The Ad Summit Pilipinas 2018 (ASP 2018) lived up to expectations: delivering ROIs of sorts, inspiring more than 2,000 delegates to create advertising campaigns that do not only secure monetary return, but also and more importantly, create movements that make an impact.
Organized by the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines (4As), the four-day event challenged current perspectives on the way marketing campaigns are being evaluated and explored new ways of determining brand success that goes beyond the financial aspect. ASP 2018 ran from March 7 to 10 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.
“We are grateful they’ve chosen to troop to Subic for Ad Summit Pilipinas, the country’s biggest industry festival. Joining us were esteemed speakers, who took us inside their minds to share valuable insights in bringing our brands toward success beyond a favorable return on investment,” proclaimed ASP 2018 overall chair Norman Agatep.
Already on its third installment, Ad Summit still chose Subic as its official venue partner. For the third time, they have been the gracious hosts to the advertising and marketing practitioners from all parts of the country who came to Subic to work and play—from gaining new insights to experiencing the “DIY Lab” Trade Exhibit and partying with friends and colleagues c/o the sponsored meals and after parties.
Of this, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator, Atty. Wilma Eisma, reiterated, “Subic stands out because of its people and its heroes… Subic is the gem of our country. Philippines is Subic. And we are all in this together.”
And together they were, united by a common belief that it takes guts, bravery, and intuition to survive and succeed in this industry of creative executions.
Infinite Returns
The plenary session of ASP 2018 focused on the different forms of “ROI,” with talks discussing topics such as Return on Intuition, Ideas, Identity, Initiative, Inspiration, and Intent, among others.
Keynote speaker Anselmo Ramos, co-founder and currently the chief creative officer of DAVID Miami, set the tone for what was in store for the delegates during the four-day event with a “gutsy” discussion on “Return on Ideas.”
In his talk titled “The Art of Getting ROI is Trusting Your Gut,” Ramos, who has also held positions in Y&R, Lowe, and Ogilvy, said, “If you want a return on investment, put everything into your idea, because if it’s a great idea, it will get you money.”
For his part, Josy Paul, chairman and chief creative officer of BBDO India, gave a moving discussion on “Return on Inspiration.” He said, “Don’t create ads, create acts…Our return is response from a society that is waiting for things to happen,” he said.
Representing women power in the industry is Mara Binudin Lecocq, Founder of Secret Code, who focused on the topic, “Return on Independence.” She cataloged her journeys within the industry, using this as a background for her main message: find purpose in this world.
Start by doing the stuff that speaks to your soul, stuff that you can “nerd over”, as it is by doing things you are passionate about where you will find that fulfillment which can lead you to your next promotion, job, or raise.“Find a sense of purpose, follow your passion,” she said.
Adding “joy” to the Summit was Francis Flores, the global brand chief marketing officer for Jollibee Foods Corporation, who shared the stories behind their viral ad campaigns, stating that such is an example of Return on Intuition.
“Don’t be afraid to use your intuition. Your agency will love you for using your creative freedom,” he said.
Flores explained, “Intuition is having the confidence to make bold decisions without solely relying on market data.”As for the secret to Jollibee’s blockbuster ads, “Powerful brand stories with powerful truths that are well told,” he explained.
Putting a spotlight on Pinoy pride and racial equality was global Filipino Lionel Carreon, who is R/GA’s Global Director of Creative Recruiting, gave an empowering talk on “Return on Identity.” He defined identity by saying “My identity is what you know about me. Your identity is what I know about you.”
He ended his session with a moving quote, “The ability to change the world is our Return on Identity.”
Full Force
Other global luminaries who dissected various ROIs to inspire the thousands of delegates include Facebook APAC Marketing Science Lead for Global Accounts Amit Chaubey, who talked about “Return on Interest; ”Katryna Mojica, chief executive officer of Ogilvy and Mather Hong Kong, who discussed “Return on Initiative”; Girish Menon, who is currently aiming to make digital service suite [m]PLATFORM operate in a relevant and accessible way for the APAC region, who emphasized on “Return on Impact”; and vlogger and content creator Wil Dasovich, who highlighted ways to achieve a “Return on Influence.” Dasovich was joined by his Vlog Squad consisting of Haley Dasovich, Alodia Gosiengfiao, Jako de Leon, Daniel Marsh, Bret Maverick, and Josh Yozura.
Completing the list were David Webb, who works with various entertainment brands regarding strategy development as Senior Director of Data and Insights at Turner Asia Pacific, who talked about “Return on Intelligence”; and Google DoubleClick’s Head of Platform Sales for SEA Carl Nawagamuwa, who tackled “Return on Intent.”
As a Summit tradition, Kidlat Awards of the Creative Guild of the Philippines– which is the country’s most prestigious creative advertising competition—capped off the celebration of creative freedom by awarding the most innovative, impactful, and rewarding works by advertising agencies in the country.
Ending on a positive note, Agatep said, “I hope that the plenary sessions, the trade exhibits, the sponsored meals and parties, and the celebration of Philippine creativity in advertising have all been awesome sources of new ideas.”
He continued, “I hope that after the Summit, we can put into a bottle all the experiences here and take them home with us to inspire our work in our respective offices and propel our respective brand toward unprecedented success.”
