MANILA, PHILIPPINES — As the Philippines slowly reopens its mall doors in time for the holidays, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls sends out the most spectacular invitation to get Filipinos out of their cabin fever and into the good times that await within its walls. Working with agency BBDO Guerrero, the Christmas spot brings festivity to each frame that would get anyone excited to be back in the malls again.
With the big idea, “Christmas Is Always A Good Time,” Megaworld puts a spotlight around the activities everybody missed doing while under quarantine.
With their unique take on Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Good Time,” Megaworld was able to capture the simple joys once taken for granted in a minute-and-a-half spot–from shopping at leisure hub Uptown Bonifacio, dining at the premiere integrated destination Newport Mall at Resorts World, being with friends and family at Tagaytay’s shopping village Twin Lakes to anticipated cultural traditions at Lucky Chinatown.
Beyond those, there’s a tinge of what is the mall equivalent for homesickness for Megaworld’s singular quality for each of its malls: The Gondolas of Venice Grand Canal at Mckinley Hill, the picturesque view of Festive Walk Iloilo, the greenery of Southwoods Mall, the urban comfort of Eastwood City and the dreamy al fresco dining of Forbes Town.
Music video might be a more apt term than film as the team went far and beyond to create a musical and dance production to encapsulate the season’s energy. Leveraging on the ambient noise within the malls—heels clacking and the beat of footsteps; the clink of cloth hangers against the rod; the fizz and sizzle in the dining, and; the spray and sprinkle of disinfectants on surfaces—each frame is orchestrated in a rhythm that emulates the mall-goers’ vibes.
Production and protection
Despite the cogs that power the production number, it was apparent that substantial measures were taken to ensure the whole crew’s safety. Likewise, the mall staff have also diligently prepared for the surge of visitors the holidays will bring to their establishments with strict rules, assured the First Vice President and Head of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls Graham Coates:
“In anticipation of the Holiday season, we have further intensified our efforts in all fronts as we look to boost the confidence of our mall guests and ensure that they will all have a good time in our malls. These include working closely with our retail and dining partners in implementing safety standards inside the stores and restaurants, introducing new innovations like UV disinfecting robots and other UV-powered technologies, disinfecting chambers and heat mapping technology.”
“We have also collaborated with trusted names in healthcare and personal care including The Medical City, Safeguard and GreenCross to boost our capability and preparedness to ensure the safety of mall-goers,” Coates shared.
He also revealed that Megaworld Lifestyle Malls have some special activities and events up their sleeve for mall-goers, such as the country’s first and only float-in cinema in Venice Grand Canal, McKinley Hill, as well as smaller pocket events geared towards promoting SMEs and servicing the community in weekend markets and Christmas fairs.
“All of these events follow strict safety protocols in accordance with the IATF Guidelines including the strict observance of social distancing, wearing of face masks and face shields, and implementation of heightened sanitation efforts,” he assured us.
Professional collaboration
As for working physically distant but closely vision-wise with BBDO Guerrero, Coates expressed delight at the ecosystem that stems from their partnership, “Over time, we have managed to both thrive in a very positive and collaborative working environment built on mutual respect and a deep sense of professionalism. They bring in a lot of fresh ideas that fit our brand identity and what we want to achieve in terms of communicating to our audience.”
The agency’s pool of ideas’ result is the slice of normalcy assuring that now is a good time and the wonders it can do for morale, especially at a time that’s typically marked by loud get-togethers with friends and family, shopping spree.
All roads lead to normalcy
With the renewed appreciation of months worth of missing out on malling—a very Filipino symbol of leisure—the takeaway from Megaworld’s Christmas spot is the promise of reliving the experience in a new, safe environment.
“Malling” being a big contributing factor that adds to the season’s umbrella, the spot is reminiscent of what makes the Filipino Christmas: the frantic feeling of walking around in search of the perfect gifts; the idle chatter of other people going through the same thing; that last-minute visit to the mall to check things off of Secret Santa’s wishlist; that anxious feeling of turning the mall upside down to hunt for the perfect Christmas party outfit, and just the immediate cozy feeling that comes with seeing stunning holiday decorations in display with festive music in full blast.
What little allowance people give themselves during the holidays, rare moments of indulging on non-essential expenses, is an encompassing spirit of gift-giving and childlike bliss. This spot from Megaworld and BBDO Guerrero, then, is a much-needed call to return to familiarities and traditions while remaining responsible for each other’s health.
AGENCY:
BBDO GUERRERO
Chief Creative Officer: David Guerrero
Creative Director: Jamie Que
Creative Director: Emman Carandang
Associate Creative Director: Caleb Cosico
Copywriter: Seth Rasul
General Manager: Karen Go
Sr. Account Manager: Regie Ucang Sr.
Strategic Planner: Larah Lee
Broadcast Producer: Harold Orozco, Just Add Water
PRODUCTION HOUSE: PROVILL
Director: Luis Tabuena
Executive Producer: Ina Lagman
Line Producer: Danica Lague
Assistant Directors for Unit 1: Kristi Gallaga and Manman Angsico
Assistant Director for Unit 2: Carlo Gonzales
Director of Photography for Unit 1: Shayne Sarte
Director of Photography for Unit 2: Ice Idanan
Choreographer: Matt Padilla and Ac Lalata
Casters: Charmaine Betudio and Nestea Naesa
Production Designer: Princess Barreto
Production Managers: Nestor Matala and Aann Dela Cruz
Joyce Cruz, Carlianne Domingo, and Nicole Calaustro, Rikka Abraham – Production Assistants
POST HOUSE: GREEN ROOM
Lead Post Producer: Joreen Evangelist
Assist Post Producer: Warren Ladion
Offline Artist: Gino Delos Reyes
Colorist: Toni Gozum
Lead Online Artist: King Santos
Assist Online Artist: Miguel Alino Torres
Assist Online Artist: Kenneth Gio
AUDIO PRODUCTION HOUSE: HIT PRODUCTIONS
Music Arranger: Angelo Villegas
Sound Engineer: Singer Tara Lim
Music Production Manager: Leticia Sarmiento
Voice Caster: Lea Lardizabal
