BAGUIO IN FULL BLOOM. Street dancers parade along Baguio’s famous Session Road in front of festival-goers at the culmination of the city’s month-long Panagbenga Festival
Kicking off the summer festivities this 2015, wireless services leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has once again leveled up the Panagbenga experience of festival-goers by bringing the Internet for all their festival needs, packed with fun activities, all-out parties, and digital experiences for everyone.
These activities have definitely made their #SmartPanagbenga memories one for the books, and worthy of hundreds of posts on Facebook and Instagram to share with friends and family all over the world, powered by the country’s largest mobile network.
Living it all out
LIVING IT ALL OUT. After the parades comes the party as Smart fires up this year’s Panagbenga Festival with the “Altitude Break” Live All Out party at Ampersand Bar
Firing up the Panagbenga experience were Smart’s “Live All Out” parties at two of the city’s prime bars, Spade Superclub and Ampersand Bar, where Smart subscribers who topped up their prepaid accounts or bought new Smart Prepaid SIM cards got the chance to enter the clubs for free.
Festival-goers partied all night long with some of the country’s best and most talented DJs, including Smart ambassadors DJ Ace Ramos together with MC Paolo who spun wicked beats for everyone during the “Altitude Break” party at Ampersand Bar on February 28th.
Smart Live All Out also hosted a string of parties at the Spade SuperClub on Kisad Road from Feb. 26 to March 1, featuring party sounds by top DJs such as Emil Angeles; Badboy Jeff plus MC Boo; Jet Boado; X Factor; Kimosave plus MC Jams.
Get inside the Smart Zone
But the fun didn’t stop for festival-goers after the Panagbenga parades of the weekend. At the famous “Session in Bloom” where visitors got to enjoy various booths lined up along Session Road from March 2 to 6, Smart subscribers experienced fun activities and got to take home exciting prizes at the “Smart Zone” booth.
MAKING DIGITAL MEMORIES. The Panagbenga Festival goes digital with interactive photo booths stationed at Live All Out spots all across the city, giving revelers the chance to preserve their festival memories online
Those who bought a Smart Prepaid SIM card or topped up their current prepaid accounts instantly earned a raffle entry plus freebies, where they stood a chance to win a brand new Apple iPhone 6 from Smart.
Meanwhile, subscribers who registered to SPINNR, the country’s first and unlimited music streaming app, immediately entered themselves in a raffle where they had the chance to win tickets to the upcoming One Direction concert.
Digital Panagbenga
Those who braved the uphill trip to Baguio were able to get around the city and explore famous haunts thanks to the Baguio Guide mobile app for Android phones, developed by Cebu-based startup Innopub Media in partnership with Smart.
Apart from the section about the Panagbenga Festival, the app also features helpful information about the city. Articles on must-try food and must-visit places in Baguio, as well as the Department of Tourism-accredited tour guides and tour operators are also listed in the guide.
PROMOTING DIGITAL TOURISM. Panagbenga Festival revelers were able to experience a “digital” twist to their usual Baguio City tour thanks to interactive markers installed by Cebu-based startup Innopub Media in cooperation with Smart at various tourist spots around the city
In addition to the app, Smart and InnoPub have also deployed interactive tourism markers around the city that, when scanned or tapped with a phone, trigger the download of tourism and historical information about that certain place or structure.
Those who weren’t able to physically join the festivities, meanwhile, still got to experience Baguio in full bloom thanks to the online livestream provided by Sunnex in partnership with Smart, now on its third year. The livestream was proudly powered by Smart LTE, which brought seamless and uninterrupted coverage of the Street Dance Parade and the Grand Float Parade to viewers all over the country.
INTERNET FOR ALL. Third-generation Igorots at the Tam-Awan Village in Baguio enjoy mobile devices powered by Smart, the country’s largest mobile network, during the 20th Panagbenga Festival
Nationwide festivities
The fun is just about to start as Smart brings the exciting ‘Live All Out’ experience to various cities nationwide, after successful runs in Cebu City for the Sinulog Festival, Iloilo City for the Dinagyang Festival, and Baguio City for the Panagbenga Festival.
“Subscribers and festival-goers who are looking to join this summer’s most anticipated activities can expect a more exciting time with Smart, as we bring these ‘Live All Out’ festivities and digital experience to more areas around the country,” said Joel Lumanlan, Smart Prepaid Marketing Head.