DON DRAPER SAYS

CAROUSEL

A few of my students approached me after class and asked about the difference between a product and a brand. I reached for a chair and explained that the product is the chair itself, the tangible asset that one could seat on; the brand, on the other hand, is the memory that the chair brings to the person. Another group came to me and asked the similar question - I later found out it was for their qualifying exams. I made the similar explanation, this time my watch as an example. Pointing to my wrist watch, I said that my watch is the product and luxury is the brand.

I was not surprised, however, by the manner I made my explanation.

Last night, I was watching the finale of Mad Men's first season where Don Draper, the main protagonist of the show, made a pitch to Kodak Eastman for its slide projector product. During the impressive pitch, Don created a brand for the seemingly bulky product - he inserted nostalgia. The gadget became more than just a technology that projects images on screen. The projector became a passport, a carousel that brought memories, both happy and sad, to people. To quote the fictional advertising man:

"Nostalgia literally means 'the pain from an old wound.' It's a twinge in your heart far more powerful than memory alone. This device isn't a spaceship, it's a time machine. It goes backwards, forwards. It takes us to a place where we ache to go again. It's not called 'the wheel', it's called 'the carousel.' It lets us travel the way a child travels - around and around, and back home again, to a place where we know we are loved." 


In that, the slide projector became not just a brand but the Carousel, nostalgia, the brand. It was clearly impossible for Don Draper not to win the account after the pitch.

The fictional Kodak presentation was actually inspired by Doyle Dane Bernbach's pitch to address the declining sales of instant Polariod cameras back in 1966. The same element - nostalgia - was used by the advertising agency. DDB chose photographer Howard Zieff's pictures of the typical American family life and accompanied them with a fitting copy. The "It's like opening a present" print ads were a sentimental portrayal of the camera's benefit - revealing every picture taken with a Polariod is like surprising one's self with a present.

Ad Title: IT'S LIKE OPENING A PRESENT
Ad Agency: Doyle Dane Bernbach
Client: Polaroid




Credits: Natasha Vargas-Cooper, MadMen Unbuttoned: A Romp Through 1960s America
             Mad Men The Carousel (High Quality)  from Youtube.com
       

30secondTHOUGHTS: BULLET

WHAT'S FASTER THAN THE SPEEDING BULLET?

Not Superman this time. It's the BMW M5, the world's fastest sedan.  

Cundari Toronto creates "Bullet" with screeching tires in speedway, timed slow motion effects, and classical Beethoven music for a great two-minute video.

Vroom. Vroom.

Ad Title: BULLET
Ad Agency: Cundari Toronto
Client: BMW Canada

THE MORNING AFTER

THE MORNING AFTER

SLEEP
You are there asleep.
Tucked in sheets,
Waves of endless
Pursuit made last night.

SHOWER
You bathe and
Water flows, washing away
Scents of your
Midnight blossom.

SUNNY-SIDE UP

You eat and
Caress the cup’s edge,
Delighting thoughts
Of the dark’s buffet.

SHIRT
You stand still
And I clothe you,
Hiding remnants of
Ways I traveled with.

SHUTTLE
You bid a kiss,
A long travel still.
“At set,” you said,
“We’ll meet again”.

SCRUB
You have left me
To clean these stains,
Some marks of sin
Breathed over lunch.

SECRET
You work and
Your love waits.
Not me; but the other –
I am, thus, a sin.


SIGH
You are then

Remembered,
The skin lingering
With the afternoon rain.

SOUP
You will share with me
Broth for dinner,
Its simmer
Waiting for reply.

SUBWAY
You meet the train
At half past ten,
Two roads still –
Of one to hear you knock.

SHIVER
You are the
Question of this lie,
The ambiguity of
Your return.

SWEAT
You have arrived,
Drizzled in midnight
Shadows, secrets
Not known in light.

SUPPER
You mingle the soup,
Words become your fondle.
“The best”, you said.
“I know.”


SHHH
You flush our sins
With just one kiss,
Promises to drown
By this goodbye.

SHEETS
You drape the path
As we unzip,
Of nights of pleasure,
Of days to guilt.

SKIN
You travel north,
The south I traverse.
In deep, my love,
Shall be the end.

SLEEP
You are there asleep.
Tucked in sheets,
Waves of last pursuit…


… We made tonight.

REFLEKTOR: SHOULDER

Room 803, Malate, Manila

MOBILE, FILM, FILM CRAFT GRAND PRIX AWARDED

Grow Interactive Norfolk's re-interpretation of the classic Coca-Cola Hilltop commercial through a mobile app won the Grand Prix for Mobile in the recently concluded Cannes Festival of International Creativity. On the other hand, Grand Prix for Film was awarded to Creative Artists Agency Los Angeles for its "Back to the Start" film for Chipotle. Jam3 of Toronto, Canada won Grand Prix for Film Craft for National Film Board's "Bear 71" work. The same work was awarded with three Gold Lions for Direction, Script, and Visual Effects.

Ad Title: HILLTOP RE-IMAGINED
Ad Agency: Grow Interactive Norfolk, USA
Client: Coca-Cola

Ad Title: BACK TO THE START
Ad Agency: Creative Artists Agency Los Angeles
Client: Chipotle

Ad Title: BEAR 71
Ad Agency: Jam3 Toronto, Canada
Client: National Film Board

30secondTHOUGHTS: SMOKING KID

We correct children of their wrongdoings. What will happen if, in a turnaround, these children are the ones correcting us?

Ogilvy and Mather Thailand exploits this thought in its "Smoking Kid" campaign for Thai Health Promotion. The medium used is unexpected, providing the message with much-deserved impact. And it's from Thailand - definitely expect great ads from the Land of Smiles.

 Ad Title: SMOKING KID
Ad Agency: Ogilvy and Mather Thailand
Client: Thai Health Promotion

30secondTHOUGHTS: BIKERS

Never judge people. Never judge people - especially rugged bikers. Never judge people - especially rugged bikers in the cinema. Never judge people - especially when the only people in the cinema are you and the rugged bikers.

Ad Title: Bikers
Ad Agency: Duval Guillaume, Brussels, Belgium
Client: Carlsberg

30secondTHOUGHTS: DON'T MAKE UP AND DRIVE

Be surprised.
That's it.
Or else.
You won't be.

Ad Title: DON'T MAKE UP AND DRIVE
Ad Agency: DDB Tribal Group Germany
Client: Volkswagen

30secondTHOUGHTS: DESAPARECIDOS

There is always a story that time beholds, a tale of memories trapped between the then and now. And in between those memories are captured moments - one of bliss, the other, of grie. And from that moment of joy to the time of grief is a forsaken story, a haunting loss brought not by the self, but of the undeserving fate. 

Ad Title: DESAPARECIDOS (MISSING)
Ad Agency: Lowe Gingko Montevideo, Uruguay
Client: Amnesty International




Credits: Creative Review

MORE CANNES PRIX AWARDED

Serviceplan Munich's "The Solar Annual Report 2011" for Austria Solar was named Cannes Grand Prix and Gold for Design while Outdoor Grand Prix for Outdoor was awarded to BjYung von Matt Germany for its Mercedez-Bens' "Invisible Car." On the other hand, R/GA New York and Volontaire Sweden shared the Cyber Grand Prix for its "Nike + Fuelband" for Nike and "Curators of Sweden" for Swedish Institute/Visitsweden campaigns, in that order.

Ad Title: SOLAR ANNUAL REPORT 2011
Ad Agency: Serviceplan Munich
Client: Austria Solar

Ad Title: INVINSIBLE CAR
Ad Agency: BjYung von Matt Germany
Client: Mercedez-Bens

Ad Title: NIKE + FUELBAND
Ad Agency: R/GA New York
Client: Nike

Ad Title: CURATORS OF SWEDEN

Ad Agency: Volontaire Sweden
Client: Swedish Institute/Visitsweden

HIS PURPLE HEART

i chanced upon the attic and saw my old wooden toy box, now draped in patterned cobwebs and grey aging dusts. The place reeks of that once familiar smell, the becoming remnants of a secret paradise and the subject of mom’s frequent scolding. i made an approach towards him and shrieks orchestrated themselves from the attic’s depreciated flooring, equally compensating the uncomfortable silence marooning in my mind. A few more steps and alas there he was – still full of his glory, a king untouched from his thrown and I, a child, beholden in the corners of his childhood past. His skin has aged; his knobs rusted by years of being barren, of being unnoticed, unharmed. But still there he stood, still dignified and strong – the friend of my playground, the guardian of my treasures.

he humbly unlocked himself and unfolded from within were my prized resources. These childhood toys arranged in disorganized, playful manner were much like my office clutter – only, they were more enjoyable than repeats of statement drafts and plain, uninviting letters. There were the mythical cars, transforming into figures upon my command. And the kids from Angel Grove High, saving the world when it’s morphin’ time. There were those freebies from the afternoon meals – products of the demanding only child. And the stacks of cards for gamble and for play, the relentless pursuit to outwit the last lost game.

and there was my first soldier toy, still tucked in his grey camouflage suit – an arm and foot removed from those selfish games I placed him into. He remained in duty, his purple heart corroded from years of distant wandering. His face is hesitantly tired from battles waged in time; his dirt eyes stricken with guilt of lost and surrender. 

so I picked up the glue and some plastic tape for fix. then, repaired his broken pieces, and reflexed his motionless bolts. His arm and foot have been loosely reconnected; the glue almost dried together with tapes sloppily plastered around his waist. I propped up his stature, and stared at him like a general respected by his field. Sweat transpired from my brows to the dusty strips of the attic.

at last.

after years of being broken, sir soldier toy is ready in service again – but not as tough and good-looking as it used to.

“but at least its fixed, Nino…
I said to myself,

…it’s fixed.”

30secondTHOUGHTS: SPOT THE DANGER

To quote Tim Delaney of Leagas Delaney, London:
" Print takes longer because of its rationality, because you need to engage the reader in more than just an assertive, image-based discussion. You've got to give them something which makes them stop, look, and respond. "

Print is an intelligent medium. It demands from the reader his attention and rationale. It does not give the obvious; its reward lies in scrutinizing the interaction between copy and art direction. It is a like puzzle.

BBDO Germany's "Spot the danger before you do" for Mercedes-Benz Czech Republic is an example of this puzzle. The print ad first leads you to the copy. You then proceed to the visuals and realize you are in your car driving at night. At that, you ask yourself about the danger the copy is implying. You search for clues and begin admiring the bokeh, the wonderful display of circles conveying something, or someone, is out of focus.

 Ad Title: "Child", "Bike", "Deer"
Ad Agency: BBDO Germany
Client: Mercedes-Benz Czech Republic

Then, magic. The circles form letters and provide your answers - C H I L D , B I K E, D E E R. It all makes sense now. You pause in awe. That was a rewarding journey.

30secondTHOUGHTS: SOLAR ANNUAL REPORT

The first two years of my professional life circled around financial statements. These mandatory annual reports are at the heart of every business in operation. It details the assets, liabilities, and net worth of a given company along side other information that will help stakeholders get a reasonable understanding about the company's current financial health and position.

However, for the ordinary man, these financial statements look like just plain sheets of white paper printed with calculated figures and unfamiliar texts. As a former associate in an audit firm, I hear the sentiments of our ordinary amigo. If our amigo has little appreciation for accounting, the financial reports are too formal and uninviting that our amigo won't even bother to flip a page if the sheets are placed in front of his desk. A sample balance sheet, a financial statement component, for fictional ABC Company is shown below. 

But perhaps our amigo will be interested in browsing through the solar-powered "Solar Annual Report 2011" created by Serviceplan Munich for Austria Solar. This, I assure you, will get the interest and curiosity of our amigo.   

Ad Title: THE SOLAR ANNUAL REPORT 2011

Ad Agency: Serviceplan Munich

Client: Austria Solar

A solar-powered annual report for a solar company - the big idea accompanied with brilliant execution. The report won a Gold Direct Cannes Lions this year.

'UNHATE' PRINTS WIN GRAND PRIX

A kiss is an international symbol of love, acceptance, and romantic fervor. But for Italian advertising agency Fabric Treviso, the symbolic act has a deeper political meaning - it cannot only stamp truce and reconciliation, it can likewise help rebuild nations. In its "Unhate" print ads for United Colors of Benetton, the agency showcases political figures - the likes of US President Barack Obama and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, for example - in a lip-locked moment, albeit digitally-enhanced. The  Unhate Foundation "seeks to contribute to the creation of a new culture against hate, building on Benetton's underpinning values."

The controversial print ads recently won the sole Grand Prix for Press in the Cannes International Festival of Creativity.

Ad Title: (from top) Unhate (Palestine and Israel), Unhate (USA and Venezuela), Unhate (Germany and France)
Ad Agency: Fabric Treviso
Client: United Colors of Benetton; Unhate Foundation

Click the link to view the complete list of Press Lions winners.

MadMen Quotes

SIGAW: LIMANG DAHILAN

I browsed through my old blog, the one I had back when I was still in audit. I found the blog post below and was amazed by how much it spoke of my former self. I was clearly unhappy back then. I was trying to convince myself to be thankful for an occupation that provided nothing more than a fortnightly amount of cash. It was a miserable state of living as a young professional. I was desolate, incomplete.

                                                  

SIGAW: LIMANG DAHILAN ! LIMANG DAHILAN ?

...
LIMANG DAHILAN PARA MAHALIN ANG TRABAHO !


1.) Magpasalamat at may trabaho ka. Pasalamat at may hanapbuhay ka.
2.) Pinaghirapan mo ito ng halos limang taon.*
3.) Nagdasal ka ng taimtim sa Maykapal na marating mo ang estadong ito.
4.) Gusto mo ng overtime, maliban sa araw ng Linggo. Night owl ka kasi.
5.) Na-aaply mo na ang mga turo at aral sa kolehiyo.*
...
LIMANG DAHILAN PARA MAHALIN ANG TRABAHO ?


1.) Ang trabaho ang hanapbuhay mo; ngunit nagsusulat ka para mabuhay.
2.) Pinaghirapan mo ang limang taon dahil dikta ito ng utak mo, hindi dahil ng puso mo.
3.) Pinagdasal mo ang estadong ito dahil nasimulan mo na ang limang taon, at nais mo na itong matapos. Gusto mo nang ipanalangin ang trabahong pinakaaasam mo.
4.) Gusto mo ng overtime sa pagsusulat ng mga artikulo o di kaya’y bumuo ng bagong konsepto para sa programa at patalastas, kahit sa araw ng Linggo. Creative Night owl ka kasi.
5.) Kung babalik ka sa kolehiyo, ibang kurso ang tiyak na kukunin mo.

---
! ? MAGULO.
----

* Referring to four years of undergraduate studies and five months of board exam review.

30secondTHOUGHTS: HEMA MEGA PUSH-UP BRA

Pure genius.

To demonstrate the effectiveness of wearing a push-up bra, Hema executed a PR campaign that deviated the  usual approach of using good-looking, scantily-clad female models to sport their brassiere. Instead, the brand used an ambassador whose breast size is at nil (yes, zero) - androgynous male model Andrej Pejic. If the bra looks gorgeous on men, it will look equally stunning on women. The stunt is a disruption from the usual, a beautiful public relations tactic. The results: increased sales, sold-out stocks, and a Gold PR Lions from Cannes Festival.

 Ad Title: HEMA MEGA PUSH-UP BRA
Ad Agency: Doom & Dickson Amsterdam
Client: Hema

Click on the link to view the other Cannes PR Lion winners.

30secondTHOUGHTS: SHE HATED

The greatest story is written with deep simplicity. It is a collection of well-thought words woven to create one great masterpiece. Ace Saatchi & Saatchi Philippines' print ads for Vespa is a rare canvass of a copy-driven ad that elaborates the benefits and privileges of riding the alternative vehicle by telling a story in consecutive phrases. These ads, the "She Hated" execution in particular, are a personal favorite.

AD TITLE: "BEHIND ME", "EMBRACE" "AGAINST" SHE HATED"
Ad Agency: Ace Saatchi & Saatchi Philippines
Client: Vespa

Photo credits: The Inspiration Room

CANNES DECLARES GRAND PRIX WINNERS

Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity awarded another set of Grand Prix for its Creative Effectiveness, Media, Outdoor, and Mobile categories.

Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) was awarded the Grand Prix for Creative Effectiveness for its "Angels will fall" campaign for Axe. On the other hand, Manning Gottlieb OMD's "Phonetic Billboard" for Google was the top pick for the Media Grand Prix. The Outdoor and Mobile Grand Prix was awarded to Ogilvy Shanghai's Coke commissioned poster and Grow Interactive's mobile Coke app for Google.

Ad Title: LYNN EXCITE, MY ANGEL GIRLFRIEND
Ad Agency: BBH
Client: Axe

 

Ad Title: GOOGLE PHONETIC BILLBOARD
Ad Agency: BBH London
Media Agency: Manning Gottlieb OMD
Client: Google

Ad Agency: Ogilvy Shanghai
Graphic Design: Jonathan Mak Long
Client: Coca-Cola

Ad Title: COCA-COLA MOBILE AD

Ad Agency: GROW INTERACTIVE
Client: Google

Source and Photos courtesy of: Adweek

REFLEKTOR: SIMULA

 Siquijor, Circa 2010

---

Siquijor is a small island of mystique. It is a just a ferry ride away from Dumaguete City where I studied for my undergrad course but it was only when I was working in Makati that I visited the island for the first time.

I took this picture of my college friend entering San Isidore Labradore Church and Convent, dubbed as the largest convent in Asia, with my then point-and-shoot camera. I knew she was entering the church so I framed the camera to the angle above and waited for her to proceed towards the door - and alas, I pressed the shutter! It was a spontaneous and planned snapshot.

REFLEKTOR: BATIS

   Siquijor, Circa 2010

---
Cambugahay Falls in Lazi, Siquijor. One should go here. The water is pristine and the air is refreshing. An immaculate sight. A perfect canvass painted by nature.

CANNES PROCLAIMS DIRECT, PR GRAND PRIX

THIS JUST IN.

Crispin Porter + Bogusky grabs a Promo & Activation Grand Prix for its "Small Business Gets an Official Day" work for American Express. On the other hand, JWT San Juan claimed its first Grand Prix for its "The Most Popular Song" campaign for Banco Popular de Puerto Rico in the PR Lions Category.

Ad Title: SMALL BUSINESS GETS AN OFFICIAL DAY
Ad Agency: Crispin Porter + Bogusky
Client: American Express

Ad Title: THE MOST POPULAR SONG
Ad Agency: JWT San Juan
Client: Banco Popular de Puerto Rico


Meanwhile, BBDO Guerrero / Proximity Philippines  - for its "Bottle Light" project for Pepsi- was awarded a bronze and silver Lion in the Promo & Activation category and Direct category, in that order.


Source: adobo magazine

10 PH ENTRIES SHORTLISTED, CANNES

adobo magazine's Cannes update reveals that ten entries from the Philippines have been shortlisted. These entries include:

Media

"Tiger Energy Playground”, Ace Saatchi and Saatchi for Tiger Energy Biscuits; "Bottle Lights", BBDO Guerrero for Pepsi

Outdoor

"Tiger Energy Playground”, Ace Saatchi and Saatchi for Tiger Energy Biscuits; "Bottle Lights", BBDO Guerrero for Pepsi; "Volcano", DM9 JaymeSyfu for the Department of Tourism & Smart Communications.

Press

"Dave", "Marc", and "Joseph", Ogilvy & Mather Philippines for Vaseline Men; “Mouse Deer” and “Dugong”, DM9 Jayme Syfu for Bantay Kalikasan (ABS-CBN Foundation).

Title: MOUSE DEER                                                                                                                                  Ad Agency: DM9 Jayme Syfu                                                                                                                  Client: Bantay Kalikasan (ABS-CBN Foundation)

Congratulations!

REFLEKTOR: SILIP

   Room 803, Malate Manila

---

This is the view that accompanies me during the night. It is my own friend, a secret beauty. For in my room, I talk to no one. My roommates do not talk to me nor do I talk to them - this cycle has been going for one year now. So, I vast in this landscape knowing that somewhere in those structures lies a good friend who can actually talk to me and I to him or her.

REFLEKTOR: KALIPAY

 
    Cebu, Sinulog 2011

REFLEKTOR: MANINISID

   Puerto Galera, Circa 2009

---

I took this picture the first time I went to Puerto Galera with my college friends back in 2009. On our final hours in the island, I decided to have an alone time and went to the shore to get some snapshots with my then point-and-shoot camera. I spotted these children playing around the boat, diving underwater and swimming with the tides like the ocean was their very playground. I asked them if I could take a photo of them, to which they gamely complied. After the pose, they became a little chatty and revealed to me that their diving skills was a necessary tool of the trade - they dive for peso coins thrown underwater by visitors for entertainment.

Such pity, I realized. A peso thrown away just for a blink of puerile happiness. Why not give the coins directly to them?

It's been three years since I last went to the Puerto. These kids might have grown by a foot by now. I wonder if their fate is still the same though. Diving for coins, for pity, for your momentary joy.

30secondTHOUGHTS: COCA-COLA SECURITY CAMERA

Straight images. Bent headline. 


Production company Landia's commercial for Coca-Cola gathers a witty mix of everyday situations all taken from a security camera's perspective. Well-thought headlines supplement the scenarios, adding a feel-good atmosphere for the 90-seconder. To quote Emma Bazilian in her Adweek article, "Security cameras, known for filming misery, can capture happiness too" :


"To the smile-inducing tune of Roger Hodgson's solo version of "Give a Little Bit," Coke shows us a series of scenes with wittily misleading captions like "people stealing kisses," "music addicts," "potato chip dealers," "attacks of friendship" and "friendly gangs." From offering to carry a heavy object to saving someone's life to just horsing around (and the requisite "offering a friend your Coke"), it's a list of all the positive interactions happening in the world every day."

Ad Title: Security Cameras

Production Company: Landia

Client: Coca-Cola

QUOTE: DON DRAPER

30secondTHOUGHTS: WITH TEN YEARS OF LIFE

One of the twenty spots vying for the Film Grand Prix is Dentsu Tokyo's "With Ten Years of Life" for Toshiba Led Lights. The big idea behind the ad is straightforward - Toshiba lights last as long as ten years, enough time for a single man to find a girl, get married, and have kids. Such idea is executed with brilliant simplicity - no visual extravagance, no fancy sound effects. Here, idea is king over execution.

Will it win a Film Grand Prix in this year's Cannes Festival? Will soon find out.

Title: WITH TEN YEARS OF LIFE
Ad Agency: Dentsu Tokyo
Client: Toshiba Led Bulbs

30secondTHOUGHTS: SCORE

My students complain that my exams are difficult.

"Ang hirap naman Sir."

My usual rebuttal would be: "Walang mahirap sa magaling. Kung hindi ka magaling, dapat masipag ka. At kung masipag ka, gagaling ka. Kung gagaling ka, wala nang mahirap para sa 'yo."

And this commercial by McCann Worldgroup for the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation (NCAF). The commercial portrays the childhood of spokesperson Allan Pineda (apl.de.ap of Black Eyed Peas) as a battle between the diligent student vis-a-vis the lazy play-loving kid. Eventually, the young Allan persevered and the Allan of today became apl.de.ap, instead of being apl.de.tambay - the same way the young pre-Mohawk Nino persevered and became the Professor Mohawk that he is today.

Ad Title: SCORE
Ad Agency: McCann Worldgroup
Client: Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation

CANNES LIONS ROAR

THE LIONS ARE ROARING. June 17 marks the opening of the 59th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Today, creatives from around the globe battle it out for the coveted Lion in different categories - Press, PR, Outdoor, and Mobile to name a few.

As of this writing, BBDO Guerrero's "Bottle Lights" is shortlisted both in Direct and Promo and Activations. On the other hand, Ace Saatchi and Saatchi's "Tiger Energy Playground" is shortlisted in Direct.

Will our Philippine-made entries make the cut? We will soon find out.

Title: BOTTLE LIGHTS
Ad Agency: BBDO Guerrero\Proximity Philippines
Client: Pepsi

Title: Tiger Energy Playground
Ad Agency: Ace Saatchi & Saatchi Philippines
Client: Tiger Energy Biscuits



Updates available on the official Cannes Lions website and adobo magazine's Cannes 2012 coverage.

OF CHALKS AND BLACKBOARDS

"I am not a teacher trying to be your friend.

 I am a friend teaching you."

Becoming a professor was not a path I originally intended to pursue. The farthest I came to becoming a teacher was having a record book back when I was about nine. The book had imaginary students' names and their lists of grades - of course, the ones bearing my surname or a close semblance to it, i.e. Gonzalez, Gonzan, had the highest grades. The imaginary classroom never became reality. Or so I thought.

God, in His mysterious ways, intervened. When one of my professors in my masters program read the Answering The Call article I wrote for The LaSallian, she asked me if I was interested to teach in the University. I gave a quick yes as a response.

That yes was an answered prayer for my childhood dream. Today, teaching has become a platform for me to share not only the how to's and formulas of accounting but it has likewise become a means for me to inspire the younger generation to pursue their passion, to do what they love, to become what they really want to be.

Later on, they may eventually forget the lessons I have written on the chalkboard. God forbid, they might even forget my name. 

But the important thing is that they remember what I have taught them - the value of pursuing their own consolations, the triumph of taking risks.

And sure enough, when they eventually become their versions of walking billboards of success, a little part of them may say - "Ah, so this is what my weird professor told me about, that accounting prof with that crazy mohawk who told us to follow what makes us happy." In that, I find my own spark of happiness.

SIR MARTIN SORELL IN adobo MAG

WPP Chief Executive Officer Sir Martin Sorrell graces the May-June 2012 cover of adobo magazine. Grab a copy now!

adobo magazine is a premier Philippine magazine on advertising, design, and brand communications.

30secondTHOUGHTS: SUPORTAHAN TAKA

30secondTHOUGHTS is a collection of television commercials, print advertisement, radio commercials, and every execution that speaks of my passion for advertising.

The first 30secondTHOUGHTS is something personal. If my life would become a television commercial, the "Suportahan Taka" ad by Ace Saatchi and Saatchi for PLDT NDD would be the exact portrayal of my journey. Without the support of my parents, particularly that of my father, I would have not shifted to a better  life. Without their support and approval, there's no accounting professor today. More importantly, my Mohawk would never had existed!

Ad Title: SUPORTAHAN TAKA
Ad Agency: Ace Saatchi and Saatchi
Client: PLDT NDD

And hey, it's Father's Day today. Great timing. Happy Father's Day Pak!

PROFESSOR MOHAWK: THE INTRODUCTION

I know, I'm a Certified Public Accountant. And the first words that come to your mind when you hear about my profession may include: Math, Numbers, Nerds, Worksheets, Financial Statements, Calculators, No Night-outs, No Relationship, Makati, Necktie, Long Hours, Overworked, Underpaid.

But one word that you may not relate with that profession is this: MOHAWK. However, by some strange circumstance, I am an accountant with a Mohawk. But the Mohawk is not a random rebellion just to look cool or to demand public attention - these are not my hairstyle's intentions. My Mohawk has a story, a deeper purpose it holds.

"Answering The Call", a feature story I wrote for The LaSallian for its August 2011 issue, explains the story behind my mohawk.

Read on.

25 CENTS WORTH: ANSWERING THE CALL  

“I always knew you would take up communications one day. I was surprised when you became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).”  

                                                                                                      

My high school professor said this to me when I visited my alma mater for our grand reunion last year.                                                                                                                                                 

In high school, I was active both in academics and in extra-curricular activities. I was the all-around guy, competing in various contests – from extemporaneous speeches to ethnic dances, and regional math challenges to national press conferences. But I was better known for my affinity towards Mathematics, since I had the patience to communicate with numbers and experiment with formulas.

 Pursuing a career as an accountant was the right dream to pursue; enrolling as an Accountancy major was the logical choice for my undergraduate degree.

Being a freshman in Silliman University back in 2004 was my first step in realizing my aspiration to become a CPA.  Learning about the principles of debits and credits became a daily encounter. My accountancy professors narrated the numerous opportunities for an accountant, which further validated my choice.

Somebody called. I did not answer. I was busy computing for the assignment.              

                    

When my grandfather, or Tatay as I fondly called him, died the following year, I promised that I would dedicate my Accountancy diploma in his memory. Little did I know that this would be my strength in finishing my degree.

My struggle began a semester after my grandfather’s death. My interests moved from structured standards and computations to unknown creative territories – the advertising industry in particular. I wanted to shift to a communications degree because of my interest in the creative field. But I was half way through my Accountancy degree. I wanted to shift courses, but then I remembered my promise.

That promise was my beacon in finding the light in Accountancy. I wrote for The Weekly Sillimanian as a Features Writer as a means to express my growing creative pursuit. I found contentment knowing that I could interact with letters, even while solving numerical problems.                    

                                                           

In March 2008, I handed Tatay my diploma with an added bonus. I graduated Cum Laude in an Accountancy batch of only 24 students. Although he was no longer physically present, he gave me the inspiration to finish the four-year race.

                                                                                                                                                                                                       

After graduation, our batch went to Manila for a five-month preparatory review for our board exams.  The review served as our training ground before we went to the actual battle, the four-day CPA licensure board examination. I focused all of my faith and effort towards attaining the coveted license.       

                                                                                                              

Somebody called again. I did not answer. I was too busy studying Negotiable Instruments Law.   

                            

I successfully obtained my license on October 2008, adding a comma and three capital letters into my surname – Gonzales, CPA. By November 2008, I started working as an associate in a renowned audit firm.    

                                                                                                             

The first few months of work allowed me to inhale the corporate world into my system. Stories once narrated in class became actual experiences. Theories of control tests and substantive procedures were placed in real-life scenarios. I was exposed to various industries and interacted with an array of clients. More importantly, I was surrounded with those who bore the same extensions to their last names.    

                                                                                                                    

In my mind, I was convinced that my marriage to numbers would be worthwhile and that aspiring for a successful career in audit will be a viable choice.                          

                                          

That somebody called again. I did not answer. I was doing an inventory count in Negros.      

                                      

As work progressed, my evenings and weekends bore additional workloads. Tasks were not feasibly accomplished within the regular work period; overtime work was necessary. And in between financial statement drafts and balance sheet plots, my idealism was replaced with the realities of my tenure. 

                                                                                                                                 

The excess hours were not a problem. The long study hours during my undergrad trained me to work like an owl. But after a year of working in the company, desolation came when I realized that I was not growing in the firm. Work became routinary; I was not learning anything new. At the same time, my thirst for creative knowledge resurfaced.                                                                                                                                                                      

I was unfulfilled and I began questioning my worth as an auditor and, more so, as a person. I saw the grey walls of my office. The people around me spoke a different language and they did not understand my perspective. To them, the physical world was only construed to their visual meaning – a book was just a book; the rain, a climate condition. I saw things differently. A book in the corner is a silent witness to the secrets around him; the rain, a melodramatic pattern of outpour and wrath, defining the scenes of the characters she plays with. I felt like an alien in their numeric universe. I felt alone.        

                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Self-fulfilment waited somewhere outside the office. The stolen minutes I dedicated in writing for my weblog, understanding photography, and learning about the advertising industry defined my sanctuary. In that haven, I found consolation and purpose, two inexistent nouns during my hours of toil.    

                             

I was at my crossroad, stuck in the middle of two choices – to risk pursuing a career as a creative or to continue my engagement with audit.                                                                      

                                                        

I sought help from Dennis Temporal, a spiritual advisor and former Jesuit seminarian whom I met after attending his Crossroads Retreat on Black Saturday of 2009. At first, “Brother Dot” was anxious on my intentions to shift careers, citing that maybe I was just burdened with my work. He presented to me an invisible beef steak and detailed that “the steak is advertising, a new meal served for you. In time, we [you] will know if you are meant to eat the beef steak.”                     

While I sought his advice for over a year, I became cautious of the signs leading towards what would be my decision. By then, my understanding of the advertising industry grew as I read marketing-related materials, collected advertisements, and appreciated inventive campaigns. Copywriter, ad agency, Cannes Festival became words synonymous with purpose-driven ambition.                             

                   

I have now fallen in love with advertising. The Adland is the ideal planet for me. It is an industry that understands my language, a place where I belong.                              

                                                      

That Somebody called again. This time, I answered Him. It was God‘s calling after all.

Finally, last October 2010, I bid adieu to audit and resigned. With the advice of Brother Dot and the subsequent approval of my parents, I enrolled and was admitted in DLSU’s Master of Marketing Communications program, a shift to a communications degree six years in the making.                    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Following my resignation, I changed my haircut from my formal Rizal cut to a fearless Mohawk. The radical hairstyle symbolized the expression of my freedom. The change made me feel like opening pathways to endless possibilities, new frontiers to be faced with all passion and faith.                    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

My struggles played an invaluable contribution towards my desire to achieve the dreams long overdue. Without them, I would not have had the strength to pursue this journey less travelled by accountants.     

                                                                     

            Somebody calls me today. I always answer Him. I am now a better self.     

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

            Today, I am a living proof of my high school professor’s prediction – a communications student bound to savour the calling of an advertising beef steak.  Today, I am taking my infant steps towards achieving my destiny, the road He painted leading me towards my personal calling and deepest consolation. This education is now my ticket, a gateway to being both a Certified Public Accountant and an aspiring Philippine creative.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

            I have answered the call. I am now a better self.