MANILA – Following a series of leaves by member associations and amid long-standing speculation about its dissolution, the Advertising Board of the Philippines (AdBoard) is officially closing.
AdBoard made the announcement at its 40th anniversary celebration on Monday, October 27.
The board’s termination will be official in June 2015, but it has ceased operations since August 15 of this year.
“We are hoping that we have 40 more years of outstanding contributions from the industry,” AdBoard chairman Nonoy Niles told adobo.
“The current structure of the AdBoard is probably not going to be the most effective structure for the current environment, the current marketing landscape, and I believe that it’s probably time to make some changes to what we currently have. I’m sure that you’ll be hearing more from the board and from everyone who are here tonight,” he said.
Members remain positive
Despite the news, Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies (4As) chairman Alex Syfu’s outlook for the industry remains positive.
“The industry remains as solid as ever, no personalities anymore involved…make it a really collaborative industry…I think that can be done regardless of whether you’re part of one organization, a pool of organizations. Individually, all the the organizations can be as collaborative,” he told adobo.
4As was among the founding member organizations of the AdBoard. It took an indefinite leave of absence in February 2013 in the wake of another founding member organization, the Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA), filing for leave in November 2012.
The Advertising Suppliers of the Philippines (ASAP) then took a leave of absence shortly after, followed by the Media Specialist Association of the Philippines (MSAP) and the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP), completing a series of leaves which many considered to be serious warning signals of the AdBoard’s impending end.
The 4As and other member organizations returned to the AdBoard earlier this year to discuss the board’s future.
“Since we got back from the leave, everyone’s been working really well, no tension at all,” Syfu shared. “Everyone’s really focused on what we want to achieve for the industry. I think tonight is the start of that renewed feeling of collaboration.”
ASAP vice president-internal Madonna Tarrayo shared the same positive outlook.
“I think any change will always be good. You improve on what’s already there, and you have the opportunity to change what hasn’t worked in the past…It’s a new beginning, I think, for everybody,” she said.
Trade Council opens
With the AdBoard disbanding, the Trade Council of the Philippines opened this year to provide a venue for industry partners to discuss advertising trade practice concerns on a per need basis.
However, Trade Council convenor Blen Fernando clarified that it is not a replacement for the AdBoard.
“There’s no organization that will take the place of AdBoard…all of the functions of AdBoard are now existing in different organizations that are working well and efficiently. We will not put up another AdBoard, so there will not be a structure, there will not be an office, there will not be a secretariat,” she told adobo.
Fernando noted that the Trade Council is “a system, not a structure,” through which associations may discuss particular issues.
She explained that associations with issues to discuss can call the convenor and state their concerns, after which the convenor will call a meeting only between the parties concerned.
This way, Fernando said, only those who are directly involved in the issue can have a say in it.
“Over the recent past years, there has been talk of disunity and confusion. Perhaps it was purely borne out of the changes in the environment, the need for our businesses to survive, the many new challenges that did not exist in the 70s or even the 90s. Perhaps we were not listening enough to each other. Maybe we were myopic, maybe we were sentimental, or just plain complacent,” Fernando said in a speech closing the AdBoard’s 40th anniversary party.
“Whatever the reasons are, this is the opportunity and the best time to bring back the trust amongst the various associations and to strengthen the partnerships despite our differences in business goals,” she said.
40th anniversary celebration, reunion
The AdBoard party, held at the Manila Polo Club, took a look back at board’s history through musical performances by OPM artists such as Tacloban-based Beatles cover band the REO Brothers, Erik Santos, Jose Mari Chan, Dingdong Avanzado, Kuh Ledesma, The Company, Gloc 9, and Jonalyn Viray.
Many saw the event as a reunion of sorts for industry professionals, with representation from every member association. During the event, the board honored the secretariat and former chairpersons with special plaques and trophies.
Fernando pointed out how the attendance at the event shows how even without AdBoard, the industry will continue to converge.
“If the industry people want to come together, it’s very easy,” Fernando noted. “There are always going to be venues for meeting each other.”
