MANILA, Philippines - The story of ARC Refreshments Corporation — the company behind the success of US-based soft drinks brand RC Cola in the Philippines — points to shared values, resourcefulness and ingenuity, and above all, a strong passion for making things work.
Former advertising professional Rudy Tecson is someone who can attest to the unique personal relationship that ARC requires of its partners. His company MT Tecson Enterprises, which he put up in 1978, provides out-of-home advertising for RC Cola — those ubiquitous signages atop carinderias and sari-sari stores all over the country.
Tecson was retired when he met ARC executive vice president and COO Gerry Garcia, who was then still putting together plans of bringing RC Cola back in the Philippines.
Garcia worked with Tecson in penetrating the mass market with their brand-sponsored signages. They explored little-known areas that other giant cola brands felt weren’t worth their time — from Antipolo to Manggahan in Pasig, RC Cola signages popped up and consumers began to take notice. In just one year, sales grew dramatically.
Businessman Albert Leong is another pioneering ARC partner who has witnessed and fortunately been part of the steady growth of the company. He is the second-generation owner of RL Graphic Arts, a bottlecap-manufacturing firm established in 1956.
Leong had already known Garcia for quite some time, during the latter’s career stint working for a well-established global cola brand, when he was asked to help build ARC and bring RC Cola back to the local market by supplying its crown bottle caps.
After years of partnering with ARC, Leong was able to invest in a number of machinery for his crown business. By streamlining processes and upgrading facilities and manpower skills as well, Leong’s manufacturing firm is now able to produce a large quantity of RC Cola crowns per month, aside from other job orders.
Leong now looks back fondly on one of Garcia’s most inspiring statements that has come true: “We are all in the same boat. If we sink, we all sink; but if we make it through, we all make it through.”