Kia keys PBA push with Pacquiao
SACRAMENTO, California—Kia’s drive to the Philippine Basketball Association as one of three expansion teams come October has been escorted by media fanfare.
The bells, whistles and sirens even, were sounded off by the Korean automaker’s Manila managers.
They had the smarts to put on some “wang-wang” by exploiting the media aura and public relations force field of the most recognizable Filipino on Earth—Manny Pacquiao.
Kia scored a major coup by keying its forthcoming entry into the PBA with the multi-tasking Pacquiao.
It took no time for the Seoul-based company to convince the current Sarangani congressman and reigning WBO welterweight champion to serve as its PBA coach and possibly a player because he takes his basketball religiously.
The news mileage and publicity Kia generated with its Pacquiao caper are immense. The second largest Korean automaker captured attention even before it coughed up the P100 million franchise fee to the world’s second oldest professional basketball league after the NBA.
Now Kia hopes to translate all that jazz into sales in a market dominated by Toyota, Mitsubishi and Hyundai.
Because of its huge television audience, the PBA “is a worthwhile platform for raising brand awareness,” e-mails Charlie A. Agatep, the peerless PR professional.
But will Pacquiao’s presence as coach and player increase Kia’s local sales? Not necessarily, says my fellow Ilocano.
On the contrary, Agatep, president and CEO of Pasig City-based Havas PR Agatep says Kia’s entry will promote Pacquiao more than the Kia brand itself.
Even if Pacquiao actively endorses a Kia in a TV commercial, Agatep still has “doubts that this will help sell more Kia cars.”
“Car products need to be different in reality or perceptually,” he says.
Agatep continues:
“To be different, the new car product has to offer a unique consumer benefit. Buying a car is a rational not an emotional decision. If consumers feel that a car product is tried and trusted, they are more likely to use it rather than re-evaluate their brand choice.”
Still, Agatep treats Pacquiao’s future stint in the PBA as exciting news—a thought shared by famous boxing writer Greg Beacham of the Associated Press.
Greg Beacham, a veteran of Pacquiao title bouts, told me by e-mail “Pacquiao seems to thrive in the middle of all distractions that would be troublesome to most fighters.”
“If he (Pacquiao) takes a major role with a basketball team, I expect he would be able to handle it, particularly if he has enough assistance from others, as he surely does in his congressional activities,” said Beacham.
“I think the biggest possible threat to Pacquiao’s boxing career would not be the time commitments,” according to Beacham. “It would be the possibility that he could get hurt.”
“Pacquiao has wider interests than just about any athlete I’ve ever known,” says Beacham. “But hopefully, any basketball commitment wouldn’t keep him from making the most out of the latter years of his remarkable career.”
I also asked the eminent sports columnist Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times for his take on the new Pacquiao.
“I have no take, Percy,” Dwyre answered briefly via e-mail. “Manny likes to stay busy. No big deal.”
