Tag: Philippines

Manila, Philippines – In another case of ‘weird ads you enjoy’, local-based finance app DiskarTech recently launched a new spot alongside agency Katok, the new agency affiliated with well-known independent creative agency GIGIL, to promote its loan services–in the most tongue-in-cheek way possible.

Titled ‘Utang Ni Tatang’ or translates to ‘The Old Man’s Debt’, the comedy-themed ad features two farmers, where one of them asks the other if he can loan him some money. When he refuses, a sudden turn of events takes place as a DiskarTech agent emerges from—we kid you not—a carabao or a water buffalo. As both farmers stare in awe and confusion as to what they just witnessed, the agent begins his pitch of the various loans users can avail on their app.

The ad, which as of this writing, has now been viewed over 4 million on Facebook alone, speaks to the company’s aim to be more inclusive to Filipinos, including their intended launch of the app in the Cebuano language, and sooner other Filipino languages.

“We needed to create a product that is easy, simple and relatable to Filipinos. The Diskartech app is in Taglish in order to break the comprehension barrier, and allow banking newbies to navigate it with ease. It’s a financial inclusion super app that allows every Filipino to save, borrow, pay, and even purchase microinsurance and telemedicine services complete with livelihood opportunities,” said Lito Villanueva, executive vice president and chief innovation and inclusion officer at RCBC.

DiskarTech is one of the latest initiatives from Filipino banking institution RCBC, launched last year.

“With DiskarTech users spanning across all the 81 provinces, and over 70 percent of which are from rural areas, we are committed to continue to bring the unbanked or underserved Filipino into the banking fold,” Villanueva added.

Manila, Philippines – Professional services and investment management firm Colliers has recently appointed Rodel Ambas as the new head of marketing and communications for Colliers Philippines, effective immediately. 

Ambas will continue to implement Colliers’ brand guidelines to ensure that all of the firm’s marketing and communications efforts are consistent and well aligned with their core values and vision, collaborating with stakeholders to drive exceptional results.

Prior to his new role, he was with consulting firm Pinnacle Consulting as the head of marketing, where he was responsible for the property listings and customer service teams to ensure that the company’s branding, communications and performance marketing initiatives are well aligned and executed.

Before joining Colliers, he also had experience with companies like real estate marketplaces ZipMatch and Lamudi, and has provided consulting for various companies to help boost their content and public relations strategies to earn PR mileage through events and regular seeding of press releases.

Speaking about the recent appointment, Richard Raymundo, managing director for Philippines at Colliers, said, “I am confident that Rodel will contribute to leading our industry into the future given his enterprising and collaborative spirit. This will further strengthen Colliers’ branding and positioning in Philippine real estate.”

Meanwhile, Michelle Doyle-Jones, director of marketing and communications for Asia at Colliers, commented, “We are excited to have Rodel join our team to lead and further strengthen the Colliers brand in the Philippines. His relevant experience in real estate will certainly help us to drive exceptional results to accelerate the success of our clients and our people.”

Manila, Philippines – Following the global rollout of the much-awaited fast-food collaboration of McDonald’s and K-pop group BTS for their limited-time meal combo, the PH social media saw a trend surgeon the collab, with a mix of both the positive and the negative side of trends, new insights from media intelligence and insights business Isentia shows.

Trend-wise, the social buzz on the collaboration, or the number of times a particular term is used online, totaled 33,330 from 11 June to 25 June where 32% of those buzz words, approximately 10,563, were seen during the launch day.

“BTS’s influence and popularity is undeniable. They have cultivated more than a loyal fanbase – they have created advocates who are more than willing to defend them and all-out express their admiration and support for them. For companies and brands, it is important to understand at what level your customers are,” said Victoria Lazo, insights manager at Isentia Philippines.

Part of the popularity of the ‘BTS x McDo’ meal collaboration can be attributed to the creative upcycle featuring the BTS x McDo meal coming from ‘ARMYs’ or BTS fans online. For instance, many fans are collecting the meal combo’s packaging and are posting it online, while some get creative and repurpose them such as tumbler wrapping or a bag.

https://twitter.com/98tigerMac/status/1406891218768842752

One social media buzz that also contributed to the hype was a fan tweet that showed the Iloilo Business Park lighting up in violet colors, the attributed color of BTS, in celebration of the much-awaited McDonald’s meal collaboration.

There is no shortage as well of creative ‘spin-offs’ from the online community regarding custom meal collaborations, featuring artists such as Taylor Swift, Sarah Geronimo, and Regine Velasquez.

Lastly, stories of inspiration from the community also further augmented the hype, as for the instance of one foodpanda driver in the country, who expressed gratitude on social media because of the constant influx of BTS x McDo meal delivery orders. In response, ARMYs raised in total PHP45,230 to donate to the said delivery rider, thanking him for his hard work.

“Over the years, brands have taken advantage of the positive impact of celebrity endorsements on consumers’ purchase behavior. Tapping prominent personalities, as well as social media influencers, has been a staple marketing strategy used by companies to create waves to promote brand awareness, shape perception, or push for brand loyalty,” said Kate Dudang, insights manager at Isentia Philippines.

Despite the positive outlook of said campaign, there has been a relative fall-out within the local sphere, including customers who purposely crumpled the packaging of the meal and posted it on social media.

Infamously, the term ‘biot’, or the Cebuano term for gay, was used by a lot of ‘haters’ and ‘trolls’ in a negative way to equate them with BTS. Caught within the issue as well are several Grab delivery riders, who posted on social media the homophobic remarks.

It should be recalled that Grab Philippines recently published a statement, stating that they have suspended the drivers in question and are working towards enforcing their culture of inclusivity within the company.

Despite these fall-offs, the campaign still went on actively, with McDonald’s Philippines offering customers exclusive BTS content on their own app, as well as free drink upgrades to those who ordered the BTS meal via Ride-Thru. The fast-food chain in the country also convinced fans to eat the BTS meal with fellow fans by only charging 7 PHP per address to those who order for others. 

“What BTS did with the BTS meal is beyond product interaction, we analysts saw an amazing display of dedication from the ARMY. This display of brand dedication opens up many avenues for other brands to capitalize on certain trends and personas. From preserving the packaging and turning it into different BTS-themed items to outright uninstalling delivery courier services apps for calling BTS slurs. But with all that said, calling the ARMY ‘just a fandom will forever be an understatement,” said Francis Calucin, insights analyst at Isentia Philippines.

Manila, Philippines – Insurance company Chubb in the Philippines has recently announced the appointment of its new country manager, Mari Rachelle [Cielo] Canta, effective starting 1 July.

Canta replaces incumbent country manager Peter van Ratingen, who has since then been appointed to the role of head of consumer lines for Australia and New Zealand at Chubb.

In her new role, Canta will oversee the operations and business development activities of Chubb’s key business lines in the Philippines namely, property and casualty as well as accident and health insurance. She will be also responsible for the management of regulatory relationships, strategic partnerships and affinity relationships.

Canta joined Chubb in 2017 as Chief Financial Officer for the Philippines. Her well-balanced acumen on all facets of finance, planning and controllership as well as operational risk is complemented by her strong general management skills. Prior to joining Chubb, she worked for a decade with insurance company AON, moving to roles of increasing responsibility in the Philippines as well as Singapore. 

In addition, she has extensive experience in the banking sector, from merger and acquisition integration to board and senior leadership team responsibilities.

She will report to Edward Ler, head of Southeast Asia at Chubb.

Paul McNamee, regional president for Asia Pacific at Chubb, said, “Cielo is a strategic and hands-on leader who has strong market knowledge and relationships. Our business will benefit greatly from her deep local experience to build sustainable partnerships with our distribution partners and customers.”

Manila, Philippines – While the esports scene industry in the Philippines has been thriving, thanks to a combination of local area network (LAN) gaming centers or more known as ‘computer shops’ and mobile gaming accessibility, the industry has seen its fair share of struggles maintaining mainstream focus, a new report from strategic advisory firm YCP Solidiance shows.

According to the report, the local industry has yet to prove that esports titles hold a lifespan long enough to support professional players’ careers, unlike traditional sports that have a long-proven history of consistent returns and established fan support. In contrast, international leagues such as The Overwatch League and League of Legends: League Championship Series have successfully proven their success in other countries, paving ways for a profitable future for the Philippine esports market.

On the other hand, while these esports tournaments have yet to see themselves ‘ripen’ in the local scene, the esports industry in the Philippines currently has over 43 million active gamers, a number growing steadily by 12.9% yearly since 2017. The country’s most played game, Mobile Legends, reached a whopping peak of 2.65 million active users daily (from data by the Google Play store in April 2019), and has shown consistent growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9%.

The report also suggests that in order for the esports industry to thrive in the country, they need to combine three elements: content, packaging, and accessibility. In the case of establishing an esports league tournament in the country, for instance, the Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL) in the Philippines, they have one of the highest levels of Mobile Legends competitive play that is accessible today in the country.

“Even better is that it shows a marked improvement, exponentially growing the viewership number from the previous seasons, and a growing loyalty amongst its viewers as seen with the returning support after multiple editions of the tournament. Though more outside investments and direct sponsorship support is not yet prevalent, it stands to reason that future editions of the tournament will very likely catch the eye of many non-endemic sponsors,” the report stated.

They added that at the end of the day, it is a ‘delicate balancing act’ that requires concrete efforts on all ends to make sure all bases are covered. Such efforts require considerable investments, but when these are done right, successes such as the one Mobile Legends has shown is a definite possibility. 

“Especially now that Mobile Legends’ success along the way is converting many nonparticipants of esports into potential audiences of tomorrow, the esports industry in the Philippines has never looked more approachable and primed to succeed in the coming years,” the report concluded.

Manila, Philippines – As more and more gamers around the world come to Twitter to discuss all of the latest happenings and trends, Twitter Philippines has released its gaming and esports insights on how local gamers have leveled up their voices and excitement on the platform’s gaming scene in the first half of 2021.

According to the data collected, Filipino gamers went from 9th place in 2020 to 6th place this year, surpassing India, France, and the United Kingdom. The open-world game Genshin Impact has reigned the rankings as the most talked about game among Filipino gamers on Twitter. This was followed by shooter video game VALORANT, and virtual universe game Roblox landing in the third spot.

Meanwhile, video game Minecraft came out in the fourth spot, while Among Us, a multiplayer social deduction game, capped the top five.

Twitter has also recorded that Filipino gamers on the platform showed their support for their favorite teams and players and connected with the source themselves. The most talked about esports teams among Filipinos on Twitter are T1, Sentinels, OGesports, Team Secret, Cloud 9, FNATIC, G2esports, and 100 Thieves, as well as TNC Predator, and TSM, which ranked one to ten respectively.

“Even though the year is almost halfway over, there’s still plenty to look forward to in the second half of the year. Be sure to stay tuned for even more gaming events like Gamescom & The Game Awards, along with plenty of esports content from Call of Duty League, League of Legends Esports, Overwatch League, and the VALORANT Champions Tour, among others,” said Twitter.

Manila, Philippines – In its latest spot demonstrating how we should look deeper into the lenses of sustainability nowadays, insurance company Allianz PNB Life has released a new spot alongside creative agency GIGIL highlighting the symbolism of ‘filters’ and the illusion of seeing our environment from a ‘filtered’ perspective.

The campaign kicks in with what seems to be a normal fun campaign, complete with colorful filters and upbeat music, but the more you look into it, you realize the stark reality these filters hide. From a sewer pipe disguised as releasing ‘rainbow streams’, to factories releasing ‘glittered smoke’ to a crab plastered with a ‘cutesy eye filter’ where in reality, the animal is suffering due to the plastic and mask trash it is pulling.

The thought-provoking film leaves viewers with the message that the world can’t be fixed with a filter, but they can help make it better with a policy from Allianz.

Allianz’s latest campaign truly lives up to its tagline, “Confidence in Tomorrow.” As of 2020, Allianz has already invested over ₱420.2b in renewable energy projects, and protected over 49 million vulnerable people in Asia, Africa, and Latin America through various sustainability initiatives.

In a statement to MARKETECH APAC, Gino Riola, chief marketing officer at Allianz PNB, stated, “Allianz PNB Life strives to build a sustainable future for Filipinos. Through ‘No Filter,’ we want to prove that even though the planet can’t be fixed instantly, we can help make it better. At Allianz, we work together to protect you and the planet.”

Such a statement is also supported by Alex Grenz, CEO at Allianz PNB, who told MARKETECH APAC that beyond readying Filipinos for the future with quality health and life insurance, they wanted to make sure they can look forward to it too.

“From going digital to supporting sustainable businesses, each step by Allianz is always directed towards a safer and greener future,” Grenz added.

Speaking about the creative process of the campaign, Leslie Cua, associate creative director at GIGIL told MARKETECH APAC that they were single-minded in communicating how Allianz is the insurance that cares for us and the planet. She also added that since this is about the environment and sustainability, they wanted something poignant and thought-provoking, yet they wanted to do it in a way that people haven’t seen before.

“By using filters people see on social media and applying it to what’s happening in our environment, we’re able to give perspective and drive that feeling of wanting to do something to make the world better. Since Allianz is serious about sustainability, taking out a policy from the company will really help in protecting our environment,” Cua concluded.

Manila, Philippines – Digital and mobile solution provider AdSpark and Philippine-based media and technology company Podcast Network Asia (PNA) have entered into a new partnership in a bid to improve and grow the existing podcast industry in the country, as more and more creators venture into the podcast scene, taking advantage of the growing surge of podcast listenership.

This newly minted partnership gives brands an exclusive access to branded podcast production services, and even advertising, to leverage on chart-topping Podcasts and locally-produced shows under PNA. Advertisers can also optimize this medium through its data analytics and ad marketplace platform Podmetrics, and develop based on data and insights. This is also a way for podcast creators to thrive and find value through in-depth listenership insights. 

Such partnership echoes the large listenership in the country, as the Philippines is ranked 6th in terms of fastest-growing country by podcast listening. This is at around 31M listeners in the Philippines alone, with the majority coming from a 23-34 age range. A key factor is, due to the pandemic, screen fatigue increased and consumers turned to on-demand audio for entertainment. Globally there is a 42% increase in podcast listening, and the Philippines is at a 100% increase.

For Ron Baetiong, CEO at the Podcast Network Asia, they aim to bring podcasting to the mainstream, evident to their status as a podcast network home to more than 130 shows with around 15M listens and 4,000 episodes.

“Our grand vision of turning the Filipino podcasting community into a thriving industry becomes one step closer to reality with this partnership between PNA and AdSpark. We believe that podcasts are a powerful medium that don’t just allow listener understanding and retention, but also great Ad ROI conversions. With AdSpark, we want to enable brands to leverage podcasts since the future of podcasting is very bright,” Baetiong stated.

As an advertising medium, ‘podvertising’ or the nature of advertising in podcast channels, allows brands to tap into various demographics, age ranges, and other factors through the different shows. The interest in and usage of podcasts as an advertising touchpoint is exponentially moving upward and more brands are being enabled to communicate and even create audiences.

“Part of the adtech play is to deliver the demand for audio content, along with the omnichannel experience we create for our clients. We want to be able to connect brands to their listeners through relevant audio content, and we are committed to rebuilding effective audio advertising on digital through Podcast Network Asia,” said Gretchen Largoza, CEO at AdSpark.

Manila, Philippines – GrowSari, a local-born business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce enabler, has recently concluded its Series B funding, where it has collected more than US$30m in funding, which will be used to expand its services across clients nationwide.

Said funding was led by Gokongwei-led listed Philippine retailer Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. (RRHI) and JG Digital Equity Ventures, as well as Wavemaker Partners. Other participants included Pavilion Capital, a Singapore-based investment company focused on Southeast Asian and North Asian economies Tencent, China’s leading technology company, International Finance Corporation (IFC) a member of the World Bank Group, ICCP SBI Venture Partners, and Singapore-based growth fund Saison Capital.

GrowSari is a tech-enabled B2B platform that outfits Philippine sari-sari store owners with inventory, infrastructure, and tools to manage and grow their business while generating crucial data and market insights for manufacturers and distributors. 

For context, sari-sari stores in the Philippines are generally defined as mom-and-pop neighborhood stores in the country, and are considered the backbone of the local economy in their respective communities.

There has always been a great significance and dependence to sari-sari stores in the country, as around 84% of Filipinos purchase essential goods at the over 1.1 million stores across the country, with 60% of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) shopper spending happening in such stores. These sari-sari stores are hyper-proximal, with 90% of consumers having a store less than 100 meters away from their home. On average, consumers transact twice a day from their nearest sari-sari stores.

GrowSari primarily aims to tap into the sari-sari store’s potential to be the biggest and most accessible distribution channel in the Philippines by driving efficiencies in route planning while collecting valuable insights on store behavior. 

Through its app, sari-sari stores can double their earnings through access to better pricing for more than a thousand of fast moving sari-sari store stock keeping units (SKUs) from the largest brands across all the major FMCG categories. This is in addition to microfinancing support and assistance, and multiple e-services including telco, bills payment and remittance. 

This objective is supported by its co-founder, ER Rollan, who states that the company aims to empower and significantly increase the earnings of sari-sari stores in the Philippines by providing direct access to a wide assortment of affordable products, e-businesses, and financial assistance.

“With the fresh funds, we aim to more than double GrowSari’s existing coverage and service more than 300,000 sari-sari stores, including those in Visayas and Mindanao. This will also help us broaden our supplier marketplace with new third-party partners and scale our financial service pilots,” Rollan said.

Meanwhile, Siddhartha Kongara, CTO at GrowSari, commented, “Through GrowSari, we want to use proprietary technology to accelerate financial health for Filipino sari-sari store owners, helping them to use, protect, and grow their business in the long run and transforming sari-sari stores into comprehensive service hubs for the Philippines’ grassroots communities.”

Manila, Philippines – Global consumer goods firm Reckitt has partnered with e-commerce platform Shopee to launch its first-ever ‘Protection Starts Within’ campaign across the SEA region including the Philippines.

As people around the world face the continued threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, Filipino families are still placing high importance on upholding strict hygiene standards and ensuring proper nourishment

The regional campaign, which will be running from 21 to 23 June, aims to help families better protect their health and well-being by enabling shoppers to access Reckitt’s wide portfolio of family care essentials at Shopee Mall.

To meet the growing demand for health, hygiene, and nutrition products online, Reckitt will be educating customers about protecting and nourishing the family with Enfagrow A+ Four NuraPro, Lactum 3+6+, and Lysol on Shopee Live through the campaign.

Furthermore, Reckitt will be sharing exclusive product tips and best practices for family protection through an educational microsite. About 20 lucky viewers on Shopee live streams will also stand a chance to win ₱300 off shopping vouchers.

Muksitul Islam, the ASEAN e-commerce director at Reckitt, shared that they are proud to partner with Shopee in their regional initiative to reach more consumers across the region and in the Philippines. 

“They can be assured of convenient and quick access to our entire portfolio of well-loved brands including Enfagrow Four, Lactum 3+6+, and Lysol that will help meet their needs. Through Shopee’s engagement tools, our customers can also look forward to learning valuable tips on Reckitt’s products, as well as best practices through a fun and engaging way,” said Islam.

Meanwhile, Shopee Philippines’ Director Martin Yu, said that as part of the 7.7 Mid-Year Sale to give shoppers greater value, they are glad to partner with Reckitt to provide a wide variety of trusted household brands delivered directly to their homes. 

“As e-commerce grows to become an integral part of life, Shopee will continue to work with globally-trusted brands like Reckitt to ensure that shoppers can get convenient access to all that they need,” said Yu.

Reckitt will also be rolling out exclusive COVID-19 household protection deals on Shopee Mall, such as exclusive bundle sets and EnfaMama Elite Rewards Loyalty Program, which allows shoppers to get 500 points sign-up bonus, member-exclusive vouchers, and bonus points with every purchase from the official store on Shopee Mall.