MANILA, Philippines – MRM Philippines, the digital relationship marketing discipline of McCann Worldgroup, has launched the MRM Digital University (MRM DU) – a pioneering digital mentorship program. Selected students from Manila’s top universities and colleges comprise the first batch of graduates in the program’s pilot run that tapped in-house talent as resource team.
Heading the mentorship program is MRM Managing Director Donald Lim. “Digital is a rapidly evolving discipline, and it constantly requires a refreshed order of proficiencies to be able to understand and maximize emerging technologies, content and social spaces. Theoretical teaching is valuable, but true learning is acquired when put to application. This is what we want to achieve with the launch of MRM Digital University,” he says.
The program, which taps the MRM team as speakers, spans topics from digital landscape trends and forecasts to digital skillset, and to paid, owned and earned media. Measurement, analytics and usability are among the progressive features of the curriculum.
In its pilot run, MRM DU guest speakers included Manny Fernando (CEO of Mega Mobile) on mobile marketing, Greg Armshaw (Chief Innovation Catalyst of McCann Worldgroup) on harnessing the power of mobile and community data, Mon Lizardo (e-commerce consultant) on e-commerce and online retail. Internet celebrity and now anti cyber-bullying advocate Christopher Lao’s talk on online reputation management was a hit with the students.
Participants previewed the campaign development process when they were challenged to pitch a full digital campaign for an MRM client brand. MRM and McCann executives formed the jury that named the team from UP Manila and Philippine Christian University the first Overall Champion title. As prize, Marlon Monterozo, Keon Carlo Laurente, Danilo Miguel Atienza and Mark Laurens Sanchez are part of the MRM delegation to the Creative Guild Kidlat Awards in Boracay.
MRM Digital University Overall Champions from UP Manila and Philippine Christian University with MRM MD Donald Lim and McCann Chairman and CEO Raul Castro
The first batch of graduates were from Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University Manila, Far Eastern University Manila, iAcademy, National College of Business and Arts, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasig, Philippine Christian University, Philippine School of Business and Arts, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of Asia and the Pacific, University of the East, University of the Philippines Diliman, University of the Philippines Manila, University of Sto. Tomas and Technological Institute of the Philippines. MRM’s partner for the Digital University’s pilot run is the Philippine Junior Marketing Association.
Raul Castro, McCann Worldgroup Philippines Chairman and CEO addressed the participants during the graduation and awarding. He said, “Digital is a medium that only looks forward. The world operates like digital, what works today will not work tomorrow. It’s important to bring learning beyond tools and theories, pin learning to what truly matters. Be curious with the world. Be ingenious with your ways. Be passionate with what you want. Be courageous with ideas. Know what is true about humanity, be able to tell it well, in whatever medium.”