MANILA – January 10, 2013 – Here’s a look back at the marketing highlights of 2013, as seen in the Nov-Dec issue of adobo magazine:
1 – Reversal of Fortunes – Dismissing an upstart challenger – especially one that elicited a cult-like response even before launch – was a major miscalculation for Nokia and Blackberry. Once the mobile brands to beat, both were laid low by the arrival of Apple’s iPhone, culminating in an ignominious downfall within months of each other this year. Microsoft snapped up Nokia’s devices and services unit for US$7.2bn, a fraction of the company’s US$132bn value five years ago when it failed to capitalize on its early use of touchscreen technology, which Apple did. Valued at about US$80bn in 2007, Blackberry was sold to a private group for US$4.7bn, after bleeding red ink after it too failed to take the upstart challenger seriously.
2 – Apple’s Shine – Samsung may be selling more handsets these days, but Steve Jobs’ brand remains the apple of consumers’ eye. Both Interbrand and Milward Brown have Apple as their Most Valuable Global Brand for 2013. Thanks to its shiny array of must-have gadgets, Apple dethroned Coca-Cola, which had ruled Interbrand’s ranking for the past 13 years, and maintained its pole position in Milward’s BrandZ index. Interbrand pegged Apple’s worth at US$898.3bn and BrandZ at US$185bn. Samsung is still streets behind but is coming up fast – it was ranked 8th by Interbrand and 30th in BrandZ.
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3 – High-end Toys – A trio of iconic brands launched this year in the Philippines, drawn by a growing economy that has fattened consumer wallets. Enduring marque, Rolls-Royce, motored into town with an eye-watering price tag that is unlikely to faze the super-rich looking for new symbols of luxury. American icon Harley-Davidson’s arrival in town was announced by a parade of 80 of its monster choppers that headed to Bonifacio Global City for an outdoor concert. Making its return journey to the market, Volkswagen pulled out all the stops to bring its idea of "mobility for all" to local consumers in a new partnership with Ayala Automotive Holdings.
4 – Space Race – Three Filipinos have been picked to compete for a trip of a lifetime as part of a global ‘Axe Apollo’ Space Academy campaign to send 23 men on a pioneering suborbital space flight in 2014. The Philippines drew the fourth-highest number of hopefuls jn the world – a 31-year-old Philippine Air Force lieutenant and a 24-year-old Hotel and Restaurant Management graduate were left standing in a final test of endurance that started with more than 28,000 competitors. For the real icing on the cake: graphic artist Ramil Montalvo Santos also made the cut in a raffle pick, giving our industry bragging rights, even if its only vicariously.
< src="/global//UserFiles/chino roque. " width="133" height="200" hspace="2" border="1" align="left" alt="" />5 – Power of Two – Asia’s largest low-cost operator AirAsia and Zest Air went from strategic partners to rebranding as a joint operation with a new name and logo. Now known as AirAsia Zest, the rebranded airline is pitching itself as ‘The right way to fly’ with a fleet of 13 aircraft and services and nine domestic and four international routes out of Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
6 – Rum Buzz – Yet another Philippine rum brand is taking a crack at the global market, wearing its Asian origins proudly on its custom shaped bottles. In breaking into the challenging US market where Carribean themed competitors rule, Asia’s oldest rum distillery is retailing two variants as Tanduay Asian Rum. The brand’s global foray comes after sizzling market response to a considerably younger, made-in-the-Philippines rum brand, Don Papa Rum, which launched last year as an upscale tipple.
7 – Gold in the Trash – Philippine brands are proving there are indeed plenty of riches in the trash. DM9JaymeSyfu’s ‘Smart TXTBKS‘ drive using mobile operator’s excess pile of SIM cards and old mobile handsets has not only been the campaign that keeps on giving for its agency creator but is making education less back-breaking for young kids who can now leave heavy textbooks behind. Unilever Philippines’ Sachet Recovery Project is helping de-clog the country’s congested drains by turning Surf sachets into bricks and cement pavers. Under the program, consumers can trade in used Surf sachets for 25 free Smart texts at Cebuana Lhuillier outlets nationwide under a partnership to recycle as many as 25 million sachets. it takes about 800 kg of sachets to create 1,000 cement pavers.
8 – Soap Love Story – Giving the old fashioned soap opera a modern twist, Procter & Gamble Philippines bankrolled Must be Love, its first-ever full-length movie in the country. In this coming-of-age of Star Cinema produced rom-com featuring the teen love tandem of the moment, a boyish young girl, played by Kathryn Bernardo, embraces her femininity after falling in love with her childhood friend, Daniel Padilla. For the consumer goods giant, it was the perfect stage to showcase its blockbuster brands – Olay, Whisper, and Rejoice.
9 – Advertiser with Pop – Apple may have dethroned Coca-Cola from the top of Interbrand’s ranking, but the soft drink purveyor has had other triumphs this year. Clio bestowed its inaugural Brand Icon award on the 127-year-old cola favorite, while Cannes Lion named it its Creative Marketer of the Year. Clio saluted Coke’s status as a permanent fixture in popular culture, from helping shape the modern image of Santa Clause to getting the world to sing along to ‘I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke’ while reminding generations about the joy in life’s simple pleasures. Cannes awarded Coke for its commitment to creative excellence after having amassed 120 awards across multiple disciplines and geographies.
10 – Trust Runs Deep – The year has also been one of triumph for PLDT as ‘Screen-Age Love Story‘ charmed audiences for its myDSL brand and ‘Smart TXTBKS’ underscored the mobile brand’s commitment in helping school kids. Capping it all, PLDT Home scored Reader’s Digest Platinum Trusted Brand award for its phone service for the ninth year in a row while myDSL won for the seventh straight year. Platinum Awards are reserved for brands earning a trust score that is three times or more of its nearest rival.
For more stories, view the full Nov-Dec issue of adobo magazine on Isuu, or grab a copy in newsstands.
