Tag: Philippines

Philippines – Esports and technology company Mineski Global has announced the appointment of Jamie Paraso as its new vice president for marketing under the TEG Group of Companies, in line with revealing its bold branding and marketing transformation. 

In his new role, Paraso looks to provide critical insights and experience from his years in the marketing industry. He brings with him management expertise to jumpstart Mineski Global’s foothold in the local marketing space. 

Prior to his appointment, he served as the country director for Gushcloud Philippines, where he led Gushcloud’s local presence in business, talent, and partner acquisition. 

According to Paraso, his former role allowed him to forge healthy relationships with talents, brands, and agency partners, thereby leveraging strategy, expertise, and creative know-how and creating a healthy ecosystem for the marketing and entertainment space—skills relevant to his new appointment at TEG and Mineski Global. 

“With my previous role as Country Director, it allowed me to have a purview of what happens not just at a country level but also at a regional level when operating and running an entertainment and talent focused business. In doing so, I am able to transplant said experience and know-how to TEG and Mineski Global at both a local and regional level to ensure that for the years to come we are able to further scale our business as the pioneer Esports company of Southeast Asia and innovate by our Marketing le technology pieces,” Paraso told MARKETECH APAC. 

Aside from this, he was also the head of global marketing services for Groworx, where he was in charge of corporate communications and brand marketing, and was the business group director of McCann Worldgroup, a global marketing and communications agency, handling the legacy account, San Miguel. 

Paraso also held the key post of leading the sales team for AdSpark, a wholly-owned Globe subsidiary, as business group director, managing key clients such as VIVO, FWD, Nestle, BDO, Midea, P&G, Hyundai, Mondelez, and J&J.

Paraso’s appointment comes as Mineski Global takes key steps toward strengthening its corporate brand and bolstering its roster of products and services. 

Mineski Global aims to further its relationships in the B2B space all the while staying true to its service-oriented core of being attuned to the B2C market and gamifying experiences every step of the way.

With its beginnings as a professional esports team, the Mineski brand has demonstrated growth and resilience by taking its core capabilities and adapting them to the emerging needs of a highly digital consumer landscape.

And as it approaches its 20th anniversary in 2024, the company draws from its years of experience in the esports and technology industries, curating a roster of IPs and products that push the limits of integrated marketing technology, fondly known as “Mark-tech”, whereby value and entertainment are continuously provided to the greater community. 

In line with this, Mineski Global has also announced that they have joined the marketing organizations IMMAP (Internet & Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines) and PANA (Philippine Association of National Advertisers). 

In joining these associations, the company aims to share its knowledge and expertise in tech and gaming while forging strong and meaningful connections with various industry players.

Ronald K. Robins, group CEO and chairperson of Mineski Global, said, “We are excited to have Jamie on board with Mineski. His expertise in brand, product marketing and management are essential to the company’s new direction, strengthening our product offerings while tying into our expertise in tech, innovations, and community-based services. All of this centered on bringing our brand, Mineski Global, to the next level and embracing positive growth and meaningful transformations. We at Mineski Global believe he will be a great asset to the organization and to the industry.”

Also commenting on the appointment, Dar Andrew Cayabyab, co-founder and director for international business at Mineski Global, shared, “With Jamie being part of Mineski Global, we look forward to being able to strengthen our brand presence not just locally but also at a global scale. As we begin to work closer with brands that are non-endemic to our core of Esports and Gaming we look to be able to integrate our experience and create impactful campaigns, products and services that cut across industries.” 

Meanwhile, Paraso said in his new appointment, “I am honored to be part of Mineski’s initiative to grow and scale its brand and marketing capabilities. There is great potential in combining the company’s expertise with best practices and strategies in marketing. Leveraging our expertise and technological capabilities brings a very unique proposition that is yet to be owned in the Brand and Marketing space locally. In doing so this allows us to bring out the best in our services and capabilities to assist our Partners, Clients and most importantly better serve end consumers.” 

When asked about what are the current marketing challenges and opportunities in the esports scene, Paraso told MARKETECH APAC that they were able to better serve their B2B partners by bringing value and added gamification in all aspects of the industry.

“With Mineski Global having been around for almost 2 decades, we look to be able to scale our services in the esports space, leveraging on our new knowledge and know-how in terms of technology and marketing strategies. We are always evolving, all the while remaining humble and staying hungry to provide value every step of the way,” he concluded.

Manila, Philippines – Spotify has launched a new music initiative titled ‘Kalye X’ dedicated to continuously promoting the Pinoy hip-hop in their platform, as well as dedicated to collaborations between artists, fans, and the community.

As part of this new initiative, Spotify worked with emerging and established Pinoy hip-hop artists to release a series of Spotify Singles. A first-of-its-kind in the Philippines, these original tracks bring together local artists to showcase the depth and diversity of Pinoy hip-hop.

The new initiative was marked with a launch party held in Brooklyn Warehouse in Manila, where Kossy Ng, head of music for Spotify Asia was joined by hip-hop artists Al James and Cookie$ to share more insights on the vibrancy of the Pinoy hip-hop scene.

“As a way to bring Spotify’s Kalye Hip-Hop playlist to life, Kalye X aims to amplify the everyday stories and experiences, told by passionate artists and communities. With the growth of Pinoy hip-hop listenership doubling in the past year, it’s important that we empower our artists to share their craft with fans in a deeper way, as well as push the boundaries of Pinoy hip-hop music culture,” Ng said.

As part of this initiative, three Spotify Singles will be released from August to October this year featuring artists from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. 

Kicking it off is the pairing of Midnasty and Cookie$, presenting their track as an ode to the vibrant Visayan scene. Hailing from Zamboanga, the inventive collective Morobeats led by DJ Medmessiah, reimagines the sound of Mindanao hip-hop with their unique track. Lastly, representing the streets of Manila, Gloc 9, Hero, and Ramdiss will pull off a three-way collaboration.

MARKETECH APAC also caught up with Spotify’s Kossy Ng to learn more about Spotify’s marketing direction and insights on this latest initiative.

When asked how ‘Kalye X’ was formed, Ng said it was born out of the genre’s rising listening traction not just in the Philippines but also globally.

“Music is core to Filipino culture. Combined with easy access to streaming devices and an appetite for the local music scene, Spotify provides a platform to uplift artists and reflect the depth and diversity of the genre. Taking on its own unique Filipino identity, Pinoy hip-hop has been gaining incredible traction. In the past five years, there has been an unprecedented growth of 700% in local streams of Filipino hip-hop songs. Spotify’s Kalye hip-hop playlist has also seen five times growth in streams, reinforcing the central role audio plays in hip-hop culture,” she explained.

Provided data from Spotify notes that listenership of Pinoy hip-hop also grew globally at 600% strong with top markets including the United States, Canada, and Australia, amongst others.

It is also worth noting that Spotify had a previous hip-hop-related campaign initiative titled ‘Kalye Hip-Hop’ conceptualised alongside local creative agency TBWA\SMP. For ‘Kalye X’, Ng said that they worked with new partners to promote this new initiative, including with local audio marketing agency HOMONYM.

“We collaborated with our local partner, Homonym. As part of the process, Homonym collated insights from fans, labels, and industry insiders to better understand and support the Pinoy Hip-Hop scene,” she said.

She also added, “We also want to be mission-driven when it comes to unlocking the potential of human creativity and engaging the wider hip-hop community. We worked with streetwear brand HGHMNDS, who designed and produced Spotify’s exclusive KALYE X merch, gave the stage to AllStars and Rekta Sa Kalye, dance and rap battle collectives, and also commissioned a graffiti mural with Honeycomb Arts’ Kayo Cosio and Trip63. And we are just getting started.”

Manila, Philippines – Digital, design and technology group Avyan Global has announced the appointment of Hermie de Leon as chairwoman of its Philippine operations.

De Leon is an industry stalwart with a wealth of experience spanning 40 years in the industry. Her previous stints include roles at multiple global agencies in the Philippines stretching Ogilvy & Mather, Universal McCann, BBDO Guerrero Ortega, Bates 141, Omnicom Media Group, and most recently Havas Media Ortega.

She also held a variety of senior leadership roles including managing director, president, and CEO of Omnicom Media Group Philippines, and Managing Partner of Havas Media Ortega. 

Throughout her career, she has thrived on delivering solutions that promote business growth, showing keen understanding for the Philippine market and deep appreciation for the needs of clients and partners. She has championed the industry’s evolution through her role as chair of multiple industry bodies.

Known for her work ethic, versatile management skills, and customer-centric philosophy, de Leon’s appointment is expected to lend significant heft to Avyan’s growth and success in the Philippines. 

Speaking on her appointment, de Leon said, “I’m thrilled to join Avyan and contribute to its vision of unlocking possibilities and driving positive impact for brands. Together, we expect to help our clients grow by delivering innovative solutions with the critical thinking and flawless execution necessary for value creation.”

Meanwhile, Vishnu Mohan, founder and chairman of Avyan Holdings, said, “We are privileged to have Hermie, a highly respected industry doyen to help mentor and guide the team led by Kaye Enriquez. She has been a guiding force in building many companies ground up and I am looking forward to her bringing that expertise to Avyan’s growth and success.”

Manila, Philippines – AirAsia Philippines has teamed up with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to bring local Filipino goods to passengers in-flight. This was done via DTI’s ‘Go Lokal!’ program.

Present during the signing of the agreement include AirAsia Philippines Ancillary Manager Pax Paloma; DTI Bureau of Domestic Trade Promotion Director Marievic Bonoan; AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla; and DTI Assistant Secretary Glenn Peñaranda.

Other homegrown brands available to guests flying with AirAsia Philippines include hand-made accessories from Tala by Kyla, handcrafted earrings and accessories from Boho Manila, Filipino-brand watches Ibarra Manila, and Team Manila Lifestyle apparel.

The partnership between AirAsia Philippines and DTI aims to proudly carry world-class Filipino talent and products throughout Asia and beyond. This also fulfills Capital A President and CEO Tony Fernandes‘ vow to promote Filipino brands all over ASEAN.

Steve Dailisan, country head for communications and public affairs and spokesperson at AirAsia Philippines, said, “AirAsia Philippines joins the government in showcasing proudly Filipino products. Now that all domestic destinations have recovered and returned to normalcy, our focus is now centered on helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and giving them a new platform for growth. We value their role in creating jobs and contributing to our economic development.”

Manila, Philippines – Filipino video sharing and e-commerce social platform Kumu partnered with digital publication platform Ookbee Thailand to launch the new chat-style novel application TypeKita that aims to empower young Filipino readers and storytellers. 

TypeKita introduces a chat-fiction format that elevates the digital novel experience and gives readers the feeling of reading from a private chat screenshot. 

The novel application is a localized version of the Thai original Joylada and is marketed as a newbie-friendly platform for Filipino readers and writers. It boasts an intuitive and user-friendly chat editor that makes creating stories easier for writers and an immersive reading experience that allows readers to be part of the conversation. The app also allows stories to be shared via social media, email, or messaging apps.

And while the app is mostly free, TypeKita also offers writers the opportunity to monetize their work and make it a side hustle. 

TypeKita was officially launched on August 16. The event was attended by Ysabel Yuzon, head of growth at Kumu; Dana de la Vega, vice president of strategic management at Kumu; and Erich Valdevioso, creator manager at TypeKita, to answer questions from attending members of the press about the ins and outs of the new app.

According to Yuzon, “[TypeKita] opens doors even for those who may not have considered writing before.” 

Prior to its launch, TypeKita has seen steady growth in terms of users, showing potential for genres such as romance (including sub-genres in BL and GL), coming-of-age, mystery, and fantasy. TypeKita showcases the best of Filipino storytelling, with the majority of its featured stories written by talented Filipino writers. 

Rexy Dorado, Kumu president and co-founder, said, “We have always been on the lookout for talent of all kinds, and TypeKita is the space we’re dedicating to the written word.”

“We believe creative people always find their way to each other, but this is where we can also help people find the creativity within themselves, bolstered by a safe community. Both Kumu and TypeKita share a similar moderator system to keep things appropriate and any hate out of the picture,” he added. 

Manila, Philippines – Fintech and e-commerce ecosystem Society Pass Incorporated (SoPA) announced the official launch of its digital advertising platform Thoughtful Media Group Inc. (TMG) in the Philippines market and the upcoming appointment of Billy Soo as country head of TMG Philippines. 

Soo will be responsible for driving sales and onboarding Philippine clients onto TMG’s regional digital advertising platform. 

TMG’s entry into the Philippines market offers a significant value proposition to advertisers, merchants, and influencers in Southeast Asia’s fourth-largest economy.

TMG collaborates with social media platforms, advertisers, and influencers to develop the entire creator economy in the Philippines and benefit from the country’s forecasted soar in digital advertising revenues over the next decade as more consumers make direct purchases on social media platforms. 

SoPa acquired TMG in 2022, and it has grown from operating exclusively in its headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, to expanding to Vietnam in 4Q 2022, to Indonesia in 1Q 2023, and now to the Philippines in 3Q 2023. 

Dennis Nguyen, SoPa founder/chairman/CEO and TMG chairman, stated, “We are very pleased to bring the Philippines market into the TMG ecosystem. TMG’s disruptive advertising platform, combining over 10,000 talented creators, market-leading design/branding capabilities, influencer advertising-focused social commerce services, will generate massive storytelling capabilities and revenue generation opportunities for local, regional and international advertisers seeking to market in the Philippines.” 

He added, “By leveraging our local knowledge of market trends from other offices in Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, TMG provides international quality advertising products and services for our brand partners as well as significant revenue generating opportunities for Philippines creators”.

“I am very excited to hire Billy Soo to head our TMG Philippines operations. Billy brings a wealth of experience in gaming and advertising from his time at Gushcloud International, Nixgen Entertainment, and Powerplay Inc. I look forward to seeing Billy and his team create the most unique and powerful advertising platform here in the Philippines,” Nguyen continued.

On his upcoming appointment, Soo commented, “Bonding through the power of influence, we want to create a genuine connection for brands and content creators, tapping into TMG’s broad advertising network and extensive ecosystem to open new doors towards more business opportunities, capitalising on digital-first and fully integrated advertising networks.”

He added, “Nguyen hired me to turbocharge TMG’s expansion here in the land of the Kabayan. In just five weeks’ time, we have already built a staff of 10+ Manila-based advertising professionals. TMG Philippines will offer premium branded campaigns, MCN, sports marketing and e-sports verticals and we look forward to serving the creator and advertiser communities.”

Singapore – Atome Financial has announced that it has renewed and expanded its partnership with HSBC Singapore to include the Philippine market to its US$100m debt facility. At the moment, Atome has disbursed more than US$4b in loans.

Atome Financial and HSBC Singapore entered into this partnership back in August 2022. It also had a previous US$500m financing facility partnership with Standard Chartered, which ended after 10 years in October 2021.

Andy Tan, head of funding at Atome Financial, said, “We’re excited to have the renewed support of HSBC, especially as it now includes the Philippines, a key strategic market for us in providing unbanked and underbanked consumers with easier, simpler, and more affordable access to digital-first consumer financing products.”

Meanwhile, Harish S Venkatesan, managing director and head of international subsidiary banking at HSBC Singapore, commented, “It pleases us to see innovative companies like Atome Financial lead the charge in driving Southeast Asia’s new economy growth. We are glad to play a role in supporting their ambition and remain committed to tap on HSBC’s global network, strong regional presence as well as suite of banking capabilities to support their expansion in the region.”

Philippines – Katrina Gonzalez has announced that she has been appointed by digital finance service Coins.ph as its new global marketing director. In an exclusive interview with MARKETECH APAC, Gonzalez said that for her new role, she would be generating awareness for Coins.ph on its operations and future expansions to provide more people with easy access to digital assets and innovations in the Web3 space.

Specifically, she will be prioritizing on educating users on how they can participate in the web3 ecosystem and the opportunities it creates, in a safe and secure manner. 

“For web3 and crypto natives, we’ve got a lot of product launches in store to serve their rapidly evolving needs and cater to the various segments of the market spanning crypto traders, Web3 gamers, businesses, institutions, NFT collectors and more. So we want to do these justice by spreading awareness and making these accessible through education, promotions and community engagement,” Gonzalez told MARKETECH APAC. 

Prior to her appointment, Gonzalez held key roles in indie Web3 game studios as the chief operating officer of Serriva Labs and the former head of operations of YGG Pilipinas for more than a year.

“With YGG, I was constantly exposed to the community of web3 gamers we served. Web3 gaming made a substantial impact on people’s lives in terms of access to earning opportunities, and their trust in YGG to help navigate this new world and provide education on cryptocurrency and financial management was top of mind. Hearing their experiences, successes, and passion to give back to help others too was an inspiration. I believe I learned more from them than they learned from me and I’m truly grateful for that,” stated Gonzalez when asked about her prior experience in the Web3 industry. 

She also possesses a wide array of marketing leadership experience in banking and fintech firms, being the former chief marketing officer as well as the marketing and communications head of UnionDigital Bank and UnionBank respectively.  

“At UnionBank, heading the marketing and communications team of the fintech group, this is where I saw a traditional bank evolve into one that was not only willing to innovate but also keen to work with what was then considered competitors – the fintechs. By enabling fintechs and collaborating with them to create solutions for customers, we were able to do more, for more people. At UnionDigital, I was part of the founding team that started the digital bank and learned how to build from scratch with the customer in mind – the underbanked and underserved,” she mentioned when asked about her previous roles in the field of banking.   

Speaking on her own appointment, Gonzalez said, “Through all these roles, I’ve been lucky to work in organizations that pushed the boundaries of innovation to provide people with opportunities to uplift their lives –  from web3 gaming to financial services. This is why I decided to join Coins.ph as we want to do the same thing in the digital asset space. I’ve learned through my prior roles, that it’s by keeping this mission in mind, day in and day out, that allows us to go beyond to serve the customer.”

When asked about the challenges and opportunities that the fintech industry will face for this year, she pointed out the emergence of fintech alternatives as something that could both be a challenge and an opportunity.

“For quite some time now, fintechs have been challengers to traditional financial services offered by banks and institutions. What we’re seeing emerge is that there are alternatives to fintechs coming from the web3 and digital asset space – from lending, savings and ways to earn – it will be interesting to see how fintechs either compete or collaborate with builders in web3. This is both a challenge and opportunity for fintechs,” she answered. 

Gonzalez joins Coins.ph following its cryptocurrency partnerships with UnionBank, Globe, and the Philippine BasketBall Association. 

Philippines – Dentsu Philippines has been selected as the integrated media agency of record for Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) to grow the company’s brand awareness and market share.

Jollibee Foods Corporation is the parent company of the Filipino fast-food restaurant chain, Jollibee. The company was founded in 1975 and has now established 18 brands and over 6,300 stores across 34 countries. 

David Cruse Beal, global chief marketing officer of JFC, said, “We are energized by the ‘one dentsu’ proposition presented by dentsu Philippines and the digital expertise and talent presented by Merkle Singapore. We look forward to working with the Dentsu team and leveraging shared media tools and systems to accelerate our customer journeys.”

Mako Chaves, managing director,media, for dentsu Philippines, shared that it is a privilege for them to work with JFC and that they are confident of what they can do for the company. 

“It is a privilege to work with JFC’s home-grown brands, including Jollibee, Mang Inasal, Chowking, and Red Ribbon and to help them with their very ambitious growth plans. With our expertise in digital marketing and transformation, access to human insight and point of purchase motivation as well as long-term planning and buying acumen. I am confident we will help them grow brand awareness and market share,” said Chaves. 

JC Catibog, CEO of dentsu Philippines, further commented, “This monumental win is testament to the dentsu value of radical collaboration, where we employ a borderless team based on where the specialization of the practice pillars relevant to JFC reside.”

“Our promise is to deliver agility and efficiency with this operating model that consistently brings the best of the dentsu network to all of the JFC brands. The media business further strengthens the JFC-dentsu relationship, adding to its current creative remit for Chowking, Mang Inasal, and Milksha, as well as global technology solutions assignments with Merkle Singapore,” he added. 

Manila, Philippines – The Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) has announced that it is bringing Tiong Bahru Bakery and Common Man Coffee Roasters, two Singaporean food franchise establishments, to the Philippines via a joint venture with Food Collective, Pte. Ltd. (FCPL).

Under the joint venture, JFC will own 60% of the business while FCPL will own the remaining 40%. Both companies have committed to invest up to PHP250.0m to the join venture, which shall have its own resources and personnel with JFC taking the lead in the management and operation of the business. 

The joint venture will be the franchisee of both brands in the Philippines.

Tiong Bahru Bakery is famous for being the “Home of the Hand-made Croissants” and for its baked goods and Coffee, with a commitment to producing high-quality food and coffee and celebrating traditional techniques and its local neighbourhoods. 

Meanwhile, Common Man Coffee Roasters operates all-day dining restaurants in Singapore and Malaysia, with an aim to be a champion for speciality coffee and the best all-day dining concept in Asia.

Ernesto Tanmantiong, chief executive officer at Jollibee Foods Corporation, said, “We are excited to enter this joint venture with FCPL to own and operate the Tiong Bahru Bakery and Common Man Coffee Roasters in the Philippines. These brands will be a strong addition to JFC’s foreign franchised brands and will allow JFC to capture an even greater opportunity and strengthen JFC’s position for further growth in the Philippine market.”

FCPL is a majority-owned subsidiary of Titan Lifestyle Holdings Pte. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Titan Dining LP in which JFC has a 90% participating interest. The company is incorporated in Singapore and its primary activity is owning and operating lifestyle brands, including Tiong Bahru Bakery and Common Man Coffee Roasters. 

There are currently 16 Tiong Bahru Bakery and 5 Common Man Coffee Roasters, across Singapore and Malaysia.