'International awards' dangled to 'Chinoy' businessmen as DTI warning stays vs for-sale honors
Barely a week after The News Today (TNT) came out with a story on the proliferation of suspected bogus awards and marketing scams in Iloilo, more Chinese-Filipino (Chinoy) businessmen now disclosed new details and grander offers from one group named respondent in a case filed before the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Manila .
While resolution has yet to be made on the said complaint lodged for alleged violation in the Consumer Act of the Philippines, the recipient key players in the Ilonggo business community now fear of becoming victims to "fake" award-giving bodies.
This latest report involved a P10,000 "award confirmation" fee, shared by a noted entrepreneur who showed to TNT the "honors" bestowed on his chain of new business with said distinction elaborately matched to the nature of his product.
The P10,000 payment was sought after the notice of award was made stating such will be used to "support the activities" of the award-giving body, International Management Excellence Award (Asia Pacific 2005).
"It is with deep honor that we present your company with the International Management Excellence Award (Asia-Pacific) 2005, an award bestowed upon companies that demonstrate management excellence in the Asia-Pacific," the "award" went while adding that the criteria were founded upon "core values and concepts that are viewed to collectively drive management excellence" including management and consumer reviews.
Basis of the selection was purportedly realized thru surveys with the survey results reviewed by managers and businessmen. And it did not stop there for even customers and consumers supposedly made the corresponding evaluation.
One matter that puzzled the recipient for prior to the notification, his business venture was new to the community and so much more to the "Asia-Pacific" region.
"Congratulations on receiving this prestigious award," highlight of the message went. The would-be recipient did not send P10,000. What remains to be seen is if the "honor" will still be given.
News on the web disclosed of similar concerns raised by legitimate award-giving groups as accounts after accounts were taken from 'victims' of the citations cum marketing strategies.
Online news story about the matter told of how one public relations manager of a five-star hotel in Roxas Boulevard has "become cynical about letters from various organizations informing her that their hotel has won a special award. She has had a series of telling experiences with these supposedly survey-based recognitions."
"Although many are legit, others seem suspicious," Kabigting told NEWSBREAK. "When I asked them what hotel category we won the award for, they couldn't answer. Then I received another fax from the same group asking for a sponsorship fee. When I told them no, they withdrew the award."
Summit Media publisher Lisa Gokongwei had a similar experience, the feature story continued.
"They faxed us a letter informing us that our magazine had won an award for best men's magazine. After initial discussions on the phone, they faxed us another letter asking us for sponsorship for media mileage and other things. When we declined to give sponsorship, they withdrew the award. A month or so later, I found out that the same award had been given to our competitor," the story went.
Yet it is easy to spot a hoax, the Philippine Marketing Association (PMA) said. The PMA is an organization of marketing professionals that gives out the "Agora Awards" follows a rigorous selection process and doesn't require an entry or a processing fee for the nominees, much less a sponsorship fee from the awardees. Through a media campaign, marketing practitioners and the public are invited to send in their nominations by filling out a nomination form. The awards committee requires documents to support the nominations. A board of judges from the industry deliberates on the nominees. The awards have seven categories including Outstanding Achievement in Export Marketing, Marketing Achievement in Entrepreneurship, and Marketing Company of the Year.
"If they ask you for a sponsorship fee before they give you the award, then it means that the award is practically for sale," a PMA statement went.
To recall, the DTI issued a warning to the Ilonggo businessmen to keep watch of these marketing strategies that requires money in exchange for the award.
DTI Manila is currently handling the complaint filed by the Philippine Marketing Association, Philippine Franchise Association, Direct Marketing Association of the Philippines and five other co-complainant groups. Respondent-organizations are the Philippine Marketing Excellence Awards, National Shopper's Choice Awards, National Product Quality Excellence Awards, Global Excellence in Marketing Awards (Symbol of Agora Excellence), Star Brand Awards, People's Brand Awards, International Management Excellence Awards and the National Consumers Quality Awards.
The complaint as lodged was anchored on soliciting monetary consideration or award fees in exchange for the awards, conferment of these awards without proper substantiation and data and questionable objectivity, credibility and integrity of the evaluation employed in the selection of awardees.