MANILA, PHILIPPINES — It was a different event altogether from the usual executions of the brand. Two single seaters set in the middle, a camera crane jib and a cinerail on either side of the room, and softboxes and fresnels fixed overhead. This was the studio recording of the premiere of GCash Spotlight.
“Spotlight because GCash would want to spotlight influential and powerful people who sway our minds, twist our arms and make us think of ways to make this world a better place. Spotlight is also because we’re going to talk to thought leaders who provoke us to ask the difficult questions,” said King of Talk Boy Abunda.
“Our Globe Group mantra is to always look at the different opportunities to improve and ease the burden of the Filipino people. We know life is tough in the Philippines, but we also know digital technology presents an opportunity to make things easier so we’ve come up with things like Konsulta MD to make people have access to medical information and medical care in a much easier fashion. We’re even dealing with things like pets so anything that we can do in digital terms to be able to serve you better is our goal,” said Ernest Cu, President and CEO of Globe.
As soon as Heart Evangelista walked into the studio, all attention was on her – most notably the host’s, one of the most prominent figures in Philippine media, and who the nation fondly calls “Tito Boy.” He shared that Heart was actually one of his first students in hosting and has watched her work hard and get the recognition for the international fashion icon that she is today. He did not flinch in punching the finance-related questions and asking her the cost of her couture gowns and contextualizing its worth in one’s usual purchasing power.
“Some people think that fashion is pompous or what but for me it is my story, it’s my armor,” said Heart. She shared how involved she was in the making of the campaign, including online shopping for Panda and her other dogs using her GCash card whenever she’s traveling abroad.
Not to miss the fashion influences, designers she wore, and anecdotes of her experiences from Paris Fashion Week, Heart bared her most authentic and maarte self in an hour full of live and raw conversation. She also shared how most of the pieces she buys need a return on investment, including the Schiaparelli she wore in the campaign poster.
“If you love it, you have to be smart. You wanna do it forever, you have to be smart about everything,” she added.
In true Tito Boy fashion, the first ever GCash Spotlight included a fast talk of invest, splurge, or save. It also featured a lighthearted segment of camera roll raid with her favorite snapshots: family photos, candid street style, and a GCash receipt to her suki for Panda’s treats. In its less serious sections, Tito Boy asked who has the bigger balance on their GCash accounts and who uses it more between her and her husband.
Neil Trinidad, Chief Marketing Officer of GCash, shared how Heart has inspired three more films to show how GCash is seamlessly integrated to Heart’s lifestyle such as investing through GStocks, GSave, and GInsure: “Heart shared her stories of progress and she talked about ways to ensure, to save, and to invest for the future all with the use of the GCash app. Her story of financial progress inspired all of us at the GCash team.”
“With GCash, every Filipino has access to the best way to pay and today, we are proud to help millions more Filipinos achieve their goals of financial progress,” he added.
Ever grateful that her authenticity has taken her to greater heights, Heart said, “It’s so, so important to really do what you love. It will take you somewhere… Just be yourself, be kind as much as you can, and dream big.”
