – Who Did You Think I…“, posted with vodpod

This could’ve been a nice ad

It’s a gatefold print ad, with the outer part of the fold showing this:

and when you open it, a more complex formula is revealed.

Nice. A milk brand shows that kids will be able to solve more complicated mathematical problems, as long as they are given the right stuff during their growing up ages. A unique ad from a growing up milk brand. If only…

the equation was correct!

9+5×2-(7×2) IS NOT EQUAL TO 14!!!!

If we go back to our basic arithmetic, the order of operations should be PEMDAS or “Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally” – Parenthesis Exponent Multiplication Division Addition Subtraction.

9+5×2-(7×2)=14?
9+5(2)-14=14?
9+10-14=14?
19-14=14????
5=14! (I can now imagine my gradeschool math teacher getting all stressed up)

What a waste of space and ad monies. To think the ad was for a brand that promotes nourishing the brain, pursuing excellence. AND THIS WAS PUBLISHED IN A NATIONAL DAILY!!!!!!!!!!!!

THUMBS DOWN.

Juvenile Stuff in the Real World

I am in a meeting right now and I am very irritated by these 2 girls in front of me who kept on whispering to each other the entire time! I’ve sat down with them in the past and that’s how they have always been — whispering, or sharing some funny thing via SMS.

I wouldn’t really mind, you know, whatever they do, but it just so happens that one of the girls used to work for us (well, before my time) and apparently, as I heard from the grapevine, had some ill feelings towards the agency because she was not promoted to Group Head. What she did, according to reports, was she resigned and joined the other girl in getting projects from our Clients.

Wait, if you are not promoted by the company, that means you’re not good, right? Guess she can’t really accept reality.

now i know why it’s called troubleshoot

because when it comes to computers, there’s always trouble, and most of the time, i really wanna shoot myself because of it.

currently juggling my life as an account director, strategic planner and IT admin.

J. Walter Thompson Philippines wins a Clio

this is something worth celebrating about

Philippines Wins a Bronze Clio!

The prestigious Clio Awards results are out–and JWT Manila got one in!

JWT  won the country’’s only Clio, a Bronze for the Shell “Are We There Yet” radio commercial. DM9 JaymeSyfu and TBWASMP made it to the Clio shortlists for  the Drixine “Clogged Nose” Poster Campaign and the Unicef “Sarah” radio commercial respectively!

the genie and 3 admen

An ad team is working very late at night on a project due the next morning. Suddenly, a Genie appears before them and offers to grant them all one wish. The Copywriter says: “I’ve always dreamed of writing the great American novel and having my work studied in schools across the land. I’d like to go to a tropical island where I can concentrate and write my masterpiece.” The Genie says “No problem!” and poof! The Copywriter is gone. The Art Director says: “I want to create a painting so beautiful that it would hang in the Lourve Museum in Paris for all the world to admire. I want to go to the French countryside to work on my painting.” The Genie says “Your wish is granted! and poof! The Art Director is gone. The Genie then turns to the Account Executive and says “And what is your wish?” The AE says, “I want those two assholes back here right now.”

david ogilvy, my god of quotes

i am an ogilvy baby. i learned the basics from that company and it is also where i told myself that communication is part of life.

today marks my 11th year in the advertising/communication business. in May 7, 1997, fresh from a 2-month stay in the US, the Ogilvy & Mather Philippines office called me up to say that i got in, as a participant of their 360-degree training (similar to Basic Advertising’s Advertising University). ogilvy then was just a 5-year old creative shop, but i decided to apply there because of one ad which they displayed in their booth at my school’s job fair:

No to dope. No to heroin. No to coke. A public service message from Pepsi Cola.

(i love coca-cola, i’m a loyal user, but this ad was so intriguing and controversial that it took my breath away)

my world started to expand when i joined. kotex pantiliners was my first account, and on my 2nd day, i ended up staying at a photographer’s studio until 2am because i had to oversee a product shoot. after a month, i had my first TV ad shoot. a few months after, i helped launch comfort fabric conditioner, the next year, we won all the awards that the comfort and kotex ads were nominated on. my last year there, in 2000, i was sent to thailand for the worldwide northwest advertising seminar (my first official business trip!) only to come home a few days after and spend 2 sleepless nights monitoring a tragic airline accident (not northwest, but news regarding airline disasters, in general, was part of my job).

one thing i gained in my stint in ogilvy was an admiration for quotes… why? because david ogilvy, the founder, was a man who gave the best ever quotable quotes as far as advertising is concerned. the best because they are not only damn good inclusions to a presentation slide, but they are also worth pondering on.

my favorites:

this one i heard from a colleague a few minutes ago:

If each of us hires people smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs.

the quote in its original context:

“When someone is made the head of an office in the Ogilvy & Mather chain, I send him a Matrioshka doll from Gorky. If he has the curiosity to open it, and keep opening it until he comes to the inside of the smallest doll, he finds this message: If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we shall become a company of giants.”

it is now something that i will try to live up to.

a few more for your (and my) indulgence:

It is flagrantly dishonest for an advertising agent to urge consumers to buy a product which he would not allow his own wife to buy.

 

Many people – and I think I am one of them – are more productive when they’ve had a little to drink. I find if I drink two or three brandies, I’m far better able to write.

 

Our business is infested with idiots who try to impress by using pretentious jargon.

 

The consumer isn’t a moron; she is your wife.

by the way, my last ever multinational agency gig (before deciding to become a strategic planner for a local activation group) was ogilvyaction, its below-the-line sister company… 10 years after seeing that ad in my school.