(this was the other article from the Harrison Communications supplement that came out in the Philippine Daily Inquirer last January 11, 2005)
H marks the spot
“Envisioned to enhance the ad agency’s creative spirit on every front and every aspect of service, to remake the way they made ads” was the objective of McCann-Erickson Philippines’ 1995 Renaissance Program. From this, the idea of an M.E.2, a second agency, was born. It was christened HK McCann in 1996 as homage to agency founder Harrison King McCann. Though it was definitely not a “me too”.
HK, as it was fondly called, was to be a launch pad for new media disciplines like Direct Marketing, Events Management, and Design. Even years later, as it added more mainstream work to its portfolio, HK would remain true to its non-trad beginnings, always delivering work that was out-of-the-box.
“The relationship [with Harrison] has truly evolved from the early days in 1997. [Today] we have achieved an inherent understanding of each other, respect for what we each bring to the relationship, even fondness for the members of each other's team. It's a relationship that probably goes beyond numbers.” Lorenzo Chan, President, Pioneer Life Insurance
In 1998, HK McCann’s name was changed (partly because it confused people into thinking the agency was based in Hong Kong). Harrison Communications became its second and final name (which made outsiders think it was the shopping plaza.) If the agency’s name had become a point of confusion, Harrison’s communications is anything but.
Harrison Communications has provided some of the country’s market leaders with world class advertising, launching successful products and brands for its clients: Globe Telecom, Levi Strauss, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Pioneer Life Insurance, Plantersbank, SA Heinz Inc., Schering Philippines, United Laboratories (UNILAB), Universal Robina Corporation (URC), and Univet.
"Enervon, the country’s No. 1 Vitamin Brand, has had a long and productive partner with Harrison. With the agency, we have transformed vitamin advertising and taken it to a higher level. One thing that stands out with Harrison is their passion for their work and for their brand. [We are ensured that] what we get is really world class.” Alvin So, AVP, UNILAB Consumer Health Division
And now, January 2005, Harrison makes its biggest change yet. (No, not another name change.)
Today, Harrison Communications formally spins-off from McCann-Erickson Philippines and launches itself as an independent, full-service ad agency.
Today, Harrison is a passionate and powerful team with the intimacy, speed, and flexibility of a lean creative shop, wielding the discipline, tools, and resources of the world’s most business-savvy agency networks.
Today, Harrison can easily be ranked as one of the top ten agencies in the country based on its current billings.
On the creative front, Harrison has received local and foreign acclaim; garnering two Platinum Awards and a Best of Medium in the last Ad Congress and several finalists in the New York Festival and the London International Advertising Awards.
Harrison Communications is now ready to be considered a major player in the advertising industry. It is all geared up to make its mark, made evident by its striking logo: four circles, three of which are black, one a vivid red punched through with an “h”. The red circle conveys the passion for what they do and how they want to be recognized – isang ahensyang kapansin-pansin.
“Harrison deserves all the independent recognition from its clients and the industry in general.” Ferdz Dela Cruz, Head, Consumer Wireless Business, Globe Telecom. “We salute our Harrison Teammates for consistently enriching our value proposition to our subscribers through excellent and collaborative insight mining, brand and segment strategy development, winning creative execution and fresh multimedia approaches.”
Leading Harrison Communications into their eighth year is a trio with 55 years of combined agency experience.
DINO LAURENA
Managing Partner
There when it all began. Dino was one of the brave few who made up the 30-strong team that was HK McCann in `96.
Aside from 12 years in McCann Erickson, Dino previously worked in five multinational agencies and has handled accounts from Del Monte to De Beers, from Unilever to Unilab, from Isuzu to Nissan, from Monterey to Citibank.
In 1998, Dino was made General Manager of the renamed Harrison Communications. The great digital telco war was about to break; URC had assigned their baked goods/biscuits category business to the agency (and later made it its lead agency for all snack foods), Unilab’s competitors were advertising more; and Pioneer needed to make some explanations. Dino led the two year-old agency to some of its more successful campaigns and profitable years.
And so, the 30-person agency – and the workload-- tripled in size. Dino would soon call on some old friends to help manage this whirlwind of an agency.
MARICEL PANGILINAN-ARENAS
Managing Partner
Maricel bid advertising goodbye in1998 to spend more time with her family and study art. In 2002, she got a text message inviting her to be Harrison’s Consultant-Client Service Director for the Globe Telecom account. Upon the advice of her five-year old son Joey, Maricel came back to help out old friends and handle the fast-evolving telco account.
Maricel first joined McCann Erickson in 1981, where she worked on and eventually headed the division that handled Johnson & Johnson, Del Monte, Citibank, Levi Strauss Philippines, Levi Strauss Far East, and Goodyear. She also headed the Research Department and conducted McCann’s Youth Study, Male Study, and Women’s Study.
Her stint in Harrison was only supposed to last three months. Three years later, she’s still here and is now co-manages with Dino.
She continues to get the most precious of advice from her son Joey, now 8.
TEENY GONZALES
Executive Creative Director
In 1990, Teeny was the newbie copywriter that got the Filipino youth to sing out loud, “Ito ang Gusto Ko!” with her Royal Tru Orange commercials.
When she was Creative Director of the Coke team, she got teens to exclaim “Magpakatotoo ka!” when they launched that award-winning Sprite campaign. She also worked on the Del Monte, Jollibee, and Maggi before a text message asked her to walk three blocks up the road to become the Executive Creative Director of Harrison Communications in 2002.
Since then, she has led Harrison in crafting breakthrough, award-winning ads.
“What I value most about Harrison is that they take it upon themselves to be a real business partner to Globe Handyphone, going beyond the realm of a traditional agency which just makes spots for Client. In my line of business, I need an Agency partner who will always find a way to get the impossible done and Harrison has every willingness to make that happen. Of course, it doesn’t hurt at all that their creatives are simply excellent.” Chinky Alcedo, Head, Consumer Wireless Products and Services Marketing, Globe Telecom
Insightful Ideas. Can-Do Spirit. Young Blood. These are the driving forces of Harrison, committed to deliver to their clients work that will cut through clutter, capture target consciousness, add brand value and create demand for their products.
It is a new year for everyone at Harrison—all of whom look forward to becoming a wellspring of famous work that will continue to build reputation and business growth for Filipino brands.
Harrison Communications Inc. 34F LKG Tower, 6801 Ayala Avenue, Makati City, Philippines 1226. Tel: (632) 8842300. For inquiries, email Dino Laurena at business (@) harrison (dot) ph ; for openings email work (@) harrison (dot) ph
H marks the spot
“Envisioned to enhance the ad agency’s creative spirit on every front and every aspect of service, to remake the way they made ads” was the objective of McCann-Erickson Philippines’ 1995 Renaissance Program. From this, the idea of an M.E.2, a second agency, was born. It was christened HK McCann in 1996 as homage to agency founder Harrison King McCann. Though it was definitely not a “me too”.
HK, as it was fondly called, was to be a launch pad for new media disciplines like Direct Marketing, Events Management, and Design. Even years later, as it added more mainstream work to its portfolio, HK would remain true to its non-trad beginnings, always delivering work that was out-of-the-box.
“The relationship [with Harrison] has truly evolved from the early days in 1997. [Today] we have achieved an inherent understanding of each other, respect for what we each bring to the relationship, even fondness for the members of each other's team. It's a relationship that probably goes beyond numbers.” Lorenzo Chan, President, Pioneer Life Insurance
In 1998, HK McCann’s name was changed (partly because it confused people into thinking the agency was based in Hong Kong). Harrison Communications became its second and final name (which made outsiders think it was the shopping plaza.) If the agency’s name had become a point of confusion, Harrison’s communications is anything but.
Harrison Communications has provided some of the country’s market leaders with world class advertising, launching successful products and brands for its clients: Globe Telecom, Levi Strauss, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Pioneer Life Insurance, Plantersbank, SA Heinz Inc., Schering Philippines, United Laboratories (UNILAB), Universal Robina Corporation (URC), and Univet.
"Enervon, the country’s No. 1 Vitamin Brand, has had a long and productive partner with Harrison. With the agency, we have transformed vitamin advertising and taken it to a higher level. One thing that stands out with Harrison is their passion for their work and for their brand. [We are ensured that] what we get is really world class.” Alvin So, AVP, UNILAB Consumer Health Division
And now, January 2005, Harrison makes its biggest change yet. (No, not another name change.)
Today, Harrison Communications formally spins-off from McCann-Erickson Philippines and launches itself as an independent, full-service ad agency.
Today, Harrison is a passionate and powerful team with the intimacy, speed, and flexibility of a lean creative shop, wielding the discipline, tools, and resources of the world’s most business-savvy agency networks.
Today, Harrison can easily be ranked as one of the top ten agencies in the country based on its current billings.
On the creative front, Harrison has received local and foreign acclaim; garnering two Platinum Awards and a Best of Medium in the last Ad Congress and several finalists in the New York Festival and the London International Advertising Awards.
Harrison Communications is now ready to be considered a major player in the advertising industry. It is all geared up to make its mark, made evident by its striking logo: four circles, three of which are black, one a vivid red punched through with an “h”. The red circle conveys the passion for what they do and how they want to be recognized – isang ahensyang kapansin-pansin.
“Harrison deserves all the independent recognition from its clients and the industry in general.” Ferdz Dela Cruz, Head, Consumer Wireless Business, Globe Telecom. “We salute our Harrison Teammates for consistently enriching our value proposition to our subscribers through excellent and collaborative insight mining, brand and segment strategy development, winning creative execution and fresh multimedia approaches.”
Leading Harrison Communications into their eighth year is a trio with 55 years of combined agency experience.
DINO LAURENA
Managing Partner
There when it all began. Dino was one of the brave few who made up the 30-strong team that was HK McCann in `96.
Aside from 12 years in McCann Erickson, Dino previously worked in five multinational agencies and has handled accounts from Del Monte to De Beers, from Unilever to Unilab, from Isuzu to Nissan, from Monterey to Citibank.
In 1998, Dino was made General Manager of the renamed Harrison Communications. The great digital telco war was about to break; URC had assigned their baked goods/biscuits category business to the agency (and later made it its lead agency for all snack foods), Unilab’s competitors were advertising more; and Pioneer needed to make some explanations. Dino led the two year-old agency to some of its more successful campaigns and profitable years.
And so, the 30-person agency – and the workload-- tripled in size. Dino would soon call on some old friends to help manage this whirlwind of an agency.
MARICEL PANGILINAN-ARENAS
Managing Partner
Maricel bid advertising goodbye in1998 to spend more time with her family and study art. In 2002, she got a text message inviting her to be Harrison’s Consultant-Client Service Director for the Globe Telecom account. Upon the advice of her five-year old son Joey, Maricel came back to help out old friends and handle the fast-evolving telco account.
Maricel first joined McCann Erickson in 1981, where she worked on and eventually headed the division that handled Johnson & Johnson, Del Monte, Citibank, Levi Strauss Philippines, Levi Strauss Far East, and Goodyear. She also headed the Research Department and conducted McCann’s Youth Study, Male Study, and Women’s Study.
Her stint in Harrison was only supposed to last three months. Three years later, she’s still here and is now co-manages with Dino.
She continues to get the most precious of advice from her son Joey, now 8.
TEENY GONZALES
Executive Creative Director
In 1990, Teeny was the newbie copywriter that got the Filipino youth to sing out loud, “Ito ang Gusto Ko!” with her Royal Tru Orange commercials.
When she was Creative Director of the Coke team, she got teens to exclaim “Magpakatotoo ka!” when they launched that award-winning Sprite campaign. She also worked on the Del Monte, Jollibee, and Maggi before a text message asked her to walk three blocks up the road to become the Executive Creative Director of Harrison Communications in 2002.
Since then, she has led Harrison in crafting breakthrough, award-winning ads.
“What I value most about Harrison is that they take it upon themselves to be a real business partner to Globe Handyphone, going beyond the realm of a traditional agency which just makes spots for Client. In my line of business, I need an Agency partner who will always find a way to get the impossible done and Harrison has every willingness to make that happen. Of course, it doesn’t hurt at all that their creatives are simply excellent.” Chinky Alcedo, Head, Consumer Wireless Products and Services Marketing, Globe Telecom
Insightful Ideas. Can-Do Spirit. Young Blood. These are the driving forces of Harrison, committed to deliver to their clients work that will cut through clutter, capture target consciousness, add brand value and create demand for their products.
It is a new year for everyone at Harrison—all of whom look forward to becoming a wellspring of famous work that will continue to build reputation and business growth for Filipino brands.
Harrison Communications Inc. 34F LKG Tower, 6801 Ayala Avenue, Makati City, Philippines 1226. Tel: (632) 8842300. For inquiries, email Dino Laurena at business (@) harrison (dot) ph ; for openings email work (@) harrison (dot) ph
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