Ginebra San Miguel Inc. (GSMI) launched the Gin Responsibly internal communications campaign last year to engage the company’s employees and stakeholders nationwide to show ‘malasakit,’ and to ensure timely and factual information on COVID-19 is disseminated within the organization. The campaign also tapped the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings and endorsers Sue Ramirez and Matteo Guidicelli to lead by example in showing ‘malasakit’ through advocacy videos and participation in donation efforts.

At the start of the COVID-19 health crisis in March last year, it became clear that there needed to be a platform where important messages are communicated on how to prevent the spread of the disease. 

Ginebra San Miguel Inc. (GSMI) quickly set up its “Gin Responsibly” internal communications campaign to ensure that in addition to company news and updates, timely and factual information on COVID-19 is shared with its employees and partners to prevent and mitigate its impacts on the organization and the business. 

For this work, GSMI received the Excellence Award for its COVID-19 related communications campaign at the recent 18th Philippine Quill Awards of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)-Philippines. The campaign was recognized under the Communication Management for Marketing, Advertising, and Brand Communication category. 

More than a reminder to observe responsible drinking, GSMI’s “Gin Responsibly” internal communications campaign was launched to engage the company’s employees and stakeholders nationwide to show their “malasakit” (or concern) for the company and the society by being responsible in their ways, as an employee and as a Filipino citizen. 

With the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), the “Gin Responsibly” campaign shifted its focus to COVID-19 related communication and information drive via multiple platforms including social media and messaging apps. Information campaigns on critical messages on prevention behaviors such as handwashing, mask-wearing, and physical distancing, as well as facts about testing, travel, and even on mental wellness, were produced and disseminated. This was reinforced by advocacy videos of GSMI’s brand ambassadors Sanya Lopez, Sue Ramirez, Matteo Guidicelli, and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel PBA players who reminded employees on the need to comply with health and safety protocols.

“Communicating reliable information is vital to a successful COVID-19 response and this is what we provided our employees and partners at a time when they needed guidance. We wanted to keep our employees safe and equipped with useful information to cope better with this pandemic,” says GSMI general manager Emmanuel Macalalag.

In addition, the “Ginebra Ako Tagay 2.0” marketing campaign received a Merit Award under the Marketing, Advertising, and Brand Communication category. The campaign that featured Olympic silver medalist Hidylin Diaz and Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, among others, paid tribute to the hero in every Filipino who is “ganado sa buhay” (or has the passion to serve) and who embody the never-say-die spirit. The award from Quill comes on the heels of the recognition by the Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) for “Tapang Na Tunay,” Ginebra San Miguel’s tribute video to the heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the Best Branded Digital Ad for 2020.

GSMI is the producer of Ginebra San Miguel, the world’s largest-selling gin according to leading global drinks journal Drinks International. It is also a 16-time Gold Quality Label awardee of the Monde Selection International Quality Institute.