Tag: Globe

Philippines —The Globe Group has created AdSpark Holdings Inc. to consolidate initiatives around its adtech and data capabilities. It will be part of the 917Ventures’ portfolio of industries. To lead AdSpark Holdings is Nikko Acosta, who will serve as its CEO. Acosta also retains his position as chief strategy officer of the Globe Group.

Comprising the holding company are digital and mobile marketing solutions provider AdSpark, multi-channel messaging platform M360, intelligence-powered solutions provider iNQUiRO, and adtech startup Deep Sea. This initial portfolio forms a strong base foundation where the Globe Group’s digital advertising and data business can further thrive and scale.

On the other hand, Acosta, AdSpark Holdings’ new CEO, is one of Globe’s proven, steadfast, driven, and results-oriented leaders with nearly 20 years of experience across mobile, broadband, enterprise, international, and content. He has amassed general management experience working and collaborating with people.

Ernest Cu, CEO and president of Globe, said, “Our assets and capabilities in data, advertising, and Customer Relationship Management for B2B sit in various parts of the Globe Group and render solutions to customers independently.”

Cu adds, “But it has now become imperative to synergize and capitalize on their collective capabilities, increase operational efficiencies, build compelling solutions on data and ad-tech, and innovate at a macro level to maximize opportunities.”

Vince Yamat, MD of 917Ventures, the wholly-owned corporate venture builder subsidiary of Globe, shared, “With Acosta at the helm, we are confident that he can bring AdSpark Holdings to greater heights.”

The Globe Group’s growing portfolio encompasses services around telecommunications, ICT, financial technology, health, retail, outsourcing, entertainment, digital media, ad-tech and data. These allow its customers and partners to leverage digital and technology-based products and services for their business and lifestyle needs.

Manila, Philippines – Local media and entertainment company KROMA has teased its so-called ‘tradigital’ entertainment offering through an extended reality (xR) event hosted by the company on 6 April. In it, they showcased KROMA’s immersive experience for its online audience by combining the physical and virtual worlds.

Far from the usual green screen execution, the xR disguise is a more dynamic and intense production. It allowed KROMA officials to interact smoothly with complex virtual effects and real-time computer graphics, resulting in more natural shots. Moreover, The xR disguise platform creates exciting live visual experiences based on augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR).

According to Denise Seva, head of KROMA’s full-service activation brand LiveMNL and Music, they will continue to evolve by integrating the live component and product and tech innovations in the digital space.

“We at LiveMNL are always on the lookout for something fresh and innovative in delivering our events – be it ours or for our clients. I’ve seen a lot of comments that people were very impressed and happy with what we produce, so expect more of that coming from LiveMNL,” Seva said.

Meanwhile, Ian Monsod, CEO at KROMA, said the launch production is not the sole proof that shows how KROMA is going beyond content to further enrich the audience experience. He added that by being part of the Globe Group’s telecommunications and technology ecosystem, KROMA can connect consumers to related interests and passion points, communities, brands, websites, apps, and services essential to their daily lives.

“We are a diverse team of passionate individuals who bring together varying perspectives and points of view to create something engaging, exciting, and trailblazing for the Filipino audience. We do this across our ecosystem of brands, creators, content, and experiences. We have something for everyone’s entertainment,” Monsod said.

Indonesia – Content marketing agency Green Park Content (GPC) has won the digital and creative mandates for Indonesia’s snack brand Maxicorn and the Philippines’ telco giant Globe.

As part of the mandate with Indofood, GPC will be managing the full digital service, social media maintenance, campaign launch and creative production for the food distribution giant’s new brand Maxicorn in the Indonesian market. This account will be managed by Sophia Seddarassan, GPC’s associate account director for Indonesia.

Harry Wibowo, Indofood’s head of marketing for Maxicorn brand, shared, “Green Park Content went the extra mile when presenting their social media communication strategy, using multiple channels and touchpoints that were suitable for our bold target audience, as well as brand guidelines and visualisations in creating a strong brand identity.”

Meanwhile, GPC’s mandate for telco Globe includes branding, visual identity, and creative assets development. This account will be managed by Ish Reyes, GPC’s senior account manager for the Philippines, who also led the pitch.

GPC believes that these two new partnerships are a testament to its rapid and impressive growth across APAC and globally.

Fe Husaint, GPC’s creative and global brand head, said, “We are so proud that so many esteemed organisations have trusted us with the role of helping to build their brands, and we will continue to find new ways to engage audiences and create brand affinity as they assimilate to the new normal post-pandemic.”

Manila, Philippines – When you think of Valentine’s Day, most people think of sweet couples and their dates. But Philippine telco Globe had a different idea: for their newest campaign, they put the spotlight on pet friends, furry or otherwise, with special treats that they can enjoy with their humans. 

The campaign, called ‘#MayFurEverWithGlobe’, invites customers to create tribute posts for their pets on social media and help spread feel-good messages about pet love. In addition, the social media campaign gives customers a chance to win 2,000 Globe or TM Rewards points that may be converted into Lazada or Shopee credits to purchase pet supplies. Prizes also include a love offering to the animal welfare organisation Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) on behalf of their pets to help look after stray dogs and cats.

Yoly Crisanto, chief sustainability officer and SVP for corporate communications at Globe, said, “Our pets are a source of simple joys, and they have shown us pure love amid the stressful times of the pandemic. Through this campaign, we hope to remind people that they are not alone in their fight against stress and anxiety. They have sources of love around them, such as the unconditional love that pets provide.”

The campaign has been supported by local artists and celebrities such as Kiray Celis and Arianne Bautista, celebrity athlete and volleyball icon Aby Maraño, Myx VJ Ai Dela Cruz, YouTuber, and singer Claudine Co, among others.

Said campaign is part of the telco’s ‘#AtinAngSimpleJoys’ campaign, which promotes purposeful everyday hobbies that have been found to help alleviate stress and anxiety, common symptoms of mental health distress. ‘#AtinAngSimpleJoys’ also gave rise to last year’s viral challenge #PlantHappinessPH, which focused on the positive mental health effects of taking care of plants.

“As a company that genuinely cares for the well-being of its customers, Globe continues to introduce programs that encourage people to find simple joys in life. It believes that positive and meaningful relationships with people, plants, and animals can play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy mental state,” the company said in a press statement.

Manila, Philippines – Globe Studios, the Filipino entertainment production company under telecommunications company Globe, has rebranded, to now be called ANIMA.

ANIMA will be under the umbrella of Kroma Entertainment Inc., a new entertainment company backed by the Globe Group of Companies. The former Globe Studios was the one behind the critically-acclaimed Filipino films such as ‘Fangirl’, ‘Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral’, and ‘Dead Kids’, along with series such as ‘Gaya sa Pelikula’ and ‘OTJ: The Missing 8’.

Quark Henares, the head of ANIMA, stated that the new name signifies the changes they will be offering to the public as they venture into a new era of entertainment.

He further shared that it was hard for them to let go of the name Globe Studios because they have done and achieved so much in their five years of existence, but believes they can only go onward and upward with ANIMA.

“We are always on the lookout for how we can tell Filipino stories better – be it through the silver screen, black box, or handheld devices. It’s the stories that matter, and the way we get them to you. We’re doubling down on that with ANIMA, so you can expect more stuff on YouTube, on Spotify, on TikTok,” Henares added.

ANIMA said that viewers can expect more fun and exciting materials. One of the films they can anticipate is ‘Ang Pagbabalik ng Kuwago’, the first Filipino feature film to premiere at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in more than 15 years, and ‘Hintayan ng Langit’ spinoff series ‘Simula sa Gitna’. It is also strengthening collaborations with One Championship, WeTV, and Netflix, as well as HBO Go.

Moreover, the team is raring to experiment with other formats and genres. Content are already visible in the podcasts ‘Nandito Sila’ and ‘Come Home’, while other podcasts started tackling new themes – cryptocurrency, motherhood, and sexual behaviors, among others.

Manila, Philippines – Globe’s corporate venture builder, 917Ventures, has launched a new portfolio company, iNQUiRO, to help SMEs make data-driven decisions in their operations.

The start-up aims to address the challenges encountered by businesses in their journey towards data-driven insights, which include access to the right data, tools, and technology. Its products are designed to provide organizations with the knowledge that creates impact from customer analytics to risk assessment and even fraud detection.

For instance, iNQUiRO’s 360° Customer Dashboard and Audience Builder, an intuitive platform, gives clients access to valuable consumer information particularly, behaviors and trends. The service is complete with optimized tools and resources that help businesses transform data into valuable and actionable insights and explore various opportunities.

Furthermore, iNQUiRO’s Credibility Score intends to use behavioral data in creating a credibility profile for consumers to help businesses assess the credibility of consumers with limited or no available financial data and to provide these consumers with access to a wider range of financial products.

Pancho Reyna, iNQUiRO’s chief operating officer, said, “By providing organizations of all sizes with access to otherwise unobtainable insights, we enable them to make exceptional and impactful data-driven decisions. This is what makes iNQUiRO truly a game-changer.”

Meanwhile, Vince Yamat, 917Ventures’s managing director, shared, “As we expand our services and continue to grow our portfolio companies, we are committed to taking Globe’s vision of creating a digital nation forward, as we empower more Filipinos through our tech and digital solutions.”

Aside from iNQUiRO, 917Ventures’ lineup of portfolio companies also includes mobile wallet giant GCash, digital health companies KonsultaMD and HealthNow, and digital marketing solutions firm AdSpark, as well as online grocery platform PureGo, and loyalty and e-commerce solutions provider RUSH.

Philippines – More time indoors during this period gave birth to a trend of new hobbies, and one of these is growing plants at home. In fact, in the Philippines, people who have taken interest in the activity have earned the name Plantita and Plantito, where Tita and Tito are Tagalog for auntie and uncle.

Local telco giant Globe, for its latest campaign for mental health, took the tending hobby as a theme to encourage people to immerse oneself in helpful recreation to ease one’s anxiety. Called #PlantHappinessPH, the campaign is no less a TikTok challenge which encouraged audiences to enjoy dancing and planting and revel in the simple pleasures amid the difficult situation everyone is in right now.

The campaign went live last 27 September, and according to Globe, it has already received over 1,400 video entries from people from different backgrounds such as medical frontliners, delivery riders, work-from-home moms, and office workers. The challenge, which featured the song ‘Better Days 2.0’ by Filipino rapper and songwriter Quest, also gained support from several entertainment and social media personalities.

Yoly Crisanto, Globe’s chief sustainability officer and SVP for corporate communications, shared that the challenge has also inspired others to show other hobbies beyond planting and dancing.

“We are very happy with the public response we received, and at how our message resonated with such a wide audience in the country. We got over 1,400 entries from TikTokers who danced, showed off their plant collections, sang along, documented their COVID vaccination, and showed their other simple joys such as cooking, working out, and taking care of their pets to promote mental health and well-being. The campaign exceeded the anticipated support of the community and showed how important mental health is in today’s generation,” she said.

As part of the initiative, Globe gave away thousands of free native tree seeds and seedlings to those who joined the challenge in order to add to their recreation. According to Globe, the challenge has amassed 207 million views on TikTok in just two weeks.

Crisanto adds, “We are always proactively seeking out ways to bring uplifting experiences and solutions to help our customers have good mental health. Healthy hobbies and the pursuit of simple joys are some ways to stay mentally healthy. We want to remind everyone that they are not alone in the fight against stress and anxiety. Globe fully supports their mental health wellness journey.”

Globe said its mental health advocacy is part of its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 3, which ensures healthy lives and promotes the well-being of all ages.

The campaign’s launch was just in time for the World Mental Health Day which was celebrated last 10 October. Globe has consolidated the TikTok videos from the challenge which can be viewed on its official Facebook page.

Manila, Philippines – More consumers are now relying on e-commerce platforms for their daily needs amid the pandemic, and with this, RUSH, Globe’s 917Ventures loyalty and e-commerce solutions provider, has partnered with GrabExpress, to be its logistics partner for the merchant deliveries.

RUSH enables SMEs to grow their presence in the digital space by providing customized and easy-to-use programs. According to RUSH, its white-label apps and services are utilized by over 100 companies with 27 million registered users. In addition, RUSH’s eStore allows merchant partners to do more than just selling and engaging customers, as it also looks for proactive solutions to improve business’ operational processes including logistics.

The partnership entails that GrabExpress will now be integrated into the RUSH eStore platform, allowing businesses to book a delivery partner, meet orders, and do cash-on-delivery (COD) – which is still the most preferred mode of payment in the Philippines. 

According to RUSH, one of the features of its RUSH eStore is the ability of merchant partners to expand or reduce their kilometer radius coverage with just one click. This allows businesses to reach more customers and gauge their distance, giving merchants control over coverage and delivery pricing. The new partnership will be amplifying this important feature since Grab deems to have the widest reach in Metro Manila and key cities all over the country.

Paolo Castaneda, RUSH’s chief operating officer, shared that RUSH understands how the last mile delivery experience can highly affect one’s repeat purchase behavior, and logistics is not just a nice-to-have, but a must for businesses going digital.

“Our partnership with Grab is a testament to our commitment to ensuring that our merchant partners meet their on-demand orders and keep their customers happy,” said Castaneda.

Meanwhile, Stephanie Kubota, the CEO of RUSH, said, “RUSH remains steadfast in helping businesses enter the e-commerce field easily by providing the best-in-class technology and impactful synergies, at a fair price point against the market. With Grab on the RUSH eStore, we are making it seamless for our merchant partners to manage last-mile delivery.”

Jacqueline Maye Lim, Grab’s head of GrabExpress for the Philippines, commented that the partnership with RUSH is a clear expression of their long-term commitment to supporting the growth of many businesses, while providing meaningful livelihood opportunities to many delivery partners. 

“We are grateful for the trust and the opportunity to work alongside RUSH in this meaningful endeavor and we look forward to continuing supporting many Filipinos towards the recovery of our community and our economy,” said Lim.

Manila, Philippines – As the pandemic forced live events to go virtual, Globe’s corporate venture builder 917Ventures in the Philippines has decided to roll out a new marketplace platform, called ‘Fanlife’, which is made to cater to K-pop and K-drama supporters. 

‘Fanlife’ is the ultimate marketplace platform for the said fans and will offer exclusive experiences and official merchandise. Fans may learn more about their favorite artists via exclusive content and get a chance to meet them. They will be able to stoke their love for their favorite artists with collectibles and merchandise available on the e-commerce site.

‘Fanlife’ was one of the selections from the first batch of the Velocity program, a 917Ventures initiative that helps aspiring entrepreneurs build successful businesses. It aims to expand the reach and engagement between local and international artists and their supporters, offering an immersive experience on www.fanlife.ph. 

“Fanlife connects you to your favorite artists through exciting experiences, bringing you closer to them with just a click. You may also discover your new favorite artist and be a part of your favorite artists’ communities all within the website,” said Aya Villa-Real, the Venture Builder of Fanlife.

Meanwhile, Vince Yamat, the managing director of 917Ventures, commented, “We believe the best ideas and ventures come from such a diverse entrepreneurial base in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. As such, Velocity provides venture builders the opportunity to build businesses leveraging on the advantage of operating within 917Ventures and Globe.”

The new platform comes as local telco giant Globe, the parent company of 917Ventures, recently announced that it is looking to scout new businesses to explore other sources of income, as both global and local telecommunication revenues were greatly affected by the coronavirus crisis.

Manila, Philippines – Telco giant in the Philippines Globe has announced in a press release that it is looking to scout new businesses to build additional streams of revenue.

Even amid successful vaccination programs around the world, nations continue to grapple with the pandemic, and the Philippines, the home of Globe, is currently seeing a new surge in positive cases. 

Globe President and CEO Ernest L. Cu said in a virtual interview in the APOS media conference, that it is important for the telco to explore other sources of income especially in light of the current situation.

“We are very fortunate that we continue to see revenue growth and are able to sustain growth over the past 10 years. But we also know that it’s going to be difficult to keep it up in the future,” said Cu.

The Coronavirus crisis has affected both global and local telecommunication revenues due to lack of international travel and lower handset upgrades caused by the closure of retail stores, challenges in the corporate industry, and SME markets, as well as spending pressures among the prepaid segment. 

Cu cited Globe’s recent success story with its e-wallet GCash, successfully growing to become the largest e-wallet in the Philippines. According to Globe, it has grown its client base to over 33 million last year or about 65% higher compared to the 20 million users in 2019 due to a shift in consumer behavior amid strict mobility and quarantine restrictions. GCash is one of the portfolio companies under 917Ventures – the telco’s fully-owned subsidiary, which deems to be one of the largest corporate venture builders in the country.