The new studio combines content production, livestreaming, creator collaborations, and campaign execution within a single ecosystem, allowing brands to move from idea to activation through one integrated partner.

The launch comes as brands face growing pressure to produce content faster, adapt to changing consumer behaviour, and create experiences that feel native to the platforms where audiences spend their time.

Dentsu Studios brings together production capabilities with the agency’s broader strengths in strategy, influencer marketing, audience intelligence, and live commerce. The goal is to help brands build more connected content experiences that support both engagement and business outcomes.

According to Dentsu Philippines, the studio was created to address the increasing overlap between content, influence, commerce, and customer experience. 

“We have continued to invest in capabilities that help our clients  navigate those intersections more effectively,” said JC Catibog, CEO, Dentsu Philippines. “Dentsu Studios is a natural progression of us bringing together capabilities that have long existed across our network into a more connected experience for brands to be more responsive to how consumers engage, discover and shop today.”

Having supported pilot projects across content and commerce, such as live commerce activations for Comfoods, the studio has also seen its capabilities tapped by major brands including Samsung, Glico, El Real, Uratex, and Alaska.

Julia Pronstroller-Gallardo, Executive Digital Director & Digital  Experience Head, Dentsu Philippines, commented, “The diversity of brands already engaging Dentsu Studios, from global marketers to local household names, tells us that this is not a category-specific challenge.”

“Whether it is a live commerce activation or a creator-led campaign, the strongest results come when production is informed by audience understanding, platform behaviour and clear business objectives from the outset,” added Pronstoller-Gallardo. 

The launch also strengthens the agency’s capabilities in creator-led marketing and live commerce, two areas that continue to gain importance as brands seek more interactive and participatory ways to connect with audiences.

With Dentsu Studios, the agency aims to provide brands with a more connected approach to content creation, helping them stay closer to consumers, communities and culture in an increasingly digital-first environment.

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Titled ‘Method Acting,’ the campaign reunites fan-favourite characters portrayed by Panganiban—including Claudia Buenavista from Pangako Sa ‘Yo (2015), Stell Suarez from Beauty in a Bottle (2014), and Stef from Here Comes the Bride (2010)—to reinforce the brand’s “Siksik, Sulit, at Sarap” (SikSuRap) message.

The campaign marks Swift Mighty Meaty Hotdogs’ latest brand push, blending nostalgia with humour to appeal to both longtime fans of the brand and younger audiences familiar with Panganiban through memes and viral pop culture moments.

According to JC Garcia, Copywriter at Leron Leron Sinta, the campaign was designed to balance familiarity with contemporary relevance.

“Swift wanted something campy, fun, and relatable while keeping their core message intact. We knew we needed someone who grew up with the brand for nostalgia, but can still speak to today’s younger crowd—and as a former child star and pop culture icon, Angge was the perfect fit,” Garcia said.

He added that each character was selected to represent a different product proposition.

“Her ‘Angge Multiverse’ characters seamlessly bring the brand promises to life: Madam Claudia for classic Swift-Sarap, Stell for our protein-packed ‘kembak’, and Stef for our Sulit sa Dami promo!”

Leron Leron Sinta also hinted that the “Angge Multiverse” will continue beyond the launch film, teasing more content across its social media channels.

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Speaking exclusively to MARKETECH APAC, CICP stated that from an ethical standpoint, they believe creators should carefully consider the real-world impact of the products and services they choose to promote, adding that the same amount of money can mean very different things to different people. 

Using an example, CICP notes that for one individual, ₱1,000 (around US$16) may come from discretionary income set aside for leisure. For another, that same amount may be intended for groceries, medicines, rent, or other essential household expenses.

“Our ethical concern is not whether someone chooses to gamble, but whether creator endorsements may influence people to gamble with money they cannot reasonably afford to lose. That is not something CICP would ethically encourage,” the council said.

‘Ethical responsibility should extend beyond regulatory compliance’

CICP has also mentioned that the ethical concern about these endorsements is not a person’s income level, but whether they are being encouraged to risk money they cannot afford to lose. 

“While creators cannot control every decision made by their audience, we believe they should recognise the influence they have and exercise that influence responsibly,” they added.

The council has also noted that they recognise that many consumers do not immediately distinguish between licensed and unlicensed gambling platforms when they first encounter creator endorsements–as well as how the Internet has made gambling more accessible to the masses. 

“Because of the trust that creators build with their audiences, endorsements can normalise gambling behaviour before viewers have had the opportunity to determine whether a platform is legally licensed or appropriately regulated,” CICP explained.

They added, “While PAGCOR regulates licensed operators within the Philippines, consumers can also access offshore platforms that fall outside Philippine licensing and regulatory jurisdiction. This reinforces our view that ethical responsibility should extend beyond regulatory compliance to creators, brands, agencies, and platforms themselves.”

CICP has also encouraged creators, brands, agencies, and platforms to exercise greater caution when engaging in gambling-related campaigns, even where these involve legally licensed operators.

Complementing regulatory frameworks and promoting ethical practices

It should be noted that the CICP has previously released a statement in 2025, stating that it does not condone the use of creators and influencers to promote illegal online gambling in any form. It has also previously advised its members to avoid promoting such activities due to the significant risk of public harm, including the exploitation of individuals and communities.

When asked about whether this statement blankets both legal and illegal online gambling platforms, CICP said, “From the Code alone, the distinction is clear. The Code expressly prohibits the promotion of illegal gambling. It does not contain a blanket prohibition against promoting PAGCOR-licensed operators.”

While CICP notes that they are not a regulator, they recognise any current frameworks to promote responsible influence.

“Our role is to complement these regulatory frameworks by promoting ethical practices and responsible influence within the creator industry,” the council stated.

In July 2025, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Ad Standards Council (ASC) agreed to sign a Memorandum of Agreement to regulate online gambling platforms’ advertisements. 

However, when MARKETECH APAC visited the ASC official website for said circular, the circular only came into effect on June 24, 2026, directed towards industry bodies like the 4AS Philippines, Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA), Media Specialists Association of the Philippines (MSAP), Digital Marketing Association of the Philippines (DMAP), among others. 

“Effective immediately, please be advised that any advertising material placed in any form of medium (Broadcast, Digital, Print, or OOH) should not show or mention casino games and equipment, such as, but not limited to, roulette, baccarat, blackjack, slot machines, cards, chips, dice, and other gambling paraphernalia,” the circular on advertising materials on gambling operators said.

ASC has also added that any material seen with any of the abovementioned elements shall be issued a corresponding Cease and Desist Order by the ASC, a copy of which shall be shared with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). 

MARKETECH APAC has reached out to ASC to clarify whether the circular will also include online advertisements or influencer promotions.

Ivana Alawi, a popular Filipino influencer with more than 50 million followers, was tapped by Casino Plus last month to promote a so-called ‘responsible gaming push’ by the platform. Aside from this endorsement, Ivana was previously an ambassador for Bet88, another online gambling platform, from 2022 until early this year.

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Titled ‘Butterfly’, the campaign draws on the Filipino belief that butterflies can represent visits from departed loved ones, using the cultural tradition to tell a story about family, memory, and heritage.

The film follows a butterfly that enters actor Dingdong Dantes’ home before revealing itself as his late grandfather, highlighting how shared meals and familiar brands can preserve connections across generations.

Created as part of Ligo Sardines’ more than 70-year legacy, the campaign positions the brand as more than a pantry staple, portraying it as a familiar presence woven into family traditions and everyday moments passed down through generations.

Reflecting on the creative idea, Rya Suarez, Art Director at Leron Leron Sinta, said the concept aligned naturally with the brand’s heritage.

“What really connected the concept to Ligo is how the idea perfectly matched the brand’s goal of showing a heritage of love and connection passed from one generation to the next.”

Suarez added, “As a heritage brand, we wanted to show that Ligo is timeless. We wanted it to be nostalgic but at the same time make the current generation relate to it, but in a masa way.”

Beyond its emotional narrative, the campaign reinforces Ligo Sardines’ longstanding focus on quality and consistency, positioning the brand as a fixture in Filipino homes that continues to create shared memories across generations.

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Yet the ambition still outpaces the reality on the ground — despite high personal AI usage rates, many Philippine companies remain conservative in their AI journeys, and industry events this year are explicitly built around bridging the digital strategy-execution gap in the Philippines. 

The picture, then, is one of enterprises racing to operationalise AI-driven workflows and customer experience platforms while still working through the governance, talent, and adoption gaps standing between pilot and scale.

Against the backdrop of the state of digital experience (DX) in the country, MARKETECH APAC, in collaboration with sister publication UpTech Media, has announced the first lineup of speakers for the first Digital Experience Asia conference in the Philippines. The conference, slated for November 17, 2026 at Shangri-La The Fort, Manila, will gather forward-thinking marketers, tech innovators, and experience architects to explore and shape the digital customer experience revolution.

Moreover, through the conference’s keynote presentations and panel discussions, Digital Experience Asia: Philippines 2026 aims to inspire attendees to create actionable strategies, foster collaboration, and equip them to lead the next era of customer engagement.

The first lineup of speakers for the Digital Experience Asia: Philippines 2026 include:

• Francis John Chua, Senior Assistant Vice President and Business Unit Head – 2GO Group
• Melody Lim, Head of Customer Experience – AboitizPower
• Blessy Townes, Vice President & Head of Digital Marketing and Branding – Discovery Hospitality
• Jessica Faye Tan, Vice President, Head of Customer Growth and Digital Enablement – Pru Life UK

The Digital Experience Asia: Philippines 2026 conference is part of the inaugural Digital Experience Asia conference series by UpTech Media and MARKETECH APAC, with the other editions including:

• Digital Experience Asia: Singapore 2026 – November 5, 2026
• Digital Experience Asia: Indonesia 2026 – October 8, 2026

For more information, visit the official event page HERE.

For speaking opportunities, contact Rachele Ciabal at [email protected].

For sponsorship opportunities, reach out to the sales team at [email protected].

For registration queries, contact Resnher Cajida at [email protected].

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Created with Leo Manila, the campaign, “AI Wanna Taste It,” follows Chip, a curious AI character fascinated by the way people connect over McDonald’s Fries. 

Through a music video released following National Fries Day, the campaign contrasts AI’s ability to analyse human behaviour with its inability to experience simple pleasures such as sharing food, satisfying a craving, or creating memories.

The campaign is built on the insight that while artificial intelligence can interpret vast amounts of consumer data, it cannot replicate the emotions and experiences that have made McDonald’s Fries a familiar part of everyday life.

Ada Almendras-Lazaro, Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald’s Philippines, said the idea emerged from the enduring popularity of the brand’s fries.

“For generations, McDonald’s Fries have been part of everyday moments that people genuinely look forward to – so much so that in the age of AI, we now have an abundance of data that points to one undeniable truth: humans love McDonald’s Fries.”

Almendras-Lazaro added, “This led us to an interesting tension: technology can analyse those moments, but it can never actually experience them. That’s what inspired this idea: McDonald’s Fries are so good, even AI wants them.”

Raoul Panes, Chief Creative Officer at Leo Manila, added that the campaign began by examining what AI would discover if it could study the rituals and conversations surrounding the product.

“The campaign idea started with the strength of the product. We asked ourselves: if AI could study every conversation, craving, ritual and memory surrounding McDonald’s Fries, what would it discover? That question eventually led to an AI character we fondly call CHIP, through whose eyes we celebrate the uniquely human enjoyment behind every fry moment.”

Chip will continue appearing across McDonald’s Philippines’ social media channels in the coming weeks as the character learns that enjoying fries is tied not only to taste but also to the people and moments that surround them.

Margot Torres, Managing Director of McDonald’s Philippines, said the campaign highlights how shared experiences remain constant despite advances in technology.

“What we love about this idea is that it starts with a truth people already know. Our fries have been part of countless moments in people’s lives. While technology may change how we live, the connections we share, the memories we create, the simple moments we look forward to – these remain timeless.”

As part of the campaign, McDonald’s Philippines is also dedicating every “Fryday” from 17 July to 28 August to promotions centred around its World Famous Fries.

Blending live action with AI-generated visuals, “AI Wanna Taste It” is directed by Joel Limchoc of Film Pabrika, with original music composed and arranged by Thyro Alfaro and Xeric Tan of Loudbox Studios.

Bringing the campaign to life required a multi-disciplinary production team of producers, casters, production designers, food stylists and post production editors, all in the service of a very human story.

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The industry-wide move follows BSP Circular No. 1238, which took effect after the central bank lifted its five-year moratorium on digital transfer fees on 17 June. 

Under the new circular, banks and electronic money issuers are no longer prohibited from charging transfer fees. 

Instead, the BSP requires fees for person-to-person electronic fund transfers to be fair, transparent, and commensurate with the actual cost of providing the service, including switching and processing costs. 

Financial institutions must also clearly disclose any applicable charges to customers.

Rather than reintroducing fees, many banks have opted to maintain or expand free digital transfers.

Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) was among the first to implement free online transfers, with the changes taking effect on 1 July.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) updated its pricing on 4 July, waiving fees for the first 30 InstaPay transfers each month made via its Pulz app for transactions of at least P100.

On 7 July, Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) removed transfer fees across its digital channels, while UnionBank also revised its transfer pricing.

Starting 9 July, Metrobank, PSBank, and China Banking Corp. (Chinabank) rolled out free InstaPay and PESONet transfers through their digital banking platforms. 

BDO Unibank has likewise eliminated transfer fees via its BDO Online and BDO Pay apps.

More banks are joining the shift, with Security Bank and Philippine National Bank (PNB) introducing zero-fee transfers on 10 July, followed by EastWest Bank on 15 July.

The changes also extend to digital financial services. 

MariBank Philippines has removed its monthly cap on free interbank transfers, while e-wallet providers GCash and Maya have lowered their interbank transfer fee to P10.

The fee reductions mark one of the country’s largest coordinated changes to digital payments in recent years, lowering transaction costs for consumers while supporting the BSP’s push to accelerate digital payment adoption.

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Scheduled for 23 to 24 January 2027 at SM Mall of Asia, the free public event forms part of a five-city Asian tour commemorating three decades since the launch of the original Pokémon games in 1996. 

Manila joins Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, Singapore, and Bangkok as stops on the regional tour.

Designed for both longtime fans and new audiences, the two-day event will feature live entertainment, Pokémon character meet-and-greets, photo opportunities, interactive activities, and exclusive merchandise.

Among its highlights is the High-Voltage Night Stage, where the event-exclusive “PokéXciting! Pikachu” will perform alongside a large-scale Pokémon parade featuring fan-favourite characters. 

Visitors will also be able to purchase Manila-exclusive merchandise featuring a special red-costumed version of PokéXciting! Pikachu created specifically for the Philippine stop.

The celebrations will also extend to Pokémon GO, with the event-exclusive Pikachu set to appear in the mobile game during the campaign.

Ahead of the January event, The Pokémon Company will open the Philippines’ first temporary Pokémon Center pop-up store at SM Mall of Asia from October 2026 to January 2027. 

The retail space will offer Pokémon Center Original merchandise, trading cards, plush toys, limited-edition collectibles, and exclusive 30th anniversary products.

The pop-up store will also host Pokémon Trading Card Game tutorial sessions and feature a gaming experience zone, giving fans additional opportunities to engage with the brand before the anniversary event.

The Philippines activation forms part of Pokémon’s broader regional strategy to deepen fan engagement through immersive experiences as the franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary. 

The Asian tour will begin in Kuala Lumpur in September before heading to Taipei, Singapore, Manila, and concluding in Bangkok in February 2027.

Since debuting in 1996, the Pokémon franchise has grown from its original 151 Pokémon into a global entertainment brand spanning more than 1,000 Pokémon across video games, animation, films, trading cards, merchandise, and the augmented reality mobile game Pokémon GO.

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Al Zarooni joined Emirates in 2006 and most recently served as vice president for Saudi Arabia, a position he assumed in 2024. 

During his nearly two decades with the airline, he has held commercial and leadership roles across Cyprus, Uganda, Tanzania, Morocco, Greece, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.

His experience spans commercial strategy, corporate sales, stakeholder engagement, government relations, and leading multicultural teams across international markets.

Commenting on his appointment, Al Zarooni said, “The Philippines has long been one of Emirates’ key markets in Southeast Asia.”

“Building on Emirates’ 36-year presence in the country, I look forward to working with our customers, travel trade partners and stakeholders to unlock new opportunities for growth and further strengthen Emirates’ position in the market.”

Earlier this year, Emirates expanded its Philippine operations by increasing services through Manila, Cebu, and Clark to 32 weekly flights, strengthening connectivity between the country and the airline’s global network via Dubai.

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The campaign builds on PAL’s recognition as Asia-Pacific’s most on-time airline in Cirium’s 2025 On-Time Performance Review, shifting the focus from reliability itself to the travel experiences it enables.

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Using a point-of-view storytelling approach, the campaign immerses audiences in moments across five destinations—Cebu, Coron, Boracay, Siargao, and Bohol—where timing plays a key role, from catching the perfect sunset to diving beneath the waves or discovering local attractions.

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To capture each destination authentically, the campaign combines location shoots in Boracay and Coron with imagery from local photographers and creators, including freediving photographer Ben Yavar for Cebu, Marina Tobaruela for Bohol, and visuals from Cavan Images, BlackBoxGuild, and MaryTraveller for Siargao.

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The campaign also features destination-specific interpretations of PAL’s Fly With Heart melody, with each arrangement reflecting the character of the featured location.

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“For PAL, being on time is not just an operational achievement. It is one of the most meaningful ways we show care to our passengers. This campaign brings that promise to life by showing how PAL’s reliability helps travellers arrive in time for the moments they came for, whether it is a golden hour view, a dive, a celebration, or a quiet moment of discovery,” said Alvin Miranda, Vice President for Marketing at Philippine Airlines.

Meanwhile, David Guerrero, Chief Creative Officer at BBDO Guerrero, said, “On-time performance is one of the biggest factors shaping how travellers choose and evaluate airlines. We saw an opportunity to make it emotional by focusing on the moments that only happen when everything works as it should. It’s a simple truth, but one that resonates deeply with travellers.”

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