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MANILA – November 25, 2013 – The Advertising Board (AdBoard) is ending the year in much the same way as it began – with a fresh membership crisis as the Media Specialist Association of the Philippines (MSAP) has taken a leave of absence.
MSAP informed AdBoard on November 11, following in the footsteps of the Philippine Association of National Advertisers late last year and the 4As and the Advertising Suppliers Association within months of each other earlier this year.
MSAP president Angelito ‘BoyP’ Pangilinan said a members’ referendum found unanimous support to leave AdBoard. “With the advertisers, the ad agencies, and the broadcast media either resigned or on leave, the AdBoard does not anymore represent the advertising industry,” he said.
The departures have left AdBoard a shell of its former self as it approaches its 40th anniversary. The membership crisis and the launch of a competing festival, Ad Summit Pilipinas, next year forced AdBoard to cancel the 23rd Advertising Congress, originally scheduled at press-time in Davao.
“It was very disappointing news to receive as we just finished our planning session and are completing the development of a proposed new mission on objectives for the AdBoard of the future. Hopefully, we can present them to all stakeholders soon,” said AdBoard chair Bienvenido Niles, who also heads the Marketing and Opinion Research Society of the Philippines (MORES).
The series of exits has raised questions whether AdBoard can continue in its present form or cover its monthly overheads, estimated at 400,000 pesos now that its biggest dues-paying member associations have pulled out.
Pangilinan said AdBoard would have to reinvent or rebrand itself to reflect its current roster. The remaining members are the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP), Outdoor Advertising Association of the Philippines (OAAP), Cinema Advertising Association of the Philippines (CAAP), Independent Blocktimers Association (IBA), United Print Media Group (UPMG) and MORES.
“Considering that most of the associations left are from the media sector, there have been suggestions to form instead an Advertising Media Board, and maybe even invite the KBP to join the group. Of course that suggestion is entirely for that sector to discuss,” he said.
Pangilinan, who was treasurer of AdBoard before MSAP’s exit, said AdBoard could sustain its operations for the next year or so. “But without the screening fees from the defunct Advertising Content Regulations Committee and the revenue derived from Ad Congresses, whatever is left of the AdBoard fund will be depleted unless new revenue streams are created. Or the remaining organizations can co-fund the operations of the group," he said.
He added that MSAP would continue to support the associations and companies remaining in AdBoard and would remain open to any dialogue or discussions on issues of mutual interest.
Photo taken during the 2011 AdCongress in Camarines Sur. The 23rd Advertising Congress was cancelled due to the AdBoard membership crisis.
