A breathtaking sunset, music and laughter, and fun and games awaited the COMCO Squadron at the closing of the year as COMCO Southeast Asia celebrated Christmas via “COMCOlidays at the Sea” through a cruise in Manila Bay.
COMCOlidays is an exclusive event for the COMCO Southeast Asia employees (also known as the COMCO squadron) and is a get-together overflowing with Christmas spirit and a program filled with fun, gift giving, contests and games.
The celebration gave the Agency a chance to toast the new year at the closing of 2021 in a serene setting that also aligned with the company’s goal of supporting and appreciating our local tourist destinations (and satisfying the Squadron’s thirst for exploration!)
For the past years, COMCO Southeast Asia has been celebrating its annual Christmas party differently. 2016 was held in Manila Hotel with the Agency’s Southeast Asia affiliates; 2017, a visit to Baguio or known to be the City of Pines; 2018, in Ilocos with side trips at Vigan Heritage City, Laoag, Paoay Sand Dunes and Bangui Wind Mills; in 2019, a trip from Baguio to Atok in Benguet; and 2020, a hybrid celebration – a silent thanksgiving in Tagaytay and a virtual Christmas Party covering Mega Manila, General Santos City up to Dubai!
While COVID-19 restrictions continued to make on-ground gatherings a challenge, COMCO Southeast Asia still worked to make the holidays merry in a creative and meaningful way. With proper health precautions, the 2021 COMCOlidays was held in a yacht located at the CCP Bay Terminal. Partying at the sea allowed for physical distancing away from the big crowds of the city.
2021 was a milestone year for the company as COMCO marked its 5th anniversary and held its year-long Blazing Sapphire celebrations. COMCO Southeast Asia’s Regional Integration and Chief Executive Director Ferdinand Bondoy shared during the event that the agency remains committed to the ideals its founders had when the company was first created – to be a safe harbor for creative individuals to fulfill their life’s work.
“It is only befitting to celebrate #COMCOlidaysAtTheSea on our 5th year. Our fearless but faithful navigation brought us here. 2021 was still a sea of uncertainties for the world, but with an amazing ship, a carefully planned nautical chart, a great dynamic crew with so much creativity around, and of course, God’s grace, we’re able to ride on the waves, and fully navigate the shift,” he said. “We’re now ready for the next part of the voyage, explore more uncharted territories and continue fulfilling the mission.”
It was definitely a memorable party by the sea. Team competitions were played such as modified Minute-To-Win-It games like Spoon Frog and Stacking Cups, Purple Elephant or the agency’s own way of doing white elephant exchange gifts, a TikTok contest that showcased the creativity and dance moves of the COMCO squadron, and individual social media entries posted with the hashtag #COMCOlidaysAtTheSEA which allowed the COMCO squadron to capture and share what everyone witnessed while cruising – the awe-inspiring sunset of Manila Bay.
Sailing off into the horizon, COMCO SEA is looking forward to what new adventures await as it sets off with renewed optimism in 2022!
About COMCO Southeast Asia
COMCO Southeast Asia is a trailblazing and globally award-winning integrated communications agency powered by the coalition of premier brand architects and communication trailblazers in the region. Based in the Philippines and dedicated to the Southeast Asia market, COMCO SEA takes the lead in the innovation of premier brands and growth of up and coming businesses through the emerging global disciplines of New PR – a strategy based, content-driven, and channel-agnostic way of doing PR, and Smart Social – a holistic, authentic and integrated approach in the maximization of digital and social channels, to effectively reach and engage audiences and help influence change.