COMCO Mundo wins the Philippines’ and Southeast Asia’s first global IABC Gold Quill Agency of the Year Award

 

Starting the second half of the year with a blast, interregional powerhouse communications group COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises / COMCO Southeast Asia was hailed by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) as the Agency of the Year (Mid-Sized Agency) at the prestigious Gold Quill Awards 2024 in Chicago, USA, making it the first communications agency from the Philippines and Southeast Asia to receive the highly-coveted global award, and the only consultancy firm from Asia-Pacific to be included in this year’s Best of the Best and Special Award Winners of the internationally acclaimed award giving body. 

The Agency of the Year recognition marks COMCO Mundo’s compelling presence and seal of excellence, not just in the Asia-Pacific region, but also across the world as it continues to work with local and international brands and projects with its own unique brand of #MeaningfulStorytelling. The Gold Quill Awards' “Agency of the Year” honor is given to agencies with the highest-rated entries making these top organizations the Global Best of the Best and Special Award Winners. Since the Gold Quill Awards’ inception in 2008, this is the first time that a Filipino and Southeast Asian agency won the much sought-after award in the industry. 

COMCO is also the most awarded organization in the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific at the Gold Quill Awards 2024 receiving recognitions for its “Save Our Planet, Save Our Seas – The Century Tuna “Saving Our Seas” Initiative” in Corporate Social Responsibility and Climate Change and Sustainability Communication, “UNMASKED: The COMCO Mundo Write to Ignite Initiative Season 3” in Digital Communication and Social Media, and “Igniting Talent – The Camp COMCO Mentorship Program” in Communication Training and Education.

The USA-headquartered IABC is a global network of communication professionals that recognizes the best practices and innovative campaigns of agencies, companies, and brands that foster excellence in the field of communications through the Gold Quill Awards.

“Being the only and the first communications agency in the Philippines and Southeast Asia to receive the highly acclaimed global Gold Quill Awards Agency of the Year recognition from IABC marks another milestone for COMCO. This recognition from the world’s top organization of business communicators puts COMCO on the world’s biggest arena in the practice of our profession. To represent the Philippines and Southeast Asia is an honor we proudly accept as it serves as a testament of what can be accomplished by our commitment to craftsmanship excellence, workplace community culture, and meaningful storytelling,” said Mr. Ferdinand Bondoy, COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises / COMCO Southeast Asia Group Chief Executive Director and Lead Strategic Communications Counsel / Partner and Co-Founder.

In 2023, the Public Relations and Communications Association Asia-Pacific (PRCA-APAC), the world’s largest professional PR body, honored COMCO as the Medium PR Consultancy of the Year during the PRCA APAC Awards 2023 for its efforts in community leadership and innovation. Earlier this year, the Dubai-based communications agency of COMCO Mundo, COMCO Middle East & Africa (COMCO MEA) was recognized by Caterer Middle East’s F&B PR Power List 2024 which celebrates exceptional and influential PR firms and campaigns in the region.

Stay updated with COMCO Mundo by visiting http://www.comcomundo.com or following fb.com/comcomundo on Facebook, linkedin.com/company/comcomundo on LinkedIn, and @comcomundo on Instagram.

DIRECTOR LEE ISAAC CHUNG CHARTS A THRILLING NEW COURSE FOR THE “TWISTERS” FRANCHISE

 

This July, the epic studio disaster genre returns with an adrenaline-pumping, seat-gripping, big-screen thrill ride that puts you in direct contact with one of nature’s most wondrous—and destructive—forces. 

“Twisters,” a current-day chapter of the 1996 blockbuster, “Twister.” storms into Philippine cinemas starting July 17.  Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, the Oscar-nominated writer-director of “Minari,” “Twisters” stars Golden Globe nominee Daisy Edgar-Jones (“Where the Crawdads Sing,” “Normal People”) and Glen Powell (“Anyone But You,” “Top Gun: Maverick”) as opposing forces who come together to try to predict, and possibly tame, the immense power of tornadoes.

For director Lee Isaac Chung, tornadoes were just a part of growing up in Arkansas, but he was enthralled with the original Twister movie when it came out in 1996. Fast forwarding to the present, director Chung is thrilled to be part of Twisters, the current-day chapter of the 90s blockbuster. “When the producers came to me to direct this new chapter, I was truly honored and terrified to make the transition into tentpole, summer blockbuster territory. But the film embodies what inspired me to take on the challenge; I wanted to run toward my fears and not away from them.”

Watch the trailer here: https://youtu.be/qxxgOTQKpck

For Chung, directing Twisters would help him branch into a genre he’d been chasing his whole career.  “I thought of Minari as my last-ditch effort to make it work. If this was the end of the road for me as a filmmaker, I wanted to go out telling the one story that meant the most to me. Fortunately, it turned out so well that I didn’t have to quit, and better, it opened new doors for me,” he says. “Twisters was the type of film I dreamed I could someday do as a filmmaker. I always wanted to do an action movie. I always wanted to work on a big scale. And I love telling stories about multiple characters in which their relationships and fates are all intertwined. The ironic thing is that in many ways, Minari, while being small and personal, was a great precursor for Twisters, as it shares some similar elements, from an ending that’s something of a disaster movie on an intimate scale, to be being a story set in a part of America that I happen to know really, well.”

It was also an opportunity for Chung to honor a film that influenced him, along with directors that influenced him throughout his life, beginning with Jan de Bont, director of the 1996 Twister film. From beginning to end, I returned to Twister, and I would ask myself: ‘How would Jan do this?’ Because he did it so well, and I wanted to honor the fandom around the first film,” Chung explains. “But I’ve always loved Steven Spielberg, as well, and the process of working with him has been so great. I went back and watched Jaws a few times, as well as War of the Worlds—movies about powerful forces of nature or monstrous things coming at you or looming above you. They captured some of the tone we wanted for our tornadoes.”

In cinemas July 17, “Twisters” is distributed in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Discovery company. Join the conversation online and use the hashtag #TwistersMovie

Photo & Video Credit: “Warner Bros. Pictures”

JULY 2024 MOVIES

Don’t miss these movies, opening in cinemas in July!

                     #DespicableMe4PH

July 3 - Despicable Me 4 (Universal Pictures International) 

Stars: Steve Carrell, Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell, Sofia Vergara, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Madison Polan, Joey King, Stephen Colbert, Chloe Fineman, Pierre Coffin, Steve Coogan

Directed by: Chris Renaud

In “Despicable Me 4,” the blockbuster franchise begins a new chapter as Gru (Steve Carell) and Lucy (Kristen Wiig) and their girls – Margo, Edith and Agnes – welcome a new member to the Gru family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. But it’s not all sunshine and roses for the family, as Gru faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina (Sofia Vergara), and the family is forced to go on the run.

                      #FlyMeToTheMoon

July 10 - Fly Me to the Moon (Columbia Pictures)

Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Jim Rash, Ray Romano, Woody Harrelson

Directed by: Greg Berlanti

Starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, “Fly Me To The Moon” is a sharp, stylish comedy-drama set against the high-stakes backdrop of NASA’s historic Apollo 11 moon landing. Brought in to fix NASA’s public image, sparks fly in all directions as marketing maven Kelly Jones (Johansson) wreaks havoc on launch director Cole Davis’s (Tatum) already difficult task. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, Jones is directed to stage a fake moon landing as back-up and the countdown truly begins… 

July 10 - Marupok A+ (Where is the Lie?) (Ayala Malls Cinemas exclusive) 

Stars: EJ Jallorina, Royce Cabrera, Maris Racal

Directed by: Quark Henares

Based on a true story that went viral on Twitter, “Marupok A+ (Where is the Lie?)” follows Janzen Torres (EJ Jallorina), a hopeless romantic who goes on a dating app and matches with the seemingly perfect Theo Balmaceda (Royce Cabrera). On the day of their first date, Janzen gets ghosted. This then leads to an intricately-planned web of deceit, lies, and catfishing. A sociopathic mastermind named Beanie Landridos (Maris Racal) is behind all of Janzen’s struggles.

                         #TwistersMovie

July 17 - Twisters (Warner Bros. Pictures) 

Stars: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, David Corenswet

Directed by: Lee Isaac Chung  

From the producers of the Jurassic, Bourne and Indiana Jones series comes “Twisters,” a current-day chapter of the 1996 blockbuster, “Twister.” Daisy Edgar-Jones stars as Kate Cooper, a former storm chaser haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years, who now studies storm patterns on screens safely in New York City. She is lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi, to test a groundbreaking new tracking system. There, she crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), the charming and reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures with his raucous crew, the more dangerous the better. 

                          #TrapMovie

July 31 - Trap (Warner Bros. Pictures) 

Stars: Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills, Allison Pill

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

A father and his teen daughter attend a pop concert, only to get caught in the center of a dark and sinister event. “Trap” is the next new thriller from the mind of M. Night Shyamalan, starring Josh Hartnett. “Trap” also stars Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills, and Allison Pill.

*Schedules are subject to change without prior notice.*

GET READY FOR AN ACTION-PACKED JOLLY CHRISTMAS! WATCH THE TRAILER FOR “RED ONE,” STARRING DWAYNE JOHNSON AND CHRIS EVANS, IN CINEMAS NOVEMBER 13

It's never too early to get jacked for Christmas .

Watch the trailer for "Red One" now, starring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans, and see the film only in cinemas November 13.

YouTube:  https://youtu.be/vGmahWH8Awg

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/WarnerBrosPH/videos/697488442503837

#RedOneMovie only in cinemas November 13

 

About “Red One”

After Santa Claus – Code Name: RED ONE – is kidnapped, the North Pole's Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) must team up with the world’s most infamous bounty hunter (Chris Evans) in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas.

Directed by Chris Morgan, from a screenplay by Hiram Garcia. Produced by Dwayne Johnson, Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia, Jake Kasdan, Melvin Mar and Chris Morgan. 

The film stars Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Liu, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Nick Kroll, Kristofer Hivju and J. K. Simmons and Bonnie Hunt.

In cinemas November 13, “Red One” is distributed in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Discovery company.

Join the conversation online and use the hashtag #RedOneMovie

Photo & Video Credit: “Warner Bros. Pictures”

IT JUST FELT RIGHT,” PRODUCER SCARLETT JOHANSSON ON PLAYING THE “STRONG WOMAN CHARACTER” LEAD IN “FLY ME TO THE MOON,” IN CINEMAS JULY 10

 

Scarlett Johansson in Fly Me to the Moon

Photo credit: Columbia Pictures

Scarlett Johansson, who developed the idea for Fly Me to the Moon with fellow creatives in her production company These Pictures, was originally going to just be a producer, not an actor, in the film. 

But because of how well the script was written, Johansson eventually became a leader not only behind the camera as a producer, but also in front of the camera as marketing genius Kelly. 

Set on the brink of the greatest triumph of the Space Age, Johansson’s Madison Avenue marketing virtuoso Kelly rockets slam-bang into Channing Tatum’s Apollo 11 launch director Cole – and if America is going to get to the moon, they’re going to have to start by looking at each other differently. “All of these people were working so hard to do the impossible; for Cole, who’s really an optimist, that should be enough,” says Johansson. “Kelly, who’s a pessimist, realizes people are more cynical than that. The world is a very complicated place. So, Cole’s reluctance is met by her determination to do whatever is necessary. Kelly is very much all about the ends justify the means, while for Cole, the means matters. And therein lies the conflict.”

But, continues Scarlett, even though Kelly and Cole clash, they may have more in common than they think. “They’re both very passionate people, and when they get behind something, it’s a winner,” she says. “They find the common ground there and reach for the stars – or the moon, I guess, in this case.”

Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/Hw3x7kaOeHk 

Scarlett Johansson in Fly Me to the Moon

Photo credit: Columbia Pictures

The original idea for the film began with These Pictures’ Head of Film Keenan Flynn: what if everything that millions of people heard on July 20, 1969, was the true audio of people walking on the moon – but the images they saw had been faked, Hollywood-style? Johansson liked the idea enough to develop it, with Flynn and writer Bill Kirstein working on the story before turning it over to screenwriter Rose Gilroy. 

At the time, Johansson was strictly intending to produce the film and was not developing it as “a Scarlett Johansson vehicle” – but all that changed when Gilroy turned in her draft. “I never intended on playing Kelly,” says Johansson, “but when the script came in, it was so great. It was such a wonderful read and the dialogue was so strong. And as a woman producer, working with a woman writer, who had created a strong woman character – well, it felt right.” Johansson knew she had to play the role.

Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum in Fly Me to the Moon

Photo credit: Columbia Pictures

To direct, Johansson chose, pursued, and ultimately convinced Greg Berlanti (Love, Simon; TV’s You, Riverdale [as a producer for the latter]) to take the helm. One of television’s most prolific writer-producers, Berlanti rarely chooses to direct, especially feature films, even though his 2018 film Love, Simon received rave reviews and became a fan favorite. In reaching out, the production team realized that Berlanti is incredibly busy and that his most recent feature film came six years earlier. Would he be available, and even if he were, would any feature film be something he’d want to do?

“Greg very rarely raises his hand for a project,” says Johansson’s producing partner Jonathan Lia, “but he understood this script from the first moment he read it and felt strongly that he knew how to tell this story. And he was right. He had a great vision for this film that elevated all the work that we did, from the page to the set design to working with the actors – and he’s as big of a space nerd as we are.”

“I was a real space nut as a kid,” says Berlanti, who admits that he was immediately charmed by the idea of an Apollo 11 movie. “When we had a son eight years ago, the first thing we bought for his room was a life-size shot of Neil Armstrong’s suit.”

Will they make it or fake it? Find out when Fly Me to the Moon, also starring Woody Harrelson, Ray Romano and Jim Rash, opens in cinemas July 10. Fly Me to the Moon is distributed in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International, #FlyMeToTheMoon @columbiapicph

Photo & Video Credit: “Columbia Pictures”

Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn fight for survival as Samira and Eric in “A Quiet Place: Day One”

 

Lupita Nyong’o was fascinated hearing writer-director Michael Sarnoski’s vision for the newest installment in the A Quiet Place film series, as she prepared to play Samira, one of the main survivors in A Quiet Place: Day One. “Like [the previous A Quiet Place films]them, the new story is character-driven and there are scary creatures. The difference is the setting and how these people choose to deal with this catastrophe.”

Watch the Lupita Nyong’o Micro Featurette at https://youtu.be/b7f7I5L-g34

Samira was formerly a successful published poet, when life threw a wrench in the works and left her bitter and angry, according to Sarnoski. Her character was developed from his initial pitch for A Quiet Place: Day One, which was a woman going through the city in the middle of the apocalypse, to get pizza from a childhood restaurant. “She suddenly finds herself confronting the violent end of everything she knows,” says Sarnoski. “It forces her to face her memories. Lupita does a spectacular job of embodying her.”

Nyong’o recalls the intensity in embodying this role. “It was such a meal to play Samira,” she continues. “When the creatures land, she blacks out. When she awakes, it’s an entirely new world where no one will allow her to speak and she has no idea what happened. How many popular films ask an audience to sit and witness silence? It ends up speaking volumes.”

In the middle of the chaos and horror, Samira and her cat Frodo finds companionship in the form of Eric, played by Joseph Quinn. In Quinn’s portrayal, writer John Krasinski saw real potential, along with his chemistry with co-star Nyong’o. “Joe’s wildly talented,” says Krasinski. “In Day One, he walks the razor’s edge of fight or flight on what is the worst day of his character’s life. He and Samira are trying to survive under harrowing circumstances that force them together. That relationship makes them the heartbeat of the movie.”

Watch the Joseph Quinn Micro Featurette at https://youtu.be/LrjsSYd_1ao

Quinn is fascinated in the nuance of both Samira and Eric, and how their personalities don’t really fit the traditional archetype of film protagonists. “She[Samira] lacks compassion and wonders what’s worth saving in this world anyway. Her apathy is intriguing to Eric. She doesn’t seem to be as rattled by all of this. But that’s where Michael’s writing is so subtle. He’s so good with the unsaid.”

Quinn also observes the compelling and unusual set of circumstances that brought the two characters together. “He is in love with a New York that doesn’t exist anymore. He’s got no family or friends there, so Samira may be his best chance at getting out of this alive. All she wants is a slice of pizza, which is very funny and very human, but within the narrative there are some beautiful moments about grief, mortality, and loss. All they have is each other really, and if that goes away, what are they left with?”

Watch them navigate the massive city of New York as it falls apart as A Quiet Place: Day One arrives in Philippine cinemas on June 26.

About A Quiet Place: Day One:

Executive Producer: Allyson Seeger, Vicki Dee Rock

Produced by: Michael Bay, Andrew Form, p.g.a., Brad Fuller, John Krasinski

Story by: John Krasinski and Michael Sarnoski

Written and directed by: Michael Sarnoski

Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff and Djimon Hounsou

Arriving in Philippine cinemas on June 26, A Quiet Place: Day One is distributed in the Philippines by Paramount Pictures through Columbia Pictures. Connect with #AQuietPlaceDayOne and tag @paramountpicsph

Photo and Video Credit: “Paramount Pictures International”

Mark your calendars! Warner Bros. PH announces earlier release date for M. Night Shyamalan’s “Trap”

 

Warner Bros. PH announces that the release date for the newest M. Night Shyamalan film, “Trap,” has moved to an earlier release date. “Trap” will be arriving in Philippine cinemas on July 31, instead of its previous release date of August 7.

Check out the trailer and synopsis for “Trap”:

Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/0MCfCyBBil0

A father goes with his teen daughter to her idol’s pop concert, where they realize they’re at the heart of a dark and sinister event. “Trap,” is the latest film from M. Night Shyamalan, starring Josh Hartnett, featuring performances from rising music star Saleka Shyamalan.

Catch “Trap,” in Philippine cinemas on July 31.

NOW A DAD OF FOUR, GRU FACES ONE OF HIS LIFE’S MOST HILARIOUS CHALLENGES IN “DESPICABLE ME 4,” IN CINEMAS JULY 3

 

Steve Carell talks about the fun and challenges of life with Gru Jr. in the latest film in the Despicable Me franchise, also starring Will Ferrell as the new villain!

Photo credit: Universal Pictures International

“Gru has his hands full, as usual,” says Steve Carell, who voices the beloved villain-turned-good-guy Gru. 

In the latest installment to the beloved Despicable Me franchise, Gru’s life is turned upside down with the arrival of his and Lucy’s (Kristen Wiig) new baby, expanding his role to a father of four and a dedicated Anti-Villain League (AVL) agent. 

Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/w6zvCQDLqKw?si=PMMiFwEnT1JgvXkq 

While his relationship with Lucy and the girls has never been stronger, connecting with little Gru Jr. has proved challenging. “Lucy and the girls have always been his motivation to be the best that he can be, but with the arrival of Gru Jr., the family dynamic changes,” continues Carell. “Gru Jr. is a chip off the old block, but he’s not warming up to dear old dad. Gru has nothing but love for his baby boy, but he faces an uphill battle to win his son’s affection. It’s every parent’s nightmare to not instantly bond with your kids, and Gru struggles to establish a relationship with his new bundle of joy, while simultaneously saving the world as an AVL agent.”

Photo credit: Universal Pictures International

As if parenting challenges weren’t hard enough, Gru and his family are forced into a type of witness protection program after Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell), Gru’s high school nemesis and award-winning supervillain, escapes from prison seeking revenge. Assuming the identity of Chet Cunningham, a solar panel salesman, Gru grapples with maintaining his cover while safeguarding his loved ones. “Gru struggles to live discretely as his new alias, Chet Cunningham; a boring, somewhat nerdy solar-panel salesman,” Carell says. “It’s a stretch for Gru, as he’s accustomed to a life of excitement and danger. Also, he’s not the best actor, so that invariably leads to some problems!”

Photo credit: Universal Pictures International

When Carell first took on the role of Gru, he never anticipated the enduring journey ahead. “From day one, Gru has been an absolute delight to play,” Carell says. “When we first meet him, he’s an evil, villainous criminal mastermind. But soon, we come to see that he also has an enormous heart, and a great capacity to love. He’s sort of a villain, kind of a hero. But mostly, he’s a husband and a father. 

“I think that it’s fun to watch a character fight against the inevitability of their own goodness. Some people aren’t so nice, but they try to convince the world that they are; Gru is nice, but he tries to convince the world that he’s not! As the series has progressed, the writers have explored different aspects of Gru’s world. He’s still the same guy, but the emotional stakes become increasingly higher for him. It’s always rewarding to see a character grow, and Gru is no exception. The writing keeps the character fresh.”

Photo credit: Universal Pictures International

As much fun as the Academy Award®-nominated Carell has been having being the voice of Gru, the Despicable Me filmmakers have also been enjoying their collaboration of more than 10 years with Carell, who has become synonymous with the iconic character Gru in the world of Despicable Me. 

“Steve basically is Gru,” director Chris Renaud says, in admiration of how Carell has brought to life the lovable yet complex supervillain-turned-family-man, thanks to his comedic brilliance and emotional depth. “It’s impossible to imagine that character without Steve’s voice. He approaches the character with thoughtfulness and care, always striving for the best performance. Our recording sessions, sometimes lasting up to three hours, are a testament to Steve’s unwavering energy and professionalism. He’s a pleasure to collaborate with.”

Besides Ferrell as the new movie’s big villain, Despicable Me 4 welcomes to the family Sofia Vergara (“Modern Family), Joey King (“Bullet Train”), Stephen Colbert (“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”) and Chloe Fineman (“Saturday Night Live”). 

Packed with non-stop action and filled with Illumination’s signature subversive humor, Despicable Me 4 opens in Philippine cinemas July 3. #DespicableMe4PH

Follow Universal Pictures PH (FB), UniversalPicturesPH (IG) and UniversalPicsPH (TikTok) for the latest updates on “Despicable Me 4.”