Legarda 'not a half-hearted VP'

Loren Legarda is not the type who would seek the vice-presidency as if it were the last best thing that could happen to her. In a meeting with the press in Tarlac last weekend, she said the vice-presidency was “never a second choice for me.”

Loren, NP-NPC-LDP vice-presidential candidate, had run twice for senator, and at both times, garnered the highest number of votes. She ran for vice-president but lost in the counting her supporters alleged should have showed her the winner. This time, it’s for VP again, and again, without second thoughts.

Referring to Liberal Party vice-presidential candidate Mar Roxas’s alleged digs at her, she said,

“Si Mar, kung hindi tumakbo si Noynoy sa pagka-pangulo, yan sana ang ambisyon nya. Nagparaya lamang siya dahil alam nyang si Noynoy ang pipiliin ng partido nila para suportahan. Kaya he settled for the vice-presidency, something he wasn’t even sure of and until now, di niya pa napapatunayang gusto nya talaga ang pagbaba nya ng ambisyon,” she asserted.

She denied insinuations that the vice-president is “a sitting-duck position” when asked why she chose to run for it and not the presidency. “The VP is not a sitting-duck position. It’s up to you to use your position whether for good or bad. Throughout my career as a broadcaster and a senator, I have used my position to help people. Madali akong lapitan.”

“I have always gunned for the vice-presidency, even in 2004. Noon ko pa gustong maging gabay sa pangulo at magsilbing ilaw sa tahanan ng mga Pilipino. I have always given all my heart to the vice-presidency, kaya nararamdaman kong mas karapat-dapat ako. Kailangan ng sambayanan ang pagka-kalinga ng isang ina ng bayan,”Legarda said.

*      *      *

“WBO World Welterweight champion”, “Number One Pound for Pound Boxer in the World,” and “Pambansang Kamao” are a few of the titles that have been bestowed upon boxing great Manny Pacquiao. Pacman as he is called, is the first boxer in the history of the sport to win seven world titles in seven different weight divisions. To say the man exemplifies excellence in his craft would be an understatement.

Undoubtedly because of his boxing brilliance, Manny Pacquiao has achieved superstar status both here and abroad. In fact he has become the endorser of choice for big brands such as Nike, San Miguel Beer, Alaxan, McDonald’s, Xtreme Magic Sing and PLDT to name a few. Even a certain presidential bet has gone out of his way to get Pacquiao’s support to ensure the votes of the masses.

As if the man does not have enough feathers on his cap, Manny Pacquiao was recently voted the most credible endorser in the country today. In a survey conducted by Synergy Business Consultancy among males and females aged 15-60 years old, the numbers revealed that 41 percent of the respondents trust the Pacman and choose the products he endorses. Joseph Warren of Griffin and Morgan Advertising revealed, “There was a time fans were drawn by the sport itself. Today it’s not about the sport but the personalities.”

Germaine Reyes, managing director of Synergy Business Consultancy added, “When a celebrity’s profession demands a regimen or discipline, there are indications that it can outweigh any controversy surrounding him.” This valuable insight could very well be the reason the Pacman together with beauty authority Dr. Vicki Belo took first and second place respectively in the top ten list of Most Credible Endorsers. The roster of most trusted celebrities was published in Adobo Magazine — the leading publication for the advertising and marketing community. It is reportedly the best resource for the latest news on advertising campaigns, current trends, industry issues, the media landscape, consumer insights and more.

Just as it is no big surprise Manny was rated most credible endorser, it is no wonder at all that Belo has been proclaimed a close second. Dra. Belo has been in the business of beauty for two decades. She is a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, the International Society of Cosmetic Laser Surgeons and the American Society of Lipoplastic Surgery. She has been awarded and renowned for specialization in advanced techniques in phlebology from the Pauline Raymond-Martimbeau Vein Institute; dermatologic surgery from Scripps Clinics in San Diego, California; cutaneous laser surgery from Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; and skin rejuvenation and laser surgery from St. Francis Memorial Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, California. 

There is a good reason consumers trust these celebrity endorsers — clearly they are proven experts in their respective fields. Market studies reveal that credible endorsers earn million peso contracts because seven out of ten consumers are predisposed towards buying the products they endorse. 

A word of caution to the entrepreneurs who may be reading this, before you go about “celebritizing” your merchandise, it is important to note that not all products are well suited to this strategy. Synergy’s survey results indicate that the category most attuned to celebrity endorsers is personal care. Approximately 61 percent of those who buy into the idea of celebrity endorsement claimed to have bought personal care products because of the endorser. Other industries that benefit from these endorsements are food, beverage, fashion, clothing and pharmaceuticals. While there is no guaranteed formula for success, one thing is certain, the endorser of choice must be credible in the eyes of consumers.

*      *      *

My e-mail:[email protected]