PR, marketing expert traces rise of Noynoy as a 'winning brand'

MANILA, Philippines - Presidential front runner, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino needs to “sustain the energy and momentum of his electoral victory,” as he moves on to consolidate his gains and keep the vision alive, both among his millions of volunteers and those “now willing to join his coalition.”

Thus pointed out Dante M. Velasco, APR, before leading and senior practitioners of public relations and corporate communications in a seminar billed “Winners, Losers – and the Cheated,” organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) at the Filipina Heritage Library in Makati City the other day.

Incumbent PRSP president Butch Raquel of GMA 7 and past PRSP president and lecture series chairman Jones Campos of Globe Telecommunications introduced Velasco to the select group in the PR association. 

Velasco recalled that Aquino was touted about before the polls as the “dominant brand,” since he was leading all reputable surveys. “Now, Noynoy is the winning brand,” he pointed out.

As the lone speaker in this post-election seminar organized by the country’s premier association of PR and communication experts, Velasco drew analogies from Aquino’s victory, relating them to concepts and practices in marketing and public relations.

The Presidential winner’s share of the vote of more than 40 percent can be compared to a “winning product brand with a market share of 40 percent,” Velasco pointed out.  By all means, the winning brand must keep its promise of benefits and keep alive the vision that goes with that promise, he added.

Citing a book titled “The Next 90 Days,” Velasco stressed that the planners and strategists of Aquino are expected to advise the President-elect on the must to “secure early wins, consolidate his gains, and create principled coalitions in his first 100 days.”

Velasco, president and CEO of Creative Point Int’l, the Philippine affiliate of Hill & Knowlton, pointed out, however, that “comparisons are valid up to a point.”

“Statecraft, certainly the huge task confronting our President-elect, has much greater significance and much deeper implication to the people — and the new imperative now is to keep the promise of the winner, and keep faith with those who have staked time and resources so the victory is decisive,” Velasco said.

In the same lecture, Velasco cited the validity of the survey findings of the country’s two respected research companies – Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia. He also took to task “those who hail these research firms when they are ahead and curse them when they are behind in survey findings.”