The Filipino brand
While others said it couldn’t be done, they went ahead and did it – with flying colors.
A Filipino mobile phone brand was unthinkable until late last year. Going against industry giants Nokia, Ericsson, Samsung was almost suicidal. But the Solid Group of Companies proved to all and sundry that nothing is impossible, especially if you have more than 50 years of experience in building brands backing you up.
Brand building is not new to the Lim family. Elena and Joseph Lim did it when they introduced the Sony brand in the Philippine market many decades back. It was only when Sony decided to do the distribution of its electronic products in the country that the family decided to reinvent its business.
In October last year, their son David introduced myphone, the first Filipino brand of mobile phones which had a unique proposition – dual active SIMs. For many Filipinos who wanted more that one SIM but hated the idea of lugging along two phones, my phone was a hit. So successful was myphone that this year, David expects to hit half a billion pesos in sales. He projects the number to grow to P1.5 billion next year.
Now, the mobile phone operators couldn’t close their eyes anymore to this phenomenal success.We heard that my phone’s B22 model is now the first dual active SIM phone to be type approved by mobile operators. This means that very soon, the likes of Smart, Globe, and Sun will soon be offering myphone to their own customers.
But even myphone’s single SIM phones are becoming a hit. Globe-Touch Mobile have just launched the S21 (below P2,000) and B31 (the first music phone with camera priced at below P3,000). We’ve heard that there are inquiries from as far as the Middle East and Latin America to sell myphone there, but according to David, there must be a showing that they can offer the same after-sales service that is being offered here.
With resounding proof that a Filipino consumer electronic brand can be successful in the
Industry data reveal that around one million television sets are being sold every year of which conventional sets account for 32 percent. But the share of conventional tv sets went down eight percent compared to last year and continues to decline. Flat tvs on the other hand grew by 5.6 percent with a 58-percent share of total volume.
LCD TVs are fast gaining market share, especially with the prices of LCD panels going down and improved LCD picture quality. It is projected that LCD TV market share will reach 10 percent. And this is where myscreen comes in.
The 16-inch Myscreen TV’s, which are made in
Just like myphone, myscreen televisions are supported by 32 service centers located nationwide.
Solid’s battle cry – build a new generation of high growth consumer electronics products and at the same time, building a Filipino brand that leverages on the group’s management experience, manufacturing logistics and technical expertise, and dealer relationship and distribution reach.
Before the end of the year, Solid will be launching its line of high performance laptops and notebooks at below P20,00 we heard. There is little doubt that the group will succeed. After all, they know the Filipino market very well. A local brand of consumer electronic products customized to suit the Filipino taste and preference. Where can they go wrong?
Insurance ceo quits
As we predicted in this column just a few months ago, a well-regarded chief executive of an insurance firm who we said is woeful of a fading but powerful officer of his company’s bancassurance partner has finally decided to quit his post. No, it wasn’t a case of the insecure bank chief winning over Mr. CEO, forcing the latter to pack his bags. It’s just that “American Boy” CEO thought it best to resign before he causes a major strain between the foreign proponents of his company and the local partner bank.
A performance-driven person, Mr. CEO apparently thought he’s had enough of the bank officer’s meddling and politicking. Given the present economic environment, taming the insurance industry is already challenging. Having to deal with such a partner makes staying in his post all the more like hell. Besides, call it perfect timing, several big opportunities have recently been knocking on his door — thanks to his sterling feat of turning around the performance of the formerly sleeping insurance firm. After being pursued and courted by several local and foreign companies, Mr. CEO was just about ready to say yes to a huge start up projected that will somehow reunite him with his good friend, another brilliant CEO, from the banking industry. Only, he will not be doing banking in what will be his new role.
Given these as his principal motivating factors, Mr. CEO tendered his resignation with regret about two months ago. Learning about his decision, the foreign parties involved in the bancassurance deal were shocked — so shocked that they even threatened to put their ties with the local bank under review. The foreign group could not believe how their local partners can be so stupid to try to drive away with intrigues their well-performing boy even after his achievements. After several sit down negotiations for a possible change in his decision, Mr. CEO just stood pat on his earlier choice and opted to make a graceful exit.
I’d say Mr. CEO made a wise move in choosing to transfer from good to better hands. Now it can be said, he is “really” in better hands. I see him rising again, high — this time in his new industry — it is the property development sector I was told. Just some words of advice to him though — maybe he should learn speaking better Tagalog and slowly drop his genuine American twang. It is probably what makes some Filipino executives envious. Anyway, we wish him better luck this time.
Silent performers
While other agency heads would trumpet their own empty achievements, we’re glad that there are those who would rather let some other person or group speak for them.
Three departments that matter most to the poorest of the poor, namely the Department of Education, Department of Health, and Department of Social Welfare and Development, got the highest approval ratings based on the July 2008 Ulat ng Bayan survey of Pulse Asia.
Topping the list is the DepEd which got an approval rating of 63 per cent, while the Department DOH and DSWD) received 61 percent and 65 percent, respectively. Among Cabinet officials included in the survey, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus got the highest approval rating of 40 percent, followed by DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral and Tourism Secretary Ace Durano.
According to Secretary Lapus, a more focused policy direction and continuous reforms in the education sector are effecting gradual yet substantial improvements in basic education. These survey results, he says, indicate that theirpolicy changes are starting to produce results.
Lapus’ top rank among cabinet officials in the Pulse Asia survey can probably be attributed to the wealth of management experience he acquired from the private sector. His deft hand in streamlining the bureaucracy and managing its resources has lent credence to the department that first got the highest approval rating of 61 percent last Aug. 2007. For comments, e-mail at [email protected]
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