Tag: Philippines

South Korea – EGGDROP, the Korean egg sandwich brand from Golden Hind Co., Ltd, managed by CEO Young-woo Noh, has announced the opening of its second foreign location in the Philippines, following its debut in Bangkok, Thailand.

As a result of an agreement to open 10 stores in Thailand, EGGDROP made its debut in the Philippines and became the brand’s first international export. With the result, a multi-franchise agreement to open five locations in the Philippines has been fulfilled. In the Philippines, EGGDROP plans to open two stores in the first half of 2024. In the second half of the year, it plans to open three more stores in strategic areas.

Golden Hind’s plan for worldwide expansion includes the important component of introducing EGGDROP to the Philippine market. Their goal is to provide Filipino customers with a novel culinary experience that combines delicious and health-conscious options.

EGGDROP, which is expanding in Korea, has received franchise queries from over 30 nations worldwide. Nations such as the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, and India are included.

Speaking about the expansion, Youngwoo Noh, CEO of Golden Hind, said, “We are very excited to announce EGGDROP’s second international expansion. We look forward to providing a fun experience for consumers in the Philippines.”

He added, “In addition to Thailand and the Philippines, EGGDROP is actively seeking master franchise partners in other countries such as the U.S. and Japan to strengthen the brand’s presence globally.”

Philippines – IKEA launched the #IKEAEverywhere campaign in collaboration with Ogilvy, integrating physical products into diverse public locations. Ogilvy executed a campaign for IKEA Philippines by turning every possible place into an IKEA shop.

Restaurants functioned as easy places to shop in addition to providing places to eat. nail salons became all-inclusive destinations for Filipinos, providing manicures and pedicures in addition to the chance to browse IKEA’s items. 

Some of these integrations were smoothly transformed into retail spaces were gyms, clinics, and beaches. e-jeepneys, GrabCars, outdoor billboards, and outdoor installations were placed throughout EDSA, SLEX, and NLEX.

Customers can shop at these places by scanning the QR code located near the furniture. This strategy drove Filipinos to the IKEA website, increasing the pool of potential customers.

Influencers went farther than usual by actively participating in a national easter egg hunt. They searched and scanned every IKEA store throughout the nation with diligence. IKEA fans even got involved, exhibiting their homes as virtual IKEA stores on the internet.

Manila, Philippines – Tech-driven media company Hepmil Philippines, a regional arm of Hepmil Media Group, has launched a series of new programmes that aim to strengthen the capabilities and skills of all talents and creators under its network.

First on the list of Hepmil Philippines’ new programmes is the launch of its social commerce solutions, which will allow content creators under its network to explore other avenues to monetize their content.

A part of this initiative is the introduction of a new incubation programme that is largely focused on developing the skills of their talents and creators in social selling and forging partnerships with regional e-commerce brands that can support their direct-to-consumer efforts.

The media company has also expanded its list of new and accomplished creators, with big names such as Jico Umali (Jiconyo), Pipay Kipay, and Adam Alejo joining their roster of exclusive creators under their digital creator community, Hepmil Creators’ Network (HCN).

As part of the company’s programmes to support its talents, Hepmil Philippines also rolled out a list of entertainment shows and relatable content for their wide variety of audiences.

The exhilarating travel show ‘Oner Gang’ will feature social media sensations Jico Umali and Risha Rodriguez as they explore the tapestry of local communities and diverse cultures across the Philippines. PGAG, Hepmil’s marketing company, also injected humour into their latest lineup of shows with ‘Sa Office’, a workplace satire that provides a comedic look at office life.

The new programmes come as Hepmil and its partners work on developing communication strategies that are tailored to cater to the newer generation of mobile-first consumers. The company aims to make authentic connections with audiences who want entertainment value, making sure that there is still organic integration of local culture into engaging digital content.

Jel Directo, country manager at Hepmil Creators’ Network, shared, “The unstoppable rise of TikTok Shop in the Philippines has brought a platform for our creators not only to elevate their game in content creation but also to increase their opportunities for monetized content.”

“Since this is fast-growing in the local market, we have trained our creators in effective live selling, live streaming, and also affiliate content building. With this, we continue to be partners of brands that are first-movers in bottom funnel creator marketing, able to support them as they speed up test-and-learn efforts,” she added.

Directo further explained, “We want our creator network to be represented by those who truly understand our passion and skill in content creation. With Jico as our homegrown creator in PGAG; Pipay, known on TikTok for her comedy and wit; and Adam Alejo, a YouTuber known for his most-watched idea-first challenges, we are able to showcase our ability to support brands in creating content that connects and matters to their audience.”

Also speaking on the programme launch, Erwin Razon, general manager at PGAG and Bent Pixels Asia, said, “We continue to innovate new shows with our partner creators to bring engaging and entertaining content to our fans, new and old. The company’s strategic partnerships with rising platforms like Oner Gang and PGAG offer brands a strategic entry point into the evolving realm of digital marketing. As the rules of engagement are being rewritten, Hepmil is poised to author the next chapter in the industry.”

“We strongly believe in the balance of advertising and entertainment on content, a mindset that allows us to thrive in integrating brand messages seamlessly within our content while maintaining the authenticity and entertainment that our fans love,” he added.

Manila, Philippines – Innovative technology brand TECNO has unveiled its latest marketing campaign featuring various narratives that capture the remarkable quest of the Filipino youth striving to become the best versions of themselves. 

Launched under the banner “Don’t Stop Rising,” this campaign aims to empower young Filipinos to carve their own path, embodying the ethos of seizing opportunities rather than waiting for the perfect moment.

This also follows a video manifesto, named as “Never Not Ready,” showcasing diverse scenarios where individuals express their creativity and resilience.

Some of the real-life scenarios shown in the video include: A fashionista can discover creative ways to express herself on social media by using light from just a CD; a game lover never misses opportunities to enhance his gaming skills, even when waiting for coffee; a passerby can grab a basketball that comes to his feet, shoot and score; and a dancer can spontaneously choreograph and create captivating TikTok content anytime, anywhere.

Following this endeavour, Lucia Liu, chief brand officer at TECNO, shared, “We deeply understand Filipino consumers, which is why TECNO is initiating this exciting campaign after TECNO’s rise in the Philippines in recent years. 

“Today we are not just launching a marketing campaign but creating something that deeply resonates with the essence of Filipinos, establishing an emotional connection with them and giving them a strong voice-out about their inspiring ‘Never Not Ready’ attitude to life,” she added.

The manifesto video features stories drawn from the real-life experiences of Filipino youth, with influencers Kush Obusan and CJ Villafuerte serving as prime examples.

Manila, Philippines – Multiple brands in the Philippines have joined in trendjacking the recent ‘KathNiel’ breakup. The trending split involved local celebrities Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, who announced the split on November 30, marking the end of their 11-year relationship.

Both of the celebrities have released their separate statements following their breakup, with their network ABS-CBN and its talent agency Star Magic stating that they respect the mutual decision of both parties to part ways. The break-up is a significant update in the Filipino entertainment scene, as the ‘KathNiel’ tandem were one of the most popular on-screen love tandems in the country, aside from other popular ones such as ‘LizQuen’ (Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil) and ‘DonBelle’ (Belle Mariano and Donny Pangilinan).

Following the announcement, multiple brands in the Philippines have jumped to trendjack the issue, with regional e-commerce platform Lazada leading first by uploading a picture of its mascot Lazzie frowning while standing amidst a black void. It is worth noting that Kathryn Bernardo has been active in multiple Lazada campaigns, more specifically during its 11.11 sales periods.

Meanwhile, popular coffee brand Nescafe in the Philippines has also joined the trend, symbolising the split with its ‘Nescafe Creamy White’ product, and stating “We will rise up and move on!”

JobStreet, the online employment company under SEEK, also played along the trend, using the format of how Kathryn Bernardo posted her side of the story. In the JobStreet trendjack, it invited followers that if they feel their long-time employment is not worth it, it’s time to make a switch using their platform.

Popular chocolate brand KitKat, meanwhile, posted a trend-related twist to its slogan of “Have a break, have a KitKat”, with their post saying “Some breaks even we find hard to take”.

Meanwhile, local food chain Shawarma Shack, who had the KathNiel duo as its brand ambassadors for many years now, has clarified to its customers that despite the split, their shawarma offerings will be still “buy one, take one”. Some netizens have also noted that some Shawarma Shack branches have already adopted the change.

Other brands that have joined the trendjack include smartphone brand Realme, motorcycle ride-sharing app Angkas, and mosquito killer insecticide brand Lion-Tiger.

Philippines – In an effort to catalyse SME finance, GoTyme Bank and PayMongo Philippines, Inc. recently forged a strategic partnership to advance financial accessibility among small and medium-sized enterprises within the PayMongo merchant ecosystem.

This latest initiative laid the foundations for PayMongo Capital, a fully digital financial program that streamlines the loan application process among businesses, eliminating the traditional paperwork through a seamless, two-minute, two-screen journey. 

Under PayMongo Capital, a flexible loan term also tailors financing alternatives to a particular preference of enterprises. Unlike typical loans, which have hidden costs and penalties, this programme introduces transparent pricing, which requires businesses to pay a competitive flat rate.

The absence of hidden charges, on the other hand, simplifies the financial landscape for borrowers, boosting trust and clarity.

Furthermore, this new app also allows businesses to easily manage repayments, automatically deducting a portion from their sales. It further aligns payments with their daily sales and ensures that merchants can focus on their operations without the constant worry of rigid repayment structures.

Meanwhile, qualifying merchants benefit from this hassle-free disbursement process, with the lent amount reaching their accounts within one banking day, subject to the processing time of the receiving bank.

Talking about the launch, Nate Clarke, CEO at GoTyme Bank, shared, “As GoTyme Bank expands to offer more banking products to our customers, we also continue to build meaningful relationships and foster financial inclusion. Through PayMongo Capital, powered by GoTyme Bank, we hope to make loans and banking in general more accessible to SMEs and give them the preferred banking experience they deserve.”

Jojo Malolos, CEO at PayMongo, also supported this statement, saying, “At PayMongo, our unwavering commitment to support the growth of small and medium-sized businesses takes a groundbreaking leap with our partnership with GoTyme Bank. This collaboration is a game-changer for PayMongo merchants, unlocking additional capital to propel their online enterprises towards unparalleled success.”

Following this strategic alliance, the two are set to embark on empowering thousands of businesses within PayMongo’s merchant ecosystem, providing ease of access to business loans using GoTyme’s innovative banking service.

Philippines – Chowking, the Chinese-themed restaurant chain under Jollibee Group, has issued a statement responding to the recent viral TikTok video showing one of its staff roaming outside of the restaurant branch just to meet her quota for the day. 

According to the uploader of the viral video, the staff is from Chowking SM Ecoland in Davao City, and is taking orders outside of the restaurant to meet her quota since the sales of the branch was “going slow.”

The staff also stated that during these trips, she would often shell out money for transport from her own expenses, often commuting back and forth to deliver the orders that she gets. 

In response to this, Chowking said that they are taking this matter seriously by instructing the store to place activities such as outside-of-store order taking on hold, as well as reviewing store guidelines to ensure that ethical standards are met.

Moreover, Chowking also said that the staff who was featured in the viral video remains as a valued employee of the store. 

“At Chowking, upholding ethical standards in conducting business is a core commitment, and the safety and well-being of our team members remain our top priority,” concluded Chowking in their statement.

Currently, the viral video has garnered over 3 million views as well as multiple sentiments from netizens online, calling it exploitation with claims of these employees being overworked and underpaid as well as expressing concern over the safety of these employees who go out of their way to take orders and deliver food themselves. 

Manila, Philippines – Aiming to provide Filipinos with better financial services, Pouch.ph has recently announced a collaboration with One Cooperative Technology Service (OCTS), introducing its first and only CDA-registered technology service cooperative mobile wallet.

Known as CoopPay, the platform intends to provide cooperatives, members, and families with a fast, affordable, and secure means to send and receive peso payments and bitcoin payments using the Lightning Network.

Amongst the primary functions of the app allow users to deposit and withdraw Philippine pesos, make CoopPay to CoopPay transfers, conduct bank/fund transfers in UnionBank, BPI, BDO, Metrobank, GCash, and Maya, among others, and utilise cash pick-up services.

Payments through the application are less expensive since neither Pouch.ph nor the cooperative organisations charge any service fees or markups. The app, for instance, offers a 15-peso minimum fee and no predetermined transfer limits.

In addition, the mobile wallet programme features a shop tab that makes it possible for users to buy loads for all networks, pay for transport services (Beep, Autosweep, Easytrip), and pay bills (Meralco, Maynilad, Converge, SkyCable, and many other billers).

This initiative follows the company’s vision to provide a medium-term best-practice model for cooperatives in the Philippines and the ASEAN region.

Following this endeavour, Fr. Anton CT. Pascua, chairman of the board at OCTS, expressed excitement about the nationwide rollout, stating, “CoopPay is an idea whose time has come! But let us not forget why we are doing this; we are doing this to improve the economic lives of our members and their families.”

Ethan Rose, founder and CEO at Pouch.ph, also shared his insights about the project, stating, “Our priority is to bring financial access, service, and opportunity to all Filipinos, particularly with a strong focus on customer care and global connectivity. Our collaboration with OCTS to launch CoopPay will enable us to bring better financial services to millions of Filipinos.”

Meanwhile, Anna Marin Crisolo, COO at One Coop Tech, said, “It has always been our mission at OCTS to facilitate financial empowerment at the grassroots level. We want to show the way for our brother-and-sister cooperatives in the ASEAN region. After much work and overcoming challenges, we are ready to do that. The CoopPay app, powered by Pouch.ph, is our next step in that direction.”

Since its nationwide rollout in October, they are now set to extend the service to other cooperative groups across the country. CoopPay also made a successful rollout to 100,000 members of the First Community Cooperative (FICCO) since then. 

Manila, Philippines – Following the significant digital participation of AI, Google’s latest e-Conomy report for Southeast Asia revealed the accelerated growth for Philippines is expected to reach double digital growth from 2023 to 2025, positioning itself as one of the region’s fastest-growing economies.

Amongst the findings, it was reported that e-commerce continues to be the primary driver of the country’s digital economy, accounting for its 70% overall online activities. Benefiting from the shift of informal, unorganised commerce to organised digital platforms, it is also expected to reach $24B GMV by 2025 at 21% CAGR. 

By 2025, the local digital economy is set to continue its double-digit climb towards $35B GMV, growing at 20% CAGR making the Philippines a fastest-growing digital economy.

Meanwhile, online travel demonstrated the largest growth from 2022 to 2023 at 88% due to the ongoing momentum of tourism. 

Specifically, both domestic and regional transport providers are growing into outer cities. Businesses have also embarked on expanding their two-wheeler products as a more cost-effective alternative form of transportation in an effort to attract these markets. 

Speaking about the report, Nikki Del Gallego, head of data and insights at Google Philippines, said, “With continued double-digit climb towards $35B by 2025, the country’s digital economy continues to exhibit resilience and generate opportunities for Filipinos despite macroeconomic headwinds. This momentum is poised to continue, fueled by the immense potential of AI and the digital participation of internet users outside Metro Manila which could drive medium to long term growth.”

Bennett Aquino, partner at Bain and Company also commented, “It really is quite a feat that both Southeast Asia’s digital economy GMV and revenue continued their double-digit growth momentum despite this challenging macroeconomic environment, with revenue breaking the $100B mark in 2023.”

“More than anything, this shows the resilience of the Southeast Asia digital economy and that the key players are figuring out the monetization puzzle and making headway towards healthier unit economics. Despite external headwinds, we are optimistic that the digital economy – both for SEA and the Philippines – will continue to grow substantially in the longer run,” he added.

Meanwhile, Fred Pascual, secretary at the Department of Trade and Industry, said, “It is truly remarkable that the Philippine digital economy is on track to achieve sustained double-digit growth. Through a whole-of-government approach, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) remains committed to collaborating closely with partners from various sectors, including Google, to empower Filipinos in realising the benefits of the growing digital economy through upskilling opportunities.”

This year’s SEA digital economy revenue also is projected to reach $100 billion, expanding at a rate 1.7 times faster than the GMV of the area. This further delves into the opportunities of increasing digital participation to unlock the potential of raising digital engagement.

Philippines – Philippine super app Gcash has recently unveiled its reinforced international services during the Singapore FinTech Festival this 2023, aiming to deliver the convenience of using the app towards Filipinos looking to travel or work abroad. 

Notably, GCash also revealed a new feature in the app where users can view real-time foreign exchange rates in select countries such as Singapore, Japan, and the USA.

This strengthens the efforts of GCash, which has been growing its reach beyond Philippine shores through its partner, global payments giant Alipay+, by allowing travellers to use the e-wallet for cashless transactions in 17 countries such as Singapore, Japan, and the USA. 

This initiative in turn has enabled users overseas to sign up for GCash using international mobile numbers in six countries such as the USA, Italy, and Japan.

Partnering with Visa as well, GCash users can also make cashless transactions with over 80 million merchants across 200 countries. Customers can order the new GCash Card via the app, and can pay with GCash in establishments that accept Alipay+ by either scanning their QR codes or generating a code.

Talking about these features, Martha Sazon, president and CEO of Gcash, said, “Through GCash services, Filipino travellers as well as those who live and work overseas can enjoy the same benefits as those who own credit cards and bank accounts. They can use the app to pay in stores and establishments that accept Alipay+ or accept card transactions.”