Campaigns & Grey

Campaigns & Grey is a Philippine marketing communications company headquartered in Makati and affiliated with the international Grey advertising network, part of WPP. The agency traces its origins to Campaigns, Inc., established in 1986 by Yolanda Ong, Marilyn Villapando, Jocelyn Mendoza, Edd Fuentes, Gil Corcuera and Bubut Noche. It developed as a locally rooted agency serving Philippine corporations, government bodies and nonprofit organizations, while progressively expanding beyond conventional advertising into integrated marketing communications. The company's corporate identity changed several times as its ownership and affiliations evolved. In 1992, Campaigns joined the Interpublic Group of Companies as Campaigns Universal, Inc., operating alongside agencies including McCann Erickson and Lowe Lintas. In 1994, following the intervention of major client Procter & Gamble, Grey Worldwide acquired IPG's interest. The business consequently became Campaigns & Grey and entered the Grey and WPP network. Grey initially held a minority interest; WPP announced in 2011 that Grey would acquire additional shares and become the majority shareholder. Campaigns & Grey operates principally from Makati, with regional affiliates serving clients and initiatives outside Metro Manila. Campaigns Cebu was established in 1994 to develop business in the Visayas, while Campaigns Davao later extended the network's full-service capabilities into Mindanao. The organization has also created specialist units covering public relations, advocacy and social-impact communications, activation, design, digital marketing and local-business strategy. These have included Campaigns Public Relations, formerly associated with the Campaigns Advocacy and Public Relations structure; Campaigns Social Response; Bacon; Camp Apple; and Neuron. Its service offering has included strategic planning and research, advertising, public relations, digital communications, activation, graphic design, pre-press, advocacy communications and corporate social responsibility programs. Reported clients have included GlaxoSmithKline, Procter & Gamble, Sun Cellular, SM Supermalls, Universal Robina Corporation and Wyeth Philippines. The agency has also received recognition in Philippine and international award programs, including the Araw Awards, Catholic Mass Media Awards, Tinta Awards, PANATA Awards and New York Festivals. Campaigns & Grey became especially visible during the 2010 controversy surrounding the Philippine Department of Tourism's Pilipinas Kay Ganda slogan and logo. The agency was identified in public reporting as having participated in the work, while it stated that its contribution had been preliminary and that the material had been rushed into production without the agreed market testing. The controversy included accusations that the logo resembled Poland's tourism branding. Although public debate continued, a tourism official accepted responsibility and resigned. The agency experienced further leadership changes during the 2010s. Co-founder and group chairperson Yolanda Villanueva-Ong retired from advertising in 2014, with Boboy Consunji and Cherry Gutierrez taking over leadership responsibilities. Executive creative director Ompong Remigio left later that year to establish Fat Free, with Rizielle Tangan and Noel Orosa succeeding her in the creative function. Gutierrez retired in 2016, Consunji retired in 2018, and John Lucas was appointed chief executive officer in 2018. The available reference material does not establish a more recent leadership roster or a current standalone website.

Campaigns & Grey began in 1986 as Campaigns, Inc., a Philippine advertising agency founded by Yolanda Ong, Marilyn Villapando, Jocelyn Mendoza, Edd Fuentes, Gil Corcuera and Bubut Noche. From the outset, the company was oriented toward Philippine market requirements, but its work expanded across brand advertising, strategic planning and communications for public and private-sector clients. In 1991, the agency created Campaigns Advocacy and Public Relations Inc., known as CAPRI, to support the Philippine Department of Health. This move established an early basis for the company's later work in public-interest communications. As the volume of government and nongovernmental work increased, Campaigns Social Response was separated from CAPRI in 2005 as a dedicated advocacy and social-impact unit. Campaigns joined the Interpublic Group of Companies in 1992. It became Campaigns Universal, Inc. and operated as a parallel agency within the group alongside McCann Erickson and Lowe Lintas. The agency also began building a regional presence. A Cebu satellite office, established in 1994, focused on clients in the Visayas and on provincial assignments from Manila-based accounts. A further ownership change occurred in 1994, when Grey Worldwide acquired IPG's interest after encouragement from key client Procter & Gamble. The company adopted the name Campaigns & Grey and became connected to the Grey network and its parent, WPP. This relationship gave the Philippine agency access to international research, planning tools and marketing communications knowledge while preserving its local operating identity. In 2005, Campaigns & Grey moved to offices on Paseo de Roxas in Makati's central business district. The relocation accompanied an organizational redesign and the creation or formalization of several specialist capabilities. Neuron was established as an independent agency focused on local businesses; Campaigns Social Response concentrated on corporate responsibility and advocacy communications; Bacon handled below-the-line activation, design and digital work; and Campaigns Davao extended full-service agency capabilities into Mindanao. Other specialist names associated with the group included Campaigns Public Relations, Camp Apple and the earlier CAPRI structure. The agency's client portfolio has included multinational healthcare and consumer companies, Philippine retail and telecommunications businesses, food manufacturers and other major organizations. Reference material identifies GlaxoSmithKline, Procter & Gamble, Sun Cellular, SM Supermalls, Universal Robina Corporation and Wyeth Philippines among its major clients. Its work has been recognized by Philippine award programs, including the Araw Awards, Catholic Mass Media Awards, Tinta Awards and PANATA Awards, as well as by the New York Festivals. The most prominent public controversy connected with the agency came in 2010, when the Department of Tourism introduced Pilipinas Kay Ganda as a replacement for the older WOW Philippines platform. Critics questioned the slogan and argued that the logo resembled Poland's tourism campaign. Campaigns & Grey issued an explanation that characterized its role as preliminary and said the work was rushed into production without the agreed testing. A Department of Tourism official subsequently resigned and accepted responsibility, while public discussion continued to divide attention between the department's process and the agency's involvement. In 2011, WPP announced that Grey would acquire additional shares and become the majority shareholder in Campaigns & Grey. In 2014, co-founder and chairperson Yolanda Villanueva-Ong retired, followed by the departure of executive creative director Ompong Remigio. Leadership subsequently changed again as Cherry Gutierrez retired in 2016, Boboy Consunji retired in 2018 and John Lucas became CEO. The available reference material does not provide a current executive roster, financial data or a confirmed official website.

1. 2011Grey becomes majority shareholder

   WPP announces Grey's agreement to acquire additional shares in Campaigns & Grey.

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2. 2005Makati relocation and business-unit reorganization

   The company moves to Paseo de Roxas in Makati and develops specialist units including Neuron, Campaigns Social Response, Bacon and Campaigns Davao.

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3. 1994Becomes Campaigns & Grey

   Grey Worldwide acquires IPG's interest, leading to the Campaigns & Grey name and its association with Grey and WPP.

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4. 1994Cebu regional office opens

   The agency establishes a Cebu satellite office to serve Visayas clients and regional assignments.

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5. 1992Joins Interpublic Group

   Campaigns becomes Campaigns Universal, Inc. after joining the Interpublic Group of Companies.

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6. 1991Creation of CAPRI

   The agency establishes Campaigns Advocacy and Public Relations Inc. to support the Philippine Department of Health.

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7. 1986Campaigns, Inc. is founded

   Yolanda Ong, Marilyn Villapando, Jocelyn Mendoza, Edd Fuentes, Gil Corcuera and Bubut Noche establish Campaigns, Inc. in the Philippines.

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A Philippine-founded, full-service marketing communications agency combining local market knowledge with the planning resources, research and international network of Grey Group and WPP.

• Integrated advertisingAdvertising1986

  Campaigns & Grey develops advertising and integrated communications programs for Philippine and multinational clients. The work is supported by strategic planning, research and access to Grey network resources, with execution adapted to local audiences and market conditions.

• Campaigns Public RelationsPublic relations1991

  A public-relations capability associated with the agency's broader communications offering. It developed from the company's earlier advocacy and public-relations work and supports reputation, stakeholder and communications requirements.

• Campaigns Social ResponseAdvocacy and social-impact communications2005

  Campaigns Social Response was spun off from the earlier CAPRI structure to handle communications for government, nongovernmental and corporate social-responsibility initiatives. Its remit includes advocacy and public-interest communication.

• BaconActivation, design and digital marketing2005

  Bacon is a specialist unit focused on below-the-line marketing, activation, design and digital marketing. It complements the agency's above-the-line advertising work with more experiential and implementation-oriented services.

• NeuronMarketing communications for local businesses2005

  Neuron was established as a second, independent agency serving local businesses. It broadened the group's ability to address smaller or locally oriented accounts alongside the main agency's national and multinational client work.

• 2010Pilipinas Kay Ganda

  Philippines

  Campaigns & Grey was publicly linked to the Philippine Department of Tourism's proposed slogan and visual identity intended to replace WOW Philippines. The agency later said its involvement was preliminary and that the material had been produced without the market testing originally contemplated.

  Outcome. The launch generated widespread criticism, allegations of similarity to Poland's tourism branding and the resignation of a Department of Tourism official. The episode damaged perceptions of the project, although responsibility remained publicly debated.

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• 2011Grey increases its ownershipM&A

  Grey had held a minority interest in Campaigns & Grey since 1994, while the agency faced intensifying competition and sought broader network resources.

  What changed. WPP announced that Grey would acquire additional shares and become the majority shareholder.

  Aftermath. Campaigns & Grey remained a Philippine operating agency while becoming more closely integrated with Grey Group and WPP.

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• 2005Creation of specialist communications unitsStrategy

  The agency's work had expanded beyond traditional advertising into advocacy, public relations, activation, design, digital marketing and regional operations.

  What changed. Campaigns & Grey reorganized after moving to Makati and established or formalized units including Neuron, Campaigns Social Response, Bacon and Campaigns Davao.

  Aftermath. The group broadened its service portfolio and strengthened its ability to serve local, regional, government and social-impact clients.

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• 1994Transfer from IPG affiliation to GreyM&A

  After Campaigns had joined IPG and operated as Campaigns Universal, Grey Worldwide acquired IPG's interest, reportedly following pressure from key client Procter & Gamble.

  What changed. The company changed its name to Campaigns & Grey and entered Grey's international network within WPP.

  Aftermath. The affiliation provided access to Grey and WPP planning tools, research and international marketing communications resources.

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• 2010Pilipinas Kay Ganda branding controversyControversy

  The agency was associated with a Philippine tourism slogan and logo criticized as weak for international audiences and allegedly similar to Poland's tourism campaign. Campaigns & Grey said the work had been preliminary and rushed into production without agreed market testing.

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• 2018John Lucas appointed chief executive officer

  John Lucas was appointed CEO after the retirement of Boboy Consunji, who had assumed a senior leadership role after Villanueva-Ong's departure.

  Leadership change
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• 2014Yolanda Villanueva-Ong retires from advertising

  Co-founder and group chairperson Yolanda Villanueva-Ong retired from the advertising industry and transferred leadership responsibilities to Boboy Consunji and Cherry Gutierrez.

  Leadership change
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• 2014Ompong Remigio leaves to establish Fat Free

  Executive creative director Maria Corazon Paulina Remigio departed Campaigns & Grey to launch her own advertising agency, Fat Free. Rizielle Tangan and Noel Orosa took over her creative responsibilities.

  Leadership change
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• 2011Grey Group to acquire majority stake in Campaigns & Grey

  WPP announced that its Grey operating company had agreed to acquire additional shares in Campaigns & Grey, increasing Grey's longstanding minority interest to a majority position.

  M&A
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• 2011Campaigns & Grey ranked among the Philippines' top creative agencies

  Adobo magazine ranked Campaigns & Grey among the Philippines' top ten creative agencies for the 2008–2009 period.

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1. Campaigns & Grey