GMA Pinoy TV bags 2 prestigious awards for Marketing Excellence

Lolit Tuazon, Sales and Marketing Director of Tahanang Walang Hagdanan with Joseph T. Francia, Vice President and Head of Operations for GMA International

 GMA Network’s flagship international channel GMA Pinoy TV continues to uphold excellence in marketing the Kapuso brand, and this is again proven by two valuable awards from the 2011 Excellence in Multicultural Marketing Awards (EMMA) of the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC).  

The EMMA recognizes the members of the television cable industry and their efforts in reaching different cultural segments through their creative and innovative marketing strategies including print, TV commercials, and other marketing materials.

Landing 2nd Places in Marketing Tactics are GMA Pinoy TV’s “Kapuso Abroad” magazine for the Grassroots category and “Manila Jeepneys” for Diversity Awareness.

The “Kapuso Abroad” is GMA International’s glossy magazine targeting Filipinos all around the globe to keep them updated about their favorite Kapuso stars and provide them more stories behind the most anticipated programs from the Philippines as delivered by the two international channels, and soon by the third international, all Filipino news channel, GMA News TV International.

Kapuso Abroad cover page

 

The magazine has become a popular and favorite item distributed in Filipino community events, in consulate offices, and in Filipino establishments. It has also proven to be a very useful tool for the call center representatives of GMA Pinoy TV and GMA Life TV channel carriers when offering subscription opportunities to their customers. Because of its popularity, GMA International has taken the next step that is to produce the digital counterpart of “Kapuso Abroad” so that it is made available to its online audiences. The magazine, which can now be viewed online via www.gmapinoytv.com, is also a venue for readers to know about the latest events and activities of the Filipino communities worldwide, providing them the opportunity to connect with their kababayans wherever they may be.

Meanwhile, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, GMA Pinoy TV partnered with the non-government organization Tahanang Walang Hagdanan – the Filipino counterpart of House with No Steps in Australia – in producing items that promoted the international channels and helped raise funds for its orthopedically handicapped members as well.

The “Manila Jeepneys” – hundreds of miniature wooden replicas of the iconic Pinoy vehicle, meticulously crafted by the TWH members – became a means for GMA International to contribute in raising money for the livelihood, medical, and educational efforts of the group. Part of the sales of the wooden jeepneys was also allocated for the special education program for children with special needs.

Through these collectible items, the representatives of the channel carriers acquired a better understanding and appreciation of the Filipino culture and its corresponding market.

Manila Jeepneys

“We are very honored that a renowned body like NAMIC has again recognized our efforts, this time for the ‘Kapuso Abroad’ magazine, which continues to be an effective communication tool among Filipinos living abroad, and the ‘Manila Jeepneys,’ which boast highly of the Pinoy identity. This inspires us to continue reaching out to our kababayans in the country and around the world by tapping means which do not only speak of Pinoy creativity and innovativeness, but also that which are relevant to the larger community,” shares Joseph T. Francia, Vice President and Head of Operations for GMA International.

This is actually the third year that GMA Pinoy TV was cited by NAMIC. In 2006, the “Comcast San Francisco Bay Area GMA Pinoy TV Launch” was awarded 1st place in the Case Study Cable category for being “the most successful cable network launch in Comcast Bay Area history, dramatically exceeding goals.” The Kapuso international channel also bagged the 1st place award that same year in Marketing Tactics for Network Internet/New Media category for its website www.gmapinoytv.com. And just last 2010, GMA Pinoy TV, together with GMA Life TV, again landed 1st Place in Direct Mail Marketing Tactics for “Time Warner GMA Pinoy TV and GMA Life TV launch postcard” and 2nd Places in both Direct Mail and Print Marketing Tactics for “Comcast GMA Life TV Upsell.”

The awarding ceremony for the 2011 EMMA is set to take place during the 25th Annual Conference of NAMIC on October 5 at Hilton New York.