Furniture players urged to unite

Positioning the two international furniture shows in the country under one brand will not only enable industry players to earn, it will also help organizers save on advertising cost.

The Philippines' major furniture shows, Manila Now and Cebu X, attract buyers from different parts of the world with aggressive advertising campaigns.

"But we advertise separately. Cebu X may spend not less than P3 million. We spend P4 million," said Eduardo G. Zuluaga, Azcor Lighting Systems executive vice president.

Manila Now is the major platform of the Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines, Inc. (CFIP) in promoting Philippine furniture and furnishings industry to the global market. Cebu X, on the other hand, is a showcase of Cebu furniture organized by the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation, Inc. (CFIF).

Zuluaga, who is also chairperson of Manila Now, said the "marketing vision abroad should be one which projects that the furniture shows are together and connected."

Zuluaga said Manila Now also carries the subtitle "Philippine International Furniture Show (PIFS)" which serves as the advertising brand of the two shows.

"And we will earn more profits with this arrangement," he said adding that the industry will save a total of P1 million in advertising cost.

While they want foreigners to come to the country and realize that there are two furniture shows they can participate in, the Manila-Cebu furniture show route poses "hassles" brought about by travel time and traffic.

Manila Now will kick off the first leg of Asia's furniture circuit. Other furniture shows will also be held in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and China.

"We are trying to position ourselves as 'Rustan's' because at the end of the route, they will go to 'Divisoria' which is China," Zuluaga told Cebu Daily News.

Conflict
Next year, Manila Now will be held March 5-8 at the SM X Convention Center in Pasay City while Cebu X will be staged March 6-9 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

Asked if the two shows would not compete with each other, Zuluaga said they are optimistic that the shows will complement.

"We have laid the foundation and are now here to invite Cebu-based furniture manufacturers and exporters to participate in Manila Now as an alternative or enhancement to their showcase here during Cebu X in order to gain maximize exposure," he said in an official statement.

Manila Now also has an indoor exhibition space of 18, 000 square meters. Organizers also said that over 75 percent of the exhibit space and showrooms have been reserved and booked.

Despite his optimism, Zuluaga said that animosity among industry players remains a problem.

"We used to do it (advertise) together from 1998 to 2000, but at some point, there was a conflict," he said adding that the rift started when the two organizations decided on the venue of the furniture show.

Zuluaga said Filipino's innovation, creativity and design should rise above the conflict.

"We should position ourselves with the strong markets," he said.