MANILA, APRIL 9, 2013 – This anti-vote buying spot by PC&V Communications for the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and the Advertising Board of the Philippines (AdBoard) does away with the usual and expected formula used in most public awareness ads.
When presented with the fact that during the 2010 national elections politicians were paying people as much as P5,000, PC&V president and chief creative officer Ariel Comia knew that they had to appeal to the voting public without insulting his/her dignity. "Our objective was to ignite a strong anti-vote buying sentiment. We wanted to speak to every Filipino voter in a manner that will "jolt" him, without insulting his dignity. So we created an iconic visual device (peso bill as blindfold) that will represent the issue/problem, and powerful copy (huwag magpabulag sa pera) to complete the message," Comia said.
"The insight behind the ad is that the voter is not inherently corrupt — he is merely being blinded by the money offered by some candidates. Because of this, he can become the victim in the long run," he added.
The TV spot shows money-blindfolded people making their way to the voting precinct and voting. All voters were somehow bought by politicians creating an ominous group of money-blindfolded people. One interesting scene shows a mother, whose vote has already been bought, and her young daughter, who faces the camera and is the only unblindfolded character in the ad.
The ad, aptly titled ‘Huwag Magpabulag sa Pera (Don’t be Blinded by Money)’, was also done in cooperation with the Advertising Suppliers Association of the Philippines (ASAP) and the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies in the Philippines (4As).
The PPCRV, which has over 65,000 members and volunteers from 3,333 parishes nationwide, has been granted accreditation by the Comelec as the poll body’s citizens’ arm in the May 13, 2013 election. The resolution, signed on November 2012, states: “The PPCRV has established its track record as one of the Commission’s staunch allies in ensuring clean, orderly, peaceful and honest elections.”
As a result of its accreditation, the PPCRV will be poll watching in various precincts; provide assistance to the voters on election day, most especially to the senior citizens, persons with disabilities, pregnant women, detainees, indigenous peoples and other members of the vulnerable sectors.
The group is also tasked to assist the Comelec in voters’ information and education drives in every municipality, city and provinces, most especially in far-flung areas and various sectors having difficulties in accessing information from the Commission.
CREDITS:
President/CCO: Ariel Comia
Creative Director: Don Bautista
Senior Art Director: Robert Abueg
Copywriter: Anna Talens
Production House: Straightshooters/Unitel
Director: Mark Mendoza
Producer: Raissa Hapin
Post Production: Bluerain
Soundtrack: Loudbox
