MARKETECH APAC’s first ‘NEXT Awards Philippines 2025’ unveils winning marketing campaigns and leaders across PH

With the conclusion of the inaugural NEXT Awards Philippines 2025, PJ Lhuillier Inc. and OMD Philippines emerged as the Grand Prix winners for the Brand of the Year and Agency of the Year respectively. Meanwhile, Google Philippines and Tiktok Philippines were tied in nabbing the Grand Prix award for the Martech of the Year category.

Held on November 27 at Shangri-La The Fort, Manila, the awards recognised the innovators and trailblazers shaping the future of marketing across the Philippines, and helping shape what’s next for marketing innovation across Asia-Pacific.

PJ Lhuillier Inc., a holding company which handles pawn brokering and remittance businesses, nabbed the Brand of the Year award, while also winning a total of 22 trophies during the award night. Some of those awards include Gold Trophies for the Most Innovative B2B Marketing Campaign and Most Innovative Customer Engagement Campaign, Silver Trophies for Most Innovative Launch/Re-launch Campaign and Most Innovative Video Marketing Campaign, and Bronze Trophies for Most Innovative Event Marketing Campaign and Most Innovative Loyalty Marketing Campaign.

“This recognition really belongs to the remarkable team back in our head office, across all of our business units, and of course to our integrated marketing communications group. I am very very fortunate to work with or alongside incredible individuals like my team who’re very passionate, very dedicated and who really push us there to elevate our brand every day. We would like to thank the NEXT Awards because this really underscores the importance and the effectivity of our collective efforts,” said Emirosco Michael Sena, first vice president and chief marketing and communications officer at PJ Lhuillier Inc.

Meanwhile, OMD Philippines won the Agency of the Year award, taking home a total of 18 trophies during the gala night. Their trophies included Gold for Most Innovative Content Marketing Campaign and Most Innovative Digital Marketing Campaign, Silver for Most Innovative Data-driven Marketing Campaign and Most Innovative Omni-channel Marketing Campaign, as well as Bronze for Most Innovative OOH/dOOH Marketing Campaign.

“On behalf of our CEO, Mary Buenaventura, I want to thank MARKETECH APAC for the recognition. I’d like to also thank all our OMD and OMG clients, especially to our Opella client,” said Faye San Diego, business director at OMD Philippines .

For the Martech of the Year award, both Google Philippines and TikTok Philippines brought home the award, as both tied with 8 trophies taking home that night. For Google, they got Gold Trophies for Most Innovative Brand Awareness Campaign and Most Innovative Launch/Re-launch Campaign, and a Silver Trophy for Most Innovative Media Strategy Campaign. On the other hand, TikTok got a Gold Trophy for Most Innovative Launch/Re-launch Campaign, Silver Trophies for Most Innovative Brand Awareness Campaign and Most Innovative Use of AdTech in a Campaign and a Bronze Trophy for Most Innovative Influencer Marketing Campaign.

Life Dawn Cervero, head of growth partnerships at TikTok Philippines said, “I am incredibly honored to receive this award on behalf of TikTok and my brilliant, hardworking colleagues. Those who are here, you’ve seen on top of the stage, everyone, this recognition belongs to each and every one of you. Thank you to the organisers and the jury of tonight’s next awards for shining a light on work that moves people. To our TikTok brand partners, thank you for your trust, your boldness, and your willingness to explore the power of TikTok together. We’ve gone beyond marketing, we have sparked conversations, set trends, and I’d like to think maybe even started a little bit of good-natured chaos on the internet.”

She added, “I hope the work that we do today powers the next generation of Filipinos. May our collective creativity, passion, and caffeine consumption plant seeds in them so that they may dream bigger, challenge the status quo, and fill a future that has imagination, innovation, and courage.”

Over at the individual categories, Emm Ordinanza, vice president and head of integrated media at Nestlé Philippines won the Gold Trophy for the Most Innovative Marketing Leader of the Year. The Silver and Bronze trophies were awarded respectively to Michael “Mike” Sena, first vice-president and chief marketing and communications officer at PJ Lhuillier Inc. and Allan Tan, head of marketing at Mang Inasal.

For the Most Innovative Agency Leader of the Year, Paolo Alba, regional vice president and country lead (Philippines) at PRecious Communications nabbed the Gold Trophy, while the Silver Trophy was awarded to Earl Guico, president & managing partner at Elesi Studios and the Bronze Trophy to Ericson Dalusong, founder & GTM at Lead Assassin.

Meanwhile, Chowking Philippines won the Gold Trophy for the Most Innovative Marketing Team of the Year category, with Mang Inasal Philippines and MR.DIY Philippines getting the Silver and Bronze trophies respectively. For the Most Innovative MarTech Team of the Year, DashoContent got the Bronze Trophy for said category.

For the winners under the agency category, the winners included:

• Most Innovative B2B Marketing Agency of the Year
  • Beeline Now Consulting Services, Inc. (Silver)
  • Lead Assasssin (Bronze)
• Most Innovative Digital Agency of the Year
  • Skyrocket Studios (Silver)
• Most Innovative Event Marketing Agency of the Year
  • LIVE PH (Bronze)
• Most Innovative Influencer Marketing Agency of the Year
  • HEPMIL Philippines (Silver)
• Most Innovative Production Agency of the Year
  • Elesi Studios (Gold)
  • Hit Productions (Silver)
• Most Innovative Public Relations Agency of the Year
  • PRecious Communications (Silver)

See the full list of winners HERE.

The judging process was helmed by a distinguished panel of top Filipino marketing leaders, with Sheila Paul, chief marketing officer at Home Credit serving as head juror for marketing campaigns (creative and communications); Roche Vandenberghe, chief marketing officer at Globe Telecom for marketing campaigns (marketing strategy & innovation); and Albert Cuadrante, executive vice president and chief marketing and customer experience officer at UnionBank for agencies and people categories.

Brands, agencies, and martech companies interested in joining next year’s NEXT Awards may reach out via [email protected].