MANILA, APRIL 8, 2013 – The Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA), which is currently on indefinite leave from the Advertising Board of the Philippines (AdBoard), has revealed the PANA Business Partnership Program, a partnership program designed to address the importance of keeping direct and open communications with key associations and industry entities.
PANA describes the program as “a forum based on working relationships wherein PANA will convene key stakeholders that will act on common interests, and find solutions to these industry issues”.
The organization uses the current talks on Cyber Crime and Privacy Laws, where the industry associations concerned are PANA, the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP), the Media Specialists Association of the Philippines (MSAP), and even the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies (4As), as an example. Should the decisions gravely affect the industry, PANA will deem it necessary to convene the associations to address the matter.
“The PANA Business Partnership Program is built on integrity, trust and teamwork, it is collaborative and participative when PANA convenes, we don’t necessarily become the Chairperson of the project. As convenor, PANA is more of the hub,” said PANA president Blen Fernando.
According to Fernando, the program will allow the organization to be flexible and dynamic while adhering to the principle of the importance of strengthening relationships with organizations that help members build their brands. “However, we also believe that we do not need to have a formal structure all the time to find solutions to common concerns. This model will involve only organizations or groups who will be directly affected by the issue,” Fernando said.
This move cements PANA’s goal to provide its members with nothing less, despite taking a leave of absence from the AdBoard, an organization that has stood as the country’s umbrella group of advertising and communications leaders for the past 40 years. PANA’s acknowledged closest industry ally, the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies or the 4As, followed suit in February.
Yasmin Mallari, PANA Auditor and Coca-Cola Export Corp. Integrated Mktg. Communications Director, the PANA Business Partnership Program, was tasked to create the program’s framework.
The framework consists of three legs—the internal partnerships among PANA members, the external among industry associations and the international which is strengthening relationships with global organizations that impact on PANA. Collaboration from Raul Alvarez, PANA Vice-president and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Retail Marketing Services, Clint Navales, PANA Secretary and Procter & Gamble Distributing Phils. Head, Country Communications Team, and Fernando completed the partnership model.
In order to be a part of the program, key associations only need to formalize their desire to join. Aside from the framework, PANA is currently drafting a simple charter or “ways of working” for the partnership. The charter’s targeted release is after its anniversary in early April.
“At the beginning and end of the marketing communications is the advertiser. PANA believes that today when technology and market forces develop so fast, all the more we need to nurture our relationships today, keep them dynamic, not stagnant and not based only personalities,” Fernando points out.
