Gen F "The 2nd PANAF IMC Youth Congress":New Media and Innovations

      Last Saturday, I attended this amazing event that my home org (Actm: Associations for Communications Technology Management) organized about IMC (Integrated Marketing Communications). This event is known as the Gen F: The 2^nd PANAF IMC YOUTH CONGRESS. There was also a talk in this event not only about IMC but also in Advertising and Marketing. These are one of the things that I like or I’m interested in. In relation to this, I remembered two theories that were discussed in our Communication (Comm) class. These two theories are the Diffusions on Innovation Theory and the New Media Age Theory which really struck me because it has a big relevance to what most the speakers said during the talk. I learned that media before used to be centralized and caters to a general audience but now it is DEcentralized which focuses on individualized and specialized media for specific audiences. I took note of the innovations that are in demand too! For this entry, I will be drawing from the insights of some speakers and share mine as well. It’s also quite surprising that it’s relevant to us audience: the youth! So, what are these innovations that have attracted the youth? How did the speakers make the use of information through media decentralized?Who are these speakers by the way? Let's find out and read below!:)

          Nowadays, there are countless innovations and new trends and, I'm glad that the speakers were able to "decentralize" the knowledge and information by sharing their expertise and experience in their own respective fields so that we "the youth" can discover our interests and find the right careers after we graduate. Good thing, the topics were diverse so each of us can know what's right for us which makes it DEcentralized and individualized to the audience. I took down notes from 12 speakers and I'll do my best to integrate what they said. When working in the industry, Sir Toff Gosingtian and Sir Paul John Pena said that you should not be afraid of being young and never get fazed by it.I noticed that it is hard to lead a group of people who are older since they have more wisdom and experience,giving them seniority over the "younglings". But,this can be challenging at the same time because this will test our courage to show them our drive,passion,willingness to learn and tougness of attitude. This will also inspire our generation to look up to them and give due recognition to their seniority since they can be great mentors too, who will inspire us to be the best we can be!

        Famous blogger, Ms Tricia Gosingtian,emphasized the need of knowing who you are because this will spell how unique you are as a "brand" to consumers and customers.One's identity is crucial in the marketing place because you'll be able to identify the the type of personality you'll project in front of an ad or a group of consumers.At the same time,knowing who you are will enable you to discover your strengths and weaknesses as a person which gives a clearer view of what you can and what you cannot do.Mr Sid Maderazo who is an Art and TVC director said that we should "Think with your eyes.See with your mind.". He also told us to draw and translate ideas visually so we can see things in a bigger picture.When translating ideas visually,it is also important to bring "magic" to what you are advertising so your brand can have a "wow" effect to the viewers,having that feeling of amazement and wonder when seeing things for the first time,advised by Sir Budjette Tan who is a Deputy Executive Creative Director.He talked about comics and also emphasized the importance of remembering our history because we can know our origins,integrate it to our own totality and mix it up when making a comic book.

         These ideas really surprise me because in graphic design Team Manila shared the importance of having your own voice or believing in yourself and not only your idols,moving fast,expressing an idea immediately!Starting it small can lead to something big and they told us to SHARE it to our own culture and pass it on to the next generation as well which includes us, of course! :) Sir John Chua,an advertising photographer,explained how important it is to use photography in "breaking barriers" between (disabled) children and society.Sir Angelo Sta Catalina mentioned how important certain core values (like finding your passion,realizing the competition,speaking your work for itself,using available resources and perseverance) can be in being a 3D Animator or aspiring artist.I really find Sir Vernon Go's(president and publisher of PULP magazine) presentation amusing because he only promoted some of his concerts to us and we even got free tickets! Changing the reality around you can change you as a person as well.In the process of doing so,we need to be good and influential leaders who are capable of communicating very well,sharing resources to others,creating sustainable responses.In other words,making things happen!This was stated by Sir Joseph Quesada who's a manager on education and leadership development in Ayala Foundation.

       Finally,as a marketer,it is a great bonus if one has traveled to so many places which will enable you to know different cultures and learn so many things at the same time,says travel blogger Ivan Henares.I noticed that a well-traveled person can write a lot in blogs and can get marketing opportunities, especially abroad.He even said that you can even become an "ambassador" of the Philippines if you travel a lot!

       The new innovations by the way included trends in beauty,fashion,technology and trend-spotting. Interesting? :) To sum it all up,our generation is more aware of what's new and modern for our taste.We have grown more sophisticated and more aware of the brands which will cater to our interests.The youth of today are in a competitive and fast-paced worlds where old rules need to be replaced by a new set of norms to change reality and keep things at its place.Technology is really the main factor for making shifts in the marketing industry:"traditional mass media to specialized and targeted media","general marketing to data-based marketing",from dominant state control to powerful consumer control,etc.I discovered that it also important to understand the consumer/customer:their needs and wants,behavior,personality,attitudes and interests.Doing so can help in integrating the marketing mix (like Public Relations,Sales,Promotions,Advertising) to create the goal of communicating a message for the people to know and be informed.As a student,it is crucial for me to update myself with my interests so I can be a great advertiser,marketer or commercial model in the future who will satisfy what the audience want and need! =)

           

         

Public Sphere:Sociology/Standards of Beauty

            I suddenly remembered when I came to the Matteo Hall out of coincidence.I was surprised by what I saw because it so happened that the photo exhibit portrayed what we were also discussing in our sociology class. So,what was it that I saw which attracted my fancy and at the same time we discussed in class? It was a photo exhibit portraying the standards of beauty in the Philippine society which was influenced by Western ideas. In my Sociology and Anthropology(SA) class, we discussed how media depicted beauty nowadays.This really caught my attention because it was a venue for me to gain more knowledge and integrate what I learned from SA and the photo exhibit. It is crucial to take into consideration how showbiz and the Western Culture influenced the Philippine context of beauty since this was what the media used to mold our perceptions.

           We are normally engaged by how showbiz can truly manipulate our perceptions of beauty.In the Philippines,we get attracted to celebrities who fit our own standard definition of beauty and in one of the compositions posted in the photo exhibit,I saw the names of Piolo Pascual, Bea Alonzo, Anne Curtis and a whole lot more.In the showbiz industry,one needed good looks,charm,grace,talent in acting: singing,acting and dancing, and a good personality.Well,at least,the names mentioned above have most of the attributes needed to be a successful and popular celebrity.People normally watch movies,teleseryes,shows and films noticing these good-looking and beautiful actors and actresses.These celebrities needed to be presentable in front of the camera so it can be featurable and viewable to the audience.Most of them  are usually fair, tall,muscular/curvaceous,stylish,and foreign looking blessed with a magnificent face.

           As a star,they have to make sure that they stay good-looking and beautiful which they do by exercising regularly and following strict diets.They really need to so they can still be appealing to the audience and most of them have the ideal look which helps in attracting more viewers.Truly,showbiz is a main influencer of most people's sense of beauty as the audience would want to look like the actors and actresses they see on TV.They even want to be famous like them so they'll get paid by movie producers but also by advertisers.

          Another big influencer to the Philippine's standards of beauty came from the Western Culture.It has a number of influences in the world today and they include fields like sports,cuisines,social interactions and beauty,the biggest of them all.The West consists of interesting and diverse places like Africa,Europe and America.Their standards by the way include a fair skin,slim figure,nice hair, an attractive face and fashionable clothing.America contributes the most to our perception of beauty.It is like a tropical fruit shake because it has "all the flavors in one cup".This means they have everything from the mags,movies,music,news and in short everything.America's perception of beauty on the other hand was also influenced by Europe and Africa

        Europe is prominently known to be the home of many beautiful people; where good-looking and hot actors and models come from.It is also one of the most fashionable places in the world.French and Italian people have great taste for fashion and that's why they have Milan and Paris Fashion Week.Europeans have defined noses and chins,good-looking faces and a good sense of fashion, and also have an accent when they talk (which some find sexy and hot).

       Africans have a say too in influencing the Philippine's standards of beauty.They compose of what they wear,long neck;reason why they wear several rings around their neck,dark skin color,wearing accessories like earrings and bracelet;the more you have,the more beautiful you are,and having traits like strength and independence.Diversity is something that makes the Western Culture unique after all,they say that there is "unity in diversity".

      More important,every person,country and culture each have a unique set of traits that define beauty which the media portrays,features,advertises and presents to the people.I also learned that "Beauty is not real.Beauty only exists in perception".What would also support that statement is "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,not depending on the trending".The trend may have its standards but it is still you who can define your own look,style,taste and your perception of beauty.Over time,our own perceptions(not the beholder) of good looks and beauty will get more refined as we get to expose ourselves to different standards.Beauty is really subjective and is a "socially constructed reality"(phrase which I learned from SA). =D Therefore,what we can also do is to appreciate ourselves according to how we look,carry ourselves,dress and relate with others as there are more important things than beauty itself and besides,beauty comes from within too not only outside! =D