After the germ turned into a home video, and the home video into a proposal for the Philippine advertising and marketing industry, Brand Aid and its first project , Ahon, was launched at the opening of the 21st AdCon.
Brand Aid, a brainchild of BBDO Guerrero-Proximity Philippines’ David Guerrero, grows from two points. One, that typhoon devastation is widespread. Another, that people want to help, but do not know how. Brand Aid proposes a series of projects that links all the players in the industry—from agencies to clients, to the consumers—to fulfill simple, but sustainable relief projects.
AHON, an “ad placement for cash” project, is Brand Aid’s first initiative. Through special AHON-branded ads, participating companies can allot ad budgets through generic material that inform consumers of their donation pledges.
In turn, media companies can do their share by converting the placement to its cash equivalent while the ad is still running. The more clients get involved and make ad pledges, the more proceeds go to the construction of homes for over 3 million people left homeless by the Ondoy and Pepeng.
Throwing their support and ads behind Ahon are McDonald’s, SMART, Bayan Telecommunications, Modess, Johnson & Johnson, Johnson’s Baby, Team Manila Graphic Design Studio, DDB Phils., BBDO Guerrero/Proximity Philippines, AdBoard, PANA, KBP, ABS-CBN, GMA Network, Starcom, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, and Hit Productions, Unilab, Petron, UPMG, SounDesign, IMMAP, Ayala Land, Media Circuit, Unitel, and UM.
Overall Chairperson Margot Torres said that Brand Aid was a long-term movement, and that it would encompass more than just flood-relief efforts. PANA Chairman Charmaine Canillas suggested many other advocacies that can benefit from Brand Aid, such as victims of domestic abuse.
BBDO Guerrero/Proximity General Manager Belay Santillan, who is leading the roadshow of Ahon, said it’s too early to quantify the support commited to Ahon. However the print ads, the first in the campaign, was already out, and the TV ads would be out sometime next week.
