Buffering our exporters' expertise

When we see our exporters chalking double digit growths in their business, they must be up to something good. Last April, during the last Manila FAME International show, clinched contracts were more than doubled from the previous year’s, an encouraging sign of Philippine exporters finally getting back on track despite the global financial downturn currently happening in major world economies.

In the recently concluded Manila FAME edition, there is hope of even bigger things to come. For starters, this was participated in by the biggest organizations representing the country’s best export-oriented companies. In effect, this has unified Manila FAME with strong trade regional fairs as Manila Now, Cebu Next and Mindanao One.

The names of organizations involved are equally impressive, starting with the Association of Negros Producers, the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation, Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines, Christmas Decor Producers and Exporters Association of the Philippines, Hospitality and Wellness Filipinas, Home Accents Group of the Philippines, Philippine Chamber of Handicraft Industries, Philippine Exporters, Retailers and Producers Development Association Inc., Philippine Exporters Confederation, Fame Foundation Philippines Inc., Mindanao Trade Expo Foundation Inc., and Cebu Gifts, Toys and Houseware.

These are about the most active business support organizations working with our exporters, many of them selflessly sharing their passion and hard work so that our existing export-oriented industries will keep getting stronger and bigger, and fledgling but promising entrants will get their big break.

Creating unified image and message

Manila FAME International, CITEM’s signature event and the country’s premier and longest running show for high-design export products, had recently organized a branding workshop to assist Philippine exporters in creating products that meet market demands, not only in terms of design but more importantly in price points and profitability.

The five-day workshop was conducted by Australian marketing and branding expert Michael Cleghorn together with merchandise specialist Linda Simpson from the US Both specialists were commissioned by CITEM under its Merchandise Development Program.

The workshop was a breakthrough in creating a unified image and message for an industry that has remained fragmented over the years, as well as in crafting a brand and theme for the 2011 Manila FAME International exhibition.

Let’s hope that CITEM’s branding workshop and its goal of bringing the bi-annual Manila FAME to greater heights will be able to bring home the bacon despite the recent economic crisis and the perennial problems of funding for promotions that both the government and our exporters continually face.

Well-organized

It was a pleasant surprise though to see a well-organized October Manila FAME exhibition and trade fair this year, and especially noteworthy of mention are some 30 exhibitors dressed to the hilt chosen for their immense potential for success in terms of getting the most orders from foreign buyers.

Cleghorn and Simpson were asked to mentor local manufacturers in improving their brand image and product design within the standards at par with the world’s best. Cleghorn comes with a work experience with leading retailers such as Freedom (Australia), Crate and Barrel (USA), House of Fraser (UK), and Printemps (France).

Also sharing her extensive knowledge on product design and development was Linda Simpson, who is currently the president of Imagination Network based in Massachusetts, US.

Simpson is noted for her expertise in gifts, holiday decor, table tops and fashion accessories. She was able to provide much-appreciated consultation sessions focused on merchandise innovation and knowledge transfer on product development technology.

On the other hand, Cleghorn focused on introducing a better and more defined brand essence and personality of the Manila FAME International and the Philippine furniture and houseware industries, as well as getting into the details of instituting sophistication in brand and product development of the 30 selected exhibitors.

The Manila FAME International, the flagship project of CITEM, has been instrumental in the development of Philippine home and fashion lifestyle industries for more than two decades.

Trendsetting

Interestingly, this year’s Manila FAME focused on three themes which the consultants identified to be global trends for the home and fashion sectors in the coming years. The themes chosen to underpin product design and production are: Naturalist, Mood Indigo, and Graffiti.

The globally responsive trends are expected to define Philippine-made products and to set them above and apart from products in the Asian region. The aim is to establish the Philippines as the trendsetting design hub in Asia.

The Naturalist theme will focus on everything natural, such as feathers, driftwood, stones, linen, crystals, burlap, abaca, rattan, seagrass, capiz, coconut shell, and preserved flowers and foliage. Mood Indigo is inspired by tribal ikats and the sea, as well as New Age spiritualism, handicrafts and nature. Graffiti is an embodiment of the underground handicraft movement and an ode to the self-expressionist sentiments of the 60s and 70s.

In a very tough and competitive environment for exports, the goal is to bring to the fore the Filipino sense of class for each and every product that is brought to the market. More importantly, this will ensure our exporters’ survival and growth.

National Collegiate championship

Congratulations to the San Beda College Red Lions, back-to-back NCAA champion. With the win, the Red Lions joins the Ateneo Blue Eagles as seeded teams in the Final Four championship round of the Champions League (PCCL) 2011 National Collegiate Championship.

The Red Lions are aiming to be the first NCAA team to break the hold of UAAP teams in the nine-year old Champions League search for the “one national collegiate champion.” The previous highest rank of the Red Lions in the national collegiate competition was third place during the 2009 season.

The recent victory of San Beda College Red Lions is the 16^th NCAA championship equaling the record of Letran Knights for most number of NCAA titles.

Coach Joe Lipa, PCCL executive director, announced that in addition to Ateneo and San Beda, the following teams are already in the Sweet 16 Finals: FEU Tamaraws, Adamson U Falcons, UST Growling Tigers, San Sebastian Golden Stags, Letran Knights and JRU Heavy Bombers.

Two seats in the Sweet 16 Finals are reserved for the champion and runner-up of the ongoing CESAFI (Cebu) tournament.

Visit www.ChampionsChampionsLeague.net and join for free ongoing survey to pick the other qualifiers to the Sweet 16 Finals. Your correct choices may win for you gifts from Champions League sponsors.   

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Should you wish to share any insights, write me at Link Edge, 25^th Floor, 139 Corporate Center, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City. Or e-mail me at [email protected]. For a compilation of previous articles, visit www.BizlinksPhilippines.net.