BORACAY – In an island considered as a party capital next to Metro Manila—flocked by over 67,000 people in one long weekend alone—there’s no denying that advertisers are fighting tooth and nail to be in the middle of its sun-soaked terrain too. They’ve done it all, from events, billboards, promos, freebies, partnerships with establishments, to other creative gimmicks. So for other brands, the challenge remains: how can you stand out and be seen by these party animals who leave the city to relax and have fun amidst the sun, sand and endless festivities? Do they even have time to notice you?
And it’s an even bigger challenge for new brands. But Boracay Newcoast, a master planned tourism township by Megaworld’s Global Estate Resorts, Inc. in the northeastern part of Boracay, takes on the challenge anyway.
During the recent Labor Day weekend (the peak of tourist traffic on the island), the public relations team behind Boracay Newcoast came up with an inventive execution that is considered a first in the island. It featured Paraws, a double outrigger sail boat native to the Visayas, spelling out the brand name in well-lit bold fonts, lasting two straight nights. Unlike any other executions in the past, the installation was done at night, making it stand out in the dark horizon of the beach, fronting the ignited establishments of the famous White Beach.
“There is no doubt that brands are everywhere in Boracay. From the moment you hop on a plane, to the time you dock on the jetty port, to when you arrive at your hotel, you are bombarded with various advertising materials. A good brand takes on the difficult challenge of being noticed and remembered. And that’s what we did this year, to introduce a fairly new brand. Instead of being inshore during daytime where all other advertising campaigns are cramping themselves in, we did a brand awareness initiative glowing amidst the darkness in the middle of the sea, away from everything and stealing everyone’s attention,” says Harold Geronimo, assistant vice president and head of public relations and media affairs, Megaworld.
And indeed, it was a hit. Minutes after the installation was set up, social media posts with the hashtag #BoracayNewcoast came barging in. Instagram user @bhugzey posted, “Boracay Newcoast is officially my winner for best brand activation in this year’s #Laboracay2017. Lighted paraws spelling out the new Megaworld site’s name was floating proudly along the White Beach of #Boracay.”
The installation was also the perfect cap off to Boracay Newcoast’s Labor Day weekend CSR initiative called Cause for a New Coast, which urges tourists and locals in Boracay to be more responsible for their trash during the long weekend. Now on its third year, the campaign was able to collect more than 10,000 kilos of garbage from the activities this year such as a sunset clean-up drive participated in by over 300 tourists and locals; the #HoopYourTrash Challenge, which lured in tourists to posting a video of themselves shooting their trash in vibrant trash bins with basketball hoops and tagging a friend to do the same; and e-tricycle rides, in exchange of trash.
Boracay Newcoast is a 150-hectare development home to hotels and resorts, residential village and condominiums, shophouse and boutique hotel district and the only golf course on the island. As the only master planned development in the entire Boracay island, it commits to environmental responsibility by making the entire township a sustainable community in order to serve as a model of sustainability for the entire island.
Sixty percent of the development will be devoted to green and open spaces. The township will have its own Solid Waste Disposal System and Material Recovery Facility (MRF) which will be used to recycle non-biodegradable trash. It will also have its own Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to convert non-potable water or gray water for irrigation and fire reserve. The township also uses solar-powered LED street lights and underground cabling system.
