A boon to car industry and motoring public
It has been almost 30 years since Sunshine Television ( STV) launched
Motoring Today, their maiden television venture. It is now widely acknowledged as the country’s leading and longestrunning industry- focused TV program. Along with a second show, Auto Focus, introduced in 1998, and a weekly column in the motoring section of The
Philippine STAR bylined by STV’s own chairman, Ray ‘ Butch’ Gamboa, STV seeks to further its unique commitment as facilitator to both the motoring public and the automotive industry.
Over the years, STV’s programs have become a mouthpiece for local carmakers to impart relevant product information and express their views on prevailing industry developments and issues. For the motoring public, these have been an opinion board for their brand and model preferences, along with the features they sought in particular automobiles. This gave STV the opportunity to develop effective working relationships between themselves, the auto industry stakeholders, and more importantly, the country’s motorists and car owners. But things didn’t stop here.
With even more direct engagement with the public as the primary tool, and rewarding the auto industry’s product development efforts as the objective, the first “Auto Focus People’s Choice Awards” ( AFPCA) was conducted. An SMS- based nationwide public poll supported by a series of weekend public displays/ test drives were conducted to determine the country’s most popular automobile brands and models. Various “Models of the Year” in distinct categories and the coveted “Automobile of the Year – People’s Choice” honor were awarded accordingly.
The AFPCA poll and awards selection process has since evolved and has been marked by notable innovations over the past 12 years. The poll went online via a dedicated Auto Focus website in 2006, later migrating to a popular social networking site in 2012 which allowed unprecedented access and convenience for voters. Also in 2012, the consolidation of public votes with unit sales, culled from new vehicle registration data provided by Stradcom Corporation with official sanction from the Land Transportation Office ( LTO), led to a new and more equitable scoring system. Furthemore, the Model of the Year line- up was segregated into separate Standard and Luxury classifications to create a more even playing field for over 140 candidate models. This paved the way for individual Automobile of the Year awardees for the Standard and Luxury classifications since 2014. Keeping up with prevailing mobile trends, an Android voting application was also made available to voters this year.
“We are already exploring more opportunities to further expand the AFPCA voters base. Foremost among these is to make the poll more accessible to the public by setting up offsite voting centers in high- traffic malls next year. We’ve previously tested the offsite idea via a pilot poll center we opened during the Philippine International Motor Show. Voter turnout was beyond expectation and encouraged us to expand into other public venues,” Gamboa said.
Throughout the past 11 years, an illustrious list of models merited the much- coveted “Auto Focus Automobile of the Year” award: Nissan X-Trail (2005); Isuzu Crosswind ( 2006); Honda Civic ( 2007); Kia Carens ( 2008); Hyundai Grand Starex ( 2009); Kia Sorento ( 2010); Nissan Teana ( 2011); Toyota Vios ( 2012- 2014); Lexus IS350 ( 2014- Luxury); Toyota Fortuner ( 2015- Standard); Lexus NX200t ( 2015- Luxury). The latest to join this elite circle of Auto Focus Automobiles of the Year are the 2016 titlists: the Toyota Fortuner ( Standard) won for the second straight year and the RX350 (Luxury) ensured the top award remained within the Lexus stable since the inception of the luxury class three years ago.
Furthermore, select multiple awardees have also achieved that very rare distinction of entering the esteemed Auto Focus People’s Choice Awards Hall of Fame, a feat first achieved in 2011 by the Isuzu Crosswind and the Hyundai Grand Starex as Model of the Year Hall of Fame inductees in the AUV and Van classification. In 2014, the Toyota Camry became a Hall of Fame awardee in the Standard Midsize Sedan class. The Toyota Vios also emerged as the first Automobile of the Year Hall of Famer.
“Entry into the AFPCA Hall of Fame requires at least five Model of the Year wins in the designated classification, and three for Automobile of the Year. Hall of Famers currently draw a bye in the run for Model or Automobile of the Year titles. After the model classifications are once again reviewed in consultation with a select motoring media panel ( given the fact that all models eventually reach an all- new phase), the Committee will consider lifting the bye under an updated set of criteria,” said AFPCA Awards committee chairman Gerry Aquino.
By virtue of topping their respective categories this year for at least the fifth time, Toyota saw their Innova (MPV), Hiace (Van) and Fortuner ( Midsize) proclaimed as the latest inductees into the Auto Focus Model of the Year Hall of Fame.
The second and equally important component of STV’s Industry Merit Program is the Auto Focus Media’s Choice Awards ( AFMCA) which was first launched in 2008. The primary purpose of the Media’s Choice Awards is to recognize the automobile industry’s prevailing efforts in providing its customers with the best overall performance, design, on- board amenities and value- formoney. Such points of what make up a good car are judged in a special poll amongst the country’s recognized motoring media practitioners and professionals.
However, since 2014, the Media Awards process deviated from the initial top vote standard and adopted a more stringent criteria. A model had to garner more than 50 percent of all media votes in its category to land an award. The entire range of 11 Standard and 11 Luxury model classes was put under the media vote to determine which among these were best in four key performance attributes: Engine Performance, Design, Safety Features and Value- for- Money. With a majority rule in place, just 48 of the total 84 AFMCA individual awards were conferred this year.
“With such strict winning standards, a Media’s Choice award becomes a true mark of distinction and prestige welcomed by auto manufacturers and distributors, as well as the motoring public,” Gamboa pointed out. “When you look at the results of the People’s Choice and Media’s Choice Awards side-byside, it is clear how the tandem complements one another. The AFPCA is all about which models are popular and are top-selling. The AFMCA is about the nitty gritty that makes one model better or more preferred than another because of more specific performance or value-added attributes. The awards and results of both the AFPCA and AFMCA have
become a ready, reliable resource that enables prospects to make more rational, informed decisions on what vehicles best suit their needs and which ones they ought to buy.”
Rounding out the principle of direct engagement and twoway communication that underlines STV’s threepronged cluster of industry programs is the Auto Focus Test Drive Festival ( AFTDF). Growing out of the multi- weekend series of outdoor display/ test drive projects that began in 2005 and subsequently developing into a major four- day event erstwhile known as the Auto Focus Motor Show & Auto Expo from 2007, the program’s main purpose is to serve as a veritable one- stop shop for those looking to buy a car. Bringing together the Philippines’ leading car manufacturers and distributors in a single venue to display their best models and offer test drives. It provides car buyers and enthusiasts the opportunity to compare similar, competing models head-to-head, and look out for the best deals, discounts and financing offers available. It eliminates the inconvenient and timeconsuming ordeal of having to hop from one dealer showroom to another.
To maximize the buyer’s first- hand experience by encouraging test drives, and so that car companies can capitalize on peak buying periods of the year, STV skewed the program format and schedule accordingly in 2015. As a test drive festival, the AFTDF ratifies its main focus and now schedules a four- day event in summer and the pre-Christmas seasons. The 2016 Summer AFTDF was held last April 21 to 24 at the SM Mall of Asia grounds. At the same venue, the pre- Christmas edition of the AFTDF will open from November 17 to 20. The AFTDF will continue to maintain its position as the country’s biggest outdoor test drive event.
As summar ized by Gamboa, “The cycle of direct engagement and communication between the motoring and car buying public on the one hand, and automobile manufacturers and distributors on the other, is espoused by our People’s and Media’s Choice Awards and Test Drive Festivals. We at STV are glad and proud to act as a prime facilitator through these programs we’ve undertaken over the years. We thank both the public and the auto industry for this privilege.”