It’s the grandest time of the year for the 4th-year students of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations (DAPR) from Polytechnic University of the Philippines, College of Communication, because the most-anticipated annual Grand AdClash competition is about to begin.
Finally, in its 30th edition, this year’s Grand AdClash entitled “Reaching Paradise: Journey to Smoke-Free Tourism” will be the biggest and loudest as the event will make its way to the digital platform for the first time in 30 editions. Grand AdClash is the ultimate case competition for the graduating students of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines — Department of Advertising and Public Relations (PUP-DAPR).
The event, partnered with Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Philippines and Vital Strategies, will challenge the five graduating sections of PUP-DAPR to pitch for the most compelling Integrated Marketing Communications campaign for smoke-free beaches, parks, and tourist destinations. In line with the celebration of “World No Tobacco Day,” the 30th Grand AdClash will be on August 06, 2022, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM via Facebook Live.
The Grand AdClash Goes Online
In celebrating the event for the first time in an online setup, the third-year student organizers of PUP-DAPR had to navigate their way through the challenges of holding a big event on a digital platform for the first time. “Our current situation has deprived us of the opportunity to gain face-to-face event experience, which I believe is more fun and easier in event management.” Daniella Geronimo, the Project Head of this year’s 30th Grand AdClash, shared her thoughts about handling the event. She also added how the availability of time and the stability of the internet cause challenges in this setup. However, the Project Head praised and commended her team for powering through these adversities by having each other’s backs all the time, “Despite these challenges, I’m proud to say that I am working with an amazing team.”
The organizing team is also spreading the word about Grand AdClash on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. This is to keep up with the huge amount of publicity the event gets every year, which has become one of the most recognizable things about the Grand AdClash.
“We took advantage of various social media platforms and mas marami na tayong na-reach. We have built the identity of the Grand AdClash by creating our very own logo, designed by one of my teammates, Anton Sarmiento, under the supervision and guidance of Mr. Christwin Felix, Mr. MJ Valencia, and Ms. Jamm Vergel de Dios, and this is what I can say, – na talagang proud ako na maiiwan namin as legacy para sa mga susunod na maghahandle ng event.”, Geronimo added.
Through the Lens of a Contender
Aside from the organizers, participants are also gearing up to face their last campaign battle as students of the PUP-DAPR. Samuel Nuñez, the Team Leader of BAPR 4-2N, Turnilyo, conveyed his excitement to witness the event for the first time. “We have heard a lot of stories from our professors, alumni, and our campaign adviser about this grand event for the seniors. Unlike the other sections in our batch, not all of us were able to witness the previous 29th Grand AdClash. So this will be the first time for us to see this event as [a class of] shiftees and transferees.” He is also looking forward to the ideation to execution process of the award-winning campaigns that his batch can produce, which he believes will make the PUP-DAPR stand out.
For more information and updates about the 30th Grand AdClash “Reaching Paradise: Journey to Smoke-Free Tourism, visit and follow us on the following official social media accounts:
Facebook: Grand AdClash
Instagram: @grand_adclash
Twitter: @grand_adclash
TikTok: @grand_adclash
