|
Advertising observers may learn from nay inside truths,
but probably won’t be able to convert their knowledge into
the heady profits that result from the insights of the
advertising practitioner. Those insights enable
advertisers to obtain more profits with less advertising
investment. The idea isn’t to spend less, although you
unquestionably do spend less, but to get more. This is a
healthy trend, because advertising has tended to be
overemphasized in the marketing spectrum. Advertising is
something that most otherwise bright business owners do at
the outset. But if their minds were honed to awareness,
they would know that advertising is what you do last.
There are many areas to put into order before advertising
should be done.
In an
exclusive interview with this columnist, James R.F.
Donald, chairman of I Trixx Inc., says: “Advertising is
not the only weapon. It is part of the marketing arsenal.
It makes all the other weapons work effectively.
Advertising fits most comfortably into a company’s quest
for profits when it is balanced with other marketing
efforts.” The necessary balance for the future is
advertising that builds a share of mind—blended with
promotions that build a share of market.
I TRIXX Inc. provided one
week free advertising on its system at SM Megamall. The
author branded all logos of the ALC group of publications—BUSINESSMIRROR,
Personal
Fortune, View, Philippine Graphic and Cook—in this
exciting new platform in media promotion.
The
BusinessMirror was privileged to tie up with I Trixx to
experience this exciting new platform in media promotion
during a product launch at the gateway to the Cyberzone
area in SM Megamall. This columnist branded the logos of
all the ALC group of publications—BusinessMirror, Personal
Fortune, View, Philippine Graphic and Cook—to engage in a
state-of-the-art technology that brings to life
presentations, promotions and campaigns through the use of
imaginative graphics-design interactive software and
motion detectors.
Go into
the store and see how shoppers gravitate toward your
product because they see a suite of virtual interactive
projection systems, which is a very colorful, fun,
exciting and educational medium that attracts attention
and enhance brand awareness. The power and versatility of
this medium do the pushing toward the sale; the graphics
design does the pulling into the sale. Pushing always
helps pulling.
Pioneering
these systems here in the Philippines, I Trixx supports a
variety of one-off and programmed events, mall tours and
product launches with its mobile systems; provide regular
access to key strategic areas within malls and other prime
locations for ongoing promotion and brand recognition; and
enliven in-store presentation through interactive windows.
Specific
information does not set any lights to flashing or bells
to ringing. What it does is set prospects into motion. It
starts the momentum that begins with curiosity, then leads
to profits and sales. It motivates and convinces. It
persuades many prospects through the force of i-Systems,
which revolutionize public-space entertainment and
advertising by projecting dynamic visual effects on floor
or walls, thus creating a virtual world with limitless
possibilities.
“We’ve
been using these on events over the last four months and
we’ve worked with a lot of big companies—Sony, Canon and
Smart—that combine state-of-the-art technology and a
stimulating sequence of effects to transform ordinary
events into spectacular experiences. What we’re doing now
is to establish in strategic locations to give
continuality to the way people are promoting their
business,” Donald explains.
The
company continues to build an impressive array of prime
promotion spots within key locations providing access to
customers in a very targeted way. Regular advertising
slots at strategic locations reinforce product images,
logos and branding at the heart of major shopping malls
and transport hubs.
It isn’t
very hard to see the clear cause and effect between your
access to knowledge and your ability to be a creative
genius. Does this mean if you have a computer, first-rate
software and a modem you can actually be more creative? Do
you think Leonardo Da Vinci might have used these gizmos
if they were around when he was around? Donald thinks so,
too.
With the
tremendous influx of superstores, shopping malls and
discount houses, merchandising and promotions are more
important than any other time in history. If you are
serious about maximizing your profits, you will take the
whole idea of special events and promotions seriously and
incorporate them regularly into your normal advertising.
The
company does not only merchandise its offerings, it
merchandises your advertising. This is the key to maximum
advertising mileage. The i-Step, by its very nature, is an
ideal environment for visual demonstration, and it’s
becoming more fertile than ever for dazzling visuals. It
connects human movement with a floor or wall display to
create a virtual playground.
Computer
graphics and high-tech effects can energize your visual.
The i-Touch combines motion-reactive video and graphics to
produce a window effect that is a must-have for
progressive companies seeking to impress their customers
and enhance their image.
Stop right
here, there isn’t just one idea; there are always more
than one. One of your most crucial jobs in the graphic
telling of your story is to tell visually with impact,
described by one advertising guru, as the “quality in an
advertisement which strikes suddenly against the reader’s
indifference and enlivens his mind to receive a sales
message.” The same, naturally, is true for I Trixx, as
visual as a medium as there is in the ad world.
According
to Donald, there are various effects that have the
obligation to gain attention instantly. Feast your mind on
some examples of visuals used: Scatter (objects scattering
when approached or step on); Wipe (movement across the
screen wipes the top layer away to reveal the lower
layer); Tiles (movement across the screen causes tiles to
flip over); Water Ripple (image appears to be under water,
with rippling distortions; Soccer (playable football
match); Smash (movement across the screen causes the upper
layer to fracture into small pieces that fly away from the
movement, revealing the lower layer); and Trail (movement
across the screen leaves a trail of objects).
Custom
applications can be created, which allow different uses
such as splat (a variety of images that move about the
screen and have to be stamped on and after a number have
been caught in this way an event is triggered); catch
(players move from side to side, activating a ‘trolley’
that is used to catch falling products); drums (virtual
drum kit that triggers real drum sounds); and hands
(friendly hands follow you around the screen).
There are
unlimited ways of making a lousy idea look brilliant, the
need for teamwork between words and pictures is especially
acute in advertising. I Trixx didn’t have to worry about
having its graphics combine with words to put forth a
sales message. Because the response you want is: “My! I
want that product and I want it as soon as possible!”
Way of business life
This
year’s theme for the 15th National Public Relations
Congress, “Planet. People. Partnership,” of the Public
Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) is a subject
this columnist feels very strongly about and causes me to
pause at this point and try to get on the same wave of
length with PR practitioners, as PR now seems to mean so
many things to so many people.
As we look
back over a relatively short time span—say the last 10
years—it is really surprising and somewhat remarkable to
note the progress of the PRSP. On more than one occasion I
get the feeling that what we hear about public relations
and customer orientation is something new. I do not think
that it is. Years ago when our economy was much younger,
public relations was a built-in feature of a business
enterprise. The business pioneers were cognizant of their
customers and their markets. These predecessors of ours
built their relationships through personal contact and got
very rapid feedback of customer needs and wants. They were
their own market researchers, analysts, salesmen, product
planners, advertisers and PR counsel.
Those
companies that have successfully grown are those which
were quick to recognize their departure from a true
understanding of the customer. It would be certainly be
valid to point out that as a company grows in size; its
potential ability to drift away from customer orientation
grows proportionately. Similarly, as its size increases,
so does its necessity for this PR awareness. What we refer
to today as the public-relations philosophy is a
recognition of just this situation.
The
congress, scheduled to be held on September 17 and 18,
will examine how businesses pursue earth-friendly
initiatives through partnerships with key stakeholders.
“We will be inviting both local and regional experts to
share best practices in the various dimensions of PR
practices. It will definitely be an enriching two-day
congress,” says congress chairman Juris Soliman.
The PR
congress logo shows people helping one another support
Mother Earth, a talk best done in responsible synergy with
others. The tricolor figures represent the different
approaches in managing social and environmental
issues—from the conceptual to the practical, from the
simple to the complex. The movements of the feet and arms
symbolize the dynamic ways to keep pace with what is
happening to the planet. The colors stand for the sun
(yellow) and the energy it gives the earth, the air and
sea (blue) where life abounds, and the flora and fauna
(green) placed in man’s care for his sustenance.
The 15th
National Congress is one of several ongoing projects
initiated by PRSP. On July 2 the society is sponsoring a
concert at Meralco Theater to mark PRSP’s 50th anniversary
with divas Kuh Ledesma and Pops Fernandez.
According
to Jones Campos of Globe Telecom and this year’s PRSP
president, “PRSP also provides continuing professional
education to its members and other interested
professionals through quarterly whole-day seminars and
regular three-hour learning sessions with PR experts. It
also has an accreditation program that seeks to raise the
bar of professionalism among local PR practitioners.”
The Anvil
Awards will be launched in the third quarter of 2008. This
is the annual recognition where a multisectoral jury
selects outstanding PR campaigns and tactics implemented
in the past year.
Sun Life appoints new exec
Sun Life
Financial-Philippines has appointed Gregory S.
Martin as its new chief strategic marketing
officer. Martin joined Sun Life in 2007 to expand the
company’s alternative-distribution business. He will
continue to do so, concurrent with his additional
responsibilities in his new post.
 As
the strategic marketing head, Martin will be responsible
for all marketing activities of the company, as well as
continue his role in developing alternative distribution
for Sun Life. He will also contribute to the overall
strategic direction of the company.
A key
aspect of his role will be the formulation, implementation
and management of strategic marketing initiatives to
support all distribution channels and Sun Life’s
businesses in the
Philippines
as a whole.
Martin has
a wealth of experience in strategic marketing services and
alternative distribution honed in
Europe and throughout
Asia, including the
Philippines, where he organized and managed marketing
divisions and channels in financial services
organizations. He began his career in marketing agency and
consulting, advising blue-chip companies in various
industries.
Martin was
managing director of a multinational insurer’s operation
in Australia and was head of alternative distribution for
Asia for a
multinational financial services company.
He
completed a BA (Hons) from University College London and
was awarded a one-year scholarship at the
University
of Amsterdam. | 
