Convos with Marketing Pros, Episode 1: Wanda Pascua of Tonik Digital Bank talks marketing trends, influencers, and the formula for a winning campaign

Marketing is an industry that requires constant adjustment and innovation, which makes it an endlessly exciting but occasionally confuzzling space to navigate. When you’re stuck, sometimes all you need is a helping hand. Sometimes, you can get it from the best people in the biz – like today!

Near is introducing our very own Convos with the Pros, an exciting series where we speak with the most sought-after marketing leaders in the Philippines. For our first episode, we had a conversation with Wanda Pascua, head of marketing at Tonik Digital Bank. She oversees the digital bank’s marketing campaigns, but it’s apparent that to get to her level of expertise, the work entails much more.

Can you tell us more about what you do at Tonik?

“At Tonik, marketing is not just limited to branding. We are taught to look at things holistically, meaning: how our campaigns will directly drive business growth. I oversee the marketing campaigns of the bank, but more than brand communication, I am also in charge of customer acquisition costs across our different products and the customer experience. I work across different functions, such as product, customer care, and IT, to understand customer issues and have clear plans around them.

“Digital banking is a new challenger industry, so I’ve been busy cracking different campaigns, learning new product and customer insights, and acquiring customers at a cost complementing the rest of the business numbers – all that to build Tonik as a brand that Filipinos will love, at its core.”

You’ve had broad experience in marketing from agency work to brands. What inspired you to pursue a career in marketing? How has your approach evolved over the years?

“For the past 15 years, I’ve loved building brands. I’ve always enjoyed helping my clients tell stories to sell their products during my ad agency days. I loved the energy in advertising – all the creativity and openness to ideas! When I was faced with an opportunity to cross over to the client side and marketing, I jumped on it right away. Being on this side enabled me to understand the business more and to see things end to end.

“My approach has changed throughout the years. From once being so focused on storytelling and communication, I now look at things from an end-to-end business perspective. By this, I don’t just mean sales. It entails really looking at the product, customer experience, and other business metrics. I am grateful that my boss, Mila Bedrenets, closely guides and pushes me to understand these and reminds me that my role goes far beyond brand communication. It’s definitely outside my comfort zone, but it’s made me a better marketer.”

In your experience, what are the key elements that make a marketing campaign truly stand out in today’s competitive/short-attention-span landscape?

“A strong consumer insight hinged on a clear product insight + a unique creative execution = a standout campaign.

“I do not doubt this formula. Most of the time we just need to keep things simple in terms of insights. There’s so much competition out there, so the way to cut through the clutter is to hit on the consumer with no frills.”

How do you see the role of influencer marketing changing, and what strategies do you recommend for brands looking to leverage it effectively?

“Consumers are smarter now when dealing with influencers. They can tell right away if the content is genuine or too hard-sell. Transparency is always key – as simple as, if the content is sponsored, tagging it as sponsored content is a must. Influencers are there to help brands tell their stories. They must have a genuine interest in what the brand does and how it can help them on a personal level.

“Brands, be open to how the influencers attack the brief. Your role should end with fact-checking. All room for creativity must be left with the influencers.”

With the rapid rise of platforms like TikTok, how should marketers adapt their content strategies to engage younger audiences, particularly Gen Z?

“Always learn the trends. Know which trends are out there and filter which ones your brand can use. The best strategy is to make sure you resonate with your audience – Gen Z in this case. The best way to do this is to immerse yourself in what they are up to.”

What advice would you give to marketing professionals who want to stay ahead of the curve and continuously improve their skills?

“Never stop being curious. There is no excuse not to learn new things because there are so many places where you can learn, whether it’s from different teams in your company, social media, visiting stores, talking to customers, or even conferences and webinars. Constantly challenge what you have.

“Also, ask for feedback. My boss always tells me, ‘Keep asking questions!’ Don’t even pretend you understand things when you really don’t.”

2024 is ending soon. Looking ahead to 2025, what marketing trends are you most excited about, and how are you planning to leverage them more?

“Generative AI. There’s so much already out there, but I cannot wait to see how brands will crack this to get sales from their creative campaigns.”

Brands and fellow marketers, let’s take it from the pros. For your campaign to make an impact, you must understand your brand from all sides, have a unique creative execution hinged on solid consumer and product insights, and be well-versed in today’s trends!

Contact Near Creative today to kickstart your brand’s marketing campaign!