All sectors of the workforce are affected by the enhanced community quarantine brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, but perhaps freelancers/people who earn based on a no-work-no-pay policy are the most vulnerable. With everything at a standstill, these people are left with little to no means to earn to sustain their daily needs. One of the niche sectors affected are advertising production freelancers.
They are the people who work behind the scenes to make all the commercials we now see on TV happen. They are those who tirelessly come in early to make sure that sets are ready and who stay the latest to make sure everything’s packed. They’re one of the most hardworking people—with equally physically-demanding jobs. But they’re also vulnerable. Enter AiDvertising.
AiDvertising is an effort initiated by a handful of concerned advertising production freelancers who are hoping to extend assistance to the workers who are severely affected by this ECQ and who are most in need. These are the service drivers, utility personnel, assistant props men, runners, electrical and technical crew, among others whose projects have been cancelled or put on-hold. On a normal day, their rates go for as low as P1,000 per day. But these days, they get nothing.
While AiDvertising has already accumulated a significant amount of donations that have helped 105 out of their target 290 production workers as of publishing date. In order to meet their target, they’re holding another fundraising event this April 24 from 6-8PM together with Lakihan Mo Logo through an FB live performance on fb.com/soupstarmusic by people in the advertising industry:
Chino Jayme and Franco Chan of Shoulderstate/TBWA
Nikka and Hannah of the vowels they orbit/GIGIL
Aidon of Monolog/Saatch
JP Cuison PJB/GIGzilla Creative Lab
Tao banda of JRomero/Mccann
Halik ni Gringo of ABS-CBN and Love One Another Studio
Pasok mga Bwitre of Facebook, VMLY&R, Vitamin B,
David & Golyat, Scrn&Srfc
Straight8 of Grey, Mccann
Hoy Sam! of Go Motion/Post Manila/Barebones/Jumpcat/EAS Publishing
See the full mechanics of the live event here. Tune in to donate and help them reach the 290 production workers in dire need. If you won’t be able to tune in, you can still donate to help out, visit their AiDvertising’s Instagram page.