Welcome to MarCommAsia 2008

Let me skip the ceremonial parade of familiar faces and speeches by giving you a glimpse to a bunch of things I thought was more exciting than free food or free MP3 players. If you’re a marketing person like me, you might find these good finds suitable to your future campaigns.

A plane to catch

For example, this automated airship/promoflag flew across the venue and held people’s gazes for a couple of minutes. Kids would definitely love something like this flying on top of their heads.

Clear-Channels, one of the exhibit’s sponsors, also have this movable smart cart that could take you from one corner to another. You just have to lean forward or back to move it.

Dance Heads set-up

Former Lipa City Vice Mayor Boy Manguera and his wife volunteered to sample Dance Heads to the tune of An Achy Breaky Heart. Confetti Effects, Inc. is responsible for this piece of audio-visual entertainment that attracted more people to their booth.

Dancing to the tune of Achy Breaky Heart

It was fun and good to see old acquaintances and meet new people. MarCommAsia has ended yesterday but will definitely be back two years from now.

Anyway, while I’m on it, Tita Susie forwarded me the latest update on MARCOMMASIA and I already spread it to a number of people on my address book. The big event opens on September 24th until 26th at the World Trade Center. If you guys have time, please drop by. It’s free admission. Please bring a paying friend for the conference.

Click on the image below:

MoreNiche is a UK-based networking company open to humans anywhere in the world. Here’s how you make money as an affiliate:

1. As an affiliate, you receive $20 and 5% for every referral for life. There is an email format you can use to invite your friends.
2. Make commissions out of product sales. Choose whichever featured product you’d like to carry in your website. Commissions vary depending on the type of product.
3. You earn from sending traffic to MoreNiche website. Write an article about MoreNiche and post links at Digg, MySpace or any forums you want.

Here’s what you need to get started:

1. Your information
2. Your bank details so they would know where to wire your money. If you’re from the Philippines, you need your bank’s swift code which you can get here.
3. Your website. If you don’t have a website, they will help you create one at no charge at all.

To learn more about MoreNiche’s affiliate program, simply visit their website.

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS ASIA 2008 (MarCommAsia 2008) International Exhibition & Conference will be held at the World Trade Center Metro Manila from September 24 to 26, 2008. This is the first major international marketing communications event in the Philippines since the Asian Advertising Congress (AdAsia) held in Manila in 1997.

The event’s objectives are as follows:

MarCommAsia is a biennial event that will make the Philippines a regular exhibition destination for Asian marketing, with simultaneous conference sessions from distinguished international speakers and Filipino business leaders sharing their insights on topics related to the latest trends and successes in the marketing communications field.

The strength of the event comes from Motiv8 Marketing and Consultancy, a team of experienced marketing professionals dedicated to helping uplift the standards of marketing in the Philippines.

MarCommAsia 2008 is supported by The Asian Federation of Advertising Associations, Advertising Foundation of the Philippines, Advertising Board of the Philippines, and Philippine Conventions & Visitors Corporation.

For more information, please send an email to Ms. Susie Achacoso-Cruz at susiecruzpr@gmail.com or visit her website at http://susieachacosocruz.com/.

She said, “Texting is a way of life. I asked the telecoms to cut the cost of messages between networks. They responded. It is now down to 50 centavos.” Wow, that means I’ll have a budget to spare to buy a brand new air conditioning compressor and have cooler nights. And yes, a cooler head, too.

But before everyone starts jumping for joy and kiss Gloria’s foot for being “pro-poor”, let me state this clear. What the government has just announced in SONA is a 3-month SMS promo valid until October 22, 2008.

If you’re a Globe subscriber, here’s how you could avail of the PGMA’s SMS promo. It requires registration.

1. To register, text TO (space) 20 to 2868
2. Upon registration, P20 will be deducted from your balance.
3. Wait for confirmation SMS within 30 minutes.
4. Once you received confirmation, you may start texting galore up to a limit of 40 SMS a day.
5. If the 40 SMS limit was not exhausted in 24 hours, it will be forfeited. You have to register again and pay P20.
6. To check your balance, text TO (space) BAL to 2868. Balance inquiry costs P1.

In other words, the 50-centavo text promo is only valid for 24 hours at a registration fee of P20. Let’s hope this latest government scheme would save a hungry nation.

Pacquiao TV commercials.

Apparently, Manny Pacquiao is such a huge name in the Philippines most companies would kill each other for to get him associated with their brands. If you saw last week’s fight on GMA 7, you know what I am talking about. In almost everything, there’s Pacquiao – from hamburger, beer, ice cream, distilled water, karaoke microphone, cellular network, pain relievers, shirts to socks. He is also into recording and sold his albums to fanatics. GMA 7 also gave him a TV program to host. There’s a movie, too. And last year, Nike got him to shoot a commercial.

I don’t think Tiger Woods had that much liberty to stamp his name on every brand that came across his sight. He is a bigger star than Pacquiao, scandal-free, clean cut and good-looking, but he seemed content with his multi-year million dollar contract endorsing Nike apparel from golf balls, shoes, caps to shirts and pitching products from brands such as American Express, Buick, Electronic Arts, Accenture and Tag Heuer. In all of these, you’ll never catch him without Nike as his uniform. Nike and Woods have become synonymous.

It’s all about branding and this is where the two superstars differ by miles. Tiger Woods cared about his image and is particularly loyal to one brand. Manny Pacquiao is seizing every money-making opportunity in his prime. He has an entire nation to feed just in case. Tiger Woods does not. I think Pacquiao has just reasons if we soon find local cookware carrying his name.