Tuesday, December 28, 2010

It's gonna be a vthefantastic year

After a deserved break, 2011's about to start again and my life in events is going to be, well, eventful again. This morning, as I was haggling with a local counterpart which band will be performing in their upcoming festival, I felt that I've become more of a concert producer than anything. But that's ok. I've welcomed it. I'm actually prepared to use these concerts as activations the way I see how events should function for brands (which really is my job).

True, and it's out there in the open, brands use these concerts as carrots for consumers; it's a basic strategy most especially in a saturated market. But we have to use concerts the best way we could as brand people, even with our limited budgets. That's where creativity has the opportunity to come in. Just like in religion, miracles can never happen without problems. Parallel to that, opportunities to be great usually arise in times of need. But that need only comes if there is a sense of mission or purpose. Anyway I'm philosophizing way over.

So here's to 2011! Cheers cheers cheers to exciting events all around the country!!!

Monday, December 27, 2010

New Year's Resolution

The best (and hardest) resolution a person can make for himself is this: HONESTY IN ACCEPTING WHAT GIVES YOU JOY. Joy that is not dictated by anyone, any book, religion, philosophy, duty, etc. But Joy that only your conscience can dictate. A life lived without regret is the best life one can live.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Meanwhile, thank you for the music =)

The happy beat, lights and choreography:


The music, definitely:

I don't have content. Shett.

Either having a boyfriend is sapping my energy or he gives me ultimate affirmation that I don't need to get it from anywhere else. Like my blog and Facebook.

However, reviewing my About page, and having been reminded by my man-bff, I am compelled to write again. About anything.

The biggest hindrance for me to blog is my self-doubt on my opinions. Do they really matter? Am I too noisy to myself and to others? Am I making any sense? Does writing contribute to anything concrete? I do not doubt the power of words and ideas but I guess what I'm really afraid of is becoming too self-righteous and preachy without doing anything. True that ideas turn the world around, but my many ideas are too detached from my everyday self that their motives become suspect to the jaded point of view that words without action are words without meaning. And meaning is something I will never want to take out of words.

Or am I just lazy?

Or is it because I don't read anymore and have succumbed to the lifestyle/trend spotters' penchant for anything just visual, words being reduced to short copy points of wit, trying to pass off as poetry? Am I becoming more abstract that words are slowly becoming harder to grasp and control versus visual constructs like shape, form and color?

Or I just don't have anything to write? Which goes back to the same question -- does what I want to say/write matter?

I don't have the answers really. Unlike before when I'd always try to end blog entries with witty epiphanies, now it doesn't seem to matter. The fact that I was able to write a few lines already is already a big feat.

Or am I getting old, less passionate, less idealistic, less... preachy? Jaded? Or am I just very content with everything there is with me right now? Maybe. But I shouldn't be; I have to move forward. And meanwhile, as I wait for my momentum to pick up, I am totally singing this song:

Monday, November 8, 2010

I must come back.

Back to health.

Back to creativity.

Back to productivity.

Back to progress.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Why aren't my friends blogging?


Hoy friends, you guys have got to be some of the craziest, most creative guys on earth. So, why aren't you guys sharing via blogs?

Mag-blog kayo!!!

Love,



Ian V(thefantastic)

Teddy Rocks!

With Teddy and his crew, I'm very sure the crowd at my concert will have da-amn coowhl time!

Thanks guys for rocking with us!

Thursday, October 14, 2010

I met the real Avatar in Zamboanga!

Daa-amn. My next haircut will be the Avatar's. Haha!

Met this guy in the morning of our TM event set-up featuring the Euphonic Band, Cesar Montano and Rocksteddy. He's one of the performers in a segment that showcases local talent. These performances are called "Republic Acts," true to the "Republika ng TM" brand story.

Cool guys, hope they make it to Showtime. =) And plus they wear kickazz Supras. Daaa-amn.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Fantasizing my event: Coachella Fest



It seems like this blog is becoming my event wish list, which should be ok as a post-it to the Universe for our doing.

Just saw this from Hypebeast, Coachella Festival is a concert event in the tradition of Woodstock - done outdoors featuring non-stop band performance in front of thousands. In the Philippines, this hasn't been tried before (I think), at least within the years of my memory. The closest would be the UP Fair and NU Rockawards but what differs largely is the atmosphere. Behind the Woodstock fest (and maybe Coachella) is the eco-friendly philosophy of the 70's, severely lacking in the Philippine concerts. The 70's theme is not the difference, to clarify, but the fact that there is an underlying philosophy or purpose.

So what about the Ondoy concert or the Ninoy concert during his inauguration? In all honesty, I think that people attend there to be seen as doing good, ergo they attend concerts that have "good, charitable" intentions. But what about celebrating philosophies? What about sharing ideals? Are there bands or performers here who create their own philosophies outside the populist-leftist (ergo maka-uso) themes of going against the system? Very few.

And what else, on a more on-the-surface context are the difference between our concerts vs. Coachella? The level of art and professionalism. The architectural sculptures here in Coachella are amaaaazing. And the people's respect too of them. And look at the professionalism of the details - from the barricades to the urinals. Everything it seems, at least as presented by the director of this video, is very well-planned. The barricade separation alone makes me cry. I remember our Paramore concert here in Manila where some members of the crowd tried to get over the slanted perimeters (but I'm sure this happens too there in Indio, California).

I hope Coachella becomes a continuing success. But I'm hoping, wishing hard, that we also come up with our own music fest that's worthy of emulation; an event that moves the heart and lifts the spirit.

Gen San TM Recorida



Astig tayo dito sa Republika ng TM!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Creative events

Looking at my past entries, it saddens me a bit that my events are all corporate/corporate-y (well duh, that's my job. I'm a corpie creative (sounds like corpse-y).).

So, I'm going to start my consultancy extra whatever to expand my work not only in events but in on-ground promotions as well. Human civilization moved because of initiative and initiative is moved by original thinking. Or copying what has been originally thought. ;p Basta (whatever). I'm hoping that I get to do cool things naman.

I need music. Hmn. I need a DJ. And then a venue. But first off, I need a reason, a purpose. I need a need.

Meanwhile, the photo is a City ID as homage to Manila. See the actual entry here. It's by Heinritzh Sales. Mr Sales, good job sir! (Please don't sue me.)

The Mindanao Week

TM AstigFest in Gen San and Globe Rock X-pressions in Iligan.

To be very honest, my Gen San experience was waaay much better than Iligan. The Tuna Fest is much grander than Iligan's Fiesta in honor of St. Michael the Archangel (the famous angel you see in a gin bottle, trampling a demon on his feet).

Ok, quick facts. Gen. Santos City is in South Cotabato in Southern Mindanao while Iligan is in Lanao del Norte in the Northwestern part of Mindanao (It's very near my lola's hometown of Kolambugan famously bombed by the MILF after the MOA-AD peace settlement failed due to the Manila-centric/imperialist attitude of many Filipino politicians). (Meanwhile,) Gen San is known for its Tuna industry which supplies the Philippines, and the world, with tuna locally called "bariles." Iligan on the other hand is known for the number of waterfalls that are present in the city most famous of which is the Maria Cristina, which I didn't even bothered going to because I had no time. It's 30 mins. away from the city. The really sad thing about doing events all around the country is being in places of beauty and interest and not having time to visit them because you maximize your time preparing for the event before execution and then leave earliest after. Sight-seeing, if you really want to, should be squeezed in between activities. Like going to the plaza on your way to a meeting.

Anyway, what else did I like about the Gen San trip:

1. The overall TM brand experience was very strong. From the recorida, to the merch, to the spiels, you will only see/hear one phrase: Astig tayo dito! The brand's tagline. The host shouts "TM!" and the people respond by shouting "astig tayo dito!" And that's truly asteeeg my friends. Plus, everything was red from the tents, to the perimeter walls to the hosts' shirt. Red is the TM color and everyone, after going to the event, would have known it after. TM = red + astig tayo dito. Solid brand experience.

2. Everything was much nicer. Gen San has a big airport connected to the city by a big road that gives you a kick-ass view of the bay and the surrounding mountains. The city has better roads, more upscale establishments, and newer and nicer hotels.

3. The Tuna Fest was really grander with huge floats, longer parades, more engaged brands (I saw a Smart parade right after our recorida van which almost got us into a fight, and then on the road we came across a Sun Cell recorida), more people everywhere, more etc. Our concert alone was attended by 12,164 people.

4. Food. Gen San had more food, good food. We ate in a roadside grill with lotsa lotsa sea stuff getting grilled (duh) in front. Funny, remarkably pinoy experience: inside the restaurant named "Bar Ko ("my bar" but put together spells "barko," which means "ship" in allusion to the ships used in fishing tuna, i think)" were two posters displayed: one where the DTI (Dept. of Trade and Industry) gives praise to the establishment for joining a food exhibit and another one where the DTI and the local government gives warning to the establishment of getting closed for having no permit to operate. Funny ha... ;p

But Iligan was surprising.

From CDO, the road to Iligan was long and winding but very scenic. The view of the still and clear waters of Iligan Bay was calming (reminded me of Lamon bay in Atimonan, Quezon province). I was also surprised by the big industries in Iligan. Given its (in my perspective) small population, it had big factories of cement, liquors and others. I also know, although I didn't see, that Maria Cristina hosts either a geothermal or a hydro powerplant.

Also surprising were the Iliganons themselves. First off, they're a happy bunch. Blame the fiesta, but you see people smiling everywhere. In the concert, I remember the crowd booing a game contestant after asking the crowd to keep quiet. But after her performance and after her cheering of "Viva San Miguel!" the crowd responded by shouting "Viva!" too. Goosebumps. Second, maybe because of Urbandub, I saw a more affluent bunch of kids attending this concert versus that in Gen San (maybe because it's Parokya ni Edgar). And the young girls, given that the city is almost always under threat of terrorist violence due to Islamist-secessionist activities in the nearby towns, were unafraid to show their skin. Waw. That's what you call fighting attitude.

(Reflection on Muslim separatist movement in the other blog, soon.)

Mindanao. You are a continent in your own. I hope to continue doing various events in your cities of wildly varying cultures united by the single attitude of strength in adversity. Viva!

Sunday, September 26, 2010

The other side of me

I am more than a marketing-loving capitalist who likes to read about, attend, ideate, plan, produce and manage events and activations.

Just as Alex Bogusky is more than an award-starved ad maverick and who actually is a great father, based on his blog, I am more than a marketing guy. I've already explained that I'm in marketing because it is consistent with my beliefs and ideals.

I'm also a very serious guy who believes in the power of Hope and tries to inspire others to move forward in peace, love and hope; and a nationalist who, knowing a fair amount of my country's history, thinks of how we can make ourselves and our country better. So jumping from this blog is the other blog of me - please click on the picture but you can also click on the click. Lol.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

What everyone's going cuh-razy about

Event in Paul Smith and why lifestyle brands are important

I had a long chat with my friend Charles, brand manager of Paul Smith here in Manila, about why I want him - and ergo Paul Smith - to succeed in the local market.

Of the many luxury brands that have set up shop here in the Philippines, the hippest for me is Paul Smith. I like the color and the irreverence. The fact they they have ceramic bunnies all over their stores underscores the brand's playful nature which appeals to my own impish impulses. That's why when we launched a concept phone that celebrates a person's individuality, the Modu phone, which performed poorly unfortunately due to the price vis-a-vis its (lack of) functionalities, it was natural for me to do it at Paul Smith's store in Philippines' swankiest Greenbelt 5.

So why, in a country always portrayed by media as poverty-stricken, would I want a luxury brand to triumph? Because the triumph of luxury brands is the triumph of an argument: that the person who works best to better himself achieves the best. Paul Smith to me is not just about aesthetics but the expression of man's dream and achievement to distinguish himself from the uninspired masses (men-sheep) through his own hard, committed and passionate work, his intelligence and creative brilliance. Paul Smith and luxury brands, simply put, celebrates the triumph of man's work, genius and creativity. And in a country that strives to move forward, it measures the amount of achievement this society has fulfilled. The more inspired men who can buy Paul Smith in this country, the more men who put their creative labor into the betterment of their environment and ergo this nation.

I remember F. Sionil Jose. He blames, not the masses who just follow orders (but of course he blames them too but not entirely) for the laggard performance of our country, but the elites who refuse to take charge. The land-backed, indolent elite with no dreams, who sips his buko juice on the back of a farmer who starves. Both are blind. Both have no spirit of initiative and ergo both are doomed to live a life of cyclical struggle.

Ok. That's too serious. =) But that sparks a blog of its own, soon. May reader o wala. HA!


- V -

3rd papercut for the day.

They come in threes.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Eating at Izume Sake Bar @ Burgos Circle

Terribly tired, I had to spend 10 minutes debating with myself on whether to give in to my craving as a pat on my back versus dealing with the guilt I will have to contend with for eating expensive dinner alone. Of course, craving won. My tongue is salivating for something light and exquisite - which to me can only be delivered by a bowl of Ebi Tempura on noodles (what d'you call that again?). Yumyum.

Btw, that's my bag and wallet above against the wall lighting. Beautiful things do complement each other. Hopefully, the food delivers

Globe Mall ad

I really like this ad which complements my on-ground executions. For me, what makes it outstanding as an ad is the context that it creates, immediately followed by the most relevant message. This is super cool.

And that's Super Mikki on my shirt

I love Super Mikki. I hope to see more shirts. Plus the fabric they use is incredibly soft and light.

Dropping by at Commune

I met Pox. He's cool. Lucky that he opened shop earlier than usual.

Visiting Paul Smith Manila's Brand Manager - Charles de Jesus

While wearing my Unschooled shirt that I just bought from Commune on the same afternoon that I visited Charles. I love my shirt!!!

Pimping the jeepney pimp

In Manila, if you don't know a street corner that serves as a jeepney line, you're either blind or... the tint on your car is at 50%. Jeepney lines, the gallant (but usually futile) attempt by jeepney operators and drivers to instill discipline among themselves crucial for the equitable sharing of passengers, are as ubiquitous as the jeepneys themselves. And when you have a jeepney line, you have a barker - that person with the dogged attitude to get passengers into the jeepney. In hiphop culture, he would've been called the jeepney pimp because of what he does.

So friends, colleagues, students of life and other stumblers-upon-my-blog, presenting -- how we have pimped the jeepney pimp to pimp our product. Lol.


Monday, September 13, 2010

The Four P's of Partying

As I was enjoying myself and my bottle of beer (or a glass of cocktail? can't remember. =p) at the inauguration party of Bates 141 Manila's new office in Bonifacio Global City, I realized a few
things about parties. That just like in academic marketing, Parties have their four P's:

PURPOSE

A party without purpose is a den of people getting drunk. A party with a purpose is a celebration. Purpose dictates everything - the who, what, when and where of a party. It dictates the theme and mood. At the end, the success of a party is measured versus its purpose.

PEOPLE

Of course. We don't want to party with people we don't want near us. I think, generally, people party with people whom they share something with be it a lifestyle, belief, shared experience, loyalty, etc. If you're not happy with the people you're partying with, then there's no fun to that.

PLACE

It dictates the logistics of the party - what you can and cannot do, what you can hang if you need to hang anything or erect something. It also shapes the cost in a huge way. Just like in concerts, a place with no walls is harder to secure because of the too many physical variables that are set to affect it (e.g. weather, animals, odor, temperature, etc.), and ergo the effort needed to control these variable, which makes it more expensive. Also, and most importantly, the Place sets the parameter and creates the context of moments going to happen. Romantic beach moments are impossible in an ice factory.

PARTYING (!)

Not to be philosophical, but like youth being a mindset and not the number of years counted on the calendar, partying is the mood to party. Without that mood, you can be with the most beautiful people on the best place on earth and still have a sucky time. Partying, the spontaneous spirit of fun shared with other people, is the modern word for an age-old ceremony - that of communal celebration. Partying is the manifestation of the purpose.

And just like in marketing, each P has its own set of elements. But that's for the next blog.

Lastly, let me share a message (not verbatim) from Singapore-based Mr. Sonal Darbal, Regional Executive Creative Director of Bates 141 about renewal, Manila and the Philippines -- that the opening of the new Bates 141 office at Bonifacio Global City is symbolic of the renewal Manila is going through. In an urban district with wide roads, functioning traffic systems, efficient mass transport and submerged lines and cables, in an area where everything wrong in the old Manila is being undone, corrected and renewed, the arrival of an agency that triumphs change is a testimony to the resurgence of the country. OR something like that; I might have made it more dramatic but that's how it sounded to me. And then he sang a song from Bollywood which, though we couldn't understand, didn't feel alien at all. A truly global experience of change. Cheers to the Change Agency!

Let's keep on partying folks!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

The sunset that made me stare into the sky

It was magical, I'm glad I caught a glimpse of it. The Fort skyline was already beautiful at sunset but I marveled at how it was made more beautiful by something far greater, far more majestic than any human mind can conceive nor human hand can build.

I stood at awe at one of Earth's glorious moments.

Only music could have completed its perfection.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

More Baguio videos

Should I video blog Mr. Coy Caballes? =p

Reviewing Manor Hotel during the half-rate promo days. Because if it's not on promo, I wouldnt be able to justify the price. It's priceless.




And this is after having lunch at Oh My Gulay. OH MY GULAY!


Tired in Baguio



I actually forgot to say that I hated the local producer here. They actually caused much of the stress. But I always, always have to go to Oh My Gulay along Session road. One of the quaintest, most authentic and artistic dining experiences in the world which will leave you saying OH MY GULAY. Plus of course they only offer veggie food. Or food without animal content. Haha.

This is an old video that I only got to upload today. Maybe a few months old when we started touring with Sarah Geronimo. This was the first.


Monday, September 6, 2010

You know how it feels?

When as if a person you've just met seems to be at the exact same situation where you're in. It's as if you've found your soul in another body. And it feels like you've met, hopefully finally, a worthy companion.

Sa aking rosas ng digma, sana dire-direcho; marami tayong magagawa.


Experiencing Mindanao through concerts

Who doesn't want to travel? Not me definitely. I'm very lucky that since the first year of my career, I've been asked to go to different places both abroad and around the country. And it's truly exciting to see what makes a place unique, from its architecture to its food to the habits and values of the people living in it. But it's equally exciting to find out familiarities and similarities that you find in places where you go. This is true most especially when you visit a foreign land.

This year, I've gone around the country and visited the Philippines' top urban areas (ergo commercially viable for our business to be in) and towards the end of this month, I'll be crisscrossing Mindanao as I do events in Gen. San (Sep 26), Iligan (Sep 29) and Zamboanga (Oct 1). This is very unplanned and I just realized it as I was lining up my events. Tiring man... From Gen San, I will take a bus (or hopefully a van) to Davao then CDO then Iligan. And then from Iligan, I'll go back to CDO, fly to Cebu and then fly back to Mindanao via Zamboanga. I imagine that would be most grueling. Gaah. But the adventurer in me is also excited. I already have visions of mountains, farms, forests and seas and everything beautiful that makes Mindanao the land of promise and equally, consequently, a land of dispute, rivalry and contest.

Speaking of dispute, I've never been afraid of secessionist hostilities affecting my events since I'm usually in areas where there seems to be genuine peace among the local population. But what I'm usually afraid of is the volume of the crowd that we usually attract. The youth of Mindanao I noticed, are not really wild (compared to what I've experienced in other parts of the country). They generally follow harmonious etiquette towards each other but still, the usually large number of attendees scare me and my security team. In a sea of people, it feels like something's bound to happen. Fortunately, we've not yet (hopefully never would we) encountered a problem with securing the band and the crowd and sometimes, it's actually the band creating problems for us. Being rebels, I think it's natural for them to stretch the limits of our security's resources and test 'til where they could go. Ergo, you have this lead vocalist who rips his shirt off and then throws himself to the crowd, outside the safety barricades we've put up, but to the delight of the crowd of course. Was I delighted at that sight? Hmn. I wasn't totally amused but I get his act.

So Mindanao, a land of my roots, I shall come home to you again. =)

Friday, September 3, 2010

It's me on the Philippine Star's YStyle! Fantastic!

I look like a retard but it's still me! Haha! (Please click on the photo for a clearer version)


Pardon the excitement. I totally thought that the picture taken by Smokey Delfino, an ex-client from British American Tobacco, was just going to be part of the usual clutter of pictures in a photographer's file. I didn't think it would end up getting printed - ergo the weird smile. And I was holding a tissue, nice.

It's a little something that made me smile today. This was taken in Paul Smith's "Dance to the Nines" event last Tuesday at Amber Lounge at the Fort Strip. My friend Charles de Jesus, Paul Smith Brand Manager in the Philippines, took the lead. Actually, I had some suggestions but they came in too late. It was all planned. Charles had always been supportive of me so I thought to return the favor (Last year, I did an event inside the Paul Smith store in Greenbelt, awesome!). But yun nga, the favor came in late. Argh.

Anyway, I had a very good time at the event, the vibe was truly Euro. And my experience was authentically British as I talked to an intern from the British Embassy whose stay here in the country is focused on the study of Human Rights and Mindanao issues (he came in with the UK Embassy's economic attache in Manila). I cannot help but share my points of view on Mindanao given that the complexity of the subject cannot be understood by observing the surface, the obvious and reading what's written on the press. What should be read, if you're going to read Mindanao, should be what's written on books.

But before I get totally political here, here are two articles about the event:

Let's hear it for the boys in dapper garb
TALK SHOP By Anne Bella (The Philippine Star)

Great Looks for Men: How to be stylish, forward and well-groomed this season
SHEER APPEAL By Jake Galvez (The Manila Bulletin)

TGIF!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Wow Urbandub!

Hahnep (no translation meaning ohmy-awesome; also expressed in moments of disbelief due to incredibility)!

I know Urbandub has a following most especially in the Visayan-speaking regions in the Philippines but I didn't know how HUGE they are among students until I heard the whole audience (or pit) sing along with the band. Maybe it's my age or preference (or lack of knowledge in Pinoy rock music), I honestly didn't know a thing. Their music sounded nice though, I liked it. But when it comes to Filipino bands, I prefer songs sung in Filipino not English. Maybe it's the band's way to bring down the language barrier as Cebuanos (Urbandub is composed of Cebuanos, yupyup) generally speak English better than the Tagalog-based Filipino. (Down to Tagalog colonialism! (Although I am a Tagalog-loving Tagalog))

Anyway, Lalay, the female basist, was the biggest star in the band. She sure is pretty and ergo a sure hit among a generally male crowd. AND she literally rocks! With a bass guitar! Daamn. Her name is the only name actually being shouted by the crowd. LALAY!!! And then she smiles a most charming smile and the guys melt. She rocks.

So it was another event by our brand for the youth of Dumaguete City. Truly, the youth rocks in Dumaguete, a city that seems to be created around the mission of educating the youth. Dumaguete is known for hosting four of the best schools not only in the Visayas, but also in the country. They are Silliman University, Foundation University, Negros Oriental State University (popularly called as NORSU) and St. Paul University Dumaguete. Silliman, where the concert was held, is a very romantic campus. I think it's the only university in the country that is literally in front of the beach. It reminded me of the University of the Philippines Diliman campus because of it's openness and the trees that line its main avenue.

Anyway, back to the event, we were actually just part of Silliman's Found
er's Day celebration. The concert ground looked like a fair with the different booths of school orgs all around. They were not booths actually, they were nipa huts in different designs, sizes and variations. My favorite was the ROTC hut that had three levels. I assume a person would be able see much of Dumaguete from the top-most level of their structure. Actually, it might be more proper to call it a Nipa tower because of its height. Hehe. The whole concert went pretty well. It started with our hip hop dance competition and ended with the main act. The kids were happy, I was generally ok (I still had problems with the set-up due to expectations on standards (I hated the coco lumber stage with tons of merchandising from other sponsors so I had them taken out. Sorry Samurai Energy drink.)), no one got hurt, it helped our sales. SO... it was a good run. =)

Thank you Silliman. Thank you Dumaguete. Ok fine, thank you too Eventscape. And thank you Urbandub. Oh, btw, watch their full concert here; the only online concert in the Philippines (among the few in the world. WOW!). Also from Globe! Double Wow (Oh my, we can do these things? Wowowow!)!

PS
My company doesn't pay me to write nor promote our company, our brands or products on my personal page. But since my work is part of my person, surely bits of promotion will find their way here. And speaking of promotion, here is our latest text offers! Tadaaa!

Monday, August 23, 2010

evil hostage taker

Evil has no nationality, nor class nor race. It has no country.
But the recent event shows that there are issues here in the
country that need to be addressed because evil flourishes.
And so does incompetence and general stupidity.

I hope we rise again.

none i tell you

none i tell you; none so far i think has anyone used a jeepney barker* to promote anything (other than the crammed ride).

activations is about making people feel a message, a proposition, your main sell. and whether or not actual selling is happening in your area of activation, i think that if you drive the proposition so hard - you make that spatial ad so daaamn good - it will still lead to that sale. because the message is remembered and understood. that's why i believed in our strategy - drive the unlimited-to-more-people proposition in an instance where a big number of people are crammed in a tiny space. because that's where they'd get it. "lot of people here? lot of people to text, too, when you're on the Globe network." ergo - the jeepney barker whose job is to push as many people as he can inside the jeep.

although it's true that it would be harder working if there was actual selling, i don't think this activation is all fluff. it's not just a TV ad; the message is made more relevant by the context of where it was received. it's more than an additional TARP that will cost you the entire run of this jeepney program.

but of course the big kahuna (i still love and respect her) thinks otherwise. she thinks that on-ground activations should always lead to a sale. if it doesn't produce the numbers, it's not worth doing. and the problem with being on client's side, is that i understand where's shes coming from. i don't totally agree with the direction but the safety feeling numbers give is very hard to argue with in an industry with declining profits. it's seems like it's too dangerous to gamble.

however, in the long run, i still believe in the power of brands. and i think that it's the gutsy brands who do their share of adventure (entrepreneurship is a calculated adventure), the daring brands who lead, are the brands who will last. we can always go into a price war and i agree that price wars can kill brands most especially in a market that's all about price value. but, marketing classics point out - prices, promos and offers don't last but strong brands do.

but i will remember lest i get murdered again in the boardroom - as much as possible, bring in the sale. i get that ma'am! but of course, i'm stubborn. i'd still do it in an activations worth remembering. go go!

*jeepney barkers shout (ergo bark) to get passengers into a jeepney in streets where other jeepneys (that are not lined up) poach passengers. jeepney lines are found in urban areas in the Philippines, most especially in Metro Manila, usually in university and commercial districts. it's a device depended on by jeepney drivers to ensure equitable share in their market of passengers within a certain area.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

i wet my pants watching this



what i like about events is the possibility of making people FEEL something - from the feeling of high to remembering happy memories. the best one can feel is an emotional climax. there have been many times when people cry on the dance floor because of the all-out feeling of happiness happening, going around in the place. and that's what i want to achieve in my dream event - trigger happy emotions that celebrate love, friendships, that celebrate life. emotions that make you smile as you shed your tear just because of what you hear and see; because of what the hair on your skin feels. that's what i want to do. and if i can create an event just like what's in this video, i'd get closer to that goal because that's what i want people to say - "the club can't even handle me right now."

Friday, August 20, 2010

oh

i wanted to post a cool blog about an event at the la salle college of arts in singapore. but i cant.

ergo, ill just post the link.


guarding a celebrity


"nay, huwag niyo pong kukurutin."

that's my usual opening line when i give my roll call of rules among subscribers who'd want to have their photos taken with sarah geronimo. plus other guidelines - no pulling of sarah's hair, no extra poses, no pulling of sarah's clothes. i honestly dont get it why fans would want to touch their idol's skin. she doesn't sing when they do, anyway. i guess that's what being a fan is about. in fairness to the kid (sarah g), she's very professional about it. she waves, talks to her fans. it really feels genuinely real when she says hello, as if she's a close friend they've known for a long time. charisma indeed belongs to the stars.

but whatever the effect, it seems like its my job to literally stand in the way of having those dreams fulfilled just because i need to make sure that our celebrity endorser, an investment on our part, is safe most especially when under our control. that's why i have a phalanx of 15 security guards whenever she visits a business center. and that's usually augmented by the mall's own team. i actually feel like a celebrity when i'm walking with her with all the attention. well, behind her actually together with viva's manager for concerts and other members of the staff who trails her presence.

so, until her concert tour ends, i'll be there around sarah in her mall visits to make sure no one gets a kick out of pinching her. hah.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

soldiers of a new age, we are.





timely called soldiers of the new age, this song by Salamin is an epic. i'd surely want to see them in one of my concerts in the future. and only if i can add performers behind them, that would be the bomb.

i remember this band called Cally Lily who performed in our Davao show and i hated the vocalist to my guts. he really wanted to headbang; his music was melancholic to the point of wailing. and failing to break into climax, he ripped his shirt as a finale. sad. i'll post the pic when i see it.

flash mob is so 2 years ago




and yet i'm doing it again. =) with much pride.

i don't think flash mobs have been executed well in the Philippines. i remember participating in a Greenwich Pizza mob wherein we were asked to stare in front of a Greenwich store. i thought it was a good idea only that, it looked too staged. we were asked to wear green shirts, yes, the brand color, and carry Greenwich paper bags. and we were asked to act as if we were all random people just noticing something at the restaurant. randomly uniformed people, right.

anyway, so the intent in our flash mob was to coincide with a promo we're doing in a mall that visually shows how many people a Globe subscriber can text and call, unlimited, within our network. so we asked people to wear Globe headgears from the MRT to the LRT or vice versa with the promise of a reward to show who are on the Globe network. and to add oomph to the traffic, i threw in truly random people to show that there's really a lot of guys to text and call.

i wont say it's genius but i'd say, it got conversations going and elicited the effect that i wanted. people asked "bakit ang daming naka hat na Globe?" (why are there lots of people wearing Globe hats?). marami, lots --> target response.

achieved? achieved. and more to come.

my life in events


life in events is never easy and simple. the many logistical details that need to be covered, the documents that need to be prepared before and after, and the egos and personalities that need to be managed (hello ms. passive-aggressive) are more than enough to turn me more insane than i already am. but then, i, like the many of us, find joy in creating and doing something that people feel, not just look at or read or listen to. if copywriters are faux poets and novelists and art directors frustrated designers and painters, then events people are your sell-out theatrical directors. because at the end of the day, that's what we do - shows, in school gyms, supermarkets and now, in my newest stage, the jeepney line, that elicit an emotional response and hopefully ultimately lead to a sale.

oh my is the expression that we are after. it's the people's gasp of awe or amusement that makes us know that our message will be remembered. that a step towards the goal has been achieved. and equally, it's the same reaction we give to those who deserve our attention. hopefully with an extra quip:

it's so good, it's so bad.