Manifesto destiny

Four guys and a girl. A press conference in a restaurant in Rockwell. As Michael Stipe would say: that’s them in the spotlight. Somebody asks: “What’s the manliest thing you’ve ever done?” Yvette Tan, one of the editors of a new web magazine called Manifesto, says, “The last time I checked I was a woman (laughs). I still am a woman.” Hilarity doth ensue.

Such sharpness of wit is what the netizens of our nation are promised when they visit www.manifesto.com.ph, the online magazine created by Unilever Philippines as a gentleman’s guide to “The New Man” to assist the modern Filipino dude in becoming the best version of themselves, no matter his age or type of field he is in.

Apples Aberin — writer, stunner, and Unilever Philippines head of PR for personal care — explains that since Unilever Philippines holds 75 percent of the market share for male grooming products, it falls upon the company to impart more knowledge to the male of the species.

“(Our goal is) to communicate with men, show them how to be better at what they do, give them a way to get to where they want to go, and at the same time listen to what they have to say.”

The six categories on the website (Culture, Tech, Sports, Style, Women, and Money) will provide men with useful tips and tidbits of knowledge, inform them and at the same time entertain the hell out of the average Juan on the crossroads of the three W’s — world wide weird, er, web. 

“Unilever is a pioneer in a lot of different things,” shares Apples. The web portal is a way of developing the male market segment, since only five percent of Filipinos reportedly use male-dedicated grooming products. Thus, the area for growth is huge. Unilever carries brands such as Axe Fragrance Body Spray, Rexona Men Antiperspirant, Clear Men Shampoo, and Dove Men Body Wash, among others. But Apples clarifies, “(Manifesto) is not just about selling our products, it is about educating men, helping them holistically.”

Apples Aberin (fourth from left), Unilever Philippines’ head of PR for personal care, with the Manifesto editorial team: Phil Dy, Ramon De Veyra, Yvette Tan, Adel Gabot and Kevin Yapjoco

The goal of Manifesto is to help Filipino males to sort of recalibrate themselves. It targets specifically first-jobbers, 18 to 20-something guys who really move around the digital space. She shares, “Those fresh out of college, looking to land their dream job, looking to save money… It’s also about listening to male needs, and not just us telling them this or that. Thus, it’s also a forum for engagement.” 

The editor in chief of the online magazine Ramon De Veyra says Manifesto informs its readers about personal style, grooming, and men’s fashion. “The traditional idea we have of the typical Filipino male is that he doesn’t use products, doesn’t really pay attention to how he’s dressed… we’re not really trying to change that, we just want men to be aware there’s no stigma attached to those things anymore. More and more younger men are taking care of themselves — eating better, doing these modern exercises. And it’s not even a case of vanity, it’s about being health-conscious.”

And it’s not just an all-style, all-grooming web-zine.  

“There is a curatorial aspect to the Culture section,” informs Philbert Ortiz Dy, who handles both Culture and Sports. We have a bunch of writers who will show the New Man the worldwide world of pop culture. We have a series called New Man Cinema, which deals with movies that should be included in the canon of manly cinema, films usually dismissed by critics.”

The Sports section has a fitness component. The right guy for this is Dy since he recently lost 60 pounds with the aid of a Russian kettlebell. “Read more about it once the site is up,” he adds. “My journey is there.”

Kevin Yapjoco handles Style and Money. He explains, “For Style, we want first-jobbers to take their looks more seriously in the office. Normally they just came out of college, so their wardrobe isn’t ready yet. This is to make sure they are prepped.” Kevin will tell you how cool tailor-made clothes are and how you should treat your favorite pair of denims. “And the Money section tells readers how to handle their finances more effectively — in terms of investment, insurance.”

The resident techie is Adel Gabot, who is also an award-winning fictionist and writing teacher. “The tech environment is booming now,” he says. “As we go on, we’ll be presenting more issues. It’s very important for first-jobbers to be hook up with these things.”

In matters of Women (and Relationships), Yvette Tan — who writes brilliantly about anything from horror to Heinlein — guides readers in matters of the heart. She shares, “Now, these first-jobbers are learning how to deal with women, as opposed to girls. So we’ll tell them how to land their first date, where to go, how to dress, what to talk about… We also have stuff on sex. Things that are current and what people should be aware of.”

De Veyra amplifies, “Each section will discuss developments within its category. There’s an immediacy when it’s online; you get content faster. And we’re going to try engage readers in a dialogue, so we’re highlighting the community aspect of the website.” 

Manifesto goes live within the month. Gentlemen, start those computer engines…

Apples concludes, “I’m really curious as to how people will react to it since it’s one of the first websites of its kind in the Philippines. The concerns are: how do we make it relevant to men, how do we grow the category (of male grooming products) in a way that will resonate with them? We feel Manifesto is one of the best ways to do this.”