Digital retailing: Entertain first, sell second
Edie Acedera is the founder and managing director of Brandev Insights and Consulting and co-author of Mommy Republic: Understanding the Filipino Millennial Moms. Prior to Brandev, Edie was the global consumer and market insight director at Unilever, based in Singapore.
In this interview, she shares her insights into the evolving behaviors of Filipino consumers, and how marketers can effectively navigate cultural nuances, digital shifts and emotional drivers to better engage with this unique market.
Question: How do Filipino consumers engage with digital experiences compared to traditional retail?
Answer: Traditional retail is often intent-driven (“I’m going to buy milk”), while digital shopping thrives on discovery, especially with platforms like TikTok and Facebook Marketplace. Online, products are found by scrolling, not searching, surfacing through friends, influencers, or algorithmic feeds, often without deliberate intent.
Digital shopping fulfills not just functional needs but also the desire for entertainment. In this context, nobody likes ads. The rule is: entertain first, sell second. If your brand feels like a commercial, it gets ignored. But if it feels like a friend sharing something cool, it gets traction. Marketers should design experiences that delight, inspire and fit seamlessly into the digital lives of consumers.
Q: What emotional triggers influence Filipino consumers’ purchase decisions on a subconscious level?
A: Filipinos buy not just products, but meaning — stories, feelings and signals about identity. This is driven by the country’s collectivist culture, where peer perception matters. Purchases often reflect the desire to be seen a certain way — ownership as social capital.
Filipino digital culture is performative and expressive. People curate their identities through what they own and share. Effective brands help consumers express who they are, or aspire to be.
As one strategist put it, “Brands shouldn’t hold a mirror to consumers’ faces, but offer a window to a better version of reality.”
The most successful brands align with aspirations, embed themselves in relevant cultural codes, and offer products that feel like progress.
Q: How important are family and community in Filipino consumers’ decision-making process?
A: In the Philippines’ collectivist culture, purchases are rarely individual. Filipinos ask, “How will this reflect on my family or community?” Perception and relational impact weigh as much as utility. A product is valued not just for its function, but for what it signals: status, smartness, belonging.
Marketers can leverage this by:
- Framing products as shared value: Position them as benefiting the group (“Para sa pamilya,” “Barkada moments”).
- Using social proof – Tap into local influencers, family-centric creators and relatable endorsements.
- Designing for visibility: In a culture where people share what they buy, branding and packaging should thrive in both digital and physical social spaces.
Ultimately, brands that respect the collective mindset and offer products that reinforce relationships are best positioned for long-term success.
Q: How do Filipino consumers respond to hyper-local marketing efforts?
A: Hyper-localization builds emotional connection, when a campaign reflects local language, values, or faces, it sends the message, “This brand sees me.”
But over-customization can dilute a brand’s core identity if each region gets a different story.
The solution? Anchor the brand in a universal emotional truth, then localize execution, not the brand’s soul. For example, Nike’s “Just Do It” works globally because it speaks to human resilience, even if localized through dialect or setting.
Brands should localize how they tell the story, not why the story matters.
Q: What emerging contradictions shape Filipino consumer behavior, especially among the youth?
A: Two tensions define the modern Filipino consumer experience:
1) Individualism versus collectivism
Young Filipinos want to express authenticity and individuality, inspired by global content. Yet they remain grounded in collectivist norms — pakikisama (social harmony) hiya (moral restraint) and the desire to “not stand out too much.”
Brands can help them express uniqueness in ways that feel culturally safe—different, but not defiant.
2) ‘Us’ now versus ‘our parents’ then
Gen Z is progressive, expressive and tech-savvy, but many still live with traditional values at home—gender roles, hierarchy, conservatism. They walk the line between TikTok and Sunday family lunch.
Brands that reflect modern values (e.g., inclusivity, mental health) while respecting cultural heritage earn trust. These consumers aren’t confused; they’re complex. And brands that honor that complexity earn long-term legitimacy.
Q: Which overlooked consumer segments should marketers start paying attention to?
A: 1. Rural consumers: Over 55 percent of Filipinos live in rural areas, many of whom are increasingly connected digitally. Their aspirations mirror urban consumers’, but access remains the main gap—logistics, pricing, availability.
They don’t need different messages, they need equal access. Brands should invest in last-mile solutions and regional presence to meet demand where it exists.
2. Senior citizens: There are over 10 million Filipinos aged 60+, yet most brands focus on younger markets. Seniors are often active decision-makers, caregivers and contributors, not passive dependents.
This segment is underrepresented, not irrelevant. Brands can win by showing respect, relevance and dignity, reflecting their evolving lifestyles, not reducing them to health concerns.
Q: What should marketers know about Filipino Millennial moms?
A: Filipino Millennial moms (early 30s to mid-40s) are not just caregivers; they are financial planners, researchers, household managers and cultural curators. In Mommy Republic, we found they reject “perfect mom” stereotypes. Instead, they respond to brands that offer practical solutions, emotional validation and respect for their time and mental load.
They are:
- Digitally empowered: They grew up with the internet and social media.
- Community-driven: They rely on peer reviews, parenting groups and trusted creators.
- Discerning influencers: When they trust a brand, they don’t just buy it, they share it, recommend it and integrate it into their family’s life.
To earn her trust, brands must move beyond “mom marketing” and treat her as a cultural driver, not just a consumer.
Don’t miss the chance to join and interact with Edie Acedera live at the 17th Mansmith Market Masters Conference on March 17 at SMX Aura. For inquiries, email info@mansmith.net.
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Josiah Go is a business thought leader, speaker, mentor, entrepreneur, blogger, columnist and independent director. He is a record-breaking, bestselling author of 20 books on marketing and entrepreneurship.
