MANILA, Philippines—”Change the game.’’
Amid rapid advances in technology and ever-shifting market moods, it’s the sink-or-swim challenge underlining this year’s biggest gathering of the country’s advertising and media industry players.
With this theme, organizers of the 22nd Philippine Advertising Congress are pushing participants to not only keep up with the evolution but be its very catalysts, in a world where competition intensifies by the day and customers drowning in choices demand more for less.
Running from November 16 to 19, “AdCongress22’’ will be held at the world-class CamSur Watersports Complex in Camarines Sur province, which last year dislodged Boracay Island as the top destination in the country for both domestic and foreign tourists.
The 2011 congress will be hosted by the media sector along with the Advertising Board of the Philippines.
“This is something we do for the love of the industry,” according to Philippine Daily Inquirer President and CEO Sandy Prieto-Romualdez, overall chairperson of AdCongress22.
“The pursuit of excellence—personally and professionally—drives the industry people to offer their services to ad congress,” Romualdez said.
Among the key participants are five media associations: the United Print Media Group (UPMG), the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP), the Independent Blocktimers Association (IBA), the Cinema Advertisers Association of the Philippines (CAAP), and the Outdoor Advertising Association of the Philippines (OAAP).
A total of 1,444 delegates have so far registered online, an innovation marking this year’s event and in keeping with the tech-driven theme, Romualdez said.
The e-registration finally did away with the long queues and tedious paperwork at the AdBoard office. The new system also included online bookings for accommodations in CamSur, Romualdez said.
Administration committee chair Blen Fernando, vice president for marketing of Alaska Milk Corp., said the online registration proved to be “very convenient” for the organizers.
This year’s local and international speakers include leading voices in marketing, advertising, mass media, and even sports and the arts.
Featured speaker Charlene Li is a coauthor of the best-selling book “Groundswell.” A pioneer in social media, Li was cited in 2010 as one of Top 100 Most Creative People in Business.
Also addressing the congress is Patrick Shult, president of Freemantle Media Southeast Asia, the company that brought hit TV franchises like “American Idol” to Asian households.
Other foreign speakers include Charles Cadell of McCann Worldgroup; Ricky Ow of SPE Networks-Asia; Laura Wendt of Disney Channels; Jason Choi of Chell Worldwide Inc.; John Miller of Nestle Philippines Inc.; Joeri Van den Bergh, co-founder and ‘’Gen Y’’ expert of InSites Consulting; Mark Tutssel of Leo Burnett Worldwide; and Geoff Tan of Singapore Press Holdings.
Local speakers include broadcast bigwigs Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III of ABS-CBN, lawyer Felipe Gozon of GMA, and Manuel V. Pangilinan of TV5.
Filipino ‘’game changers’’ in the arts and sports will also share their learnings in a panel discussion. They include award-winning film director Brillante Mendoza, furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue, and Philippine ‘’Azkals’’ national football team members Alexander Charles Luis Borromeo and brothers Phil and James Younghusband.
Panelists representing the fashion industry include designer Marlon Rivera, president and chief creative officer of Publicis Manila; and Preview Magazine’s Pauline Suaco-Juan and Vince Uy.
Preparations are also underway on the part of the local governments of Camarines Sur.
The CamSur Watesports Complex is currently adding 70 cabins in its Villa del Rey Hotel to accommodate at least 200 delegates at a site close to AdCongress22 venues. Those who cannot be accommodated within the CWC complex can stay in hotels in nearby Naga City.