Manila Times columnist Bobi Tiglao shared in a Facebook post yesterday what he later writes in his column today “Isko, Leni studies confirm Marcos Jr. is way ahead” is a report on a focus group study commissioned by the campaign team of Yellowtard presidential candidate Leni Robredo. The full slide deck of the report is available on Tiglao’s FB post and it provides really detailed insight into what is behind Robredo’s failure to launch and what fuels her rival presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos’s stellar resonance with a large chunk of the voting public.
In three points, the study researchers clearly outlined the objectives of these focus groups which they conducted with “Class D and E” registered voters of Metro Manila aged 20 to 40 years old, who are “committed and soft voters” of Bongbong Marcos:
(1) To understand [the] journey on how and why they [came to] support Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (BBM)
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(2) To see what arguments could possibly diminish or erase their support for BBM
(3) To test their openness to supporting Vice-President Leni Robredo
The insights gleaned by the researchers paint an unsurprising picture of what Robredo’s campaign strategists are up against in terms of changing perceptions — both of Marcos and of Robredo — among Marcos’s supporters and crafting a way forward to achieve this. The following slides from the report summarises key terms used by focus group participants that were noted by researchers.
Most notable are the negative terms associated with Robredo that are clear indictments of the dysfunctional messaging that characterised her campaign over the last six to eight months and the PR stunts she engaged in over the five years of her term as “vice president”. Her “Lugaw Leni” persona which was one of her longest-running brand awareness campaigns (launched during her “response” to the Taal volcano eruption in early 2020) evidently did the most damage. Amazingly, this piece of collateral persisted into her current “KakamPink” campaign where serving lugaw (rice porridge) to supporters remains a cornerstone activity of her sorties.
Coming in second in the list of failed Robredo personal brand development initiatives is her legacy as a minion — no, leader — of the utterly-discredited Liberal Party of the Philippines. Robredo ran as the LP vice presidential candidate in 2016 and, also under the LP flag, endorsed the ill-fated Otso Diretso senatorial coalition in 2019. Despite sad efforts at recolouring her brand to the Pink of her campaign today, Robredo remains, at her core, a Yellowtard.
Leni Robredo adopted many personas over the years in her sad attempts to please everyone.
Third and final is very likely the single most damaging stunt of all due to the size of the destruction it wreaked on her campaign over a relatively short time frame (compared to the damage cause by the first two that is was spread over years). This medal of infamy in the annals of the PR profession belongs to Robredo’s astoundingly crude hadouken TikTok video.
We wrote back then amidst the fallout in the aftermath of this catastrophic stunt…
Some Yellowtard partisans and “activists” expressed dismay over how these stunts may actually be setting back the “cause” and bringing across the wrong message to voters whose preferences they seek to convert to their camp.
The research shows that the majority of the work the Yellowtards need to do over the remaining campaign period is to undo and correct the damage caused by their own work. Can they do this in the less than five months before Election Day? The report provides some food for thought on the way forward…
• While people feel [Bongbong Marcos] is as brilliant as his father, it is not actually the case
• If there is a need to harp on martial law, it should come from someone credible and who experienced it firsthand
• [Leni Robredo] might need to refrain from voicing her opinion against BBM as it only makes him more ‘kawawa’ and gain public sympathy
Nonetheless, the researchers go on to spell out some “viable methods to attack BBM”.
Given that they now have a treasure trove of “research” on how to beat Bongbong Marcos the steps they will take next and the shrill internal conversations that will erupt within Yellowtard echo chambers will be an interesting show to sit back and watch over a couple of beers. Can the girlettes and manlets of Team Leni Robredo read the map spread right before them? Can they even read maps in general? Abangan ang susunod na kabanata.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
Looks like the last slide reveals that they still don’t get one thing that pulls them down: they focus on attacking BBM. Instead of attacking BBM, they should focus on building Robredo up the right way.
In her ads, Robredo speaks of “ayuda,” “may plano,” but is short on specifics. If she wants to appear competent, she should be specific. In comparison, Sal Panelo promises ayuda, but he specifies what kind: fuel subsidies for transport workers, P10,000 allowance for single mothers, more allowances for teachers, finally giving barangay workers a salary (since they have none), and expanded services and assistance for people with disabilities, among others. I am not sure if I heard Robredo specify any of these.
Thus, enough of motherhood statements, more specifics.
The last presidential interview shows how hollow and empty her mind is towards this upcoming election period. Promises that doesn’t translate, forgetting what her senatorial is fighting for, and unable to coherently explain her side without repetitiveness.
Yes. Those tired “Martial Law this and that” tactics won’t ever work. I agree with BBM is not his father and just a name bearer, nothing else. That’s the truth. I’m just curious of what kind of leadership style he has.
Also nationwide Martial Law won’t even happen again because Joma Sison kinda abandoned the NPA. It is not as organized as the old Martial Law Era NPA. There’s no reason to.
That LOSS OF FREEDOM as the younger ones says..If you are a teenager, you shouldn’t even be loitering outside late at night unless your class ends at night.
I also agree with Leni shutting up about BBM, majority already hating her habit of bad mouthing someone else and her rabid fans.
This was a mistake, getting robredo who is utterly unwinnable..i hope she gets some money out of this, otherwise its all pain and disappointment from hereon.
This so called leaked report is another clever ploy to discredit Leni.
I am amazed how you can fall for this fake news.
I suppose you will believe anything that makes Leni look bad.
And you call yourselves critical thinkers?
Even if it’s fake news, majority don’t like Leni already and that’s because she runs her mouth without even thinking. If she could just shut up about how her opponent is bad and focus on what’s REALLY important then maybe the majority will vote for her. Like, come on. How demonizing your opponent will help you on the long run? Think about it.
The last survey result was a wake-up call for the Robredo camp to finally realize that the coming election is not really in the bag, yet. Robredo and her allies, exuding confidence, allowed their campaign approach to be hijacked by overeager volunteers and let them do their own thing in promoting her as they see fit or how they imagined her, all in an effort to sell and boost her chances of winning. End result, confusion in the messaging.
On 41:07 of the video below I quoted Robredo’s admission of the disorderly jumble in her camp’s campaign strategy
https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=external&v=618133582608499
Quote:
“‘Yung naging problema lang namin when we started, we were not prepared for the deluge of volunteers. At noong nagkaro’n ng onslaught of volunteers our first decision was to give them as much elbow room as possible, as much independence as possible to chart the kind of campaign that they want. Yun sana ‘yung gusto natin really to make it an honest to goodness people’s movement. Pero ‘yung naging problema lang, dahil iba-iba ‘yung pinanggalingan ng mga grupo, kanya-kanya din ‘yung messaging ‘yung ginagawa. Iba-iba ‘yung mga messaging na pinu-push. So, parang ang observation nangyari dito is sobrang mix ‘yung signal, diluted ‘yung messaging. That is why in December we had to decide on just one that will encapsulate everything that we want to convey.” – VP Leni
I remember criticizing her (and even BBM) here and in other blogs for making lousy videos and for representing herself in a caricature manner. Of course, nobody cross me here because majority here are anti-Leni, but in other blogs where she’s the star I was bombarded and accused of being pro-BBM, etc.
Then the survey came out. I was proven right.
There’s still time to make adjustments to catch up with BBM. Only problem is, she needs fresh minds from new people who knows how to represent her in an accurate manner to improve her strategy.
You said: “There’s still time to make adjustments to catch up with BBM”
What? Seriously?
Look, I don’t give a f@ck who wins in the Philippine elections. I don’t hold a Philippine passport. So I don’t really give a sh*t. But I know a loser when I see one. And Leni just doesn’t have what it takes to win. If you don’t see that, if you really believe that “There’s still time to make adjustments to catch up with BBM” , then you are naive, a troll, or just trapped in an echo chamber with people who only listen to things they want to hear–ignoring the obvious.
I don’t support BBM. I don’t care if he wins. But if I would bet BIG money just for personal gain, I would bet on BBM. Would you bet BIG money on LENI? Putting money on the line–having skin in the game–is the true test of ones convictions.
LCpl, unlike you, I don’t bet. ?
The election is on May not yesterday. People will still have vote and who knows of the outcome? BBM might suffer a heart attack or decide not to run or just won’t wake up one morning. See, it’s the Philippines, a lot of things could happen for you to say that it’s all over but the shouting.
BBM is leading, yes, but you’ll never know how the race will end.
I wouldn’t bet for Leni because she might concede (she is already planning on what to do once she loses) or just won’t wake up one morning (remember, she has gained weight lately). Hehehe.
The race will end in yellow tears and pink muddy rain.
This early, its done.
All the rest have already decided to cut their losses, it seems.
except the yellow fools who blindly smash their faces against rocks and bamboo spears.
Aquino’s or LP’s story arc is done and finished. They are gone. It’s over.
I can’t believe she used the pink ribbon when it’s actually a symbol for Breast Cancer awareness. My aunt died from it and I take that symbol seriously. For a person like her, it’s unbelievable.
This 2022 elections will prove who really cheated and who is loved by the masses. This is BBM’s story arc now, a story of redemption and victory! His victory is victory for the Philippines and Filipinos too!
“His victory is victory for the Philippines and Filipinos too!”
———-
Ummm, I don’t think that’s an apt slogan for BBM. If he wins, it’s a victory for him and his family. He’s running not for the Filipinos but for himself to put the family back in the political map and regain back the glory that was taken from them in the past.
Yes, the Aquinos are gone but the Marcoses are still alive and kicking. And that’s scary. What will BBM do if he becomes president? Unite the country? Huh! Stop corruption (of non-cronies) and try to wipe the slate clean in so far as the cases against the Marcoses is concerned? Initiate a move to revise history that will put the Marcos legacy in a better light?
I’m no Nostradamus but I see Filipinos, after six years of BBM presidency (if ever), asking themselves in incredulity, why did we vote for that guy? ?
What about those people that supported him with such fervor especially for those who don’t even live here and have no plans on coming back? It seems to me they were really happy with the current admin and would love a continuation of it even it doesn’t affect them directly.
“I’m no Nostradamus but I see Filipinos, after six years of BBM presidency (if ever), asking themselves in incredulity, why did we vote for that guy? ?”
Haven’t Filipinos been asking the same question since people were able to vote? It’s all a clown show that needs to stop. Thankfully the real reset is coming soon. It won’t be coming from politics/politicians though so everybody better saddle up because it’s gonna be one rough ride. Tonga was just a sampler. What happened to them can happen anywhere else. Unless ya’ll a bunch of silicon-based lifeforms from Mars maybe it won’t affect you at all.
I have nothing against those who will vote for BBM, especially those at home because it’s their call. If they think Jr. can do something for them to alleviate their situation, fine. As to those Filipinos outside, they really don’t care because they’re just looking in. Their skin in the game comes from those they left behind, nothing more. Pinoys can sink and swim for all they care.
“Pinoys can sink and swim for all they care.” This could actually happen literally rather than figuratively in the coming years.