BluPrint has always been one of the legacy brands of One Mega Group (OMG). Through the years, One Mega Group’s President, Suki Salvador, has witnessed a shift in behavior of people who profoundly consume its content.
BluPrint was one of the brands in the group’s portfolio that Suki felt would live a long life and true enough, we still enjoy a lot success with it. Here, he talks about setting the direction for the new BluPrint, his approach in leading the team and the bright future ahead.
BP Editorial: What were the challenges that you encountered in setting the ultimate direction of BluPrint and what were the steps you took to navigate through these?
Suki: There was a time when I felt BluPrint was too technical. While it spoke primarily to architects and students of interior design and the allied arts, I felt that it was very stiff. It was hard. It was so intimidating for the regular reader that they automatically dismissed it as something that wasn’t for them. But, design is for everyone whether you are someone who likes art, or something who can appreciate a beautiful building. People, design professional or not, use space and it is important that they use space properly so that they can move around with ease. A chair isn’t just a beautiful product, it is meant to provide support so that you body is taken care of.
For the new BluPrint, I thought about what would be practical for the regular person, but at the same time, I didn’t want to lose the essence of BluPrint. I didn’t want architects and students to think it is basic. From there, I aligned with an editor who shared the same vision. I’m glad I found an ally in our new Editor-in-Chief.
BP Editorial: Did you make a different approach for BluPrint compared to the other brands under the One Mega Group? What makes it special?
Suki: I always take the same approach with all of my brands at One Mega Group. The stories we create, curate, and publish are never things that we want to consume. It is always for our audience and what they want. Oftentimes, the audience doesn’t know what they want, so it is our job, the editors and the writers, to suggest designs, faucets, curtains and home accessories that they will want to want. But, every brand is unique, BluPrint is special because the home and office provides a different kind of joy that clothes and jewelry don’t. A beautiful space feeds the soul and that’s what I hope people feel every time they read a story or turn the pages of our e-magazines.
BP Editorial: What changes do you want to bring to the brand?
Suki: Over the last year and half, I saw a major shift in the ways of living of the Filipino. Some have left the city to live in the suburbs and even their provinces. I love that. I like that the city was being decongested because it was already too stifling. At the same time, I heard stories of friends who didn’t know how to begin constructing a new home. They didn’t know that soil needed to be assessed before deciding on how many floors their dream home could have. Of course, this is basic for an architect or a contractor, but it was foreign to a normal person. I want to be able to educate generations and generations of people who will continue to build. I want their homes to not only be beautiful, but also to use materials that make sense for the climate that we have. I want people to spend smart so that they don’t encounter issues while spending quality time with their loved ones.
Suki then continued on sharing his view on why it’s imperative to continue narrating the story of BluPrint in these modern times.
Suki: Every time I go to a popular city, I can almost draw the skyline of that city. Paris, New York, London, Rome, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Dubai, Doha, Rio de Janeiro, I can go on and on. I envy places like these because they have a distinct look, a stamp, that is truly their own. I don’t feel that way with Manila, Cebu or Davao. Our big cities are difficult to draw because nothing stands out or nothing is truly cohesive. I want BluPrint to continue narrating stories, so that it can inspire companies, the government, and simple individuals, to build that perfect picture that generations after us can enjoy. Wouldn’t that be amazing?
BP Editorial: With a new perspective coming for BluPrint, what is the legacy you want to create for the brand?
Suki: It is my hope that BluPrint becomes a design source that will make the Philippines a country that makes sense design-wise. I want us to have proper zoning. I want our employees to get to and from work in 20-minutes or less. I want people to be healthy because their spaces are healthy. If I could do that with the stories we publish, I have continued the legacy of BluPrint. When I’m able to inspire great design from say a 12-year-old reading its articles, I will be the happiest person alive.
