Confessions Of A Marketing Addict Confessions Of A Marketing Addict
Confessions Of A Marketing Addict Confessions Of A Marketing Addict Confessions Of A Marketing Addict Confessions Of A Marketing Addict Confessions Of A Marketing Addict Confessions Of A Marketing Addict Confessions Of A Marketing Addict
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Sunday, August 31, 2008
R.I.P., Bitch!

As personal brands go, I do not want to leave the world the way Dolores Aguilar did.

Yes, it's real. The newspaper editor even asked to see the death certificate to determine the obit's authenticity. It was pulled down from the paper a day later.

Tsk tsk tsk.

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Marketing Confessions of Sunny whispered 11:51 AM
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. . .
At Last!

Whee! I finally have the damn factbook on my hands.

I have to say, though, that my suspicions have been confirmed. Everyone including the 4As and Ad Board are cost cutting. I remember a time when the media factbook was huge and hard-bound. Now, it's half of that and using only a thick paper backing. Sort of like Foldcote. It still uses glossy paper except everything is so small, I'm going to be cross-eyed soon after.

Anyway, I want the media factbook because it contains a wealth of information for marketing professionals. Assuming, of course, you know how to analyze the information there. For advertising pros, I guess it's the rate cards that matter. The rate cards only matter to me for my A&P budget and only if I'm creating a plan for clients with serious marketing budgets.

Why only those with serious marketing budgets? Because:

Cost of TV advertising on prime time for VHF channels: PhP 153,459 (ave cost per 30's)
Cost of a FP ad size on the PDI on Sundays: PhP 342 (cost per col. Cm.)

THAT'S why. Let's not even get on the other media costs.

The rate cards, though, are not as comprehensive as they used to be. I didn't see any rate cards for radio. Not even costs for billboards. The old media factbooks had that before. Maybe, I just missed it because of the fine print?

What I really like about the media factbook, though, are the demographics that are found in it. Culled mostly from Nielsen's and the NSO, there's a wealth of info there that should be a tremendous help for marketers.

I always like to check out the Socio-Eco Brackets. Interesting that the income level for the D and E segments are now at PhP 8,000 and below from a previous PhP 7,000. Yep, this is how difficult life in the Philippines has become. One day, I will wake up and Nielsen will no longer consider my income as Upper C but - EGAD! - D.

This reminds me of my conversation with my German friend, Matthias.

In the country now for a visit, Matthias (like all my European friends on their first time visit here) cannot believe how cheap it is to live in the Philippines. I keep explaining to him that he only considers it cheap because he's still calculating and spending in Euros. That will not be the case if he was earning and spending in Philippine pesos.

My French friend, Gege, also had the same reaction. She actually wanted to live here and never return to London again. Spending 2e for a sumptuous lunch was more than her calculator could bear and Gege wanted to weep from sheer delight. I did not have the heart to tell her it's only because her currency clock is operating on British pounds. She might choke on her salad.

An American friend, Adam, had that rude awakening. He entered the country a millionaire many times over. A year later, he was destitute trying to make ends meet by working at a call center and living in a dingy apartment a few blocks away from the posh condo unit he once lived in.

Moral of the story? Earn in euros, spend in pesos.

Hair shampoos and treatments top the category for gross ad expenditures. What does that tell you about Filipinos? We have a hair fixation. I should know. I've got 3 different shampoo brands (not to mention 2 different hair conditioner brands) on my bath shelf. Look at how the Clear campaign bombarded our TV screens. I wish I had their marketing budget. Sigh.

Funny how cough and cold remedies also found its way here. Were we all coughing and sniffing in 2006? This must be why we've got major air pollution. Because everyone coughed. 2006 must've been a great year for pulmonologists.

And so I shall spend my Sunday reading my factbook.

My deepest gratitude to my Mama Grace Magno for getting me my media factbook from Bobby Caballero.

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Marketing Confessions of Sunny whispered 11:45 AM
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Sunday, August 10, 2008
Welcome To Manila, Vivek!

My friend, Vivek, is coming over next week as a guest of our Department of Tourism.

Vivek is a film producer in India. His latest film, Karma, premiered at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Of course, I haven't watched the film because - well, obviously, it isn't available here. I'm going to bug Vivek to bring me a copy.

Anyway, they're going to be scouting for possible film locations for Bollywood movies. Vivek calls me his future Bollywood star so his coming over is actually to audition me. At the expense of the DOT. Shhh. *lol*

I think it's impressive that the DOT is able to maintain its aggressive campaign to market the Philippines considering the odds its now up against. There's the skyrocketing Forex and those really hideous travel advisories to foreign nationals.

But a Bollywood movie? Here? I cannot imagine Priyanka-whatshername, the former Miss World, doing a Bollywood movie in Boracay. It's very Kundiman-meets-MTV. God forbid that she'd fall in the waters of Pagsanjan. I fell in the waters of Pagsanjan and it took extraordinary restraint not to douse myself with muriatic acid immediately because my Singaporean clients were with me at that time.

Well! I don't care where they film the movie or if they even find a movie location. I just care that Vivek is coming over. And, yes, that my Bollywood career will soon begin. I think I'll look good in a sari except I'm a midget with legs that do not stretch up into the stratosphere. Never mind. I'm sure Vivek is a talented film producer. He'll find a way to make me look like a gazelle.

As I always like to say it - Mabuhay, Vivek!!! (How very Ms. Universe of me.)

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Marketing Confessions of Sunny whispered 3:44 PM
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. . .
Ahoy, Cheating Men!

A rather funny but strange update on my Twitter from Peter Shankman aka Skydiver:

Urgent HARO: CNN still looking for MALES who've cheated or been cheated on: email sarah@sarahjio.com with info, if you fit.

Hmmm...that's about 95% of the male population. Does CNN have enough manpower and resources for this? *lol*

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Marketing Confessions of Sunny whispered 3:30 PM
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. . .
The Beginning Of Everything

In business, everything begins with a plan. Specifically, the business plan that includes a marketing plan. An intelligent, coherent and realistic plan is best, of course, but it almost always never happens for reasons known only to marketers, CEOs and COOs. Another story, another post.

So, I do not understand how businesses and corporations who should know better can create and implement everything else first, THEN, think of a marketing plan. How did they create and implement anything to begin with without any sort of plan that's based on something intelligent? By intelligent, I mean based on market research data and analysis.

I understand analysis paralysis, ok. But, people, I'd rather have the analysis paralysis compared to no analysis at all. The former says I need to be more productive with my time while the latter demands I walk on water.

I cannot walk on water. I am not Sophie and even she can't do it despite being the last direct descendant of Christ.

See, here's the thing.

Everything you do is based on your marketing plan that's based on your business plan that, in turn, articulates your business objectives. Your marketing plan is the guide by which everyone lives by. Think 10 Commandments except Moses is not in this picture because...well...gladiator sandals are very last season. And while I do understand how this may be crushing to the egos of other departments, such is the reality of business.

Nothing begins and ends without marketing. It helps to tattoo this mantra on your forehead.

There are 3 things that you must know in order to create your marketing plan: your product/service, target market and competition.

Not knowing any of those is not only fatal but really stupid of you. No, you cannot know only 1 or 2. You must know all and very well, I should add. A Japanese saying says that business is war. You go to war with the intention of winning because only a sublime idiot would do so with the express intention of losing.

Sun Tzu says in his Art of War that you must know your capability, the terrain and your enemies. Ergo, in marketing-speak, your product or service, target market and competition. And that, my dear, is how you begin to create your marketing plan that will help achieve your business goals.

Creating a marketing plan, for me, is really more of rallying my thoughts together so I understand what my clients' business is, who I'll be marketing it to and whom I'm going up against.

To create a marketing plan, I first need data. There is no shortcut to this. I wish there was because, for me, calculators are modern tools of torture.

I am reminded of a client who once grabbed the calculator from me because I didn't know how to compute for percentages. How can you not know how to compute, she belligerently asked. I don't know either but God said no one is perfect so that must be why.

Anyway, marketing plans begin with solid data. Check any marketing or business book. Or, if you have the money, ask any consultant. If you are well-connected, ask Donald Trump or Richard Branson. Maybe, even Bill Gates.

But things begin with solid data and one that doesn't come from your guts.

My guts tell me I should be eating a vat of vanilla ice cream but solid data tells me I'm already way too constipated, a vat of vanilla ice cream will kill off my innards. My guts tell me this market segment will buy into my clients' product or service but solid data tells me that market segment cannot leap tall buildings with a single bounce. Therefore, adjust accordingly by calling Superman. But, if he's busy babysitting, I guess you can try the Fantastic 4.

I once had a client who told me to create a marketing plan without any research. I quickly dropped that account. There are clients you fight for and there are those you just let go because they're just not worth the anguish. Clients who do not respect market research belong to the latter category.

No, I did not create a marketing plan for him. I'm sorry but I don't read minds. I believe you go to psychics for that, not marketing consultants. I did, however, give him marketing advice that included a gift, Marketing for Dummies.

If you don't have the budget to hire Nielsen or Euromonitor, get your data elsewhere. Learn to be creative. After all, Philip Kotler said that marketing doesn't die in a recession, only marketers without imagination. Use your imagination to get your data. If imagination fails, you can always sell your soul to the devil for data. Whatever the case maybe - GET. THAT. DATA.

When you finally get your data, analyze and understand. Reading alone is not equal to comprehension, you know. I read Pride and Prejudice. To this day, I cannot comprehend the darned book.

If you don't understand the data, please ask. There is no shame in asking. Smart people know how, when and who to ask. Only fools refuse to ask. Needless to say, if that's sales data you're analyzing, you do not ask a civil engineer to interpret it for you. I've had clients who have done this but, as always, another post, another time.

Under no circumstances, however, should you create a marketing plan based on what your Magic 8 Ball says. Spell bankrupt.

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Marketing Confessions of Sunny whispered 2:57 PM
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. . .


Sunny S. Cervantes,
The Marketing Girl

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