22nd Ad Congress: Game changers unite
For the 22nd Philippine Advertising Congress to be truly “game-changing,” change had to come from within—in this case, from the committee heads of the 22nd Ad Congress themselves.
“One of the first tasks of the Ad Congress chair is to choose a team that has the same vision. I’m so happy and grateful that I am able to find a team that is so dedicated,” says Philippine Daily Inquirer president Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez, the 22nd Ad Congress chairperson.
“The committee chairs were fantastic in really trying to create an Ad Congress that will hopefully inspire change, and the key is they themselves had to try and challenge the status quo,” she says. “The delegates should keep an open mind. Anything that involves change has many challenges and imperfections. What’s important is the desire to look for ways to improve the way we do things.”
“It was also nice to have some time with the President, as he graciously listened to the issues being faced by the industry,” she adds.
Behind AdCongress 22, which will be held on November 16 to 19 at the CamSur Watersports Complex in Camarines Sur, are Blen Fernando of Alaska Milk Corp. (administration committee head); Merlee Jayme of DM9 Advertising Agency (creative committee head); Hans Roxas-Chua of BlueBlade Technologies and eLearning Edge (co-chairman of the 22nd Ad Congress)
Nonna Nañagas of Dentsu Philippines (finance committee head); Miguel Belmonte of Philippine Star (PR and publicity committee head); Margot Torres of McDonald’s (programs committee head); Ricky Alegre of Business Mirror (special events committee head); Emil Yap of Manila Bulletin (external affairs committee head); Andre Kahn of the Advertising Board (oversight committee head); Connie Kalagayan of Inquirer (internal affairs committee head) and Johanna Mojica of Starcom Media Vest Group (ways and means committee head).
Tourism Secretary Mon Jimenez will deliver the keynote speech to open the event, leading the three-day event’s roster of local and international speakers, which will include leading voices in marketing, advertising, mass media, and sports and the arts.
Top ad execs talk about their ‘game changing moves’
The Inquirer asked the Ad Congress committee heads about their committee’s “most game-changing move” for AdCongress22, and here are their answers:
Margot Torres, programs committee head; vice president for marketing, Golden Arches Development Corp. (McDonald’s)
What is the most changing move that your committee has done for the 22nd Ad Congress?
The programs committee made sure we had a coup with the lineup of speakers—from having all three TV chair in one plenary session, to Filipino game changers like Kenneth Cobonpue, Brillante Mendoza and Azkals in a panel discussion, to a global creative icon Mark Tutssel, experienced ad man Charles Cadell and to insightful authors Charlene Li of “Groundswell” and Joeri Van den Bergh of “How Cool Brands Stay Hot” and great ideas from Disney, AXN, Freemantle, Singapore Straits Times and even from the fashion industry!
Message to Ad Congress delegates: If you want to be inspired so you have game changing ideas for your brand, come to AdCongress22 and hear from a wealth of world-class thought leaders and speakers.
Ricky Alegre, special events committee head; VP-corporate affairs, Business Mirror
What is the most changing move that your committee has done for the 22nd Ad Congress?
The special events committee has two sub-committees: sports and trade exhibit. For sports, it would be holding this year the first inter-association badminton tournament. And for trade exhibit, it would be the decision to open for bidding the supplier for the booths.
Message to Ad Congress delegates: Expect the unexpected!! Leave your business attire behind and be ready for a game-changing four days!!!
Nonna Nañagas, finance committee head; president, Dentsu Philippines
What is the most changing move that your committee has done for the 22nd Ad Congress?
Finance has essentially been a backroom function for the 22nd PAC—our committee put a financial system in place that will be used for future congresses, so that moving forward, all financial reporting will be done in real time, in the same format and using the same standards. This will make financial tracking and monitoring more efficient.
Message to Ad Congress delegates: Come to CamSur and see how you can be a game changer yourself!
Miguel Belmonte, PR and publicity committee head; president, Philippine Star
What is the most changing move that your committee has done for the 22nd Ad Congress?
I can’t think of a more game-changing gambit than Philippine STAR and Inquirer working together to ensure that this Ad Congress will be a success! Seriously, PR and Publicity is getting a significant boost this time with the help of social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), Adobo newsblasts, and the efforts of Megamobile which go so far as developing a mobile app just for the Ad Congress. These are definitely game-changing firsts.
Message to Ad Congress delegates: We hope they enjoy and make the most of the Ad Congress in CamSur, soak up the knowledge they will gain, new friends they will meet, and relish the overall game-changing experience that the organizers have made sure they will get from this Ad Congress. Don’t miss it!
Emil Yap, external affairs committee head; executive vice president, Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp.
What is the most changing move that your committee has done for the 22nd Ad Congress?
The external affairs committee, which is primarily tasked with the observance of and adherence to proper protocol, coordination with local parties and the recruitment, selection, training and deployment of student-volunteers, is in an interesting position that requires “game-changing” approaches to situations at hand. While protocol remains important, the setting of the 22nd Ad Congress is very different from past congresses. CamSur, known as the fastest-growing tourist destination and home to watersports adventures, presents itself as a hang-loose, casual and relaxed environment. While conforming with this, we still need to do things the way they are supposed to be done. Even if we have veered away from the formalities and pageantry of past congresses, we need to find a blend of that “casualness” and the propriety and soberness of a legitimate and professional advertising congress. As game-changers, we are also tapping most of our student-volunteers from the universities in CamSur, Naga City and even Iriga. Not only does this convey a message of confidence and high regard for the locals but also means adapting ourselves to the most practical albeit different ways of doing things.
Despite the inclusion of a handful of Manila students, the students coming from within the vicinity has proven not only pragmatic (in the sense that we need not transport or house them), but is a revelation of how remarkable and impressive Bicolano students can actually be! But our biggest catch in this congress is that we have been able to harness a new brand and level of commitment from among the young—whether from Manila or CamSur, they are all geared up to be of selfless service in the true sense of volunteerism. In return, the learning experience they will get from this rather different AdCongress should prove to be valuable in their trek toward their future.
Message to Ad Congress delegates: In the months leading to this congress, our way of embracing the novelty of having this giant event in a venue very different from congresses in the past has proven to be worthwhile, adventurous, and rewarding as it has truly been very challenging. It is only upon opening up to these risk-taking endeavors that we learned that doing things differently can work and does work. In this congress, brace yourself for another way of enjoying and getting the best out of it. Surely you will find yourself facing things quite different from how they used to be and how we used to do things. At the end, we are all bound to discover that it does pay to be ready for change. At the AdCongress22 in Camsur, let’s all be GAME-CHANGERS!
