The game changer

MANILA, Philippines - The advertising game has very fickle players. Most would think that a paper like The Philippine STAR would be a very easy sell. This may be true some of the time, but there’s no question that each ad space sold is the result of extremely hard work, meticulous planning, and a knack at fostering good relationships within the rest of the industry. The quality of the paper is just as good as the people who represent it — and this is why some of the best people in sales call this company home.

You won’t need to tell that to Michael Maneze. Known throughout The STAR as just “Sir Mike”, he has been with the company since day one — even well before the first day if you counted the times this then new publication had its dry run at the printers. Fulfilling his current role as advertising sales supervisor, Maneze’s first position at the paper was a rather simple one. In July of 1986, he was a copy monitor before being transferred to the proof reading section after two years. He finally kick started his advertising career in 1990.

It’s hard not to miss Maneze if you’re walking the hall of the Marketing department. When he’s not sitting at his desk you can witness his tall, 6’4” frame walk the corridor going from one department to the next. The former UAAP varsity basketball player from Adamson University was just fresh out of college when his aunt, active in National Press Club activities, learned of a new start-up publication. Maneze recalls, “There was a new publication (The STAR) opening and my aunt recommended me to then editor-in-chief, Frederick Agcaoli.” He had no idea what job was in store for him, only that it was for a newspaper company. “I was just eager to work and experience what it was like to start earning,” he enthuses.

From copy monitor to advertising sales supervisor, Maneze had managed to fit himself and match his strengths with the company. To say he didn’t have a stake in the company is an understatement. It’s his life. “I was starting a career and The STAR was a new player so it was a ‘double challenge.’ We were both neophytes,” he adds.

Having “just any job” wasn’t really in Maneze’s mind back then. He had a gut feel that the company was doing something noble. He remembers, “I could sense that I was working for a company that had this vision of making a difference. It was established not just for business but for something greater than that. Newcomer that I was, I felt proud to be an insider behind the headlines during those interesting times.”

As his career continued to evolve, so did The STAR. Through the years, Maneze tackled all manner of challenges to the company. He relates, “How do we convince advertisers to give us a try? How do we compete with more established industry players? Would the reading public patronize the paper? How do we make our product distinct from the rest?” These early years of marketing The STAR were a battery of non-stop tests that never fazed him.

Looking back at these questions, Maneze couldn’t help but form new ones. He and his advertising team already overcame everything thrown their way, but they are hardly sitting on their laurels for there is still much to do. “If it was very competitive then, more so today,” he ponders. “New mindsets, technologies — the marketing landscape is constantly evolving and changing. In this age of information technology, competition comes not only from fellow publications but from new concepts, new forms, and new information-driven lifestyles.”

When he’s not looking after clients, Maneze goes back to his athletic roots. Since co-founding the Star Basketball Team back in 1987, he is now managing the current line-up which has won 10 championships so far. With a smile he says, “I really appreciate the management’s support and participation in sports activities because it instilled awareness among employees to be physically fit. It adds fun and enjoyment to our work.”

Pressed for more things to add about his 25-year relationship with The STAR, Maneze says, “As I look back, there’s a bit of sentimental longing for the past when there was more time to build long-lasting friendships. It’s a faster-paced world now, there isn’t that much time left to really bond. Nakaka-miss rin.”

Beaming with pride at being a part of such a great institution, Maneze knows that The STAR will continue as long as he and his team remain motivated and happy. Maneze concludes, “There seems to be a constant formula: every year the sales target goes higher and that means, double or triple the efforts to reach new year targets. At the rate the paper is going, and if we play things right, its star will continue to shine brightly for many years.”