Meet the Team: Peter Imbong - Content Manager at Eleven International

Today we continue our Meet the Team series with a chat with Content Manager Peter Imbong , a trained journalist who switched to advertising and digital marketing... mostly because the snacks are better. In this brief Q&A we talk to Peter about his role at Eleven International, his views on work-life balance, plus how he got started in copywriting and PR.

Q: Let’s start big: Tablet or Laptop? Bicycle or Scooter? Hot Pot or KBBQ? Dogs or cats?

A: Owning a tablet has more than doubled my study output. I enjoy cycling; never tried a scooter. Hot pots are great because you don’t end up smelling like a grill. I like cats because I can just throw them a paper bag and they’re entertained for hours.?

Q: How and when did you start working with Eleven? Please, also tell us about your role in the team.

A: I actually began working with Eleven as a freelance copywriter in 2022. I was brought on in case they needed some support on the content side. At that time I was working full time for a Singapore-based telecommunications company as a content manager. I eventually left that role early 2023. While I was contemplating my next move and updating my LinkedIn profile, I got an email asking if I was now free to take on a? more full time role at Eleven International.

Q: How did you first get involved in the world of PR?

A: I’ve been freelancing as copywriter/editor for different agencies for nearly a decade now, providing everything from press releases and feature articles, to social media content plans and thought leadership blogs. While I was taking my Master’s in Journalism in London in 2017, I was lucky enough to get a part-time role at a boutique PR agency which led me deeper into the world of PR.

Q: How would you describe the team at Eleven International, in their professional capacities or otherwise?

A: What stood out to me during my initial weeks at the company was the remarkable humility and unassuming nature of everyone. It was during our weekly team meetings, as each member shared their updates, that I truly grasped the impressive contributions and outstanding results achieved by the team.

Q: Balancing work and home life can be difficult, especially when working from home. Do you have any thoughts or insights about how remote work culture could be made more manageable?

A: Depending on your industry, I’ve always believed that the ultimate gauge for effectiveness is the work you produce – not the number of hours you work, meetings you attend, or calls you make. Why work eight hours a day and produce a mediocre piece of writing when you can hunker down for three hours and create a solid content strategy, and still have time to fold your laundry?

Q: What is getting you excited in the world of emerging tech (PR and marketing tools, AI etc.)?

A: As a web3-curious user, I’m looking forward to seeing how these tech startups will manage to attract and educate more traditional web users who are still weary of all the jargon and uncertainty. The web will definitely evolve and we all have to get ready for it, but no one should be left behind. We need to communicate with and educate everyone properly.

Q: What other interests / hobbies do you have outside of work?

A: I’ve been actively learning Mandarin daily since 2018. While I’m far from fluent, it’s become a healthy hobby and a great mental exercise (as many studies will have proven). My listening skills need a lot of work, which is why I’m still looking for a language partner.

Q: What would you say is the best thing about working at Eleven International?

A: Some pundit on LinkedIn scraping for reactions said remote working is dead or was a bad idea. Not for me. I enjoy working from my dining room table at the start of the week, responding to messages from my doctor’s waiting room the following day, and joining a quick team meeting while I walk through the chips aisle.?

Q: Do you have any travel tips for friends thinking of visiting the Philippines? Any food advice?

A: From someone born and bred in Manila, skip Manila and its horrible traffic, and go straight to the white sand beaches. If you need some retail therapy, maybe shop in one of Manila’s many shopping malls for a day or two, and then head out to Cebu, Palawan, Bohol, or Siargao to feel the sun in your bones and contemplate if you should move there permanently – as many have done. August to December is the rainy season, but it’s still okay to travel. One food advice: try the local McDonald’s and the unique items you can only find in the Philippines.?