THE PHILIPPINES, JANUARY 4, 2012: AirAsia made it into the local news in 2011 as it announced its entry into the country’s commercial aviation scene. Considered Asia’s largest low-cost airlines, it was brought to the country by Malaysia-based company AirAsia Berhad.
Up to get the brand up and high in the country is Collab Manila, the new creative think tank run by creative collaborators Tony Sarmiento, Jason Drilon, Bixie Reyes, and Miguel de Leon. Collab Manila’s win does not only entail concept formation for the brand’s campaigns, but also the larger task of introducing AirAsia to Filipinos and letting it gain ground in the country.
AirAsia’s entry into the country was touted to boost the tourism sector. With its main hub at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark, Pampanga, not only will it make flying more accessible to Filipinos in the Northern and Central Luzon regions, but the business also holds potential benefits to the hospitality, retail, and entertainment industries.
The AirAsia account marks Collab Manila’s first big project. “It was a good win, considering the competition we were up against. It’s also a really exciting brand with a big task at hand. The guys and I are looking forward to creating something nice and collaborating with our clients and some of the best in the industry,” says Tony Sarmiento, creative collaborator at Collab Manila. In an interview with adobo magazine, Sarmiento introduced the group’s idea of collaboration, which will come into play into this pioneering project.
Shared Creation
The idea of collaboration at the core of this new company addresses the presence of hierarchy in a number of creative agencies. “In agency models, there are some that are too top-heavy or bottom-heavy, and this structure takes a slow crawl to realize ideas, projects, and objectives,” says Sarmiento.
Collab works with a ‘flat’ organizational structure where the idea can come from anyone. This is evident in the specific roles of the four collaborators, all sharing decades of advertising experience between them. Tony Sarmiento, former vice president for creative integration at Ace Saatchi & Saatchi, will bring his expertise in direct marketing, print, and digital. Bixie Reyes, former head of design at BBDO Guerrero, will handle art and design. Miguel de Leon, who had stints with Dentsu Indio and BBDO Proximity, will focus on channels and integration, while Jason Drilon, former associate creative director at Bates 141, will beef up the company’s social and digital presence.
