“MERRY SM CHRISTMAS” takes “gifting” to the next level

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Christmas is officially on at all SM malls nationwide with the launch of its “Merry SM Christmas 2015” campaign beginning this October. A premier holiday shopping destination, SM also wishes to continue its tradition of spreading cheer and the spirit of giving beyond the walls of the mall through this Yuletide campaign.

Beginning Thursday (October 1), all of SM’s 52 malls will be adorned with grand Christmas garlands, lights, and visual Christmas countdowns accompanied by continuous playing of well-loved Christmas carols. All mall decors are expected to be more thrilling as the season progresses with a series of special events lined up, including the Grand Christmas Centerpiece Launch, Toy Fair, Meet and Greet with Santa Claus and other popular characters, and the Grand Christmas Parade.

Aside from the picture-perfect decorations, the Merry SM Christmas campaign also shares with shoppers the “gifting” idea that aims to make the tradition of giving and receiving more meaningful.

“This holiday season, we would like to encourage our shoppers to make our gift-giving or ‘gifting’ tradition more memorable by doing it in three ways: gifting to family and loved ones; to the community; and to self,” said Jonjon San Agustin, SM Supermalls’ Senior Vice-President for Marketing.

“Christmas is the perfect time to reconnect with our families and loved ones who deserve nothing but the best from us and also reward ourselves with the things that we’ve been wanting to have,” San Agustin explained. “But what completes the Filipino Christmas gifting idea is the choice of sharing the joy of Christmas to our less fortunate brothers and sisters. We at SM offer this opportunity for our shoppers to give back and make a child happy through the SM Cares Bears of Joy charity program.”

“With the gifting idea in mind, we can do all our planning and early shopping of Christmas gifts more purposive and truly worthwhile. Now, we have a three-question gift guide always at hand: Is this gift for my loved ones, for myself, or for charity?” San Agustin quipped.

Merry SM Christmas will be celebrated by all SM malls nationwide from October 1, 2015 to January 10, 2016.

For more updates about this year’s “Merry SM Christmas” campaign, visit SM’s official Christmas microsite and follow its official social media accounts at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; and get an insider access to all the fun happenings at SM Supermalls nationwide through Viber. 

Shoppers can actively share their holiday merriments inside the SM Supermalls by posting their photos on social media and adding the hashtag #MerrySMChristmas2015.

E-Commerce site reports growth in PH Car Financing sector

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Leading car classified Carmudi, an e-commerce company that connects dealers of cars, motorcycles, trucks, and buses to prospective buyers, has recently unveiled its report about the growth of Car Financing in the Philippines. The report provides an outlook in the current and future state of car financing in the country and how it affects consumer attitudes towards credit.

The research also revealed that 76-percent of Filipinos are planning to purchase a car in the next two years compared to 65-percent in other emerging markets. 

In terms of consumer behavior, the Philippines has the highest level of vehicle upgrade, with 96-percent planning to upgrade their cars when they reach a more financial and stable condition.

Meanwhile, attractive consumer loan programs have boosted the strong demand for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The growth in consumer loans was driven by a 26-percent increase in auto loans, which translated to P244.61 billion.

Subir Lohani, managing director of
Carmudi Philippines. 

As consumer loans continues to grow, local banks are racing to come up with different strategies such as lower interest rates, attractive product offerings, and freebies to boost their share of the industry and give them a competitive edge. 

With the Philippine government initiating ongoing economic reforms and a high inflow of remittances, forecasts predict that consumer lending will flourish at a double-digit rate, driving consumers to further invest in cars and motorcycles. 

As more banks invest in consumer loans, consumer credit is also expected to increase and become more widely accessible to all Filipinos, the report said.

“Car financing has always been an option that consumers in the Philippines look at when buying a car, and data shows that the demand for auto loans in the country continues to increase,” said Subir Lohani, managing director of Carmudi Philippines. 

“With the growing economy and increase in demand for passenger cars, we believe that more of our Filipino customers will seek assistance about financing options. As more banks and financial institutions offer attractive loan programs and require low down payments, we expect auto purchases through financing will continue to flourish in the country,” adds Lohani.

Carmudi is an exciting and new kind of online car classifieds that allows you to sell or buy your car, motorcycle or commercial vehicle in the fastest possible way. You can search, compare, and purchase over 300,000 vehicles on your phone, making car shopping as easy as ever. In just under a year and a half, Carmudi has rapidly scaled to 20 countries across Asia, Africa, Middle East, and Latin America. We employ over 500 employees worldwide, and our team continues to grow.

Essilor and GMA Kapuso Foundation provide 500 prescription glasses

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In its commitment to provide better visual health for all, Essilor, the world leader for ophthalmic optics, reached out to Filipinos in need of vision correction at the annual Kapuso 20-20 Eye Project. 

Together with GMA Kapuso Foundation, Essilor provided 500 pairs of prescription glasses to underprivileged Filipinos at the GMA Kapuso Foundation booth. Apart from eye glasses, Essilor also gave free vision screening and eye check up. 

“Many Filipinos suffer from poor vision and it is our company’s commitment to help address this problem globally,” said Dr. Emelita Roleda, General Manager of Essilor Philippines. “That’s why we are very pleased to be part of outreach programs like this where we can help Filipinos see better, raise awareness on the importance of having healthy vision and emphasize the urgency of having your vision corrected.”

The event, which was held at the GMA Kapuso headquarters, was done in celebration of Sight Saving month. The outreach project was also supported by volunteer doctors from integrated phil assoc of optometrists (IPAO).

This project is a yearly partnership with GMA Kapuso Foundation. Last year, Essilor Vision Foundation, GMA Kapuso Foundation and Integrated Philippines Association of Optometrists (IPAO) provided free refraction and eyeglasses to 692 individuals (312 in Manila, 209 in Cebu, 181 in Davao) through the Kapuso 20/20 project. 

This outreach is part of the Essilor Group’s global strategy to address a global issue – the prevalence of uncorrected poor vision around the world and the need for governments and corporations to play a role in providing access to vision correction, particularly in emerging markets. 

“This is just one of the many projects lined up for this year that is geared towards better vision across the country,” Dr. Roleda added.

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) Networks launched global environmental responsibility campaign called "Picture This"

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Campaign Launched in 177 Countries

Sony Pictures Television Networks launched a worldwide campaign across their channels in 177 countries, engaging viewers in environmental issues, it was announced today by Andy Kaplan, president, worldwide networks for Sony Pictures Television (SPT). The effort, titled Picture This, will utilize the channels’ storytelling expertise to engage viewers around environmental issues important to each market. Picture This will then combine these local efforts into a worldwide voice to bring awareness to everyday efforts that can help protect our natural resources. 

“With the reach of our global networks and the passion of our storytelling, our networks will both engage the community and energize people to action by picturing a better environment,” said Kaplan. “Collectively we can make noise heard around the world on behalf of issues that are central to everyone’s well-being and do it in an entertaining way.”

In Asia, SPT Networks, which includes leading channels Animax, AXN, Gem, ONE and Sony Channel will present a three minute on air spot encouraging viewers to reduce the use of plastic bags in their daily lives. To communicate the message, SPT Networks enlisted the support of “El Gamma Penumbra”, the mesmerizing shadow play group who won the first season of Asia’s Got Talent on AXN earlier this year. 

“The over-use of plastic bags in territories across Asia is a growing concern given the negative impact it has on our land, waterways, marine life and oceans. Through our Picture This campaign, we want to remind viewers to think twice before using, and then quickly discarding, their plastic bags. Partnering with El Gamma Penumbra, who is known for their compelling environmental performances, was a natural choice and their inspiring storytelling for Picture This is sure to make a big difference,” said Hui Keng Ang, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Sony Pictures Television Networks, Asia.

Picture a world without litter. Picture an urban oasis. Picture a beautiful forest. Picture This.

See Picture This and El Gamma Penumbra in action here: 

http://www.axn-asia.com/programs/picture?img=8135&title=photo-8135

More information about Picture This can be found at the global website: www.sptpicturethis.com. Links to local efforts can also be found there, as well as assets that can be used to join the conversation on social media.

 #sptpicturethis

Meet ASUS’ High-Value 5’’ ZenFone with Pixelmaster Camera and Android Lollipop 5.1

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A compact, stylish and high-value smartphone for today’s savvy and socially-connected consumers, with a vivid 5-inch IPS HD (1280 x 720) display and a feature-rich 8MP PixelMaster main camera with industry-leading low-light performance. The newest member of the original ZenFone generation keeps the fun rolling with a high-capacity battery that provides almost 30 hours of 3G talk time and over 10 days on standby.

ZenFone Go packs a powerful 1.3GHz quad core processor for superior everyday performance, and includes intelligent dual SIM, dual-active technology that lets users both deal with and switch seamlessly between business and personal needs.

This lightweight marvel also has exclusive ASUS SonicMaster audio technology, controlled by the intuitive ASUS AudioWizard with ICEpower® technology for mobile-audio experiences that sound great in any surroundings.

PixelMaster camera: See what others can’t see

ZenFone Go is equipped for superb everyday photography and fun selfies, with two built-in cameras. The main PixelMaster camera has a 8MP, f/2.0 lens to capture stunning photos. PixelMaster’s industry-leading Low Light mode employs pixel-merging technology to capture up to 400%-brighter photos at night, or in low-light scenes, without the need for a flash — something not previously possible with a 5MP camera.

The ZenFone Go’s PixelMaster main camera also has Backlight (HDR) mode to let users capture vivid, evenly-exposed photos in challenging backlit scenes such as sunset portraits. By using pixel-enhancing technology to increase contrast by up to 400%, Backlight (HDR) mode ensures that foreground subjects stand out clearly and are free of shadows.

ZenFone Go’s ZenUI Camera app also includes loads of powerful features to help users capture the very best photographs and selfies, including Time Rewind that snaps even before the shutter button is pressed and Depth of Field to create stunning miniature-world effects.

Android Lollipop 5.1

Browse through the ZenUI with Android Lollipop 5.1 from out of the box. It gives you the best Android experience with all the bug fixes and improved key aspects of the entire operating system, and added some new tricks and fancy animations to make ZenFone Go even livelier.

SonicMaster audio: Exclusive technology for high-quality mobile sound

ZenFone Go benefits from ASUS-exclusive SonicMaster technology for exceptional mobile-audio experiences. An ingenuous amplifier design enables ZenFone Go to deliver an output voltage that’s up to 25% greater than competing smartphones. The included ASUS AudioWizard app with ICEpower technology helps the users to shape the sound for every environment and situation. The result is rich, powerful and dynamic audio output that delivers louder, distortion-free sound for both work and play, from speakerphone calls and voiced map directions to music and movies.

AVAILABILITY & PRICING

ZenFone Go (ZC500TG) will be available next week in all authorized re-sellers nationwide for only P5,995