New communications powerhouse ComCo Southeast Asia has always been committed in the fulfillment of its three thrusts: Igniting Brand Love, Igniting Social Change, and Igniting Talent. The Camp ComCo Mentorship Program, a product of the third thrust, Igniting Talent, has won the prestigious Gold Anvil Award for the Specialized Public Relations (PR) Program at the 54th Anvil Awards, dubbed as the Oscars of PR.

 

 

Camp ComCo’s big win is just one of the ten awards received by the agency at this year’s Anvil Awards, organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP). At the same time, it also kicked off ComCo Southeast Asia’s third year anniversary of championing the practice of New PR.

Upholding New PR to the New Generation

Camp ComCo is designed to discover and transform communication, industry linkage course and apprenticeship program marketing and multimedia students / fresh graduates into revolutionary professionals of the global practice and emerging disciplines of New PR and Smart Social. The three-month comprehensive talent incubation initiative, industry-linkage course and apprenticeship program seek to awaken creative rebels and arm them with the skills they need to rise above the clutter and create groundbreaking and life-changing communication programs.

Presented in three phases, Skills Calibration, Strategic Communications Immersion and Specialization Elective, the Camp ComCo curriculum is facilitated by ComCo Southeast Asia’s pool of marketing and communication experts and its network of industry practitioners in the region. Camp ComCo gives participants the opportunity to interact with experts in the field, work on actual communication projects and learn about the latest trends in the industry.

The Big Four

The four houses of Camp ComCo, inspired by endemic animals found in Southeast Asia.

Camp ComCo provides a holistic learning experience for its participants, offering a fun and creative method in approaching the concepts of New PR and Smart Social. This is strengthened by having all participants grouped into different houses, enabling a more focused mentorship by each house’s respective steward and advisor.

The houses, named after endemic animals found in the region, signifying the Agency’s advocacy work for biodiversity and environment conservation, are House Whaleshark, House Hawksbill, House Flying Fox, and House Bearcat.

The Camp ComCo Experience

The camp makes it a point that its participants, referred to as “ComCowans” (apprentices from the Star Wars saga), gets more than just an internship. The Camp ComCo experience is heightened with an in-depth exploration of the communication industry, through various seminars/ workshops conducted by industry experts.

The House Wars, a culminating activity that is embedded in the program, is a friendly pitch competition among houses that put all acquired learning to full effect. The eventual winner gets to handle an actual PR campaign based on their own plans, thus rounding the holistic learning experience inside the camp.

10 Cycles and Running

Camp ComCo Mentorship Program - ComCo Southeast Asia

Cycle 10 of the Camp ComCo Mentorship Program

On its third year, The Camp ComCo Mentorship Program was able to graduate 39 apprentices from 10 cycles, all of which hailing from various universities in the Philippines, such as University of the Philippines-Diliman, University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle University – Manila, Ateneo de Manila University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and more.

Previous Camp ComCo graduates who are now employed by ComCo Southeast Asia have won local and international awards for brands such as Lamoiyan Corporation, Pioneer Insurance, Eastern Communications, World Vision, SM Cinema, WWF, and Air Asia.

Feedbacks

Camp ComCo is structured to make the internship experience more memorable. Janela Bufi of Cycle 5, now Senior Brand Communications Associate of ComCo SEA said that her stay was “so different from other internships, doing actual work that mattered.”

Justin Harvey Llamosa, Executive Initiatives Officer of ComCo SEA, shared his experience of being a part of Cycle 1, realizing that “what [he] learned in school is just the tip of the iceberg. ComCo helps in learning it through practice.”

The culture of ComCo SEA is reflected on how the Camp operates. “The culture [of the Camp] is very liberal, refraining from the toxic seriousness of a conventional office day,” Matthew Escosia of Cycle 10, now Brand Communications Associate of ComCo SEA noted.

Camp ComCo always keep in mind to balance work and fun. Bleu Guttierez of Cycle 7, Communication Arts student at Triniy University of Asia, highlights that the best part of the camp was learning that she can “incorporate [her] hobbies with real, actual work—without worrying regardless of how crazy ideas could get.”

Luis Brimon of Cycle 7, graduate of Communication at Perpetua Help University System DALTA, commended the camp for being an immersive experience. “I almost forgot that I was just an intern, I felt that I was already a part of the company.”

Season 11 is now open!

Camp ComCo Mentorship Program - ComCo Southeast Asia

Creative rebels are wanted for Cycle 11 of the Camp ComCo Mentorship Program

Camp ComCo is now looking for creative rebels that will form the 11th cycle. If you think you have what it takes to be among the communication industry trailblazers and if you’re ready to make a difference in people’s lives, then this program needs you!

E-mail us at commandcenter@comco-hq.com.

To get to know more about ComCo Southeast Asia, explore and navigate www.comcosea.com or www.facebook.com/comco.southeastasia.