Philippine Blogosphere Pitch: Why not aim for the Anvil Awards?

Every year, the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) gives out a set of Anvil Awards for remarkable public relations campaigns done in the Philippines.

The ANVIL is a symbol of excellence in public relations in the Philippines awarded by a distinguished multi-sectoral jury for outstanding public relations programs and tools designed and implemented in the past year. The Anvil Awards competition is conducted annually by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines.

The Anvil symbolizes excellence and quality. The standards for winning are high. No award is given unless the standards are met.

There are four award categories:

The Anvil Award of Merit
The Anvil Award of Excellence
The Bronze Anvil Award
THE GRAND ANVIL AWARD

What exactly am I pitching? Why can’t we pitch the ongoing Filipinas Campaign as an entry in the 44th Anvil Awards happening in February 2009. This February 2008 is the awarding for the Anvil for campaigns done between October 31 2006 to October 31 2007. Though it would be too late to include the Filipinas Campaign as an entry to the 43rd Anvil Awards, it can still very well make it into the 44th.

In fear of misrepresenting the Philippine blogosphere again ( 🙂 ) I would like to enumerate the benefits of having the local blogosphere and SEO industry work as a beneficiary and stakeholder submit the campaign as an entry. First, it gives due recognition to the booming SEO industry in the Philippines. Second, it can be a platform to turn the Filipinas campaign into something even bigger in the future. Third, it shows a united effort among the online community to come up with a purely online multi-sectoral entry. This will REDEFINE the Philippine online community to the public eye, as it sometimes seems like we’re all just preaching to the choir.

To be nominated for the Anvil, you must either be a project implementor, agency or stakeholder organization, a beneficiary, or a PRSP member. The Filipinas Campaign will make an excellent entry into either of the two categories: Public Relations Tool or Electronic and Interactive Media. There is a chicken fee of P5,000.00 for joining.

So there you have it. This is a pitch which I cast into the open sea of the local blogosphere. I really don’t know where to proceed from here or if its something even worth pursuing. It would be a wonderful endeavor to involve ourselves in for 2008, don’t you think? I have some idea on how to proceed in documenting the campaign in time for October 2008, but then again, I’m also slightly hesitant in this whole misrepresenting bit, as I am not aware of the history of the Filipinas Campaign – I know there was a collaborative involvement with the Filipina Moms, SEO Philippines, Digital Filipino, and specific bloggers like Noemi, Dine, and Riz. But I’m not quite sure about specifics.

So geeks, what do you all think?

Some examples of Grand Anvil Award winners in the past which I am fond of:

2005 – MNTC Integrated Communication Program: Toll Rate Management Plan
A very successful campaign where drivers were actually happy to pay a lot more for the toll on the North Luzon Express Way … how weird is that? But the campaign was a huge success as the NLEX was refurbished.

1999 – Sabi ng Jollibee: “Kaya Mo, Kid!” (Jollibee says: You can do it, kid!)
Do you remember this one? The phrase “kaya mo, kid!” really stuck and became a catch phrase.

1996 – “EDSA para sa Masa!” – Metro Rail Transit Corporation

1995 – “Save the trees, use steel!” by the National Steel Corporation

1967 – Mrs. Imelda Marcos for her Social, Cultural, and International Projects

1963 – Operation Quick Count – The Manila Times