I have nothing against Informatics (I know people from this school), but their recent print ad in Philippine Daily Inquirer is bordering on the desperate and pathetic. I’m not saying this because I’m from UP (I would have reacted the same way if I were from other schools), but because the print ad is intellectually insulting by trying too damn hard to make the reading public (especially parents) believe that:
a. there’s a logical connection between a father’s educational attainment and his son’s success (so what if you’re from UP or Wharton or Matute School of Fashion? Your son’s education or miseducation has nothing to do with your alma mater), and that
b. UP and Informatics have the same quality of education, no matter how loosely the connection is made (if it were true, it wouldn’t be named Informatics. trust me.)
I’m very surprised Informatics—a reputable computer school in the Philippines—would resort to such a cheap, lousy, and mentally debilitating tactic just to increase enrolment. Why not simply highlight its own credentials? Its own merit?
The only thing that’s not cheap in this print ad is its cost (creatives, production, media buy, agency commission, talent fees), and all that money will go to waste because many Filipino parents are informed and intelligent; a print ad does not easily convince them. If there’s one thing this print ad is successful at doing, it is to cast doubt on the quality of instruction and credentials of Informatics because it cannot seem to stand on its own without associating itself with institutions like UP, which in marketing parlance, is still a competing school because it has its own IT programs.
So shame on Informatics for this cheap trick. Shame on the advertising agency that recommended this positioning. Shame on the talents for allowing themselves to be used (and paid) for this purpose. And most of all, shame on parents who won’t think twice enroling their children to Informatics.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not doing this to pick holes on Informatics. I’m doing this as a tirade against advertisers that think they know better than their reading public. Yes, Informatics isn’t the only school that does this. A colleague directed me today to a Multiply site showing another school positioning itself as “UP’s sister school,” and as “the private UP.” Private UP???? See for yourself:
No offense meant to their students, but what’s with these schools???
I agree the approach is pedestrian and class-less
I could also think inferiority complex on the part of Informatics, by playing second fiddle to UP but then they are playing it to their economic advantage. It only means that they rate themselves 2nd best and those who can’t make it to UP could get good if not the same quality education at their school
I don’t think of any legal reason to sue them for mischief other than misinformation and/or tacky braggadocio
There’s a difference between a lousy ad and a stupid ad and both of the above are the latter
bw: i held back on using the stupid word because i didn’t want to rub it in, to be redundant, but now i realize you are right—the ads weren’t just lousy, they’re downright retarded.
I wonder if previous permission were had before the U.P. Diliman name was utilized in this ad. There might be some trade infringement on intellectual rights. Or even just for reason of etiqutte and respect.
Otherwise, it’s purely cheap trick as you said it.
i am offended (officially).
thedailyprophet: i doubt if UP gave permission to this ad; what’s in it for UP to allow Informatics to use its name anyway, right? I’m not sure, too, if there are any IP issues here; as you said, just a little decency is needed. thanks for dropping by!
themussolini: i’d be disappointed if you weren’t
i saw it in the newspaper yesterday. kakaiba talaga gumawa ng gimik ang mga institute na ito. kulang na lang yatang gawing UP Extension ang mga pangalan.
dongho: haha. UP Extension. it still sounds cheap.
how about calling it “hard selling”?
onlinesmarty: ah, that’s an understatement! haha
Eureka! Haha, we were just talking about this a while ago (I mean, you talking to the class :P)!
And I have seen similar Informatics advertisements here in the south. And they used Ateneo and DLSU instead. Talk about desperation. Oh no, I should be kind.
and Humble. 
aLps: i’m so much kinder in this post compared with my live spiel, don’t you think? the power of face-to-face comm. haha!