BrandSpeakAsia, Inc.

In 2005, the Bank of the Philippine Islands launched its BPI Expat Pinoy Program, a holistic program of personal financial planning and management to provide financial empowerment to Filipinos living and working abroad. The program consists of products, various services, and initiatives that help Overseas Filipinos maintain financial control even when abroad. Aside from products such as BPInoy Remittance for the Overseas Filipinos, the BPInoy Expat Pinoy Program also organizes educational and literacy forums for Overseas Filipinos such as the BPInoy Learning Series and awards such as BPInoy Awards and the Search for Ten Outstanding Expat Pinoy Children. With many products and services connected to its Expat Pinoy Program and Overseas Filipino segment – it is a challenge to sustain focus on the identity of the Program. In its press releases and other media relation activities, coherence is generated by bringing focus to the main objective of the Program: providing financial control and empowerment to Filipinos abroad, the country’s “new heroes.” For print materials for example, the article would be wrapped up by veering the reader towards BPI’s primary objective of supporting Overseas Filipinos. BPI’s communication programs for Expat Pinoy have garnered several awards such as three Tambuli Awards in 2009. The BPInoy Learning Program won silver in two categories: Most Effective Family-Oriented Brand Campaign and Best Innovative and Integrated Media Campaign while the Search for Ten Outstanding Expat Pinoy Children won silver in the Most Effective Teens Brand Campaign.

Through its Public Relations, Design Development and Events Management Services, BrandSpeakAsia in part contributed to the success of three locally and internationally hosted significant events that took place in the months of August 2009 to October 2009. Last August 25, 2009, the Bank of the Philippine Islands’ 4th BPInoy Awards was held in Makati Shangri-la Hotel to honor and recognize exceptional overseas Filipinos - White House Executive Chef Cristeta Pasia-Comerford, Chief Representative for Asia and the Pacific of the Bank for International Settlements Dr. Eli Remolona, and Renowned Artist Mrs. Anita Magsaysay-Ho, who have all demonstrated and promoted nationalism through their globally noticeable achievements. Filipino and International Players in the Food Industry gathered at an exhibit to showcase future trends and innovations through AsiaFood Expo (AFEX) 2009’s first back-to-back events at the World Trade Center – Food & Drinks Asia 2009 and Food Franchising 2009 (September 17-20); AsiaFood Expo 2009 and FoodServe Asia 2009 (September 23-26). The Asia Pacific Association for Fiduciary Studies (APAFS) recently held its 9th Pacific Region Investment Conference (PRIC), last October 8 and 9, at the Renaissance Hotel, Manila, in which almost three hundred finance and investment practitioners from all over the Asia-Pacific region converged to be further equipped in exercising prudent stewardship. Emerging Markets expert, Dr. Mark Mobius, shared his knowledge and outlook on investing in emerging markets.