The successful medal haul of content agency Comm&Sense Inc. in the recently held 17th Philippine Quill Awards is a testament to how emerging institutions in the healthcare industry can go head-to-head and win alongside the best local and international brands in the country.
Comm&Sense hit a milestone after it received its first Agency of the Year nomination in the prestigious Quill Awards, barely two years after the company joined the marketing communications competition.
The agency was shortlisted as among the best agencies this year after it won a total of six Quill Awards for the various campaigns it developed and implemented.
Five of the six Quills Comm&Sense won involved healthcare clients projects, namely ManilaMed’s #FeelBetter Campaign and Urban Health Media Campaign, Westlake Medical Center “Sabi ni Doc” Video Series, PhilCare’s Prepaid Healthcard, and PhilCare’s ActivNation Campaign.
ManilaMed’s #FeelBetter and Westlake’s “Sabi ni Doc” both won the coveted Quill Award of Excellence, which means these initiatives have attained the Global Standard for Communication Excellence set by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
Apart from Westlake and ManilaMed, Comm&Sense also won another Award of Excellence for its “Plane and Simple” campaign for WCC Aviation School.
Comm&Sense President Jaeger Tanco said that what the agency is most proud of with this year’s citation is the fact that its campaigns for healthcare clients were recognized for its creativity and effectiveness, worthy of being tagged for excellence alongside international and local brands.
“Comm&Sense banked heavily on the smart use of content. Content was the spark that captured the attention of our target audience and the fuel that helped our partner brands build their community of followers and advocates,” he said.
ManilaMed #FeelBetter campaign had Comm&Sense beef up the hospital’s communications program by reintroducing traditional PR to its marketing mix. The campaign also added new content components to the hospital’s digital promotions such as Facebook Live, blogger engagement, and even eCommerce.
Westlake Medical Center, a community hospital in Laguna, also won the Quill Award for Excellence for the “Sabi ni Doc” videos. By featuring Westlake’s very own doctors, the viewers enjoyed free online consultation regarding their health concerns.
The topics for “Sabi ni Doc” were carefully considered by looking at the search histories of Westlake’s target audience. As a result, the hospital’s online videos garnered millions of views and were shared organically by their online community.
PhilCare, among the pioneering HMOs in the country, won two Quill Awards of Merit. PhilCare’s ActivNation campaign pushed the idea of HMOs as a tool for productivity, aside from just being a corporate health insurance, while PhilCare’s prepaid healthcard was used as a tool to promote a more inclusive healthcare in the country.
ManilaMed and Westlake were the only two hospitals that were given the Quill this year. Together with PhilCare, the three were the only healthcare brands that won big in the prestigious awards event.
“Now is the most opportune time for marketers to push for healthcare brands. With the internet, people are now more active in seeking out content concerning their health. By being strategic in developing the right content, identifying the right audience, and determining the right platform, healthcare brands can stand out among other known brands. This is what they can take away from our successful Quill entries this year,” said Charlotte F. Reyes, Comm&Sense Managing Director.
WCC Aviation, an aviation school in Binalonan, Pangasinan, also won an Award of Excellence for its online campaign where it created articles and videos that answer the pressing queries of those who are interested in pursuing their dream of becoming a pilot or of becoming part of the aviation industry. To this day, the school’s website is the most widely read online aviation magazine in the country.
Comm&Sense calls its approach Brand Publishing – the practice of having brands come up with content that will endear it to its audiences. More than just talking about how good and useful their products and services are, Brand Publishing makes brands focus more on creating communities around shared beliefs and values.
“Brands should accept that marketing is more than just getting attention. Audiences today must become part of the brand’s community and the ‘shock and awe’ of advertising is no longer enough. Editorial content is more engaging and addictive than the usual viral content. I guess this is where Comm&Sense is good at — creating content that is more of a commitment than a campaign,” Comm&Sense Communications Director Toteng Tanglao said.
