Date: 8 August 2006
Time: 1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Venue: Function Rm 1-4, AIM Conference Center Manila
Branding Philippines:
“Positioning the Philippines for Success in the Flat World”
The Asian Institute of Management Policy Center presented the 56th Globalization Lecture Series, “Branding Philippines,” as another installment to its thrust on enhancing Philippine competitiveness. The discussion sought to define the Philippine brand in the global mind, as well as methodologies in managing that brand quality.
The event was graced by a diverse audience dominated by participants from academic institutions particularly from the University of Sto.Tomas, St. Paul University, Center for Communication Institute, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, University of the Philippines Diliman and Manila, Manila Doctors College, and the Asian Institute of Management. Representatives from government, private sector and the diplomatic community were also present, most notable of which were Department of Science and Technology Undersecretary, Fortunato dela Peña, Andrea Gianvenuti from the Commercial Attaché of the Italian Embassy, Peter Beckingham, HM Ambassador of the British Embassy, Broughton Robertson, First Secretary, and Kerryn Tagle, PA Manager, both from the Australian Embassy.
Professor Victoria S. Licuanan, the Institute’s Dean, imparted the Welcome Message wherein she recognized the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Philippine Embassy in Berlin as the Policy Center’s institutional partners in making the event possible.
“Branding Philippines” featured EON The Stakeholder Relations Firm’s Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Ms. Jeannie Javelosa and Managing Director, Mr. Robert de Quelen as keynote speakers who presented “The World Is Flat, The Philippines Is Not” based on the book, “The World Is Flat,” by previous GLS Speaker, Thomas Friedman. Branding has traditionally been associated with products and services.
However, with the rapid phenomenon of globalization came the ‘flattening’ of the world into one great market. A country brand is a collection of perceptions that is concretized to become its country’s ambassadors. For Mr. de Quelen, a country brand is best formatted after a corporate brand that will serve as an umbrella brand. Like any other marketing strategy, country branding is an extensive process involving the following areas: people, culture, tourism, exporting brands, inward investment and recruitment, and foreign and domestic policy. But before this strategy is the recognition of the consumer’s mind as the starting point for marketing the brand. What niche can the Philippines take in the vacant space of the consumer’s mind?
The marketing and management process gives a country a unique identity and image such that it is immediately and positively identifiable making it distinct from competition. Ms. Javelosa, who is an expert on culture, provides feasible answers. She presented a SWOT Analysis of the Philippines vis-à-vis its neighbors and concluded that everyone is trying to own Asia. The Philippines need not do this. Leveraging on our core attributes, we find world-class Philippine commodities that can stir global awareness. We have the traditional hilot that is at par with the massage techniques of Thailand or Sweden. The abundance of organics enables us to produce effective medicines. We have a workforce, the call center agents that are exposed to 2 billion global consumers everyday. The challenge is for us to take ownership of what is rightfully ours—to seal the TM so that these goods will not remain tonnages (unbranded commodities) but in reverse have added value. So great is the value of intangible assets such as brands that they amount to 1/3 of the global wealth. Finally, Ms. Javelosa stressed the importance of country branding as a “collective bayanihan effort.”
A prominent set of reactors provided a well-rounded view of the presentation. Mr. Cesar Bautista, the First Filipino Chairman of Unilever and Former Department of Trade and Industry Secretary gave his business perspective. As a “collective bayanihan effort,” the private sector must actively be engaged for it receives the most direct impact from country branding. We have outstanding firms, San Miguel, Splash and Jollibee, as testimonies to the Filipino’s competency.
Mrs. Maria Gonzales-Goolsby spoke based from an anthropological perspective. As CSR Director of UnionBank, her role in the bayanihan is strong values formation starting with the young. As a gift to them, she presents UnionBank’s book, “As a Filipino.”
An interesting historical perspective was imparted by Mr. David Guerrero, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of BBDO Guerrero Ortega. We have been branded by foreigners since 1565 after taking the name of King Philip II of Spain. However, we must rethink our past and get over the inferiority complex through branding. He clarifies that this is not “a coat of white paint you apply hoping to cover up what’s underneath.” It is projecting the image we own with confidence by becoming more open to outside collaboration. After all, we have been global before everyone else.
Ambassador Delia Domingo-Albert, Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, conveyed her diplomatic perspective and agreement to Mr. Guerrero’s statement through video conference. Diplomats, as representatives of the country’s brand, can contribute their share in the “collective bayanihan effort” by being in good relations with their designated localities to efficiently promote the Philippines.
As a strategic conversation it is the nature of the Globalization Lecture Series to enable every voice to be heard through the Open Forum. “Branding Philippines” received an enthusiastic participation from the audience. Dr. Federico M. Macaranas, Executive Director of the Policy Center, took the lecture to a close with a synthesis, elucidating the goal of branding. It is not solely for competition purposes. Moreover, it is for ourselves so that we may reap the acknowledgement we deserve, add value to our exports, regenerate confidence in the Filipino, and thus foster investments to retain our qualified workforce.
The Philippines remains well-rounded in the ‘flat’ world, striking a balance between the material and spiritual. Perhaps this is the Philippine brand.
