Future Faces of the
Philippines
new market. new look.
THE PHILIPPINES is all new. From
behind celebrity endorsements. The motivation `to buy'
the gleaming towers to the massive billboards, the coun-
is no longer derived from the empty promise of looking
try is undergoing a complete make-over. It doesn't stop
beautiful and glamorous; it's being replaced with the am-
with the infrastructure, and the goals of the Department
bition to be successful and to live a better life. Consumers
of Tourism, it includes the overall brand of the Philip-
want to see `themselves' in the ads, so freelancers are in
pines. In the future, the faces that we see in the media will
high demand. A freelance team by design represents the
change dramatically. Tropical beauty, dark ethnic features
community. The models are usually local and so are the
and underdog images will replace what we see in fash-
businesses they represent, so there's an inherent urban-
ion ads, billboards and television commercials. Uncon-
vibe in their work. The Bench ads were plastered all over
sciously sparked by exciting ­and controversial- ad cam-
billboards throughout the Philippines and a behind-the-
paigns like the shipwrecked-ish `Return to Temptation' ad
scenes documentary video of the making of the award
campaign launched by Bench Clothing: Island beauty is
winning ad campaign was promoted on television and on
the new sexy. Though the faces used were of well-known
the internet. Little did Bench Executive's and its Found-
celebrities, there were a few very ethnic Icons included in
er, Chairman and Executive Creative Director, Ben Chan
the line-up: Rocco Nacino, Zanjoe Marudo, Kris Bernal and
know; the campaign would blaze the trail for the tropi-
Lovi Poe just to name a few. The push now however, is to
cal beauty craze. It was also an eye-opening look at true
dip in the `new talent' pool. Trendy marketers are looking
marketing and advertising working in harmony. What set
to build their brands and frame new opinions, rather than
the Bench photo shoot apart from all others throughout
to leverage established ones. New consumers want to try
the country: it celebrated island life and beauty ­with a
new things, live in new places and land new jobs. They're
glimpse of lifestyle. While many models and actors of yes-
buying lifestyle these days, instead of following blindly
terday refuse to go into the sun, take public photo-shoots
or use their celebrity to aid PH DOT tourism efforts. The
Bench ad campaign did as much for its brand as it did for
the branding of the Philippines. Thank you, Mr. Chan.
11 THE PHILIPPINES MAGAZINE | FUTURE FACES OF THE PHILIPPINES

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