FOCUS - PHILIPPINES: Media specialists in Philippines in uphill battle for recognition

Media specialism remains largely ignored by the Philippine advertising industry. This is even though a growing number of Asia-Pacific markets now have well-entrenched media agencies, just a few years after they formally rolled out their operations. While more advanced markets like Hong Kong and Singapore have been quick on the uptake, even nations like Thailand and China have seen a rapid growth in media agencies. The result is that media specialists in the Philippines have found themselves in a steep uphill battle to gain recognition and acceptance from not only their peers in the whole industry but more importantly from the client side. MindShare Philippines managing director Jocelyn Mendoza-Galera said that in all aspects of the media process - strategic thinking and planning, buying, negotiations and implementation - there is a need for innovation. Predictability is more the norm than the exception and that there appears to be little desire to make a difference. "For example, the industry's investment in media talent is appallingly behind its investment in creative people. "We seldom, if ever, think of upgrading media personnel's knowledge and skills, sending them abroad for instance, to learn new approaches and media ideas that will soar in this market. "The general thinking is that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. A pity really, because media involves actual budgets that underwrite the realisation of the creative and brand impact," Ms Mendoza-Galera said. When it comes to being savvy in technology and software know-how, the media in the Philippines as a whole is still in a catch-up mode with the rest of Asia-Pacific and the developed world, she added. These days, the top media agencies are investing significantly in software tools that help empower the communications planner and buyer. This in-house proprietary software takes over a lot of the tedious manual work, allowing planners and buyers much more time for strategic thinking, the gathering of strategic insights, and the negotiation of smart buys, Ms Mendoza-Galera said. However, she noted that despite the seeming resistance to change, all was not lost. "More and more, we see innovations in media executions: teasers, programme portions, segment buys, programme merchandising, out of home media, for example, supermarket carts, mall signages, soda cups, (all of which represent) small but emerging media innovations that veer away from the crowd". Traditional spot buys was also dead, she added, and replaced by cluster offers, representing smart buys - package buys, interstitials, programme merchandising and multi-platform approaches. But the impetus for these changes was more to soften the blow of rate increases than anything else, she added. In order to stay ahead of the game, she said that it should be made clear to all staff at all agencies that their commitment to a client's business must be nothing less than total. When that happens, results normally reflect their commitment. That is, the thinking is well-grounded on client's realities and concerns and solutions open up to greater visibility or impact for the brand. Ms Mendoza-Galera stressed, however, that clients tended to stay away from controversy or crises in a media marketplace. "How do you make them see the possibility of an opportunity in times like these?" Clients nowadays are no longer content with merely waiting for solutions to be offered by the agency; they are even trying to be more proactive. "They have gotten in on the act. They now ask, some even insist, on being a part of the process. They are quite involved in the media task - all for a common goal - to ensure brand ubiquity, which translates into brand awareness, and in the long run, brand equity."

Sign In

Trouble signing in?

Reset Password: Click here

Contact Customer Support at

Customerservice@campaignasia.com