CEO Insights Magazine

One of the biggest game changers of the past decade has been how people are consuming content. Advertising has adapted to this shift by putting their products in front of people where they spend the majority of their time, on their screens! Businesses are increasingly relying on digital marketing rather than traditional methods as new media has taken over how we consume information.

REELREVE Advertising is a boutique creative agency that specializes in creating and implementing efficient digital marketing strategies and online content. Inspired by French-Filipino culture, located in Paris and BGC Manila, it all began with John Fisalbon’s international marketing background, the French-Filipino founder teamed with a production firm in the Philippines wanted to expand services to local and international clientele. “When you combine forces, you magnify them. Reve implies dream, while Reel means real. This portrays REELREVE as a social hub for all of our passionate talents to use their creativity to bring their ideas to life,” says John Fisalbon, President & CEO, REELREVE Advertising. John Fisalbon engages in an exclusive interaction with CEO Insights Asia where he enlightens us more about REELREVE Advertising and his professional traits.

Give a short note regarding your professional background and experiences. What pushes you forward today?

I am a French-Filipino entrepreneur living in Paris and Manila. I received my Master's degree in International Business Management from ISC Paris Business School. I started my career in business at a very young age, around 16, with real estate, selling new apartments in the Paris region. During my studies, I worked as a project manager for the Alumni Association and then as a consultant for a B2B firm that worked with Thales (aerospace, defense, transportation, and security sectors). During my master's degree, I took a year gap to work as an NGO volunteer in India and the Philippines.

I then wanted to live in Southeast Asia and was hired by a Foxconn-funded company that wanted to set up international sales operations in Manila; I was the country head's direct assistant. Following my studies, I was quickly hired as country manager by VIADIRECT, a French multinational that provides digital signage solutions, and later promoted to Asia-Pacific Director. In the meantime, I engaged in some other entrepreneurial endeavors. I became an influential vlogger in the Philippines called 2frenchinmanila, co-founded Filmilion, a production house in France and Asia, and founded REELREVE an advertising agency. Today, we collaborate with well- known brands and clients (L'Oréal, Moët Hennessy, Rolex, Chandon, Oppo, Air Asia, Rustan's, Don Papa, Ritz), as well as government entities and chambers of commerce (French, Spanish, Department of Tourism). I am also a board member of French Tech Manila and the President of the Young Professionals committee under the French Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.

Bridging two cultures on my own scale (France & Philippines), growing with the people (employees, partners, clients, suppliers, end-users, friends, family, and so on), and exploring the fulfillment of the entrepreneurial journey is what drives me today.

How would you define REELREVE Advertising as an organization? Tell us about your flagship offerings.

REELREVE is a boutique agency that primarily works with French and foreign companies and institutions in the Philippines, as well as Filipino companies seeking international standards, premium branding, and marketing activities in Europe. We are a newage company with a partnership production house in Paris.

Our custom digital marketing services is our flagship offering; we get to know our clients and their businesses so that we can better meet their current needs. Since we are a boutique agency, we are more committed to the few clients we have. Moreover, digital business and social media move at a breakneck pace, and our adaptability is our greatest asset. We have a strong capability in content production; photo and video production, and collaboration with great directors, photographers, videographers, editors, and more. One of our most valuable assets is the ability to combine our creative style with our marketing strategy and execution.

Could you tell us about your leadership approach?

My leadership approach is very generational. We are a team of millennials and have an office in BGC, a business district in Manila. Unless they have to meet a client or go to a shoot, they mostly work from wherever they want. If we can save time in traffic, and allow them to have more time for themselves (chores, family, sports, and more), we all feel better at the end of the day. I’ve never been great at micromanaging so I would rather trust my team and make sure I’m available so that they can trust me as well.

What future destination are you heading towards?

Hopefully, we'll be able to consolidate everything, hire the right people, and have a great team sizable enough to meet the majority of our needs. More and more people want to work with us, but we must decide whether we can truly assist them. Further, I intend to set up a group of companies in diverse industries (F&B, clothing, environment, and more) that will converse with one another in the future, particularly between my two favorite countries.

John Fisalbon, President & CEO, REELREVE Advertising

John is an International professional spending most of his time in France and Southeast Asia. He is well-versed in a wide range of business activities and industries, including commercial real estate, software solutions, video production, and digital marketing. He is passionate about building businesses from the ground up, from office/team setup and management to channel and strategic partnerships, particularly in the B2B market. John Fisalbon works as an international professional in France and Southeast Asia and is fluent in French and English.

• Hobbies: Boxing, Surfing, Adventuring, Traveling, Reading Books, Art, Culture (museums), History, Geopolitics & Healthy Habits

• Favorite Cuisine: Italian & Japanese

• Favorite Book: La plus secrète mémoire des hommes, Mohamed MbougarSarr

• Favorite Travel Destination: The world itself, otherwise France and Philippines

Awards & Recognition

• France Philippines Young Professionals,

• YouTuber in the Philippines, French Tech Manila,

• Speaker for Canon Philippines, Ateneo University, Chamber of Commerce