Manila Hobbies: What It Needs to Improve.

01.19.2016 – Manila Hobbies is one of the first events under the reformed Hobbiworx organization previously brought you Collecticon and TAGCOM. It’s the first ‘toy fair’ event for 2016 which has the same portfolio as the previous event. It’s basically another event that carries the same activity and program with a fresh new name in expanding the ‘toy fair’ experience. It’s also held at the same venue at the SM Megatrade Hall in Megamall.

Let’s face it conventions in the Philippines for the past twenty years have never seen the kind of ‘fan convention experience’ like an international event that changed the way conventions should be organized. There are room for improvement to deviate from such popular genre with coming out with its original concept.

The idea of catering to the masses should not lower the expectation like the way other local media platforms in television and other related things. The reason why you pay for premium ‘fan experience’ should be worth the ticket you paid. In the case of Manila Hobbies the show could have benefited in learning something from that world renowned event incorporated in a smaller scale.

If you go through the details and promotions of US conventions and events mostly they bannered their guest to get a better idea what it represent. In the case for this event like Manila Hobbies the poster is themed to toys and retailers, which means the leading role if this was a movie are the toys not the guests or event the invited comicbook artist or illustrators. This has been a regular theme that needs to evolve its culture in the Philippines needs to be overhauled. If you’re a thriving organization to survive the times of ever evolving ‘fan experience’ one event needs to adapt and try to find ways to improvement.













The one thing that most US conventions or foreign events don’t have is how these organizers reach out to toy collecting groups to participate and be part of the experience. It has become a staple in most events organized locally whereas the much received international event from last year it is focused on licensed products, and its well promoted guests that have change the way how its been done.

Manila Hobbies was something ‘new’ to the ear, but not to the eyes for those who have been to the local scene. IT IS something note worthy when it first was announced, but as some who have been there and if you missed the event they will tell you that “you’re not missing anything…” and if this was a movie that has high hopes to be something different from the previous events related you might want to leave in the middle of the screening.













Should ‘Manila Hobbies’ thrived better next year maybe its time they put focus what differentiate this one to the other? In terms of quality, and to be unique is a challenge. But to let this continue on people would rather spend PhP 500.00 pesos to get what really is a convention. Finding a niche is great but pleasing everyone would be difficult as the days of the circus trope is now a thing of the past.

Event Grade: C-