Today's Issue
- Editor's Take: A ‘Battle of Brands’ or ‘More Unfinished Business’?
- SME News: SME Biz Park wins Asia-Pacific Development Award
- Best Business Solutions at SME Technology Summit 2008
- Events: 20th SME Toolkit Road Show (Thursday 5 June); Business Technology Conference (Thursday 5 to Saturday 7 June); Process Optimization through Design of Experiments (Thursday 05 and Friday 6 June); Market Intelligence: Pinpointing Opportunities for your Business (Tuesday 10 June); Basic MS Word (Tuesday 10 June); 5S of Good Housekeeping (Tuesday 10 June); and Open Office (Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 June)
- Tax Calendar
- Computer World Philippines: 2008 Executive Briefings seminar series for IT and Business Executives
SME News
SME Biz Park wins Asia-Pacific Development Award
TEHRAN, IRAN—The Plantersbank SME Business Park, the 40-hectare industrial development in Cebu, was hailed a regional Outstanding SME Development Project during the 31st conference of the Association of Development Finance Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP) in the Iranian capital.
To read full story, click here!
Best Business Solutions at SME Technology Summit 2008
SME.com.ph in cooperation with Planters Development Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC) bring its first-ever 'SME Technology Summit 2008', themed: "Linking you to Opportunities, Delivering Results"
To read full story, click here!
Tax Calendar
Thursday 2 June - e-Filing/Filing & e-Payment/Payment of 2000 - Documentary Stamp Tax Declaration/Return for the Month of May 2008
Source: Bureau of Internal RevenueComputer World Philippines: 2008 Executive Briefings seminar series for IT and Business Executives
Topic: Point-of-Sale Innovations(Driving Efficiency)
For further details, click here!
Editor's Take
A ‘Battle of Brands’ or ‘More Unfinished Business’?
The other week a spokesman for the Commission on Elections reacted to a letter from Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago asking the Commission to investigate if government officials commit election offenses by appearing in advertisements or product endorsements.
According to Philippine election law the campaign period for President, Vice President and Senators is 90 days prior to the day of elections. However, the Comelec spokesman insists: “No one is considered a candidate until he or she has filed a certificate of candidacy.”
Of the political personalities, let me single out Vice Noli De Castro and Senator Loren Legarda, who at this time are the strongest contenders for the 2010 presidential race according to surveys.
In the Pulse Asia poll, De Castro garnered 21.5% over Legarda with 17.5%. De Castro has already reinforced his legitimacy after the Supreme Court threw out Legarda’s electoral protest stemming from the 2004 vice presidential race. Both politicians continue to do battle, even in advertisements, which sections of the public perceive as premature campaigning.
If you are an SME owner considering this approach to building your brand, extreme caution is recommended. Although endorser credibility has strongest impact on A and D audiences, corporate or brand credibility plays an important role in consumers’ reactions, which had its impact on A and B crowd.
If you want to build your brand by tapping personalities like politicians, your attempts risk being clouded by suspicions. The nature of the campaign may no longer be a battle of brands but a mere reflection of personalities taking advantage of your company to prop up their image for whatever ‘unfinished business’ or ‘future ambitions’ they might have.
What's your take on this? We want to hear from you! To participate in the discussion, click here!
