Before a crowd of media executives on January 6, the Philippine’s number one beverage company officially announces its year-long activities as it celebrates its centenary this year. In a belated and austere holiday reception with friends and supporters from the media, the PPI included, director for media affairs Wally Panganiban expressed gratitude for another fruitful and relevant partnerships. It was also the first time that the company open its office for an understated year-end bash.
“Owing to the calamities that severely damage some parts in Visayas and Mindanao, we want to keep the celebration simple and we hope that opening our doors to you would make a lasting impression on the kind of relationship that we have established with you and will continue to do so,” Panganiban said.
The attendees were a also given a sneak peek into the newest Coke commercial “Tagpo” that made its pilot run on Philippine television last Sunday. The venue was transformed into an exhibit area that showcased mementos and memorabilia of Coke products throughout the years of its existence. Old commercials were also shown. Trivia games were also conducted that won for some ipads and Coke coffee table books.
“This is like taking us back in time when we were just kids,” George Caparas said. Some poignant scenes also made the senior members of the crowd sentimental. “Open Happiness” and “Live Positively” are among its recent breakthrough TVCs.
Panganiban during his presentation of the 2012 calendar of events, took note of the PPI’s 16th National Press Forum and Civic Journalism Community Press Awards on April 23-25, 2012 at Traders Hotel Manila. He said that it is one of Coke’s biggest partnership programs in the region. Its engagement with the PPI through The Coca-Cola Export Corporation (TCCEC), started in 2002 via “Building Better Communities Through Civic Journalism”.
Coke promises an exciting year as it launches two important writing contests for the media: the most number of stories written about Coke and the best story written in 2012. Prizes include a trip to Atlanta, Georgia home to Coke’s main plant.
Filipinos got their first state of Coke in 1912. May 28, 2012 is officially designated as the 100th Coke anniversary in the Philippines.
