Coming from its #Sweet6thYear anniversary in 2016, COMCO marks a new milestone with its #COMCOEpic7years celebration, kicking it off at Holy Angel University in the city of Angels – Angeles City, Pampanga.
As part of its seventh-anniversary celebration, trailblazing and global award-winning integrated communications agency COMCO Southeast Asia recently conducted an industry insight talk at Holy Angel University (HAU) in Angeles City, Pampanga. The talk, entitled “New PR and Smart Social: Igniting the Future of the Public Relations Industry,” was held in partnership with HAU Communicators’ League, the official student organization of BA Communication students of the university which includes apprentices from the Cycle 19 of the Camp COMCO Mentorship Program.
Representatives from COMCO and HAU
Before the talk, the COMCO Squadron, led by Group Chief Executive Director and Lead Strategic Communications Counsel / Partner & Co-Founder Mr. Ferdinand L. Bondoy, had a courtesy call with the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Dr. Janette R. Rodriguez, Chairperson of the Communication Program Mr. Marvin V. Viado, and faculty members Ms. Irene Manalili and Mr. Rodolfo De Guzman, where Mr. Bondoy enthusiastically announced that HAU students and apprentices from Camp COMCO Cycle 19 – Ernest Yap, Doms Magtoto and Jan David – have all been absorbed as full-time employees by the company.
COMCO also expressed its commitment to support students through their Camp COMCO Mentorship Program by providing the necessary technical knowledge and industry insight needed to deliver the best possible industry linkage course to communication students in the country.
Mr. Bondoy discusses the new way of doing public relations
The event proper started with Mr. Bondoy refreshing the students’ knowledge about public relations, highlighting the misconceptions and outdated practices of the industry.
“In the new way of doing public relations, the publics are not just the audience or market anymore, but they have a say in your existence as an organization and they have a stake in your existence,” Mr. Bondoy shared as he explained the differences between traditional and new ways of doing PR.
Mr. Bondoy then introduced COMCO’s industry-leading approach to public relations which they have been using to deliver their brand of Meaningful Storytelling: New PR – a strategy based, content-driven, and channel-agnostic way of doing PR; and Smart Social – a holistic, authentic and integrated approach in the maximization of digital and social channels.
The Agency has been using this approach for the last seven years to ignite brand love, social change, talent growth, and inter-regional collaboration, servicing 100 clients and being recognized for 150 global and local awards.
Ms. Joan Maslang shares about COMCO’s first flagship project in 2016, the Vote M&M’s campaign
Mr. Bondoy was also joined by other COMCO leaders, Joan Maslang, Corporate Services Director and Comptroller / Partner; Harvey Llamosa, Chief of Staff to the Group Chief Executive Director and Senior Executive Initiatives and Integrated Communications Manager / Partner; AC Recio, Senior Digital and Multimedia Arts Manager and Business Unit Administrator Pro Tempore / Partner; and Queenie Resmundo, Brand Communications Manager and Business Unit Administrator Pro Tempore, who shared some of the Agency’s flagship projects such as the Vote M&Ms 2016, AirAsia See The World, Students’ PR Con and Grand Prix Hack Sprint 2021, and the Agency’s own Dear Survivor: The Write to Ignite Blogging Project Season 2. This also served as inspiration for students in the audience who aspire to be PR practitioners in the future, as Mr. Llamosa, Mr. Recio and Ms. Resmundo were all a part of the early cycles of the Camp COMCO Mentorship Program and are now top-ranking officers in the company.
The COMCO Squadron receiving their certificates from Holy Angel University’s Communicators’ League
The event concluded with a question-and-answer segment, where students asked about anything related to the public relations and communications industry. The COMCO Squadron answered all the questions based on industry best practices and their experience and insights working for renowned local and international brands.
When asked about how COMCO’s New PR approach balances controversy and clamor based on the idea that “bad publicity is still a publicity,” Mr. Bondoy responded, “As an Agency, we don’t do those things. We don’t believe that negative publicity is still publicity. What we counsel clients about are the right things to do, because at the end of the day, even if you’re talked about, it doesn’t build the brand, and it’s still a negative thing.”
Ignited by new industry insights and armed by COMCO’s brand of Meaningful Storytelling through New PR and Smart Social, the young communicators were left with a challenge to carve a more socially responsible society with their God-given talents.
“As communicators, we are in a position to lead and influence others and ignite social change. So, if you are given that opportunity, grab it, use that chance to do something valuable. More good influences are needed in this world, so be one. I am looking forward to seeing you all in the real-world, after graduation, being communicators yourselves, and propagating #MeaningfulStorytelling in your craft,” said Mr. Bondoy.
This event is part of COMCO’s lineup of activities for the #COMCOEpic7Years celebration. To know more about COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises, visit www.comcomundo.com.
About COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises
COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises is the parent company and the umbrella group of COMCO’s existing and upcoming ventures and initiatives – a collective of agencies, companies, and programs dedicated to advancing the communications profession and related disciplines such as digital, media, advocacy, training and education, and entrepreneurship; to being a force for social change; to nurturing talent growth and workplace community culture; and to championing borderless collaboration. The COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises is a powerhouse group of communication compnies comprised of COMCO Southeast Asia – New PR and Smart Social, COMCO Middle East and Africa Marketing Services, TARO AOX Digital + Integrated Communications, SEA Wave Pop Culture Studio, Camp COMCO Mentorship Program and Alumni Society, and Citizen COMCO Advocacy Program.