At the Philippine advertising event in Baguio City this November is big man Mike Schalit, Net#work BBDO South Africa chief creative officer, the brain behind the Nedbank solar panel billboard that brought home the Cannes Lions Outdoor Grand Prix in 2007.
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The solar panel billboard actually works, saving a school in Alexandra thousands in electric bills every month. The campaign gained the agency a Gold Bullet and the first Jury Chairman’s Choice Award at the 2006 Annual YoungGuns International Advertising Awards, also bagging the 2006 Silver Loerie for Outdoor & Ambient Advertising. It also has the coveted Grand Prix for Outdoor in 2007, the first for the agency and for South Africa.
Adding to its collection of Cannes Lions, this year, Net#work BBDO got its second Grand Prix, this time for Radio, winning for Virgin Atlantic Airways “Plain Insanity”.
Starting his advertising career as a copywriter in TBWA/Hunt/Lascaris, the enterprising Schalit turned agency owner. Partnered with longtime associate Keith Shipley, the two set up Net#work BBDO in May 1994.
Borne of what Schalit terms “naïve optimism”, the agency launched amidst the country’s fledgling state, of financial status quo. Describing the partnership as “ridiculously optimistic” the duo weathered the crisis. “We were committed to making it work. That is why we succeeded,” he is quoted as saying.
A requirement of the trade, Schalit is a master of positive energy no matter the situation.
Schalit joins the Marketing Breakout Session with this topic “The Argument for CSR in a down economy” on November 20 at the Baguio Country Club training room.
The Marketing Breakout Session also has Andrew Kingham, The Marketing Store managing director with “Marketing to Kids”; Linda Kovarik, Coca-Cola regional creative director for an engaging talk on “Emotional Storytelling”; and Jeremy Carr, Cartoon Network VP on “Stay Cool: Cartoon Network’s Creative Solutions to Connect to Kids.”
The 21st Philippine Advertising Congress happens in Baguio City from November 18 to 21 at the CAP Convention Center, Camp John Hay; and the Baguio Country Club. Visit www.adcon.com.ph for additional information.
