MANILA, PHILIPPINES– The COVID-19 pandemic has no doubt ushered in a paradigm shift in how consumers think, act, and live— as healthcare sectors around the world strive to beat the virus, economies are also on the path to recovery in the aftermath of region-wide lockdowns. And as countries continue to emerge from stay-at-home orders, people are certainly not getting out of this unscathed. Being forced to stay indoors and depart from their usual daily activity and way of life has certainly reared its effects, changing consumer patterns, needs and priorities for the long term.
The new normal is here to stay— but what does it mean for brands now and in the future? According to Filipino marketing agency Organic Intelligence, this means starting from the beginning.
In the midst of the COVID-19 tumult, Organic Intelligence, or OI, caps off its fifth year in the industry with one foot towards the global stage. The agency may still be in its “toddler years” yet it has already been through a rollercoaster ride of sorts in its five-year tenure. Since its inception in 2015, OI has sped through and outgrown its contemporaries, reaping a multitude of accomplishments that belies their newcomer status. OI’s breadth of experiences already rivals institutions who have been in the industry for decades. Case in point: the agency won an international health account in 2019, besting prestigious New York and European agencies on their fourth year.
Year after year, OI disrupts the industry as it breaks down barriers that besiege a young, Filipino marketing agency by surpassing performances and expectations. But in the midst of unprecedented times, rapid technological progress may not be the best course of action. At the turn of the new normal, OI believed there was a need to return to their roots— harnessing the organic human experience. As Carlo Hemedes, CEO and Managing Partner of OI puts it, “Empathy is no longer an option. It is a way for us to move forward in business, in our homes, and in our lives.”
Hemedes adds, “While tech and big data are industries that will surely influence the future, we believe that going back to the organic, the humanity of things remains just as important. That while digitization, technology are dictating how we live, behind these passwords and numbers are real people.”
This human aspect to their work has always been evident even before the onslaught of the pandemic. Since their big international win last year, OI has evolved into a globally competitive consultancy firm that provides a full and bespoke suite of insights and solutions based on unique and individual needs. No two clients are alike, after all, and they continue to seek personalized end-to-end solutions.
Hemedes explains, “Such was the case with our research department. Now, we are asked not just to present gathered data, but to come up with very strategic business and marketing recommendations. So from just your typical research study, because of OI’s cross-functional disciplines, we are able to evolve these findings into clear and grounded strategies and action plans, design and communication toolkits or even capacity-building that at the end of the day, result in quantifiable outputs that drive business growth. We wanted to be able to be true partners to our clients by evolving with their needs, and not settling with how things are usually done in a certain industry, in order to serve them better.”
OI’s growth, much like its namesake, was organic. It started with strategic planning, marketing consultancy and research work, in a business landscape that was already brimming with these specialized intelligences. Seeing the opportunities to integrate through human insight, OI evolved into four key departments — OI Plan & Design, OI Search, OI Learn and OI Health.
“Every year, we understand how fast the world is changing, what it needs most, what peoople are asking for. Then we create a department that will provide solutions to those questions. As long as they are aligned with harnessing human insight.”
Yet in the midst of today’s times, how will OI pivot next? According to Hemedes, the answer lies in sustainablity, focusing on high-impact solutions that effect lasting and positive change upon humanity. Hemedes shares, “For 2020, we are in the process of building OI Impact, where we work with individuals, companies and organizations to create programs that create shared value with a sustainable effect on society. We have been so lucky to be working with organizations like SN Aboitiz Power, Philam Life, Oscar M. Lopez Center, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, WHO, USAID and UNICEF, among others.”
This move places the human aspect at the core of OI’s work, helping organizations and individuals connect with and uplift society with long-term, sustainable solutions that are crucial especially in these challenging times.
In a brief amount of time, Organic Intelligence has managed to disrupt the industry with a trajectory on full throttle. Yet on its fifth year, amidst extraordinary times, it leads the charge towards the most basic and central of all experiences: humanity.
