CAREERS MEDIA: Calero throws in the towel after 42 years in the ad industry

<p>Mr Javier J.L. Calero, one of the pillars of the Philippines advertising </p><p>industry, has announced his retirement by stepping down as chairman and </p><p>chief executive officer of J. Walter Thompson Philippines. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>A 42-year veteran of JWT Philippines, Mr Calero - or "JJ" as he is more </p><p>commonly known in the industry - began his career in JWT as the first </p><p>hired trainee in the agency; an account representative, in 1958. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>His training and learning never stopped as he built up his expertise in </p><p>account servicing, strategic thinking and management with stints such as </p><p>area director for JWT in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Sri </p><p>Lanka. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>He was appointed general manager in 1976 and two years later was </p><p>appointed president, taking over the posts of chairman and CEO in 1989. </p><p>JWT is one of the biggest ad agencies in the Philippines, with billings </p><p>of 2.2 billion pesos. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Calero saw through a number of significant campaigns for JWT </p><p>Philippines. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In the late '50s up to the '70s, JWT was involved in the launch in the </p><p>Philippine market of a number of brands, which are now household names </p><p>including Tide, Superwheel, Dari Creme and Close-up. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Close-up was particularly notable, as the brand broke the long-held </p><p>monopoly of Colgate in the local market. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"After we succeeded, other less expensive brands also made it; it was a </p><p>breakthrough," Mr Calero said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Today JWT still handles the Close-up account, as well as Sunsilk and </p><p>other brands under the Unilever group. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The agency also produced social campaigns such as the Masagana '99 </p><p>campaign, which sought to raise the productivity of Filipino farmers and </p><p>more recently, an anti-child abuse campaign. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>These campaigns, said Mr Calero, were "very, very gratifying." All </p><p>became well-known among the local populace and even won several industry </p><p>awards. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We're here to help the client communicate properly. That is our </p><p>mandate, not really to win the awards, but to get the product (or idea) </p><p>sold." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Calero's expertise and interest in social communications also led to </p><p>his involvement with the Washington-based International Foundation for </p><p>Electoral Systems, to which he will now devote more of his time. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The foundation is working for the democratisation of electoral reforms </p><p>all over the world. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Calero said he first got to know the group when the agency helped </p><p>them and the Philippine Commission on Elections prepare a campaign </p><p>against vote-buying during the local elections. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>When Indonesia had its first open elections last year, Mr Calero </p><p>likewise assisted in drawing up an educational programme for voters. </p><p>This included a campaign to teach women to go out and vote for the </p><p>candidate of their choice. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Calero also said that with his retirement he plans to continue </p><p>teaching advertising and marketing at the University of Asia & the </p><p>Pacific in Manila. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"I am leaving Thompson but I am not retiring from life. I'll be doing </p><p>other things. I'm not going into retirement to play golf all day - I </p><p>think I would very quickly wither on the vine if that happens," he </p><p>said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Asked about the changes in the advertising industry through the years, </p><p>Mr Calero said that technology is the most obvious but the </p><p>"understanding of the consumer is constant." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The person who understands the consumer most is the guy who is ahead of </p><p>the competition. Get inside the consumer. That has never changed," he </p><p>told MEDIA. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Now there's much more sophistication in getting that information. How </p><p>to use that information is still the big challenge. That's why </p><p>advertising is both science and art. You can robotise it to the 'n'th </p><p>degree but if you don't have the spark that breathes life, it's </p><p>nothing." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Advertising greats such as Mr James Webb Young of JWT had a great </p><p>ability to understand the man on the street and to find out what makes </p><p>him tick, Mr Calero said: "It's the sense of observation. One has to be </p><p>absolutely interested in life." </p><p><BR><BR> </p>