AGC PHC executives engage in a dedicated forum with advertising students from one of the country’s top universities
In a convergence of academy and industry, the University of the Philippines Advertising Core (UP AdCore) – an organization dedicated to promoting awareness on effective and responsible advertising to the Filipino youth – collaborated with AGC Power Holdings Corp. (AGC PHC) for an enlightening talk last June 14 at the AGC PHC studio.
The session was attended by AGC PHC’s executives including CEO Archie G. Carrasco, COO Ramon Galicia and Publisher Janine Recto of One MEGA Group Inc. (OMGI), and COO Anne Bernisca of Modern Media Group Inc. (MMGI). It was a dive into navigating the lifestyle media discussing the processes of creating an issue, how to tap different markets, staying ahead of the curve, and more.
Carrasco opened the dialogue by sharing his journey of transforming OMGI into a diverse media ecosystem during the pandemic. Advertisers turned away from media and magazines, leaving the sole print publication, MEGA Magazine in great challenge. In response, Carrasco developed his own powerful ecosystem, AGC PHC, with magazine brands that competed with and complemented each other. Carrasco also shared that the journey wouldn’t be complete without purpose. “Purpose is the most important thing and a lot of leaders should realize this, especially talking to the new generation,” he said.
UP AdCore students listening intently
To sustain the market for these brands, Galicia shared the strategy for engaging diverse audiences: customizing content for each platform and market. He explained, “As a multimedia company, we ensure the content we create for each platform is tailored to its specific niche.” He said that content for print and digital must differ to effectively reach their distinct audiences.
Recto then provided an insightful behind-the-scenes look at the meticulous process of magazine creation. “For us, it’s not about catching up with trends but staying ahead of them. Every time we conceptualize, it’s always about how we can do something different.” From ideation to executing the shoot, she added, “It really takes a village,” as projects involve more than a hundred individuals from different teams including editorial, sales, administration, and production.
Bernisca stressed the importance of collaboration, affirming that every idea is essential to creative success. She highlighted how AGC PHC values input from all team members. She said, “Every voice deserves to be heard in a group. In everything we do, collaboration is key.”
The students were surprised with a challenge by the CEO himself to put these insights into practice by creating a short presentation on how to make magazines relevant to Gen Z – with an equally surprising generous cash prize for the best idea. The winning concept of “Revive and Relive” highlighted the timeless value of physical magazines, emphasizing how they can capture moments in a way that digital media cannot.
UP AdCore members receiving free AGC PHC titles including Gen Z crowd-favorite: customizable NYLON Manila MyZine
AGC PHC welcomes interactions such as these to engage the youth, learn from them, and inspire them to also proudly bring the Philippines to the world.