MANILA: TBWA has signed up a Philippine partner, the former FCB
affiliate Santiago & Puno, which lured ex-Ace Saatchi & Saatchi
vice-president and executive creative director Melvin Mangada to add his
name to the shop.
Mangada, who was with Saatchis for 14 years, joined the group after it
became evident that TBWA would merge with the agency and incorporated
Santiago Manganda & Puno. The agency will join TBWA in June. The plan is
to develop the Philippine operation to absorb clients such as Nissan,
Apple, Sony Play Station, Absolut and Seagram.
TBWA/SMP managing partner, Jaime Santiago, said: "We have been operating
as a TBWA agency since late last year." According to Mangada, the
agreement will allow the Manila shop to work with the agency's global
clients. "This is why I left Saatchi. I wanted the challenge of
establishing a small firm into a global network backed up by a good
creative shop."
The venture is now preparing to align Sony and Apple as both accounts
have yet to be included on its roster.
