Companies lend smiles for Sony Ericsson campaign

MANILA, Philippines – Sony Ericsson set a lofty goal when it launched the Spread the Smiles campaign locally.  The aim was to collect a million smile photos using the Smile Shutter technology on a new range of Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot phones.

Asia Pacific markets gave out their target smile collection in the thousands, while Sony Ericsson in the Philippines set the target at one million smiles.  After all, it aimed to raise P1 million for the benefit of UNICEF.  Each smile would be equivalent to a peso donation.

SM Supermalls and Digiprint immediately joined the project.  SM provided venues in nine participating malls nationwide.  With SM Malls welcoming thousands of visitors every weekend, the goal seemed less daunting

Digiprint, on the other hand, gave printing services for smile photos at a minimum cost.  Printed smiles would go up the Smile Wall in each shopping mall.  At the end of the campaign, a 50-foot giant Smile Wall would rise.

Still, Sony Ericsson sought other partners that would help raise a million smiles within the campaign’s two-month duration.  The company found four corporate donors that stepped up to the task with enthusiasm.

Convergys, recently crowned BPO Employer of the Year, promised at least 16,000 smiles representing its workforce across the nation.  One of the largest contact center operations in the country, Convergys exceeded its target and donated over 25,000 smiles collected from its sites in Metro Manila, Cebu and Bacolod. The company has consistently supported literacy programs since it opened its first center here in 2003.

South East Asian Airlines (Seair) was only too happy to support UNICEF through Sony Ericsson’s smile campaign. The airline had launched projects to help streetchildren before and had campaigned for UNICEF with a special flight around the world.  This time, airline crew and employees gave the needed smiles.  Check-in counters in different destinations were equipped with webcams for passengers who are willing to give their smiles.

Seaoil Philippines, Inc. collected smiles from its employees and colleagues.  The pioneer in Philippine biofuels and now the country’s largest independent oil firm, proved that smiling came naturally throughout the company.  Employees also donated smiles from family and friends.

The country’s top theme park Enchanted Kingdom gathered smiles from employees and park visitors.

“Over a million Filipinos participated in this campaign and contributed their smiles to such a meaningful cause,” enthused Dennis Manzano, general manager, Sony Ericsson.

Sony Ericsson not only reached a million smiles, it collected the record number of smiles for the regional campaign.  Among the countries that conducted Spread the Smiles campaign, only the Philippines tied up with partners to reach its goal.

“This campaign is so special and meaningful to us because it is not a donation driven by Sony Ericsson alone. It is the joint efforts of Sony Ericsson, its partners and the one million beautiful people in Philippines who contributed their smiles so that the beneficiaries at UNICEF can smile together with them.  It’s truly a heart-warming gesture,” noted Hirokazu Ishizuka, Sony Ericsson corporate vice president and head of Asia Pacific.