INNOVATION AND creativity have always been core values in the L’Oreal Brandstorm competition. In years past, contestants have had to come up with new products from existing L’Oreal brands that would cater to specific markets.
This year, L’Oreal pushed the limits of Brandstorm creativity, requiring contestants to not incorporate L’Oreal’s partner salons and the services these salons offer.
L’Oreal Corporate Communications Manager Pamela Picazo said that this competition is a global initiative to challenge students to show their creativity and skills not just in making research papers but in actually putting things together.
“This Brandstorm is a good communication tool where we can see new talents in the country through the participating universities. This really is a great way to showcase the creativity of the Filipinos,” said Picazo.
Several teams of three members were pit against each other in the University finals. The winning team will represent Ateneo in the Nationals, where the group will be pitted against other teams from various Philippine universities. The winner of the Nationals will represent the country in Paris, France.
After the local university round, Teams Absolute and MRF emerged as the top two teams. Team Absolute was proclaimed the final winners for Ateneo and they will do on to represent the university in the Nationals.
Making the finals round in the Ateneo are teams Absolute and MRF, with Team Absolute eventually being proclaimed the winning Ateneo team.
The event was held last December 1 at the Ching Tan Room.
Thinking Beyond
Picazo said that this year, the competition will focus on L’Oreal’s Professionnel division. “Our end in mind is not just the consumers alone but also the salon owners, our partners.”
Thus, students are expected not only to create their own product, but also to create a service for that product which their partner salons can offer.
“L’Oreal Professionnel Homme is an untapped market, so we wanted to see the services the students can create that comes hand in hand with the products we offer,” added Picazo.
Team Absolute
The winning team, composed of Communication seniors Chio Cebrero and Gliza Marasigan and Management senior Sam Garcia will go on to represent Ateneo in the Nationals.
Their winning entry is called Stat, a re-texturing hair treatment which promises smooth, frizz-free and manageable hair within three steps. The treatment is designed to take 30 minutes to apply and lasts for three months. Stat uses natural ion technology that neutralizes negative ions in the hair.
“Men want what is hot; they want to have the maximum style they could get at a minimum effort… that is why we thought of Stat,” said Cebrero.
According to its members, Team Absolute did not only focus on the product but also on how to promote and market it.
Marasigan said that joining competitions as such is a good training for branding and marketing. “[We get to apply] whatever our knowledge about [branding and marketing is], and not just simply [learn] about it in the classroom,” said Marasigan
Team MRF meanwhile, is composed of Richard Francisco, Franchesca Stefanie Santos and Mara Elaine Villaverde.
What next?
Junior Recruitment Manager Michael Mendoza said that it is too early to tell what the product for the next Brandstorm will be. However, he said that interested applicants should expect it to be more challenging as it is L’Oreal Brandstorm’s 20th year next year.
Apart from Brandstorm, L’Oreal also launched “Reveal,” a business competition.
“It is an online business game where in people can log in to answer questions about themselves. It is a sort of professional mentor, a career assessment tool that you can do on your own,” said Mendoza.
He added that joining “Reveal” also gives an edge to those who will join as their applications are “fast tracked” to L’Oreal. “This is also a convenient way to learn [about] branding and marketing in real life. Anyone who is 18 years old and above is welcome to try Reveal,” he added.
The competition is open to students of all schools and courses.
