newsline Boy Martirez to join Liberty Telecom
Former SMART marketing whiz Boy Martirez returns to the local scene as CEO of Liberty Telecom, effective Feb. 4. The company willl wade right into the ultra-competitive mobile and wireless broadband services, buoyed by investments from Qatar Telecom (QTel) and San Miguel Corp (SMC). SMC Chair Ramon Ang has been elected Chairman of the new company, which holds nearly 100 mhz of broadband frequency spectrum.
SMC extends hold to Petron, Meralco
Beer, food, power, telco and now fuel. After being elected new chairman of Petron Corp., Ramon Ang will also sit as vice chairman and director of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the country’s biggest power distributor. Ang, vice chairman and president of San Miguel Corp. (SMC), was elected to Meralco’s 11-man board, along with allies Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., Estelito Mendoza and Aurora Calderon. SMC earned the four seats after buying the 27% Meralco stake of the state-owned Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). The stake was purchased for P27.08 billion, at a 100% premium over the market price. Ang replaced Felipe Alfonso, who relinquished the vice chairmanship. The Lopez bloc, meanwhile, still dominates the Meralco board. Manuel Lopez was reelected chairman and chief executive. Joining him as directors are retired Meralco president Jesus Francisco, Cesar Virata, Christian Monsod and Jose de Jesus, who became president and chief operating officer effective February 1. Elected as independent directors were former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban and retired banker Vicente Panlilio.
Marketing Survival Camp marks PANA’s golden yea r
The Manila Oceanarium was an apt setting for Marketing Survival Camp, the 50 th anniversary installment of the Phil. Assn. of National Advertisers’ Marketing & Brand Advancement Series (PANA-MBA), held Nov. 27-28. Giant groupers and tiny glittering tropical fish swam languidly behind the audience of young marketers, press and businesspeople, who came for two days of talks on marketing in tough times. Resource speakers were senior-level executives from Cebu Pacific, Smart, LevelUp!, Universal McCann, Mindshare, Singaporean word-ofmouth specialist Volcanic Pte., Petron, Ayala Land, Unilever and De La Salle Professional Schools. The seminars were hosted by David Celdran. PANA-MBA’s final gala evening was highlighted by the launch of PERSPECTIVES: the 22nd Philippine Ad Congress. This year’s Congress is hosted by PANA as part of its golden anniversary celebration.
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january-february '09
Wear your work! Saatchi writers Bia Fernandez and Gelo Suarez and ECD Tony Sarmiento flaunt their win.
Ads as good as their intentions Yabang Pinoy, UNICEF ads top Araw Values Awards The old guard patted the new on the back at the Araw Values Awards, held December 8 at ABS-CBN’s Dolphy Theater. Honoring two years’ worth of values-oriented advertising, the awards show was the first organized by the newly revitalized Ad Foundation. Venue and entertainment were generously provided by new Ad Foundation supporter Gabby Lopez. Performers ranged from stars ─ like Bamboo and Journey’s Arnel Pineda ─ to child choirs and razzle-dazzle production numbers. Earnest, arty videos upped the values content, which was cheerfully undercut by the outfits of dancers shaking it noontime-show style. All this was watched by an audience split between the young idealists up for awards and the industry elders who were passing the torch. It was not only ads that were honored that night, but some of the people who make them. Industry pillars Luis Morales, Jimmy Santiago and Jayjay Calero received special recognition awards. Also cited was Jollibee’s pioneering TV show Jollitown, entered by McCann Worldgroup Phils., for its initiative in promoting values through its content. A total of 32 creative awards were given that night, from about 150 entries. Platinum honors went to two efforts, AceSaatchi & Saatchi’s Yabang Pinoy t-shirt series and Filmex-DentsuIndio’s UNICEF "Lipad" TVC. The Platinum winners chosen by a special jury composed not only of advertising people like Abby Jimenez and David Guerrero, but also Nestor Jardin-President, Cultural Center of the Philippines; Dr. Jerry Kliatchko-VP for Corporate Affairs, University of Asia and the Pacific; Charmaine CanillasChairman, AdBoard and Johnip CuaChairman, Ad Foundation.
PLATINUM Direct Communications Campaign (Branded) Client: Global Pinoy Title: Yabang Pinoy “Linggo ng Wika” T-Shirt Series Agency: Ace Saatchi & Saatchi Creative Director: Tony Sarmiento III Copywriters: Gelo Suarez, Bia Fernandez Art Director & Illustrator: Katrina Encanto
TV/Film Single Entry (Branded) Title: UNICEF ‘Lipad’ TVC Entered by: Filmex Agency: DentsuIndio ECD: Lawin Bulatao Copy: Lawin Bulatao, Aste Gutierrez Art: Milton Ganelo Producers: Telly Arce, Nioki Aquino (soundtrack) Director: Henry Frejas Production House: Filmex Post-Production: Roadrunner
Organizers and honorees Johnip Cua, Jose Hernandez, Louie Morales, JJ Calero, Jimmy Santiago, Linda Gamboa, and Edgar Navalta