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GO PLACES
Was in Hong Kong for three days. It was for a one day Creative Workshop hosted by media magazine. So, you can already imagine that the other two days were spent shopping. He he he.

Spend most of the time looking for the stuff that people asked me to buy. Didn’t get the chance to get anything for myself. Tried to look for shoes but they were all too expensive. Page One had a lot of great finds but most of them would end up in our bookstores anyway.

At the workshop, met the creative team from O&M Hong Kong. They handle the San Miguel Beer ads there. It was funny hearing them say, “Eee-tah-as moh!” as they raised their glasses when we did a toast. You see, our campaign was chosen as “the best one” in the workshop. So, we got a bottle of red wine as a prize.

We made a campaign for the car company Skoda and their car was for first-car owners who just graduated, who just got their first jobs. They're eager, optimistic, and have lots of plans of what do and where to go in life. And their looking for an affordable, dependable car. So, we thought that the car should be sold as "the car that will take you to where you want to go". Hence the tagline, GO PLACES. The judges (other creative directors) were trying to decided between us and the other group that made a campaign about GETTING THERE. In the end, the bottle of wine went to us.

Met the guy who was part of the team who made the award-winning ads for THE ECONOMIST. Also met the man who is considered the creative guru of Indian. His campaign for Cadbury is India was so successful; people now call any kind of chocolate a Cadbury.

It was interesting to meet and hear the experiences of creatives in the region. It was interesting to find out that even award-winning writers and art directors go through the same process of pitching and getting rejected, like everyone else. That sometimes, the best ideas actually come from client and it’s just a matter of listening to their concerns and finding the proper solution to their problems.

KEEP BREATHING
After the workshop, had the chance to check out Lan Kwai Fong, it’s a place like Malate—lots of bars and pubs and restaurants—expect it involves a lot of walking up and down the streets. I felt like Gimli, muttering under my breath, “Keep breathing! That’s the trick!”

But it was lovely night to walk around the neon-lit streets of Hong Kong. It was cold night ... a bit nippy... but I loved it that way. I wore my dad’s leather jacket during the trip. It’s funny, cause that’s the same leather jacket I used to wear as a kid, pretending to be a spy or a ninja and it was just too big for me that I looked like I was walking around in a tent. And now, it fits me just fine.

Walking around in Ocean Terminal made me remember the first time I ever went to Hong Kong. It was my first time to go anywhere outside the country. It was first time to ride an airplane. And it was the first time I ever spend time alone with my dad. I think I was eight or nine years ago. The whole family was supposed to go, but at the at last minute, my mom and Brandie had to stay. So, I went with my dad on his 3-day business trip. During the day, I just stayed at the hotel watching cartoons dubbed in Chinese. When he came back, we went to toy shops that just made me drool and cry cause I couldn’t buy everything that I wanted.

MY ROAD MAP
Met some Pinoys who were working there. Encouraged us to try and work there too. Might prove to be an interesting experience.

When I was still a year old, my dad supposedly got an offer to work in a TV station in the States, but he declined because he was loyal to his work and his boss here in Manila.

I wonder if I’m now supposed to go down the roads he didn’t choose.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

I know where I want to go.

I also know that getting there won't be as easy as going to a straight road.

"But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."






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