Communication Seniors Turn Advocacy Into Action at IMC Quest 2025

Art Card by Tobie Chua/UST CASA

Last December 16, 2025, at the Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, O.P. Building, seniors from the UST Department of Communication stepped into the role of real-world communicators for IMC Quest 2025, pitching not just campaigns, but convictions. In partial fulfillment of their Integrated Marketing Communication course, students transformed Room 1108 into an agency boardroom where creativity, strategy, and civic responsibility took center stage.

The event followed a rotating setup: only the presenting block was allowed inside the room at a time. This format allowed each block to fully own the room and present with confidence. One by one, the student-led agencies presented their campaigns for Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), a Commission on Elections-accredited citizens’ arm committed to safeguarding the electoral process.

Judges from Gigil, including Paolo Alejandrino of UST CASA Batch 2024, evaluated each campaign based on creativity, strategic depth, media integration, and overall agency execution. They recognized campaigns that effectively translated a complex social issue into clear and compelling communication.

The event concluded with the recognition of agencies and individuals who demonstrated outstanding performance.

Award Recipients:

Best Agency, Advocacy, and Sustainability: Middle Child Media
Best Female Presenter: Junelle Lyn Odquier - OHA! Studios
Best Male Presenter: Dean Manuel Pinza - Middle Child Media
Best in Creativity: Line One
Best in Strategy: Middle Child Media
Best Creative Use of Media: Line One

The Top Agency Rankings followed:

2nd Best Agency: OHA! Studios
1st Best Agency: Line One
Agency of the Year: Middle Child Media

Beyond the awards, the IMC Quest underscored that communication carries responsibility. In taking on PPCRV as a client, students were reminded that campaigns can do more than just sell—they can educate, challenge, and inspire change. Reflecting on the experience, Dean Pinza, one of the project heads of Middle Child Media, shared:

“I think the core of our campaign talaga is understanding that civic duty is not easy. You have to get out there, get your hands dirty, and make the most of your voice. The campaign taught us na, as cliché as it may sound, it starts with us. And in order to connect with an audience with a message like that, you should communicate it as candidly as possible. Walang virtue signaling, walang hidden agenda, just being truly honest.”

At the end of the day, what remained were not just winning agencies, but future communicators who learned that creativity, when guided by purpose, has the power to move a nation.