If Jopa Malantic could have his way, Singapore's Orchard Road would be full of people undressing. This, after all, was the P&G country marketing manager's grand plan for the Head & Shoulders 'Take it off' campaign. Sadly, the current version of the campaign is considerably more innocuous -- featuring 'dandruff flakes' that can be removed from bus shelter posters throughout the island state.
"I wanted people stripping down Orchard Road, but my agencies and assistant brand managers did the reality check for me -- and we ended up with the stickers," recollects Malantic. "I really wanted to translate what was given to us by regional down to something that the consumer could really relate to."
This drive to do something different is becoming a hallmark of P&G's efforts in Singapore, where Malantic oversees marketing for the consumer giant's entire brand portfolio. Indeed, the 25-year-old is probably as good an example as any of a company that now professes loyalty to creativity and innovation, rather than the more straitlaced environment of years gone by.
"From a personal standpoint, I love change and I am a person who will want to change things," explains Malantic. "(My age) is a double-edged sword. The dynamism and youthful spirit is there but, on the other hand, some people will really question you because of your age."
Malantic, it should be said, is P&G through and through. He joined the company in his native Philippines after graduating, and cut his teeth on its deodorant brands before moving to Singapore as an assistant brand manager for Safeguard. Since Malantic took the marketing manager position eight months ago, P&G's beauty brands have taken their message outdoors through a variety of notable executions, often in conjunction with Zenithmedia.
"Innovation is really encouraged (at P&G) -- looking at the medium to see what we can do to bring it to life more," says Malantic. In true FMCG style, however, Malantic also notes that the retail component remains core to these communications.
"The retail component is very important, as I have very limited resources," he explains. "It gives us the opportunity to be resourceful, which helps innovation."
Malantic credits his background in the Philippines consumer market for his willingness to experiment with less traditional ideas, but notes that Singapore offers its own unique challenges.
"(The Philippines) provides you with the fundamentals of really good consumer marketing," says Malantic. "Filipinos in general are more loyal, so you get iconic brands, and you get to learn more in terms of consumer behaviour and how they love the brand, instead of how they use the brand," he notes.
"If you compare yourself with Australia or the Philippines, you are just a dot, but the effort involved is the same as elsewhere. It's a little tougher because of the many touchpoints that Singapore offers," he continues. "I can't put all my money in TV and expect to get maximum results. In the Philippines, your average consumer would watch the soap operas, but here, a smart thing to do is think about the mix and where I can get the most out of it."
After P&G restructured its operations to focus on a smaller range of big brands, Malantic believes that the company's dedication to marketing is reaping real benefits at a local level. "That sense of leadership from HQ is trickling down," he notes. "We have changed and grown, but we're not stopping here."