Profile... Quiet politician gives a lesson in brand building

Happily for him, the hard slog and 98 million pesos (US$2 million) he spent building his own personal brand has paid off, and the Harvard-educated ex-TV anchorman reclaimed his place in the senate after the Philippines’ congressional elections. As such he is a lesson to marketers in brand building in a country where personality is everything.

Pangilinan emerged as the fifth- most popular candidate with 14 million votes — although squabbling over the results will go on, as it always does (there are no losers in a Filipino election — as the saying goes — only winners, and those who’ve been cheated) until the next elections in three years’ time.

His victory was partly due to some canny positioning. Instead of siding with an existing party, he opted to go it alone. On 11 June, he became the first senator in history to run independently and win.
“Politicians don’t have a good name in the Philippines,” he says, “partly because of a phenomenon in which those with the administration freely switch to the opposition, and vice-versa. Everything is negotiable and principles are set aside. I positioned myself based on principles and conviction — not convenience.”

Known as a hard-working senator (he authored one-third of committee reports during his previous term, among them a paper on the abolition of the death penalty) Kiko’s campaign focused on his track record and the importance of family. “Filipinos are very family-oriented,” he says. “I have been married for 11 years (to the biggest name in Philippine show business, Sharon Cuneta). We have our ups and downs. Showbiz is not exactly serene. Neither is politics. Both worlds lead to complications. But despite that,” he says, pausing to hush some young voices, “we are happy and have two kids.”

Pangilinan’s family became the campaign centre-piece when he packed them into a six-bedded tour bus (the ‘Kiko Karavan’) and journeyed across 10 provinces to spread his gospel.

“I wanted to take control of my public image,” he explains. “The bus was a way of sustaining exposure. Before the tour, I was sixth to 10th in the polls. Then I was suddenly in the news every day for five days — and shot to fifth.”

The bus idea he’s tried before, but with less success. “We did it in 2001 (when he came eighth in the rankings), but it was poorly executed. We started in the South, where media institutions are…” he stops, perhaps about to say ‘less sophisticated’. He continues: “This time we focused on the bigger cities.”

The tour was given new life as a reality TV series called KTubed, posted on YouTube. The series has a homespun feel, with scenes of the senator playing with his kids and serenading voters (whose screams of adoration grow noticeably louder when his wife appears).

KTubed links back to kiko.ph, a rather garish website (“a friend kindly suggested that my site looks like a soap commercial,” he says) where there are blogs and podcasts of his speeches. Fans can also download a dance remix of the jingle in his TV ads. “It’s quite catchy,” he insists. So, it seems, is his campaign slogan, ‘K Na!’ (‘We’re all set’), which was yelled at him by well-wishers throughout his tour.

Most of Kiko’s campaign money went on TV ads (also now on YouTube), although he was forced off air mid-campaign when funds ran low. “Our survey ratings dipped, but it would have been disastrous if we’d ran out of money. We saved it for the final push.”

One spot features a rock anthem in which Kiko’s name is chanted repeatedly, “to boost name recall among the young”. Another contains kind words from the country’s vice-president, Noli de Castro. “He assures viewers that he’s not being paid to endorse me,” explains the senator.

The post-election weeks have been spent sending mailers and texts to voters thanking them for their support. Meanwhile, he’s had some time to reflect on his victory and the significance of the elections. He’s noticed a change in how ordinary Filipinos respond to political advertising.

“Of the 12 candidates who spent most on advertising (Pangilinan ranked 22nd), only four made it. People want value for their vote. Three years ago, being a movie star was enough to win an election. But now,” he concludes, with the assurance of a seasoned marketer, “if the product is inferior, it won’t sell.”

Francis Pangilinan's CV... 

2007 Re-elected, senator, Republic of the Philippines

2001 Elected, senator and majority leader, Republic of the Philippines

2001 Senior partner, Franco, Pangilinan, Tolentino, Ringler and Santo Law offices

1994 Legal analyst, news and current affairs separtment, ABS-CBN; and co-anchor, Hoy Gising; host, Ang Batas, DZMM Radio (until 2001)

1993 Professor of political, labour and civil law, Ateneo de Manila University

1992 Minority leader, Quezon City Legislative Council