Last July 10, the Philippine Junior Marketing Association launched the Business Online eXploration, an online seminar made for Marketistas to become stronger and better at their craft amidst a crisis. Over a thousand attendees witnessed talks from renowned individuals in the field of business and marketing, but also performances from local talents.
The Five Ps of Marketing (for Pandemics): The Shift of Marketing Implementation During Economic Crisis by Ms. Marilyn Ventenilla
Ms. Marilyn Ventenilla set the tone for the online seminar. She provided insights on what a crisis is, but also what it is as an opportunity. To her, it’s an invitation to revisit a company’s strategies and methods in order to propel its brand further amidst such a troubling time. In response to recognizing that a shift is urgently needed, she presented the 5 Ps: Priorities, Purpose, Personal, Passion, and Persist. As such, her segment didn’t just recognize the need for a shift, but it illustrated to the attendees how to achieve that shift altogether.
Brand You: Marketing Strategic Planning Amidst Crisis by Mr. Ken Lerona
If the first speaker discussed a wide approach to marketing and implementation, Mr. Ken Lerona highlighted an individualistic perspective through talking about the way we brand ourselves. Starting with a narrative on his childhood of poverty to learning how to put himself out there, he mentioned multiple ways to expand one’s knowledge in order to make themselves marketable. He made it clear: his approach is not reliant on the old normal. He posited that we have to innovate new approaches and strategies in order to stand out. However, in the process of doing so, he reminds the attendees that three things are key: knowing yourself, knowing your competitors, and knowing the terrain.
Bringing New Behaviors: Business Adaptation to New Market Trends by Mr. Rey Lugtu
Building a business and its brand requires a thorough understanding of the audience, and Mr. Reynaldo Lugtu helped us comprehend just that. In this segment of the seminar, he spent a good portion of it explaining the different personas people have adopted in response to COVID-19. Some personas range from being active through learning and growing to being passive through distracting oneself from societal issues. He claimed that upon full comprehension of these kinds of audiences, that knowledge must dictate how businesses adapt. In the latter parts of his segment, he highlights community commerce and how it can and does address the needs of both producers and consumers.
In between being serenaded by the performers and enlightened by the speakers, the Philippine Junior Marketing Association is successful in aiding their attendees with the skills necessary to be strong leaders, entrepreneurs, and marketers despite the unpredictability of this pandemic.
