Internet, mobile marketers unite to protect consumers, boost industry

Frustrated with getting loads of junk mail every day, from offers of discount on Viagra to Nigerian letter scams? Hoodwinked by swindlers that lure you through mobile text messages with fantastic-sounding but fake promos? Who are you gonna call?

The biggest players in the digital market space have finally banded together for a good cause: to protect Filipino consumers from the proliferation of unwarranted, relentless and ‘spammable’ con artists in the mobile media and on the Internet.

Fifteen companies and organizations recently launched the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP), envisioned to become "the premier marketing association for Internet and mobile organizations in the country." They were sworn in as members of the founding IMMAP board by Matec Villanueva, chair of the Advertising Board of the Philippines, in a ceremony held at Bedspace, Greenbelt 3 in Makati City on Nov. 29.

"Marketing companies in developed countries like the United States have already been talking about being interactive for years now. Consumers are evolving very fast. It’s about time we in the Philippines band together to show marketing companies what they’re missing," said Donald Lim, president of the biggest Filipino Internet lifestyle portal, Yehey.com, and the newly elected president of IMMAP.

While the number of Internet and mobile users in the Philippines has been exploding at double-digit rates in recent years–faster than any traditional media–consumers are still unprotected from unscrupulous traders or con artists who market their goods or services online or through mobile.

On the other hand, the "good guys"–or the legitimate companies or organizations with real goods and services to sell–have yet to fully utilize the Internet and mobile media as marketing vehicles for sheer "fear of the unknown," or not having enough market research information to arrive at an effective marketing decision.

Last year, it was estimated that online advertising spending only totaled P100 million–a measly 0.2 percent of the total. Mobile advertising, while higher than web advertising, also accounted for a small share of the total advertising pie.

"We have yet to see wider acceptability for advertising on the Internet and mobile media. We’re still being relegated to the bottom rung. Only when companies have to use up their budget will they decide to go online or mobile," the IMMAP president admonished. He added that the lack of appreciation for the new media could also be due to lack of information and awareness.

IMMAP will thus embark on new initiatives that focuses on heightening marketers’ appreciation and understanding on how best to use the digital media to achieve their business goals. "Digital media enables technology to build a closer relationship between the marketer and the consumer. These media offer 24/7 communication and engagement, feedback mechanisms, and other customer relationship management tools," he said.

IMMAP membership will come from Internet companies, content providers, media companies with web presence, web designers and developers, mobile suppliers, interactive media agencies and advertising agencies, and companies that use the Internet and mobile as platform to advertise and market products and services. The group has already set up committees and plans to mount the country’s first interactive summit and awards.

"This will be our bold attempt to reload Philippine marketing," said Lim.

IMMAP’s board of directors are composed of: Yehey.com president Donald Lim, president; Global Wireless Corp. president Art Policarpio, vice-president; Fiera de Manila, Inc. vice-president Norelyn Babiera, secretary; and Wireless Edge Mobile Corp. COO Kristine Tan Vizcarra, treasurer. The following are board directors: Mobile Arts, Inc. president and CEO Ramon Duremdes, Jr.; Xurpas Inc. president Nico Jose Nolledo; Ateneo Java Wireless president Hans Eric Chua; WSA COO Jose Manuel San Juan Fernando; Digital Filipino president Janette Toral; EGG Managing partner Melissa Limcaoco; Quantum X managing director Robert John Oh; Hazel Anne Cabuay of Bworld Online; Philippine Star marketing manager Katrina Sandejas; and Euro RSCG 4D Manila managing partner and COO Ed Mapa, Jr.