I just watched the interview of Kris and Shalani Soledad in the Buzz and I was so kilig! Which bring me to the possibility of having Shalani as a first lady. But according to the interview, Noynoy said that she has to wait 6 years before the marriage has to take place. This made me think and write this open letter to Noynoy.

Dear President Noynoy,

Congratulations on being elected as the 15th President of the Philippines. I know it's not yet official but the Congressional canvassing of votes is just a formality anyway. I know everything will be difficult, but like all presidents before you, you will be subject to increased scrutiny, parody or even hatred. Because we Filipinos are veterans on passing the blame, or thinking that the President has all the solutions. I know that's not true so I'll leave the criticisms to others who would choose to do so.

As a taxpayer, my request for you is to marry Shalani Soledad within the first or second year
of your Presidency. The request might be viewed as celebrity-driven or even outrageous, but it is not. As a taxpayer, I make this request because I don't want my President clouded by his relationship in making decisions vital to the country. The movie "The American President," wherein the girlfriend influenced the President's decision to push for legislation she was fighting for, is still fresh in my mind. Other questions are raised, such as what if they break -up? What if, God forbid, she was kidnapped and used as leverage for some presidential pardon or decision?

I know that these instances can still happen even if she's a wife. But this is magnified because
she is still a girlfriend. As a taxpayer, I would object to her being given Presidential security when the rules state that only family will be given such treatment. If this would be the case, who can ensure that no taxpayer money will be used to woo her or maintain the relationship? At the core of this, Mr President-Elect, is national security.

Also, in the case of Valenzuela City, having her there wielding considerable influence as your girlfriend is like emasculating the mayor. How can the mayor assert his authority to his councilor who is the President's girlfriend? Having Shalani as a wife will firmly establish her responsibilities as first lady instead.

I know this request might be off limits because this already touches on your personal life, Mr.
President-Elect. But I urge you to consider this plea. You need to ask yourself if she's the
one or not. If she is, marry her and make her official. It would be great to have a Presidential wedding and it would be the best public relations campaign for you as well.If she's not the one, then let her go to someone else more deserving to make her happy.

I wish you all the best in your 6-year term. May you bring about the change that Filipinos have
been hoping for.

What Advertising Can Learn From Obama

Obama-mania has been sweeping the world for two years now, in what seems to be the longest Presidential campaign in the US, with intensity heating up from the Democratic primary until the Presidential win. Advertisers can learn a lot from the Obama win and how it was achieved from the ground up.

1. Sticking to one message.
Brands which talk different messages are unclear to its target consumers. It can even be confusing to some which may cause people to tune out. But not Obama. Ever since he announced his presidential bid in 2006, he stood for the platform of change. After winning the Democratic nomination, he never failed to hammer his message of change to America.

Some say that this was even used as a beer game in colleges and youth groups. Whenever they hear Obama say "change" in debates or speeches, they drank beer or a shot of alcohol. I bet a lot got drunk during the debates. This proves that the message of change did reach his intended audience, in more ways than one.

2. Know the target market.
Obama and his team knew which niche would give him the win. With Hillary owning most of the support, backing of institutions, lobbyist and politicians, Obama had no choice but to start the campaign from the ground up. He made maximum use of the internet and social networking sites to make himself known to the youth and disenfranchised. He was also able to get donations online, amounting to over $600 million dollar, more than the domestic take of Titanic in 1997! With this money, he outvoiced McCain in swing states and even bought a 30-minute infommercial a week before elections.

3. Firm grasp of the brand identity.
In early 2006, Barack Hussein Obama would be the most unlikely name to be a Presidential candidate, let alone win an election. But Obama knew who he was. From a multi-racial background, he started from the ground up, taking up loans to go to school. His experience as a community organizer made it easy for him to adopt a ground-up campaign theme. He also wears his African-American multi-racial heritage with pride, making his road to the White House historic.

4. Maximum use of available resources.
Aside from tapping internet resources, Obama had a lot of volunteers on the ground to literally knock on doors and call on undecided voters to explain the issues and convince them to vote for Obama. His campaign made strategic ad placements, ensured that his convention appearance, from the speeches to the set, appears presidential.

5. Attacking critics head on.
PR companies can sure learn from how Obama takes advantage of positive media coverage and how he reacts from attacks. For instance, when some sectors were attacking him on race, Obama made the historic speech on race. He rebutted Mc Cain's attacks during the debates, while maintaining his being "presidential," which made Mc Cain look like an attack dog with no bark.

This might give the impression that I am an Obama fan. You're right. I am also scared for him because trust Americans to give a black man the worst job in the world. He's got the weight on the whole world on his shoulders. Good luck, Mr. President-Elect. You are going to need it!

Nice Ads Part 2

Here's part 2 of the nice ads my friend emailed me. Enjoy!

Nice Ads

A friend of mine emailed these great ads. These grab your attention and communicate the message spot on! Enjoy! (Hopefully, these campaigns are still running.)

Brand Obama

Sorry, it's been a while. A lot has happened in the world since I posted. And now, something for the history books, Barack Hussein Obama is President of the United States of America. Who would've thought that a man whose last name sounds like the enemy of the free world and whose middle name alone can give others second thoughts of electing him to the highest position in the land, can actually win?

Obama is a brand. A well-packaged brand, marketed to its highest potential, to make history. A snapshot of Obama's advertising brief goes like this:

Objective: To win the 2008 Presidential Election.

Target Market: Americans who refuse to experience again the same eight years of Republican policies, economic woes and uncertain future.
Primary Target: The youth, disenfranchised voters who previously thought that their votes don't count; they could not make a difference.
Other Key Targets:
- Republicans willing to switch sides
- Hillary Clinton supporters
- Independent voters
- Swing States - Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania

Brand Proposition: Obama is the change we need.

Reason To Believe:
- A solid approach to the economy: providing tax cuts for working families, tax relief for small businesses and startups, and fair trade
- Will responsibly end the war in Iraq and commit troops to Afghanistan where Al Qaeda is believed to be hiding

The Obama road to the White House will be imitated and scrutinized by all politicians vying for office or seeking reelection. It is already evident in Italy, where a politician is also using change as a platform. Here in the Philippines, Loren Legarda with her ad "pagbabago" attempts to own the change platform as early as now. We'll see what happens. You betcha!

The Cold War

It's a three-way cold war - Selecta vs. Magnolia vs. Nestle. But consumers are loving it!

The other day, Robinsons supermarket showcased Nestle Ice Cream's promo of their newest flavors Chunky Mocha and Ultimate Banana Ice Cream selling at P5.00 per cone. Hey, I'm la cheapa, the queen of all cheapskates and I am absolutely enjoying this promo!

But of course, not be outdone, the newly relaunced Magnolia Ice Cream, is also selling their new flavors at P5.00 per cone in a Tropical Foodmart outlet a few days ago.

This ploy is actually a great way to sample new products. For Nestle, a half gallon of their new flavors costs P170.00 so they're getting their money back, or at least the product at cost, with the P5.00 pricing.

Now, Selecta better wake up and either do something similar, or offer an add-on to their per scoop selling, while we, the consumers, enjoy buying cheap and delicious ice cream!

You can never get away from brands

A day in your life is always filled with the brands you use. Whether it's your usual cooking oil that has been used by your family for generations, or the latest Manolo Blanick shoes you are saving up for, there is a process that happens before you even decide to buy them and use them. And it's not just having these product made, it's about awareness of these brands so you can buy them, use them and ultimately, make them a part of your life, one way or another.