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The quest for marketing brilliance has once again unearthed outstanding performers of the year to the centerstage.

The Philippine Marketing Association’s 30th Agora Awards, the beacon of Filipino marketing excellence that spotlight admirable qualities of versatility, innovativeness and ingenuity, has brought another fresh batch of corporate and individual winners who have made a difference and a huge contribution to the country’s economic machine through excellent marketing strategies. Despite the threats of financial instability and global recession, along with natural disasters that took a huge toll on some businesses, these entities have shown remarkable resilience that have successfully helped them weather the storms.

Moreover, this year’s awards also highlight how corporate profitability can transcend to businesses acting on a bigger role in providing greater attention and positioning better intention to social impact and socio-economic development in their plans and activities.

FISHING THE WORLD OVER
Alliance Tuna International Inc., a publicly listed company and one of the leading canned tuna manufacturers in the Philippines, has the world’s attention as their high-quality tuna and salmon products are currently exported to over forty countries. Even though they are not exactly a household name here in the Philippines, the global clamor for their products is too loud not to hear. In fact, despite the lack of larger-than-life advertising campaigns, they remain one of the most profitable corporations and is the 2009 Agora Awardee for Export Marketing.
“We don’t have aggressive TV and radio campaigns. Our biggest marketing strategy, through the leadership of our president and CEO Jonathan Dee, is to ensure that we have first-rate quality products,” said Teresita Ladanga, SVP and COO of Alliance Tuna. “We participate in international food shows to showcase these products, along with some of the best food companies in Paris, Boston, Japan, China, the Middle East, Indonesia and Thailand. And because we offer good factory, good products, and good practices, we get accredited and the rest of the world took notice. This is basically how we market ourselves.”

FILIPINO STAMP IN INNOVATION
Procter and Gamble is one of the globally recognized corporations in the world. And it is definitely a feat that the highest-ranking and only Asian Female General Manager in P&G’s Global Cincinnati Headquarters is a Filipina. Ms. Fama Francisco leads upstream innovation for Pampers – P&G’s biggest brand that touches the lives of 35 million babies in over 100 countries around the world every day. Her outstanding leadership that has exquisitely displayed Filipino talent among her foreign colleagues has earned her this year’s Agora Awardee for Overseas Marketing Excellence.

For Francisco, what sets Filipino marketers abroad is their innate strength and inquiry-based leadership. “We are very analytical, very creative and very resilient. Filipinos are also known to be one of the most collaborative people in the world, which is very effective when you work in a multinational corporation,” Francisco shared. As technology and digital marketing have up the ante of marketing stakes, Francisco also believed that developing a very great relationship with the consumers and understanding consumer insights are key to successful marketing plans. “You have to create personal one-on-on relationships. TV campaigns can only reach a certain part of your market. And you have to have brand purpose. A very clear purpose that can impact on nation-building and touch the lives of your consumers,” she said.

PIONEERING INDUSTRIES
The 2009 Agora Award for Entrepreneurship (Medium Scale) is given to Sari Yap, Founder, President and CEO of Mega Publishing Group. Her company has revolutionized fashion and photography in the printing and color separation industries by producing high quality, world-class fashion and lifestyle publications. Now with eleven titles that have changed the business of publishing, Yap is now more inspired than ever to go beyond the norms once again, like how she bravely faced the challenges of the industry before.

“I believe that the most important marketing strategy is cause-oriented,” Yap said. “Profit is secondary. What everyone should do is influence the lifestyle of the society in a positive way. The Agora recognition is more than a validation of our contribution to the industry but has definitely made us rethink our perspectives and philosophies to assume a bigger role in the society,” she said.

INSPIRED MARKETING
As the Agora Awardee for Advocacy Marketing this year, ABS CBN Foundation has all the more embraced its Save the La Mesa Watershed project, the E-media Education Television, and the Bayan Foundation or Bayan microfinance – all of which have existed for more than three years and still running.

Said Ana Junio, EIC Officer of Bantay Kalikasan, ABS CBN Foundation said: “Winning in the Agora Awards is an indicator that we are reaching our target market. For our message to be sent and for it to be received by the people, we need certain measurements – we need to know if our messages are effective, if it is successfully distributed to the desired audience.”Through the continued leadership and passion of its Managing Director Gina Lopez, ABS CBN Foundation will continue with all of its projects well into the future.

GOT ‘HEALTHY’ MILK?
The success of the Alaska Milk Corporation in marketing is evident in how it has stayed as one of the two major players in the Philippine milk industry – competing with an international company but consistently maintaining brand leadership in the liquid canned milk category and gaining ground quickly in powdered milk.
Ma. Belen Fernando, Vice President for Marketing, revealed that being awarded the 2009 Agora Awards for Marketing Management is more than the success of local organization over international companies. Alaska has actually managed to sell milk to a populace that would sooner give up milk for other necessities. “We have a very low consumption of milk per capita here, affordability and low disposable income does not allow a family to buy as much milk as it can,” Fernando said.
However, in Alaska’s initiatives to address the needs of its market and enable more Filipinos able to consume more milk, it is doing more than effectively market its brand and meet it sales quota. “We are actually achieving is selling proper nutrition to many,” Fernando said. With this, Alaska fulfils its role as an aid in nation building.

TOPPINGS OF SUCCESS
Lot’s A Pizza, 2009 Agora Awardee for Entrepreneurship (Small Scale) has proven that it can satisfy the cravings of the Filipino palate while offering more value and savings. Testament to this is its 84 franchised and 45 company-owned outlets, growing at a rate that cannot be matched by any other pizza company in the same market segment.
Said Tess Ngan Tian, President and co-founder of the popular Filipino pizza chain: “(The Agora Award) is going to keep the brand going. It’s adding value to our brand by enhancing it along with our image, which is important.”

The reasons behind the success of Lot’s A Pizza, according to Tian, are an entrepreneurial spirit, commitment in building the brand and incorporating innovations, hands-on commitment, financial stability, and above-all an established credibility and integrity in the business. “I think one of our achievements is that we’re not only able to market our product directly to our consumers, but we are also able to market our own business as a whole to our franchisees, and getting franchisers is an indication that they really trust you.”

GRILLED TO PERFECTION
Another brand that has captured the Filipino palate with a recipe that is uniquely Filipino is Mang Inasal, the fastest-growing barbecue fastfood chain in the Philippines, headed by Ilonggo businessman Edgar Sia II.

Sia started with the desire to open a business that can grow nationwide and it was in the Iloilo street food, particularly its version of grilled chicken known as Inasal, that he could stake his claim. After some research and experiments on the barbecue marinade blend, he was able to come up with a taste that he thought would surely catch the real Pinoy taste of barbecue.

In 2006, the Mang Inasal fastfood chain opened up for franchise and it quickly spread its branches all over the country – from Tuguegarao to Zamboanga City.
“It’s all about vision, hard work, and an aggressive attitude,” Sia said, revealing that his success also relies on the classic formula.

THE UNLIMITED POWER
Watching two giants battling each other neck and neck, a small challenger entered the scene armed only with optimism and courage. This brave neophyte surprisingly made these two giants look, curious and baffled, as he takes the gloves and starts an amazing challenge. In the end, what he did not win in size, and Xs and Os, he won in the respect of its competitors.

This is the story of Sun Cellular, the 2009 Marketing Company of the Year, which took the country by storm with the power of Call and Text Unlimited. The 6-year old company has done remarkable feats, with 10 million loyal subscribers and top-of-the-charts figures in profit.

Sun Cellular’s corporate mission is to uplift the lives of the Filipino people by offering advanced telecommunication services at best value. Thus, introducing value-for-money services helped them revolutionize the telecommunications scene in the country.

“We had a lot to go through. Building a network takes lots of investments. Eventually we had to change the rules of the game. Thus, we introduced the unlimited call and text,” said Ricky Peña, Sun Cellular’s VP for Postpaid Marketing and New Business. “We learned the curve of our competitors. We learned that we have to offer the most cost-effective price. The power of unlimited is really big for Pinoys. And the bigger the community, the stronger the pull,” he said.

With this, the network continues to significantly increase its coverage by investing more than $300 Million every year for additional network infrastructure but still maintaining the best value offerings it gives to consumers. “Sun is a David in the land of Goliath. But we successfully got the giants jumping in the unlimited bandwagon. They saw something that works and they adjust. That’s a validation that we did something right.”

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Deadline of submission of entries : August 18, 2009

Official Nomination Form please click here

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

The Agora Awards – Philippines

The Agora Awards is the beacon of Filipino marketing excellence that spotlight admirable qualities of versatility, innovativeness and ingenuity. Through the Agora, the Filipino is hailed as a world-class marketer endowed with a proven flair of out-of-the-box thinking and trailblazing achievements. Because of the Agora, marketing excellence shines through with a distinctively Filipino touch.

As symbolized by the butterfly undergoing its metamorphosis, emerging victoriously from its cocoon, the Agora Awards represent all that is best and brightest about our profession – and about our beloved country.

The butterfly’s wings in the Agora Award’s logo are the national colors of the Philippines. And just as the butterfly soars triumphantly upwards to achieve excellence, we believe that the Philippines itself will soon undergo a positive transformation. The illustrious winners of the coveted Agora Awards bestowed on this special evening will no doubt play key roles in bringing about a brilliant future for Filipino business and consumers in the years to come.

THE PHILIPPINE MARKETING ASSOCIATION,
THE AGORA AWARDS, AND THE MARKETING PROFESSION

The Agora Awards represent the pinnacle of marketing achievement. The distinguished awardees we will meet this evening are exemplary professionals who have pursued and achieved excellence in marketing. The Association and its members are honored to bestow the coveted Agora Awards upon these deserving role models.

The PMA and the Birth of Professional Marketing in the Philippines

The years before the inception of the Philippine Marketing Association (PMA) might well be referred to as the “dark ages” of marketing as a profession in this country. When people thought of marketing, they thought of selling or distribution products. Perhaps they conjured up images of fast-talking salesmen making misleading sales pitches for poor quality products. Marketing practitioners were not able to step forward and proudly present themselves as professionals in a field serving the Filipino people.

But that all changed in 1954 when 15 brave pioneers pooled their efforts and private funds to create the PMA. The new non-stock, non-profit organization had as its explicit long-term goal to promote marketing as a noble profession and to provide high-level guidance to the government for issues related to marketing.

From the beginning, the PMA was committed to the belief that economic and social progress is intricately linked to the free enterprise system. These beliefs are embodied in the PMA credo: “our country’s economic progress can be best achieved in a climate of free enterprise” and “business and industry can be best contribute to economic progress” an social well-being through enlightened self-interest. The PMA represented something totally new in the country: an organization firmly grounded in integrity and honesty and committed to marketing as a professional enterprise.

The PMA also believed that marketing should be recognized and appreciated as both an art and science and that it was in truth a profession in the finest sense of the word. Members were expected to contribute to the profession and to their communities¸ and to show consumers that they were not motivated solely by the profit motive. The Association has always strived to do all that it can to improve the quality of life for the Filipino people.

The Agora Award: The Genesis

During the late 1970s, as it approached its Silver Anniversary, the PMA began searching for a flagship project, something that would differentiate the Association, honor outstanding marketing practitioners, and further professionalize the field of marketing. During the fateful year of 1977, three key members of the Long-Range Planning Committee began to meet regularly to brainstorm and evaluate alternatives: the late Ernesto G. Roceles (1976-1977 PMA President) Renato S. Esguerra (1974 PMA President), and Guillermo T. Garcia (1974 EVP). Their usual venue for informal dinners and open discussions was the old Jade Vine Restaurant on United Nations Avenue. One evening Garcia proposed the idea of creating an award that would transform the image of the marketing profession. All three men immediately understood that the concept, which would eventually evolve into what we now know as the Agora Awards, was a good one. They endorsed it enthusiastically.

However, the gestation period was prolonged and it was a couple more years before the project finally came to fruition under the leadership of 1979 PMA President Agustin Bengzon. The term “Agora” was eventually selected to described the new awards. And what an apt metaphor! The Agora, located near the Acropolis in ancient Athens, was the site of buying and selling in the community and an important precursor of the free enterprise system.

Ernie Roceles’ publication of Agora: The Philippine Journal of Marketing turned out to be the catalyst, and it was during the Association’s Silver Anniversary year that the first Agora Awards were held. The 1979 awards committee, co-chaired by Willie Garcia and Clarita Ordoñez, settled on the three key categories of Marketing Management, Marketing Education and Entrepreneurship and developed the procedural framework that has stood as the model ever since.

The Traditional and Future Promise

Since their inception in 1979, the Agora Awards have honored many distinguished individuals and companies who have made significant contributions to the marketing profession. Over the years, the categories of Export Marketing (1986) and Marketing Company of the Year were added. In 1989, the Entrepreneurship category was segmented into Large-Scale, Medium Scale and Small Scale.

More recently (1997), the Asia Pacific Agora Awards for Marketing Excellence have given the Awards an international dimension. In 2003, the Advocacy Marketing category was added. The latter development was a logical outgrowth of PMA becoming a founding member of the Asia Pacific Marketing Federation in 1992, along with 12 National Marketing Associations from the region. Significantly, it was during the Centennial Celebration of the Philippine nation that the PMA “exported” the Agora Awards to members of the Asia Pacific Marketing Federation, who have enthusiastically adopted this Filipino originated award of marketing excellence.

PMA proudly welcomes this year’s Agora Awardees into the illustrious company of previous winners, representing a “Who’s Who” of the Marketing profession in this country. Each year, the torch is passed, the flames of excellence showing the way, always highlighting and rewarding Filipino ingenuity and innovation in the field of marketing. The PMA, now in its 50th year, looks forward to continuing to use the Agora Awards as a platform for serving the marketing profession and the Filipino people.

THE AGORA CATEGORIES & ITS AWARDEES

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MARKETING EDUCATION

Faculty member teaching marketing in a formal educational institution duly accredited or recognized by the Philippine government

Outstanding achievement in marketing education as evidenced by relevant research work, published work in widely circulated print vehicles, speaking engagements, and similar undertakings

Contributed to the development of marketing as a discipline

AWARDEES:
Peter D. Garrucho, Oscar P. Lagman, Jr., Teodoro M. Jurado, Dr. Eduardo L. Roberto, Narciso R. Deomanpo, Dr. Violeta A Llanes, Dr. Felicitas U. Evangelista, Leonora E. Reyes, Dr. Antonio V. Concepcion, Ma. Delia B. Ayran, Jose M. Faustino, Roger B. Buhay, Dr. Carolina T. Prada, Josiah L. Go, Dr. Conrado E. Iñigo, Jr., Corazon R. Arboleda, Dr. Leonardo R. Garcia, Jr., Luz T. Suplico, Dr. Felix M. Lao, Jr., Ma. Victoria M. Ac-Ac, Tomas B. Lopez, Jr., Ramon R. Osorio, Catherine V. De Asis, Jerome G. Kliatchko, Freddie M. Serapio, Slyvia B. Concepcion, Benison Y. Cu

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN EXPORT MARKETING

Direct exporter, owner or chief marketing officer
Directly responsible for the systematic sourcing, marketing and development of export clients
Exemplary performance in the contribution of foreign currency and export volume to the country’s products or services outside the country
Added weight for exporter solely engaged in export and/or successful pioneering effort promoting the country’s products or services outside the country
Exemplary performance in terms of optimizing resources to attain consistent growth in sales, market share and profitability
Contributed to the development of marketing as a discipline
Catalyst, primemover within the industry he/she belongs

AWARDEES:
Elena S. Lim, Rufino M. Reyes, Noemi L. Saludo, Resty Lerma, Leonardo B. De Ocampo, Victoria S. Fabregas, Dominador M. Nazareno, Sr., Leonarda O. Capuyan, Teresita T. Hao Chin, Lorna V. Quisumbing, Lourdes Ragas-Chan, Marissa M. Andal, Benson U. Dakay, Albert L. de Rivera, Luis P. Lorenzo, Jr., Luis Raymund F. Villafuerte, Jr., Philip C. Young, Jocelyn Campos-Hess, Justino R.Arboleda, Jovelito M. Cipriano

OUTSTANDING MARKETING ACHIEVEMENT IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Must be the owner/partner of the business
Exemplary performance in terms of resources to attain consistent growth in sales, market share and profitability
Catalyst, primemover within the industry he/she belongs
Contributed to the development of marketing as a discipline
3 Levels of Entrepreneurship: Small, Medium, Large

AWARDEES:
Ricardo Silverio, Antonio R. De Joya, Anastacio T. Francisco, Rosario G. Chew, Mariano Que, Roberto L. Del Rosario, Tony Tan Caktiong, Jose A. Bonifacio, Jr., Ka Pho Yao, Wilson C. Lim, Ricardo E. Reyes, Geronimo A. Dango, Atty. Enrique A. Sobrepeña, Jr. Dr. Zosimo A. Acha, Virgilio Tan Dytuco, Socorro Ramos, Antonio C. Gomez, Antonio R. Mercado, Herman M. Montenegro, Policarpio L. Ascalon, Bonifacio R. Isidro, Jimmy N. Gow, Amable R. Aguiluz V., Dr. Jovito Y. Deauna, Robert F. Kuan, Dr. Rolando B. Hortaleza, Corazon D. Ong, Tomas J. Viray, Jose A. Lapid Jr., Henry Sy, Sr., Lolita O. Hizon, Carlo S. Llave, Bernie H. Liu, Ben Chan, Rogelio Nemeño, Abraham F. Pascual, Amable C. Aguiluz IX, Francisco Enrique M. Bernardo, Jonathan Jay P. Aldeguer, Freddie Go, Roberto R. Gandionco, Henry Lim Bon Liong, Ricarte A. Gapuz, Jr., Celestino E. Reyes, Mariano S.Manas jr., Butch S. Albarracin, Dennis B. Mendiola, Rosanna L. Llenado, Alfred Xerez-Burgos, Jr., Sebastian A. Tamayo, Dustin B. Andaya

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MARKETING MANAGEMENT

Chief marketing officer/executive of his/her organization
Exemplary performance in terms of optimizing resources to attain consistent growth in sales, market share, and profitability
Catalyst, primemover within the industry he/she belongs
Contributed to the development of marketing as a discipline

AWARDEES:
Gatt Magay, Vicente C. Dinglasan, Juan B. Santos, Santiago T. Robles, Roberto H. Sumulong, Jose Luis U. Yulo, Jr., Teodoro L. Dimayuga, Jose Javier L. Calero, Winston A. Marbella, Manuel S. Urbano III, Mina T. Gabor, Amado S. Tadena, Augusto L. De Leon, Cora Doloroso, Carmencita N. Esteban, Alenjadro T. Castillo, Manuel B. Villar, Jr., Cristino L. Panlilio, Tomas C. Banguis, Jr.,Federico M. Garcia, Emmanuel M. Cabusao, Bienvenido S. Bautista, Emily A. Abrera, Jose Mari A. Franco, Ray Silvestre N. Canilao, Johnip Go Cua, Ma. Yolanda V. Ong, Paz Socorro G. Singson, Herminio G. Ordoñez, Manuel P. Quiogue, Anastacio R. Martirez, Grace Del Rosario-Castaño, Menardo G.Jimenez, Jr., Mr. Perpetuo De Claro, Edwin C. Mapanao

AGORA AWARD FOR OVERSEAS MARKETING EXCELLENCE

Filipino marketing executive currently posted in a foreign country
Chief marketing officer/executive of his/her organization
Exemplary performance in terms of optimizing resources to attain consistent growth in sales, market share, and profitability
At least three years in residency as an expatriate marketing executive

AWARDEES:
Eleanor S. Modesto, Diosdado C. Salvador, Jr., Malu C. Dy-Buncio, Wilfrido E. Arcilla, Cesar M. Dela Cruz, Bienvenido C. Niles, Jr., Pinky David, Ramon B. Vergel de Dios, Aristotle G. Dimitui

MARKETING COMPANY OF THE YEAR

Open to companies/corporations
At least 51% Filipino-owned
Practice good corporate citizenship by being a responsible corporate taxpayer; a conscientious employer; a provider of quality goods and services
With at least three years of innovative marketing operation
With full marketing organizational set-up

AWARDEES:
Philippine National Bank, Trimec Trading Corp., Easy Call Phils., Inc., Lamoiyan Corp., The French Baker, Dai-ichi Electronics Manufacturing, Pocketbell Philippines, La Tondeña Distillers, Inc., Jollibee Food Corp., Smart Communications, Inc. Philippine Daily Inquirer, BPI Card Finance Corporation, Globe Telecom, United Laboratories, Inc., San Miguel Corporation, Megaworld Corporation, Mercury Drug Corporation, Chowking Foods Corporation, The Philippine Star, Universal Robina Corporation, Ayala Land, Inc., Cebu Air, Inc.

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ADVOCACY MARKETING

Filipino owned corporations/foundations in existence for at least 5 years.
Must have an institutionalized Advocacy Marketing program for at least three years, with regular beneficiaries
Advocacy Programs must be in sync or aligned with marketing goals and strategies of the company, campaigns must have made use of the necessary marketing and promotional tools.
Must be able to establish proven statistics or research on Advocacy Program Success

AWARDEES:
Metrobank Foundation, Inc., SM Foundation, Inc., Ronald Mc Donald House Charities, San Miguel Foundation, Inc., Ayala Foundation, Inc.

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You are invited to the…

30th Agora Awards Night

on Tuesday, November 10, 2009; 6:00 p.m.

at 2/F Grand Ballroom InterContinental Hotel, Makati City

Attire: Formal

For confirmation, please accomplished form to the Philippine Marketing Association

Secretariat Fax no. 636-1451 or 638-7700 c/o Marj Quicho

http://www.philippinemarketing.net.ph

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Grand Ballroom, Intercontinental Hotel

The Agora Awards is now accepting Nominations for the following categories:

1. Marketing Company of the Year
2. Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship
3. Outstanding Achievement in Marketing Management
4. Agora Awards for Overseas Marketing Excellence
5. Outstranding Achievement in Export Marketing
6. Outstanding Achievement in Marketing Education
7. Outstanding Achievement in Advocacy Marketing

Forms are available at the Secretariat or contact the PMA Secretariat at

Tel nos. 638-7700/634-5722 and look for Marj Quicho.

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