Motoring Today Column: Pulling Out All Stops

Oct 04, 2023

Pulling Out All Stops

It's October and local automotive companies and distributors are pulling out all stops to get noticed and attract buyers in the last quarter push for sales.

Some are doing in with traditional marketing strategies like promos, timely vehicle launches, media test drives.

Others are taking a less than traditional route. "An immersive voyage into a unique aural and culinary oasis" is how Lexus Manila describes the recent event held at the Lexus Mitsukoshi inBGC.

The Lexus Way

The event was meant to raise awareness for Lexus Premium which Toyota Motor Philippines president Atsuhiro Okamoto says is a suite of financial and other services meant to enhance and give more value to the overall Lexusownership experience.

The weekend event raised more than awareness for Lexus Financial Service , Lexus Insure, and Lexus Certified Pre-Owned which Okamoto-san says allows vehicle acquisition and ownership done the Lexus way.

Guests who attended the event Lexus Mitsukoshi also enjoyed the kind of lifestyle and experiences afforded by Lexus ownership.

Guests were taken on a deep dive into the art of music production with one of the Philippines' most prolific music producers today, Cyril Sorongon aka Silverfilter.

How this relates to Lexus? Well the finer points of music reproduction can be experienced through exceptional in-car audio courtesy of Mark Levinson-equipped Lexus models.

Still about music and Lexus, the event took guests on a nostalgic journey into the timeless world of vinyl records.

Topping off this aural banquet is a culinary feast courtesy of a steak-and-whiskey pairing that guarantees the ultimate in relaxation courtesy of Giwon Korean Steakhouse.

Familiar Territory

Ford Philippines trod on familiar territory hosting a media test drive for one of its best-selling SUVs.

The two-day Next-Gen Ford Territory Experiential Drive traversed the zigzag roads of Rizal, the highways of Laguna, and the hills of Tagaytay was meant to showcase the dynamically-designed and efficiently-engineered 5-seater SUV.

Participants experienced switching between different drive modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, and Mountain to get a feel of how the Territory takes in different terrains and road conditions.

Special courses and activities were also laid out and held that challenged participants on how to optimize use of such driver assist aides like the 360-degree camera and the Active Park Assist .

Said Mike Breen, Ford Philippines managing director: "The Next-Generation Ford Territory Drive was designed for participants to experience the segment-leading features that make it a standout among Filipino SUV customers. With its contemporary design, comfortable interior, and smart and safe features, the Next-Gen Territory is an SUV that is perfect for young professionals and starting families alike."

Also trodding familiar territory is Ford holding a for-the-public Driving Skills for Life event at the Filinvest TentinAlabang.

The DFSL is a globally recognized driving program that reinforces Ford's commitment to promoting driver and passenger safety that combines a comprehensive training module and hands-on driving exercises.

Centering around theme "Driving Smart. Protecting Lives. Building Safer Roads," this year's DSFL include training modules for different terrains, driving at night, during floods and rainy weather, driving with children, and road sharing with cyclists, motorcycle drivers, and pedestrians.

Said EJ Francisco, Communications Director, Ford Philippines and Asia Pacific Distributor Markets : "We are excited to launch this year's edition of the DSFL and introduce new modules that aim to upskill drivers with smart and safe driving tips and techniques that they can apply every day.

"The last fifteen years has been monumental for DSFL in the Philippines with the scale and impact that it has achieved in promoting driver and road safety in the country. We thank our partners and participants for their support and collaboration and we celebrate this milestone with them."

Honda AC Motors Goes Green

Honda AC Motors went to the forests to help keep the Honda brand, its environment-friendly vehicles, as well as the Ayala group's network of dealerships top of mind among buyers.

The AC Motors Acre Movement Team held a "Gift of Tree" awarding ceremony at the ALI Carbon Forest in Alaminos, Laguna .

The Acre Movement plants a tree for every Honda vehicle sold by AC Motors dealerships.

As of July 2023, the AC Motors Acre Movement has successfully planted and nurtured 4,874 trees with around 379more to be planted after for a remarkable total of 5,253 trees.

Happy Motoring!!!

For comments & inquiries:

(email) sunshine.television@yahoo.com

(website) www.motoringtoday.ph

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ray Butch Gamboa graduated from the College of Arts and Letters of the University of Sto. Tomas. It was a course that should have been preparatory to a law degree, but the call of broadcasting aborted his plans.

At the age of 16, while still a student, Butch tried his hand at disc jockeying, landing a job at Mareco Broadcasting Network’s AM stations DZBM and DZLM. From there, Butch moved on with his illustrious career as a popular disc jockey, riding the airwaves of Bob Stewart’s middle-of-the-road music at DZXX, and ending his disc jockeying career at ABS-CBN’s DZYL and DZQL.

From there, he stayed on with ABS-CBN, covering live the proceedings at the Manila Stock Exchange and eventually entered into the world of television sales as an account manager for the premier channel of ABS-CBN Channel 2.

In the early 70’s, at the outbreak of Martial Law, Butch was one of the thousands of professionals who woke up jobless when then President Marcos declared the new status of the nation. With the closure of ABS-CBN, Butch ventured into different fields outside of broadcast. He tried his hand and with ease and success at export (Costume jewelry), real estate (brokerage), and restaurants (fast food).

In 1987, after the revolution, with the broadcast industry back to its free state, and with its irresistible call ringing in his ears, Butch made his inevitable comeback and pioneered in a local motoring show, producing Motoring Today on Channel 4 and co-hosting with local motor sports’ living legend Pocholo Ramirez.

After 4 years, he ventured into another pioneering format by producing and hosting Business & Leisure, which was originally aired on ABS-CBN’s Channel 2. The format eventually espoused similar ones in other different channels. But the clones in due course faded away leaving the original staying on airing on Channel 4 and eventually on Shop TV on Sky Cable’s Channel 13.

The following year, the pioneering spirit in Butch spurred him to produce another TV show, Race Weekend, also on Channel 4, covering circuit racing at the Subic International Raceway after the motor sport’s hiatus of 17 years. But when similar shows with duplicated formats sprouted, he decided to give way and ended the program after a year, although still enjoying unparalleled viewership.

In 1998, when the local automotive industry was in a slump, Butch contributed his share to help the ailing industry by producing another popular motoring-related show, this time exclusive to the automobile and its industry—Auto Focus, which became a vehicle for local automotive assemblers and importers to showcase their products and dwell on the industry’s latest technological developments.

In 2003, Butch teamed up with his brother, Rey Gamboa who was a former Shell executive and presently one Philippine Star’s business columnist to co-produce and co-host the TV show Breaking Barriers on Channel 13. It is a talk show that features guests who are in the news and in the middle of controversies. The program ventures to draw deeper insights into current issues to learn how they impact to our daily lives.

Today, Motoring Today on its 28th year of service to the general motoring public still enjoys its unprecedented loyal vierwership nationwide while Auto Focus, after 16 years has firmly established its niche viewership among automobile enthusiasts and on the other hand Business & Leisure is on its 24th year dishing out current business issues and lifestyle features.

Today, aside from writing weekly columns for the Philippine Star (Motoring Today on Wednesdays and Business & Leisure on Saturdays) and executive producer / host of weekly TV shows (Motoring Today, airs Sundays on Solar Sports Channel 70, Business & Leisure, airs Tuesdays on Shop TV, Sky Cable Channel 13 and Auto Focus airs Thursdays on Shop TV, Sky Cable Channel 13, Ray Butch Gamboa is currently the Chairman and CEO of Sunshine Television Production and Marketing Services Corp., President of Gamcor Management and Development Corp., Chairman of Asia-Pacific Realty Corporation, President and Chairman of Socio-Communication Foundation for Asia and Founding Chairman of the Society of Phil. Motoring Journalists (SPMJ)