Davao applauds OMG for pro bono campaign

Omnicom Media Group Philippines and Ignition Factory were recognized for its pro bono work turning a small town fundraiser into a nationwide campaign for typhoon survivors in Davao.OMG’s lauded campaign was “Project Buy to Give,” launched last year to promote rosaries created by folks from Cateel, Davao Oriental - most of them survivors of Super Typhoon Pablo which swept the area 2012.The program is spearheaded by the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals. OMG president and CEO Nic Gabunada was initially approached by BCBP program officer Joseph Tapiador to ask him to buy some of their work but it later became a pro bono campaign spanning online, TV, print and radio.OMG’s Ignition Factory, headed by Regie Gavino, led the communications campaign of the project, which was supported by the country’s leading broadcast, radio and print companies --ABSCBN-2, GMA-7, Crossover, Yes-FM, DWLL, Home-radio, Manila Bulletin, Inquirer and Philippine Star all donated media space for the project. OMG Digital also created a dedicated Facebook page and microsite for the effort.In addition, OMG Philippines’ launched an office wide campaign  to sell 10,000 pieces of rosaries worth Php217,500.00 – an amount which will be used to buy additional bead making machines for the project beneficiaries.“It was hard at first because we often get remarks like, Ang dami ko ng rosary sa bahay, anong gagawin ko sa isa pa” (what will I do with another rosary, when I already have a lot).“It’s understandable, but the purpose does not lie on just the use.  The purpose is the use of buying each rosary to those who painstakingly made it. This was the driving force used by each employee of the company”, Gabunada shared.Thanks to the nationwide boost it got from OMG, Tapiador said tht they have been receiving orders from all over. He shared that other BCBP chapters are ordering up to 10,000 rosaries, commendably just to give away to poor communities who need them.