Skip to main content

Making the advertising business model work in the year of the pandemic

 

To say that 2020 was a challenging year would be a huge understatement. The past year proved to be one of the most unforgettable years in history, mostly due to the COVID-19 pandemic that not only paused the world but also took hundreds of thousands of lives in its wake.

The seriousness of the situation forced many companies and industries to take a long, hard look in the mirror, so to speak, and reassess if they could indeed push on in its wake. One of the most affected industries was the field of advertising as brands and companies reassessed if they should continue to spend on advertising in the wake of the lockdowns imposed.

As Filipinos limited their discretionary spending, shopping habits shifted from physical stores to online, fueling a change in how brands advertised or spent their advertising budgets. The shutdown of media conglomerate ABS-CBN in mid-2020 also limited means for brands to get their messages out even as the company itself placed a bigger premium on streaming their shows on Facebook and YouTube while broadcasting on alternative channels.



AdSpark, a 917Ventures Portfolio company, was no different as in our fifth year of existence, we too had to determine several things. We had to make our business work during this difficult year. As improbable as it may be, we strove to hit the goals we had projected before the pandemic struck, yet as the dust settled, we realized that 2020 was the best performing year of the company to date.

As a new year dawns upon us, I would like to impart some lessons we’ve learned as we achieved success in a most unusual year.

Lesson 1: It matters to keep your culture in check. Make WFH work.

 

Regular Zoom town halls were a priority even on the first few days of the lockdown. It was followed by engagement activities online that kept us connected despite restrictions. We had a full calendar of “quaranthings” as we moved several office activities online like our usual Thursday E-numans, brainstorm sessions, quiz nights, and even our game breaks, down to our year-end party. 

 

Rather than attempting to go beyond what is our core business, AdSpark used the challenge that was 2020 to focus on what we do best, and that is digital marketing. It is what we do best that bonded the agency together. The webinars and ThoughtSparkers that we produced were not entered into for revenue generating purposes. Instead, we saw the need to strengthen our community, our very industry, that might have found itself rudderless at times, especially in the early days of lockdown.

 

In a sense, the crisis brought out a spark in us that we wanted to share with not just the people within our company, but also within our thriving creative and media circle. We recognized that by humanizing consumer data, we could spark ideas and ideals for brands that help people make choices and better their lives. And in times like we live in today, that is a responsibility that we do not take lightly.

 

Even as the specter of a vaccine against the coronavirus begins to emerge as the proverbial light at the end of a very dark tunnel, we aim to keep doing what we do best on behalf of our partners and clients who have joined us. Pandemic or not, our core values and our beliefs remain steadfast and we will continue to offer them to brands that share those with us.

 

Lesson 2: Even from your home offices, keep creating impactful, cutting-edge work.

 

Rather than shut ourselves down and tuck our collective tails between our legs, we buckled down and moved forward to produce arguably some of the best work in AdSpark’s history in 2020. We launched over 2,350 campaigns and made a significant impact in the ever-growing medium that is digital. We placed #1 on the Twitter leaderboards for several campaigns. One of which is the #SecretNaFunSayo campaign for TM. Despite the difficulties that the pandemic wrought, we were able to push telemedicine, specifically KonsultaMD, so much so that app installation was 488% more than initially projected. As the year ended, we also made waves in terms of media amplification with an unforgettable campaign on behalf of RC Cola that brought many new eyeballs to the brand.

 

Amidst the pandemic, we have successfully pivoted AdSpark to become a digital media+ agency -- from thought leadership to creative ideation and performance media execution – that helps enterprises keep connected to their customers in a hyper digital world.

 

Lesson 3: Offering relevant advice as goodwill helps in building relationships.

 

As digital leaders in our field, we knew that the crisis impacted our partners and consumers significantly. So, as part of gearing up, we utilized our core capabilities in order to not just understand the landscape. We also gave sound recommendations to clients for free in this most critical time.

 

Powered by #AdSparkIntelligence, we released four ThoughtSparkers that offered an insightful look and an in-depth understanding of the rapidly changing Filipino consumer as a result of the situation we have found ourselves in. These ThoughtSparkers were “The Great Reset,” “Digital: The Flag of Freedom in 2020,” “A Portrait of the COVID-19 Crisis as Filipino,” and “The New Romantics.”

 

Even as we determined that the simple act of attending seminars was taken away by the pandemic, we made sure that we would not be prevented from sharing our knowledge or continuing to engage with our partners through other means. We put the spotlight on these Thoughtsparkers by turning them into roundtable discussions and exclusive webinars.

 

Among the 21 webinars we co-created was the previously mentioned “The Great Reset: A Roundtable on the Filipino Psyche,” that explored the unexpected trends and insights as people emerged from the quarantine. Together with Globe Business, Spark Series, sought to give a blueprint into how brands can restart their strategies into the new normal.

  

Growth means empathizing with clients and strengthening relationships, creating new partnerships

 

As the year 2020 wore on, we attempted to bring back some sense of normalcy into our lives, thus it was critical that we opened ourselves once more to our established clients while at the same time, forging new partnerships with those who shared our ideals. To that end, AdSpark was able to secure 88 new businesses for 2020, among them were Metrobank, Del Monte, Diageo, Netflix, foodpanda, Asia Brewery Incorporated, and Cebuana Lhuillier.

 

At the same time, 150 existing partnerships with AdSpark were strengthened, a testament to the strong bonds we have established as well as proof that our clients saw the value of our previous work on their behalf.

 

Earning the trust of our clients by following through on commitments as well as holding our partners to higher standards of excellence has enabled us to remain relevant despite the turbulent economic landscape. “AdSpark is able to keep up with fast-paced demands without compromising quality,” says one of our clients. It was a very rough and exhausting ride but thanks to our healthy collaborations we were able to stay afloat and keep sight of our true north.

 

The challenges that 2020 brought on were unprecedented and global in scale, and it would have been easy to just take a raincheck on the year to refocus on 2021 instead. Yes, that would have been easier but we instead chose a path that was previously uncharted. The positives that came out of that choice proved that in spite of the uncertainty that the global pandemic left all of us in, good things can still be found if one works hard enough at making it happen. No matter how big or small, no matter what phase you are in, never let your spark fade.

 

For more insights into how AdSpark keeps the fire lit, visit www.adspark.ph or email to info@adspark.ph


Comments

Check out more...

The Little Mermaid’ makes a splash onto the screens of SM Cinemas

The much-awaited live-action reimagination of Disney’s classic, ‘The Little Mermaid,’ is currently showing at SM Cinemas nationwide.  Dive into a world of underwater adventure, finding love, and realizing dreams with Ariel, portrayed by American singer-songwriter, Halle Bailey. Swim with the young mermaid as she trades her voice for legs so she can discover the world above water. At SM Cinemas, movie screens are equipped with cutting-edge technology that offers the highest quality of pictures and sounds. Be a part of Ariel’s world through the SM IMAX experience of crystal-clear scenes, with a wider view of life under the sea. Watch films on a state-of-the-art screen that is twice the size of a regular cinema where one can feel the crashing waves through a cinematic surround sound system. The comfort and convenience of moviegoers have always been a top priority. The plush seating, spacious theaters, and efficient ticketing systems ensure that the movie-watching experience is hassle-free

5 moments that made the 2022-23 NBA Season epic

Rewatch the season that was – and more – with NBA League Pass powered by PLDT Home!   The 2022-23 NBA season has been nothing short of epic. From the league’s best players cementing their legacies to teams achieving historic feats, the NBA has provided some of the best storylines throughout the year – all of which Filipino fans can revisit through NBA League Pass powered by PLDT Home. As the season culminated with the Denver Nuggets dominating over Miami Heat, 4-1, here’s a look back at some of its best moments: 1.  Big trades shock the league An NBA season isn’t complete without teams making huge moves before and at the league’s trade deadline. The Dallas Mavericks made the first big move, trading Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith to the Brooklyn Nets for Kyrie Irving, adding another superstar to their team to back up Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic.   However, the biggest trade was completed during the deadline, when the Phoenix Suns landed Kevin Durant in a massive four-team

#Gcash users can now go cashless on their next Euro trip thanks to Alipay+ partnership

GCash users can now opt for a hassle-free, cashless payment method on their next Euro trip as the Philippines’ leading mobile wallet is now accepted in Europe’s top travel destinations, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy. This cross-border payment service is part of the e-wallet’s strengthened collaboration and partnership with Alipay+ to offer a seamless and secure payment experience, as well as real-time foreign exchange (forex) with no service fee, allowing customers to a hassle-free and rewarding travel experience abroad. Among the key merchants and stores that can accept GCash via Alipay+ are Harrods, Liberty London, and Harvey Nichols in the UK; Printemps in France; Müller and dm-drogerie markt in Germany; as well as itTaxi, and IVS Group, the leader in the vending machines market, in Italy. “In line with our fervent commitment to make our customers’ everyday lives better and more convenient, we want to make sure that they can maximize their GCash account no

DICT, GeeksPH bolsters PH startup scene with 6th Geeks on a Beach in Panglao

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and GeeksPH announced the revival of Geeks on a Beach (GOAB) after a four-year break and is set to happen in Panglao, Bohol on November 23-24, during the Philippine Startup Week 2023. The two-day international conference, known for leveraging Philippine tourism and ICT Industry expertise, will gather hundreds of entrepreneurs, investors, innovators, and globally-acclaimed startup ecosystem players to showcase the country’s startup achievements in both local and international scenes. GOAB 2023 will offer plenary sessions exploring potential investment opportunities and breakout sessions that will focus on sector-specific topics like Fintech, EduTech, HealthTech, AgriTech, and ClimateTech and other category-specific themes centered around youth and women. The event will also feature emerging technologies discussion, pitching fest, business matching, investors’ roundtable, and exhibits from various stakeholders. To cap off

Enjoy an all-in-one Unli Internet plan at home with PLDT Home

What  better way to  enjoy everything at home  with a broadband plan that  gives   you an  all-in-one unlimited  access to  the  internet,  Pay  TV, and  mobile services .    The new  PLDT Home  Fiber  Unli  All plan  offer s  the best value for money  with a bundled package that comes with unlimited fiber internet,  unlimited entertainment content from Cignal TV, and unlimited calls to PLDT, Smar t a nd TNT.    Here’s a quick breakdown of the new Fiber  Unli  All plans available and their internet speeds: Whether you   want to stream your favorite videos, TV series, and movies ,  the  new Fiber  Unli  All plans deliver what  the whole family wants  with the fast broadband internet and a wide range of  entertainment  options on premium  Pay  TV.  With the Philippines’ largest  Pay  TV provider   Cignal ,  the new Fiber  Unli All plans also give families a wide selection of high-definition channels and content ranging from sports, kids, and documentaries.   The Fiber Unli All plans are