Rolling out the red carpet for Kapamilya audiences

Every fan’s dream is to watch his favorite stars and experience the live shows they watch on television in real life.

Making the experience a memorable one is the aim of ABS-CBN’s Wow at Saya audience experience, which won an award of excellence at the prestigious Gold Quill Awards given by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) in Montreal, Canada.

The studio audience journey begins when they book their slots via the Kapamilya Tickets online (ktx.abs-cbn.com). The excitement is felt from the moment a booking is confirmed by email.

Head of Integrated Corporate Communications Kane Choa receives ABS-CBN’s Gold Quill Award of Excellence from IABC Awards committee chair Cindy Schmieg

As guests are asked to arrive few hours before the live show, preparations are made to ensure a comfortable visit from the time they arrive at the audience entrance.

ABS-CBN’s frontliners welcome them literally with “wow at saya.”  Their greetings and actions make Kapamilyas feel at ease.

“We arrived a bit late, but we didn’t have a hard time getting inside. The system is well-organized.  We didn’t get lost and the staff were nice to us,” said Nefferteri Villanueva, who traveled from Laguna to watch It’s Showtime for the first time in the studio.

Another live studio audience, Leonila Belmonte, shared that the waiting time to get inside the studio was a worthwhile and cheerful experience.

It’s Showtime host Billy Crawford with a live studio audience member

“We’re having fun because someone’s keeping all of us entertained in the Kapamilya Audience Lounge. It’s still so early in the morning, but we’re already laughing,” she said.

Her companion, Edgardo Belmonte, also expressed that the atmosphere in the waiting area is neat and clean.

The waiting area, which is now aptly called the Kapamilya Audience Lounge (KAL), is an air-conditioned area that can comfortably accommodate up to 400 people.

TV monitors are installed so they can watch their favorite Kapamilya programs.  For those who love to post photos on social media, they can take selfies or groufies at the lounge’s photo wall where there are standees of Kapamilya artists. Some guests can also unwind by flipping through the glossy pages of ABS-CBN Publishing magazines that are given away for free.

Robi Domingo with two avid Kapamilya fans

Because of the extensive changes, ABS-CBN’s Wow at Saya campaign has consistently earned positive feedback from Kapamilya. In fact, it impressed guests so much that the campaign achieved an almost perfect net satisfaction rating of 96 percent based on customer feedback survey forms.

No wonder the Wow at Saya audience experience program was recognized in the communication management division under the customer relations category as one of the exceptional works in strategic communication worldwide at the Gold Quill Awards. It is also the only award-winning entry from a Philippine TV network.