SUBIC – On the final day of Ad Summit Pilipinas, advertising legends inspired delegates with talks focused on how brands can influence social change.
The day began with McCann Worldgroup APAC regional president Charles Cadell’s talk on “The New Responsibility of Brands in the 21st Century.”
According to Cadell, generation X and Y want brands to be good citizens. “In this world, good intentions irrespective of motive can be brand helpful or hurtful,” said Cadell, who discussed the five truths of societal branding:
- Seek to solve an important human problem. Don’t start from a marketing agenda
- Purposeful, not Peripheral. Don’t reduce doing good to a marketing tactic
- Be humble. Actions speak louder than words. If you must talk, let people do the majority for you.
- Be consistent. Don’t contradict the good you do.
- Be true to your core. Don’t try to be something you’re not.
“It’s simple. It’s about being human. We are just talking to people who are our potential friends,” Cadell said.
Following Cadell was Advertising legend and chairman of the Cultural Center of the Philippines board Emily Abrera, who spoke about “Purpose, Meaning, and Advocacy.”
“Brand building today is considerably tougher than in the century that just passed,” Abrera said, adding that consumer loyalty is more elusive than ever.
“In our part of the world, a hefty portion of consumers are willing to pay for brands that support good causes,” she said.
According to Abrera, advocacies are bigger, more meaningful, and more engaging than corporate social responsibility. She cited examples of good brand advocacies, including the Dove Real Beauty campaign and the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. For local advocacies, she talked about Fully Abled Nation, Manila Bay Reclamation attempts, and the RH law.
“It takes a lot of courage to buck the status quo, but that’s how things change,” Abrera said.
The third and final speaker was Tom Doctoroff, who spoke about “Creating Brand Advocacy in an Era of Digital Empowerment.”
According to Doctoroff, advertisers must be able to use both old and new communication models to effectively reach the consumer in the changing media landscape. “Our mission is to unify the top-down model with the new model,” said Doctoroff, who explained that both have their advantages.
Top down, he said, is propaganda at its worst moments and religion at its best moments. On the other hand, bottom up is evolution. “Our goal is to have creative ideas that spread,” said Doctoroff.
While television is still very powerful, Doctoroff stressed that online advocacy is critical. “Target efluencers and netizens,” he advised.
Noting that people in Asia have an emotional relationship with the internet, Doctoroff shared some case studies such as ‘Pepsi’s Get on the can!’ and Axe’s ‘Wake up call service’. “Harness the power of technology in the service of great ideas,” he said.
Energy remained high after the talks, as delegates hit the pitch at the adobo Cup pick-up football matches held at Brent International School Subic.
In the evening, Ad Summit Pilipinas culminates with the 2014 Kidlat Awards, which honors the best creative advertising in the country.
