DDB wins first gold for The Philippines at the Advertising and Marketing Effectiveness Awards

The Philippines has won gold for the first time for an ad created by DDB at the AME Awards in New York last week.

The agency’s entry “Pacquiao Positive” for PepsiCo’s Sting Energy Power Pacq Drink bested entries from 27 countries in the new product launch category. The ad used multi-titled world boxing champion Manny Paquiao as celebrity endorser.

The campaign took social media by storm through fake articles that attacked Manny Pacquiao’s clean, steroid-free image. Thousands of Pacquiao’s supporters and detractors took turns in hurling brickbats against each other. Within 48 hours, Manny Pacquiao made a simultaneous appearance on major TV channels to answer all allegations.

Millions of Filipinos froze in disbelief as a somber Pacquiao admitted to testing positive – for “Malunggay”, a Moringa plant species that is, the nutritious key ingredient of Sting PowerPacq Energy Drink.