Epic fail: Mar Roxas’s campaign video featuring Billy Crawford, JayR and Kris Lawrence

Presidential candidate Mar Roxas should fire his public relations (PR) people. His campaign video “Fast Forward Sa Daang Matuwid” is a perfect example of how not to do presidential campaign videos.

The colour yellow dominates the visual theme of the video. Rather than invite inclusiveness, the video screams exclusive — to anyone who subscribes to what the colour yellow represents, that is. We all know what the yellow colour stands for in Philippine politics. It’s everything to do with the Aquino-Cojuangco feudal clan. It is not the Philippines’ red-white-and-blue national colours. It’s a feudal colour.

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The video is also a complete gloss-over of the Philippines’ underlying problems. The opening scene features an aerial view of one of Metro Manila’s more impressive skylines (probably that of either the Ortigas or Makati central business districts) near the horizon with a green leafy golf course on the foreground. It is a picture far from the real image of rusted tin roofs blanket by the familiar brown haze that hangs over the city most days that, in real life, dominate Metro Manila when viewed from above.

More astoundingly, the performers in the video, Billy Crawford, JayR, and Kris Lawrence all seem to be foreigners (or Filipinos who grew up or resided primarily abroad) who made it big in Philippine showbiz. Their singing and dancing is backdropped by an obviously affluent part of Metro Manila — most likely some tony condo cluster in Bonifacio Global City or some well-fortified exclusive enclave where unshowered people in tsinelas are not allowed.

Semi-Filipino celebs Billy Crawford, JayR, and Kris Lawrence flash the Loser Salute at the end of the video.

Semi-Filipino celebs Billy Crawford, JayR, and Kris Lawrence flash the Loser Salute at the end of the video.

In short, as a means to attract votes, it gets all the essentials wrong. It fails to present a story to which the Filipino masses could relate to. It does not bring across a unifying message on account of the partisan colours its producers chose to thematically engulf its imagery with. It makes light of the real Philippine condition by painting an overly-positive vibe to the point of being patronising to its audience.

Since Filipinos are in the business of believing polls from which conclusions are derived from small sample sizes, it may be worth highlighting that as of this writing, the video garnered 5,448 thumbs-down votes and only 1,237 thumbs-up reviews on YouTube. This particular YouTube upload also has comments disabled.

That’s a massive fail for the producers and whoever conceptualised this work. Failed content, failed social media engagement, failed messaging. An overall failure in PR thinking.

62 Replies to “Epic fail: Mar Roxas’s campaign video featuring Billy Crawford, JayR and Kris Lawrence”

  1. Contrast that to the Binay style of the ‘Katulad ninyo akong api’ and you can see why the LP PR group is an utter failure despite the gargantuan propaganda machinery at their disposal. The self-destructive properties of the products they are peddling obliterates any significant effort on their part to mask the utter unlikability of their client. That is why Roxas and the rest of his magicians better think twice about “winning” the race at the risk of another knee-jerk revolutionary response to oust a widely vilified character out of office.

  2. well, they pulled out the video and, as of 21:43 12/8/15, is now gone before more dislikes can be clicked….
    BTW… how about that Ramon Bautista fist bump eh? :v :v

  3. Geez..star studded huh and as of this writing 5k plus dislikes. Funny thing is its like a station ID from ABS-CBN..lol
    They pulled out the video and posted a new one again..the dislikes are overwhelming in numbers..

  4. Yellow is understandable, and the L as well. Yellow was the LP color even before Marcos and the big L was their sign as well so that’s OK.

    Just FYI my family background is originally NP but not KBL we didn’t like those folks at all.

    The typical problem of the Filipino is to see only “KAMI” – whichever group one belongs to, and not to see the others. This is an issue for nearly all groups in the Philippines, there is hardly any sense of “TAYO” – all of us – in the Philippines from what I still see.

    Binay followers see ONLY the poor and their own tribe, Duterte folks see only their own, Marcos folks are also like that or would they give anyone considered yellow by family name any fair chance even if he or she did what they consider correct? So everyone sees only his or her Philippines, never the whole.

    So I think the problem is the attitude of most Filipinos, even if it might still change. The clan-based affair that is the Marcos group is also not truly inclusive, while the LP is the more modernized Filipino crowd and leaves the less modernized behind, both maybe just instinctively, not intentionally. So the country remains what American author Stanley Karnow of “In Our Image” called it: Tribes in Disguise.

    1. I do not get what you are trying to say. Are you saying the LP/Yellow Crowd (or whatever you call it) is the only one with a truly inclusive orientation as opposed to the rest?

      1. Nope, read properly. Personally I would prefer a modernized NP without Marcoses.

        In fact ALL the politicians running now belong to some kind of dynasty or group that wants to run the Philippines.

        Marcos I like to compare to Napoleon – someone who copied the feudal families in a nouveau riche way. His Empress Josephine was the Imelda of those days.

        Real professional political parties like in Europe, Canada, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Japan, South Korea do not exist in the Philippines – parties with real ideas and programs, plus local groups, not just focused on people.

        LP is 1/3 feudal, 2/3 professional in my evaluation. NP is basically nonexistent. PDP-Laban is now Dutertes thrust rocket. There is no credible democratic right-wing or left wing party, like the Christian and Social Democrats in Germany – where the Liberals are also called yellows and are voted mainly by yuppies and businessmen. Cayetano would normally be a Christian Democratic type by his ideas, and Poe would be more on the Social Democratic side. But the Philippines still has some way to go towards true political maturity.

      2. Whatta pointless exercise classifying Filipino politicians by ideology (much more by political parties which, in the Philippines, stand for zilch).

        If we are truly serious about seeing Filipino politicians as anything more than the faces of vast election winning machines lurking in the background, they should be dragged kicking and screaming into a public debate mediated by a third party.

        Media is obviously not up to the task — not when they earn huge profits from the media and advertising frenzy kicked up by these bozos during the campaign periods in the lead up to the elections.

      1. You’re right, the old logo was not yellow, they changed it in 2011. But the big L always was their sign on the logo… the handsign “L” was the LABAN party which ran against KBL before EDSA Uno in 1986.

        Yes, PDP-Laban is descended from Laban, but it is indeed strange to see how things have mutated from 1986. Binay and Duterte were both OIC mayors that Cory Aquino appointed.

        Wacky thing is that many LP leader in Mindanao are now switching sides to Duterte. So like I wrote no real program-based political parties yet, just individual politicians who may or may not have ideas. Some Senators like Cayetano, Trillanes or Bam Aquino have a recognizable thrust if one analyzes the bills they passed, others don’t.

        1. Quite right Irenio. By comparison to Europe, Australia or NZ the political system here is quite immature, as you say more about identities than policies. There is no parliamentary system here with a daily televised question time likewise at street level it seems mayors once appointed can do just as they like and one can never seem to find out what they are up to, in short there is a total lack of transparency along with no scrutiny by highly active media, thus there is little and varying accountability. Federalism is a halfway house but to empower the ordinary person to get involved in political activity a democratic parliamentary system is needed. Many ordinary everyday (non wealthy but committed) people in Europe get involved in politics but here unless you have money and family ties with the elites…forget it !! A Parliamentary system is a bulwark and buttress against corruption and the abuse of power simply because it demands transparency and accountability at all levels of government.

  5. The Political campaign video is choreographed in stupidity. Mar Roxas cannot insert himself to the masses by: pedalling a tricycle; carrying bags of “sibuyas”; working as a “carpintero”; directing traffic, etc…so, he came up with his true color; which is Yellow. The color of Aquino’s Feudal Oligarchy.

    The video does not show anything, about his platform, and program solutions of our country. It is just a Song and Dance Routine. Showing these “Rich People” are happy, like Mar Roxas, who is rich.

    While, most of us lives miserable lives in Squatter Shanties, without any basic necessities. Or become OFW slaves, to earn money, so that our families will not starve to death.

    Anyway, where is the Missing Typhoon Yolanda relief funds? Maybe, it was spent on this Mar Roxas campaign video. The people in the video were paid by this missing Typhoon Yolanda relief funds.

    A vote for Mar Roxas is a vote for Feudal Oligarchy; massive corruption ; gross incompetence; and stupidity.

  6. It’s like a video saying, “hey, these are your new rulers, pay tribute to them or else…”

    Might work in a country dominated by starstruck ignoramuses.

  7. Bullshit! Saan ang katotohana?so bs!!!! Wala ka talagang charm kaya nanggamit ka pa nga artista. Typical TRAPO! ipakita mo ang kabulukan mo ang katotohanan baka maasawa pa tao syo!

  8. Yes definitely the average Filipino can really “relate” to that video. You’d have to be very high to be able to appreciate it. It’s so awash in yellow, Filipinos might as well puke and crap yellow like they have hepatitis. I agree, whatever happened to red, white and blue? Might as well change the national flag to yellow and call the country Yellowland. Blatantly using celebrity endorsements comes across as cheap and artificial. They’re trying too hard to appeal to the average voter yet are achieving the opposite.

  9. Walang connect sa amin, di mo maintindihan , parang ASAP lang. Malayo sa add ni Duterte na Tapang at Malasakit na may connect sa realities ng buhay.

  10. I watched for 1 minute and then I felt like puking my guts out. What a bunch of assclowns. This is so far from reality, they might as well could have filmed this in another country. Those fuckheads singing in the video must just be as fucked in the head as the person they are promoting. Sickening shit!

    Yellow is the color of piss and this video proves it!

  11. Except that is exactly how they want it.
    They just did not expect how less gullible people have become.

    And on firing someone, when did the yellow demons fire a “kakilala”? Since they only assign “kakilalas” for most positions and contracts, chances are whoever is in-charge of that video is in their circle.

    Let’s just fire them all in 2016.

  12. 1) Who told Mar to do this? I asked so I can avoid whoever he is if in case I will hire a PR strategist.

    2) I think the strategy is old. But of course, it is still effective if his PR team assumes that the Aquino magic is still alive despite BSA III’s political misses and blunders. I mean if Roxas is running for the 1987 or 1992 senatorial elections, this advertisement could guarantee Mar a landslide victory, back when Cory fever is still high.

    3) The message of the advertisement is fantasy, no different from watching a tele-serye. It doesn’t answer the question “what do you intend to do when you win?” There isn’t any message of a promise either.

    Oh wait I get it! It’s an appeal to the fans. It’s like saying “KathNiel is for Mar, so if you’re a fan, vote for Mar.”

    I find that rather insulting, if that is the case. Why? Because this advertisement seem to think that I will vote for Mar simply because he dragged a lot of celebrities in it and I will forget seeking his platforms.

    Or, by watching it again, is the ad suppose to tell me that if Roxas wins, I get to live in such a place as the advertisement is showing and I get sing and dance with all of these celebrities? I’m neither a fan of a high-rise buildings nor of those celebrities, so still, I’m not buying.

    4) How much was spent on this advertisement? Given the number of celebrities on it, sanitizing the location, refreshments for everyone who is in the taping, I assume it is not less than a six-figure budget. I’m not saying that Roxas took this from the government’s purse, all I am saying is it is also insulting to see that an advertisement that is long, well-done with full of highly paid personalities when Sec. Roxas, together with some members of the Aquino cabinet, is suspected of mishandling public funds.

    Oo nga naman, Roxas belongs to the rich Araneta clan. I hope COA or the Ombudsman will look in to that. Even if it is from his own pocket, out of respect at least for the victims of Yolanda, he should have not done this.

    5) Lastly, all I can say is give back 8 minutes and 50 seconds of my life.

    1. This video proves only one thing: That Filipinos haven’t evolved much over the last 30 years — or, worse, if they actually have evolved, their politicians are completely unaware of that evolution.

      Or that serious misreading of the electorate is a condition that afflicts just Mar and his idiot campaign team — who, time and again, have proven to be one of the dumbest and most embarrassing Filipino politicians in these modern times.

      1. Ricky Caradang is the YellowTards’ foremost PR man. I heard , he now owns a PR firm; and getting rich, with those contracts.

  13. This mindset of “just acting” in politics and let everyone believe that in reality our lives and economy will be good as this MTV.. it just sux big time! it’s a vicious circle it will never end if we will not be part of the change.. enough of this showbiz crap! this has to be stop! #DU30

  14. “…the video garnered 5,448 thumbs-down votes and only 1,237 thumbs-up reviews on YouTube.”

    update lang. 11,136 thumbs-down votes na and still counting. ^_^
    yng thumbs-up naman ay 1,478.

    to follow the thumbs-up and thumbs-down update, go to…

  15. For each campaign, there is a target market. We should still verify who their target market is before we say that this is an epic fail of a campaign. Their target market may be professionals which may be the reason why they used the skyline as their opening backdrop. Mar Roxas was responsible for the booming of the call center industry in the Philippines so they may be highlighting that as well.

    1. Show us evidence that he was responsible for the booming of the BPO Industry or this will remain as a baseless claim. 🙂

    2. Please know that Mar Roxas is not responsible for the booming of the call center industry in the PH. Do not make such claims.
      As for the target market, He is running for the highest office, target market should be the majority of the Filipino people. If its not, then its still epic failure. This is my opinion, of course you are entitled to one also.

    3. GMA did that not Roxas. Every so-called economic achievement being trumpeted by this NOYNOYING administration, GMA laid the groundwork. Noynoy and his cohorts are incompetents, at best.

      1. GMA bitaw… In fairness to CGMA, she actually did something good which PNoy now enjoys and takes the glory. Check out the stats and the numbers. Bisan sa iyang (PNoy) SONA, all he talks about are the flaws of the previous government. Move on Panot!

    4. Excuse me! Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was responsible for creating BPOs and Call Centers in the Philippines, not Mar Roxas.

  16. Ang gaganda ng boses nila nakaka impress. yun lang po masasabi ko…nyahaha!mga mayayaman lang ang makaka appreciate nun pro tulad kong mahirap… pra lang akong nanonood ng music video ng isang sikat na singer at gandang ganda lang ako sa boses nya yun lang. Laki siguro ng binayad ni Mar sa mga yun halos lahat yun mga sikat e sayang naman nung pera sana sa kapakipakinabang na lang inilaan. tsk..tsk..tsk..

  17. Panalo mga celebrity dito may kinita sila pero talo mga naghihirap na mga pilipino tandaan nyo Aquino pangulo kayo Romualdes selective progress and development programa nyo. Fast forward to Federal Government.

  18. its so sad to be filipino looking this advertisement is so wrong in so many ways..wow make me sick….. the world is changing and people are getting smarter. this ad makes me mad that this man roxas are not really interested in normal pilipinos

  19. I hear there’s a karaoke/videoke version to be released exclusively to nightclubs and cabarets so sex industry workers will have something to look forward to.

  20. THE OPPOSITION IS DEFINITELY RUNNING OUT OF REEVANT ISSUES AGAINST THE MAR-LENI TANDEM THAT THEY ARE NOW CRITIZING PETTY THINGS LIKE ENDORSEMENTS AND ANYTHING ELSE THEY CAN THROW.

    1. Seriously? Are you one of the numb nuts who liked the video? That video is such a collosal failure on so many levels I dont even know where to start. If there’s an ad that’s gonna ruin mar roxas’ campaign then this is it. We just got to share it some more so people can see the douche bag within mar roxas.

  21. Sometimes you must agree with someones opinion for the sake of being polite and modest, but within you, you know that you are not foolish and crazy.

  22. It is just annoying and displays how afraid from criticisms Mar Roxas is oby disabling the comments section in their Fast Forward Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oofYDt_KFfY). It just goes to show what kind of leader he would be. Every criticism that we provide will be shrugged off. But come to think of it,this is similar with PNoy and most of the department heads appointed. They dismiss and defend themselves first before listening. Now what kind of solution would they hope to bring if their solutions are one-sided.

    p.s. you can click on the link below and see for yourself

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oofYDt_KFfY

    But you can always spare yourself from watching the video.

  23. As of 3:45 PM today, 12/22/2015, the now “infamous” Fast Forward video of Mar has garnered a rather impressive 35,965 dislikes.

    It just goes to show that when you are the most hated Presidential candidate from a very incompetent gov’t and decided to make an ad with questionable beginnings (and funding) featuring celebrities, most of them from your wife’s biased home network, who will not even be able to make a vote in the first place, you’ll definitely end up very famous. Famously hated by everyone indeed. (Pun most certainly intended)

    1. I dont understand why they had to include a minion character in the video… we all know the minions are looking to serve the most evil person in the world… says a lot about the people behind the video I suppose…

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