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[thoughtkatalog]

The One with PANA+FAO’s Gen Ad Seminar

“Sorry advertising, I say things.” – Me

  When I was a kid, I really hate advertising. For me, all those billboards and TV ads are annoying and they just interrupt you in everything that you do. They crave for your attention even though you have no plans of buying their products, and you know that no matter what they do, you won’t even really consider changing your mind.

  Things changed when I decided to go with the path of marketing, PR, and advertising. During the Gen Ad seminar, I learned a lot about brand activation, bringing the brand closer to the consumer, and mobile advertising.

  Internet advertising is one of the most effective ways of letting your consumers be aware of your products. There are a lot of platforms available for advertisers, however brands should not go digital just for the sake of it. Digital marketing should be planned carefully for it is very crucial.

  I think mobile marketing is the most promising platform because of the statistics that shows that ownership of smartphones is steadily increasing. According to Nelsen, there are more mobile devices on earth than people, aside from that, ownership of tablets are also increasing. As more people bypass desktops and laptops and go to their mobile devices to access information. Advertisers need to consider new ways to accurately target advertisements to specific demographics.

  5 Breakout Mobile Innovations that will Change Marketing

  1. Mobile Messaging – advertisers/marketers can use apps like WeChat, Viber, Line, and the like to reach out to their customers. These apps can also be used to buy products, buy airplane tickets, rent cars, sell properties, etc. Brands today can use it for mobile coupons and sales.

  2. Location-based Marketing – these are geo-targeted SMS to customers who are near to your store/branch. Some apps developed are used to help customers while shopping for their clothes.

  3. Mobile CRM (customer relationship management) – this has something to do with setting up a database and segmenting the customers based on geography, purchase history, social sharing, users with specific interests, etc. Segmenting the customers will be used for one-to-one communication.

  4. Social = Mobile – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter are some of the tools used in advertising through social media. One example is using a hashtag in instagram to search for a food menu in a restaurant.

  5. Mobilizing Traditional Media – traditional media should not be forgotten just because digital media is emerging. I think it is best to use both for better results.

  Here are some of the mobile advertisements that I received/encounter:

[chucktailored]

Three Things I Learned From PANA-FAO’s GEN-AD

“Don’t think advertising.”

A statement that’s completely ironic to hear in an advertising-centered talk. Surprisingly, it actually makes sense.

This September 27, I had the privilege to learn little nuggets of wisdom about the world of advertising – a field that without a doubt captures many people’s interests. The Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA) – Federation of Advertising Organizations (FAO) held GEN-AD, an advertising conference for communication majors, in Cinema 5, Gateway Mall, Cubao, Quezon City.

The conference consisted of thought-provoking talks about advertising from three respected advertising professionals, namely, Mr. Gino Borromeo, Mr. Mond Cayabyab, and the current digital manager of Unilever Philippines. After every talk, the floor was opened for the attendees to ask questions. The event was a success, with clusters of students from different universities and colleges participating actively throughout the program. 

Among the many takeaways I learned from the event, the following three stuck with me the most.

1) To activate the product, it has to be doing actions, provide interactive communication, and be tangible.

Activation is a fairly new word in the industry of advertising but it was not the first time I encountered the word. In fact, in our public relations class, we used the word “activation” often. We always include an activation part in our strategies and tactics. But what does the word truly mean?

According to Mr. Borromeo, the basic meaning of activation is to turn on or to activate something. In the field, it’s used as bringing the brand to customers by holding events. But it’s more and far greater than that. 

Activation is the brand doing things that reach and connect with people – basically, bringing your brand into life by encouraging positive participation from your stakeholders.

This was what exactly Telstra, Australia did. They activated Legacy, a service for injured veterans and deceased soldiers, by increasing the funds donated via the selling of Legacy Badges. What they did was they revamped the ordinary Legacy badges into an MP3 player that showcased favorite songs and playlists of Australian soldiers who lost their lives in service.

From boring badges that no one wanted to wear, they connected with their audience by knowing their needs and wants without sacrificing the essence of the brand. Activation at its finest.

2) Everything communicates.

Anything and anyone can be media.

Along with the digital and technological advancement came individuality and the expressiveness side of everyone. With the advent of social media, opinions and stands about every issue are all around the place.

In doing advertising, sometimes you don’t have to think of advertising per se. According to Mr. Borromeo, the best ads are not always ads.

This perspective was best demonstrated by the crazy advertising scheme by Rom, a native chocolate bar of Romania. With plummeting sales, strong international competitors, and the chocolate bar being taken for granted, Rom’s launched a campaign that cannot be topped by any other.

Originally wrapped in colors of Romania’s flag, Rom took a bold step by changing it to an American flag – igniting outrage from many Romanians; some even held protests that pointed out Rom’s unpatriotic move.  Tons of negative comments flooded Rom and they liked it. It’s what they were looking for. 

After a week full of American Rom bars and not a single original one, the agency revealed that it was a jest to spark patriotism. They released the original Rom bars then and the American ones were valued as collector’s edition. With free media – from personal communication to below-the-line activities – their sales boosted sky-high. 

1) Advertising is and always will be about connecting with people.

The most powerful tip in advertising is to connect with people and with this, I realised that advertising is not very different from public relations.

Even with the most low technology of advertising, as long as you connect and engage with people, then it doesn’t really matter. Ideas are powerful through any medium if you connect with people. Live and thrive in consumer/stakeholder insight. Look for it in as many places as you can. This will give you the connection that you need. 

People value interactivity because we are all social beings and by capturing this essence within your brand appropriately, one can never go wrong.

Don’t think advertising. Don’t simply think of sales. Don’t think of monetary returns. Don’t think of the old ways of advertising. 

Think big. 

Outtakes: