MANILA, PHILIPPINES — A cursory sweep of Philippine television shows that there are no new ads being aired, as COVID-19 has left campaigns on hold or outright canceled — but a new study reveals that Filipinos actually don’t want brands to pause from advertising.
Video ad tech Unruly, part of Tremor International, found through a study that only 1 percent of Filipino consumers want their brands to pause from advertising.
Almost two-thirds of Filipinos (61 percent) want brands to be more informative in their ad campaigns, with consumers particularly looking for advertisers to provide messages around COVID-19 (38 percent) and to share how they’re supporting staff and customers (15 percent).
The survey also revealed that regarding consumers’ daily routines, only 11 percent said that they are continuing as usual, 73 percent are practicing social distancing while 17 percent are self-isolating.
Aside from providing information on the pandemic, 21 percent of Filipino consumers want brands to create funny, positive ads to distract them from what’s going on, while 11 percent want ads to provide a sense of continuity and normalcy. A further 38 percent would prefer advertising to make them feel inspired and warm.
Time spent online has dramatically increased with 82 percent of consumers saying they are spending more time than before on their mobile phones. The usage of connected TVs (62 percent) and laptops (57 percent) have also seen significant increases since the start of the pandemic.
Filipino consumers say they are spending more time on social media (77 percent) and watching online videos (76 percent) than before the pandemic. Meanwhile, two-thirds (66 percent) are spending more time watching TV on demand.
“The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in rapid, unprecedented changes in consumer behaviors and their preferences across the Philippines,” said Sam Ho, insight & solutions manager for ASEA at Unruly.
“The vast majority of consumers still want to see ads, but the key to success is in the content and the way a message is conveyed. The magnitude of these changes requires brands to be nimble in adapting their advertising strategies to maintain and grow connections with consumers, provide support, and minimize disruption to performance.”
View the full study here
About the Author:
Jason Inocencio was once the Digital Editor of adobo magazine who still loves seeing great campaigns from all over the world. He proudly shows off his love for all kinds of geeky things, whether it be movies, TV shows, comics, sports, or trivia.
