PASIG, PHILIPPINES — The scene goes like this: There are drums beating along to individual cheers all around the field, creating a disjointed but general sound of remarkable energy; people in various team uniforms or casual athletic wear walk from one side of the field to another; there are random chairs, picnic blankets and groups of standing spectators lining the different sections; and all in all, there’s an unmistakable buzz in the air that finds its way into everyone’s slightly-more-animated steps, and louder-than-usual cheers and laughs.
After five years of much anticipation, the adobo Inter-agency Football Cup finally made its long-awaited return on July 13, 2024. This year, the adobo Cup organizing committee, headed by Havas Ortega Group Head of Design and Brand Activation and AFC Co-founder Bixie Reyes, returned to its roots and put the focus back on advertising agencies, as adobo Magazine President, Founder and Editor-in-Chief Angel Guerrero shared on her opening remarks – laying down the field for a once-in-a-year friendly competition in the industry that involves something wholly outside of the work.
With this edition being the first one to be held since the pandemic, the excited energy was palpable across the Atleta63 Football Field in Bridgetown, Pasig City. Agencies were coming in strong with their own food services such as Havas Ortega’s free ice cream and taho, and dedicated drum lines like that of NuWorks Interactive Labs’ and Dentsu Creative‘s, that added to the event’s sponsored food and drinks stalls and lively background music. Aside from the field awash with varying team colors from the players, so many friends and colleagues also showed up to cheer on their respective agencies or just join in on the fun, creating an exhilarating atmosphere of celebration and activity that is unlike any other industry-wide event.
It was truly a welcome opportunity for Filipino creatives to set aside pitch decks and client deadlines, and simply enjoy an afternoon of cheering with teammates, dancing to trendy music during breaks, and basking in the mostly sunny, sometimes rainy, July weather.
This year, 13 teams competed for the adobo Cup, namely:
- Forza Havas (Havas Ortega Group Philippines)
- McCann United (McCann Worldgroup Philippines)
- Ogilvy United FC (Ogilvy)
- VML-AIA Bolas Grandes (VML Philippines)
- ADA FC (ADA Asia)
- Dentsu Creative (Dentsu Creative)
- Hakuhodo FC (IdeasXMachina (IXM))
- NuWorks United FC (NuWorks Interactive Labs, Inc.)
- Indigos United (Propel Manila)
- BBDO United (BBDO Guerrero)
- DDB FC (DDB Group Philippines)
- MullenLowe Treyna Boleros (MullenLowe Treyna)
- Publicis One United (Publicis Groupe)
From 2:30 pm to 10:00 pm that Saturday, each team competed in the tournament, with four games happening simultaneously across the field until the winners were decided by an exciting finale in the end – rallying everybody to a tense game between VML-AIA Bolas Grandes and Dentsu Creative for the adobo Cup. The Pandikdik championship was also an exciting fight between Ogilvy UFC and Hakuhodo FC, while the Platito trophy boiled down between DDB FC and Indigos United.
In the end, the final trophies were awarded to the following by Angel and Bixie:
Team Trophies
- Adobo Cup Division Champion: Dentsu Creative
- Adobo Cup Division 2nd Place: VML-AIA Bolas Grandes
- Adobo Cup Division 3rd Place: NuWorks United FC (NuWorks Interactive Labs)
- Adobo Platito Division Champion: Indigos United (Propel Manila)
- Adobo Pandikdik Division Champion: Hakuhodo FC (IdeasXMachina)
The Platito and Pandikdik Champions, Propel Manila and IdeasXMachina, respectively, were first-time players at the adobo Cup – already bagging trophies on their inaugural games.
Special Player Awards
- (Most Goals) Golden Boot Award: Kazuki Kyoya (14 Goals from Dentsu Creative)
- Golden Glove Award: Nikko Borromeo (Dentsu Creative-Team Captain)
- Golden Armband Award: Emman Paredes (NuWorks United FC)
- Golden Cape Award: June Castelo (Indigos United (Propel Manila-Team Captain)
- (MVP Male) Golden Ball Award: Rupert Ed Baña (VML-AIA Bolas Grandes)
- (MVP Female) Cathy Nazareno Rose Ball Award: Regie Ucang (Team Captain-VML-AIA Bolas Grandes)
Special Team Awards
- Best Uniform Award: Indigos United (Propel Manila)
- Dave Ferrer Best in Team Spirit Award: Dentsu Creative
- Best in Poster: MullenLowe Treyna Boleros (MullenLowe Treyna)
The awarding ceremony roused the crowd of tired players and fans into a final hurrah, bringing out excited cheers and fanfare as each team and name was announced on stage. The festivities were so animated that Bixie joked it was like the annual AOY Awards – one of the biggest ad shows each year that, similarly, evoked loud cheers and triumphant celebrations throughout the night.
The annual adobo Inter-agency Football Cup is well and truly back! As we take the spirit of healthy competition back into our creative day jobs, we remember the sportsmanship and general fun of the day, and eagerly wait for next year’s edition for another game in the field with the Philippine advertising industry.
Special thanks to the adobo Football Cup 2024’s official partners:
Our co-presenter: AIA Philippines
Major sponsor: P&G
Supporting sponsor: Arcade Film Factory
Food & Beverage Partners:
Jollibee
Sugar High Bakery
Yellow Cab Pizza
Quaker Oats
Frito Lay
Gatorade
Sulok Coffee
Jade’s Temple
And Nature’s Spring
Swag kit partners:
QUICK FX
Adidas
Official Sunscreen Partner:
Anessa
Sports Apparel Partner:
Chronos Athletics
Media Partners:
RMN
The Lookout PH
And TV5
And our Venue Partner:
Atleta63
