UTILITY COMPANY GIVES CUSTOMERS THE POWER TO SURVIVE

TitleUTILITY COMPANY GIVES CUSTOMERS THE POWER TO SURVIVE
BrandMERALCO (MANILA ELECTRIC COMPANY)
Product / ServiceSALBA-BOTE FLOTATION DEVICE
CategoryA02. Corporate Responsibility
EntrantDDB PHILIPPINES Taguig City, THE PHILIPPINES
Entrant Company DDB PHILIPPINES Taguig City, THE PHILIPPINES
Advertising Agency DDB PHILIPPINES Taguig City, THE PHILIPPINES

Credits

Name Company Position
Timmy M. Jayme DDB Philippines Chief Operations Officer
Katherine V. Arellano DDB Philippines Chief Business Integrator & Strategist
Bobby T. Vito DDB Philippines Creative Director
Jasmin S. Saldariega DDB Philippines Associate Creative Director
Bernice C. Reyes DDB Philippines Copywriter
Marnie C. Emralino DDB Philippines Account Supervisor
Ivana T. Bito DDB Philippines Account Manager
Katrina C. Butiong DDB Philippines Account Coordinator
Carmina Gahol Agency Producer
Raul R. Redoblado DDB-PR Managing Partner
Cherie Mijares DDB-PR Managing Partner
Tahl Gopez DDB-PR Group Account Director
Millet Liberato DDB-PR Media Relations Director
Andre E. Figuracion DDB-PR Senior Account Manager
Maricar Angeles DDB-PR Content Development Director
Ringo Macabenta DDB-PR Senior Writer
Alan Vinluan DDB-PR Art Director
Annalyn Munar DDB-PR Administrator
Agapito R. Zaldarriaga MERALCO (Manila Electric Company) Head, Meralco Public Information Office
Jeffrey O. Tarayao One Meralco Foundation President

The Campaign

Meralco is the Philippines’ largest power distributor. Its service area includes many flood-prone cities. How can Meralco help its customers weather the typhoon season? Introducing the Salbabote. It’s not just another improvised flotation device (IFD). It’s a rescue/survival kit that anchors the wearer, keeps family members linked together, and can even form rafts for rescue purposes. The Salbabote is the only IFD publicly and officially endorsed by the Philippine Red Cross and the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary. At least 15,000 units have already been distributed, generating positive earned media and putting one power company in a good light.

The Brief

Meralco wants to be known as more than just a company that distributes power. To do this, Meralco aims to do its part to help empower the country especially in times of calamity. This is particularly relevant because Meralco’s service area covers many places that are affected by storms like Ketsana or Haiyan. When super typhoons hit, many of the residents in these places are put in danger of drowning or being swept away from their families by raging flood currents.

Results

The Salbabote is the only IFD officially endorsed by the Philippine Red Cross and the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary, after rigid testing. 15,000 units have already been produced. Its launch generated positive free media (approximating Php17.9M++ or US$384,067) in ten days. Through this, Meralco has forged partnerships with Pepsi, Glad, Philippine Red Cross, PCGA, and the Marikina city government; and more are expected to join. With the help of these partners, the Salbabote will soon reach more families in low-lying and coastal areas. "Give this to the rescuers… to train those people beside the perilous rivers, then we could save a lot more lives." - Richard J. Gordon, Chairman and CEO, Philippine Red Cross "Our test on the Salbabote showed that it is innovative and effective, and will definitely enhance our organizations rescue capabilities." - Vice Admiral Valentin B. Prieto, Jr. - National Director, PCGA

Execution

Introducing the Salbabote. It’s not just another improvised flotation device. Meralco and its partner agency redesigned older PET bottle flotation devices with the guidance of the Philippine Red Cross and the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary to become a multi-functional rescue device and survival kit: it anchors the wearer, keeps family members linked together, and can even form rafts for rescue purposes. Each Salbabote comes with a waterproof pouch for keeping cellphones and other valuables dry, a reflector to make it easy for rescuers to spot the wearer even at night, and a whistle to help the wearer call for attention or help. The Salbabote is a low-cost device which makes it easy to produce and distribute to Local Government Units, rescue organizations, and ordinary citizens.

The Situation

The Manila Electric Company (MERALCO), the largest electric distribution utility in the Philippines whose service area includes many flood-prone cities, has always been a source of updates and safety tips during the typhoon season. However, Meralco is often perceived as the company to blame for electricity rate hikes and power outages.

The Strategy

One of the missions of Meralco is to empower Filipino families to achieve a brighter future. How do you do that when disaster strikes? The most devastating effect of disasters, more than the loss of property, is the loss of life. The loss of loved ones. When storm surges hit, keeping afloat is not enough. Ordinary flotation devices cannot prevent family members from being separated from one another and swept away. Meralco sought to create an improved version of IFDs that can help save the lives of more Filipino families —and keep them together—even through rushing floods.