We don’t interact with brands like we used to. Back then, marketing and advertising were heavily reliant on the huge following of celebrities to put more eyes on a brand. Today, however, we are seeing a greater focus on community and authenticity through intentional content creation.

Follower counts and impressions no longer paint an accurate picture of a campaign’s success. Now, engagement helps us understand if consumers gave more than a passing glance at a product. This noticeable shift from aspirational content into community-driven influence is why, as mentioned in our previous blog, micro-influencers are growing in prominence on social media.

Near Creative held our recent webinar entitled, “Level Up Your Brand Strategy: The Power of Community-Driven Influence” this February, with content creator (also midnight snacker and professional yapper) Alonzo “Cru” Cruel as our special guest. Here are our 4 key points to help you harness the power of community-driven influence:

4 Ways for Brands to Create Engaged Online Communities

1. Know your brand's value.

Every brand has a unique flavor. If your brand feels like it doesn’t have one, then it’s time to go back to basics and discover who your brand is.

On this, Cru suggests, “You need to understand your product and who exactly will benefit from your product.” These are great starting points in developing your brand identity because a clear and solid brand identity is the foundation for the community you will be building. After all, if you don’t have an identity, how will you discover who your audience is?

2. Foster authentic and relatable content.

Today, consumers are partial to brands that feel real—that is, brands with distinct personalities. So when you build your brand identity, the next step is to further flesh it out through content that tells people who your brand is in a way that only it can.

This also means daring to think outside the box with content that is original, but still rooted in a cultural reality that your audience will understand at its core. Think RC Cola’s viral 2020 ad. It was bizarre, but the humor was so Filipino that it clicked!

https://youtu.be/hXWj5BK7evM?feature=shared (embed)

3. Empower user-generated content.

Viktor Kapunan, senior brand manager at Near, says, “Your audience is your best advocate.”

In this era of personalization and community, audiences are just as interested in seeing content made by other “normal” people—that is, user-generated content (UGC). Brands can take cues from the likes of Cebu Pacific and how they share real travel moments through the hashtag #JuanForFun. This approach makes travel feel accessible to viewers because they are able to see themselves in the content and therefore find a personal connection with it.

4. Leverage storytelling to create emotional connections.

“People nowadays don’t just buy products; they buy into stories,” shares Viktor. Sure, people still take a look at popular brands endorsed by the hottest celebrities, but that’s hardly ever enough anymore to get people to truly care about what you’re selling. The people want a good story that reels them in and makes them feel something.

Jollibee is a great example of this. The brand has plenty of “Kwentong Jollibee” videos that showcase their expertise in storytelling. Jollibee’s videos blend strong narratives with Filipino culture and values that are emotionally affecting and inspiring for audiences.

https://youtu.be/2Gcx-QT9k0s?feature=shared (embed)

Bonus: partner with content creators who match your brand’s vibe.

Sometimes, although brands understand that they need to build a unique identity and reinforce it through UGC and great storytelling, they still make the mistake of just choosing the most well-known influencers to promote their brand without first considering who the influencer’s audience is and their style of content.

Cru has this to say, “You have to know [that a] creator is going to be someone who effectively communicates to the people you want to communicate with.” He adds, “Know exactly who these creators are entertaining. If your product aligns with those people, then go for [that content creator].”

Master the marketing trends of 2025. Watch a replay of our webinar here and download our trends guide here!

Here’s a blast from the past: remember the days when our social media feeds displayed content chronologically?

These days, whether you’re scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, you will see a feed curated according to your interests and preferences. Personalization is the name of the social media game, and it has brought about a shift in the influencer space. We are seeing an increasingly even playing field for content creators, in which micro-influencers (10,000 to 99,000 followers) are growing in prominence.

But while we’ve established that micro-influencers have great potential in promoting brands this year, you may be wondering how to approach this shift for your 2025 campaigns. Well, Near’s got you.

3 tips for finding the right micro-influencers

1. Take notes from your audience.

No marketing campaign can be successful without an understanding of the audience you’re marketing to.

If you want to find the right micro-influencers, you can start with your audience. Who are they following? Whose content do they interact with? What kind of content do these creators have? Finding the answers to these questions will already give you an idea of the right micro-influencers to tap because the answers will tell you about their interests, their pain points, and the niches they belong in.

Tapping a micro-influencer your audience already follows is a simple way to ensure that your campaign is a match.

2. Gauge the influencer’s authenticity.

There are simple ways to check if a micro-influencer will be a reliable partner for your campaign even before you contact them.

Just go on their social media profile and take a look at the following:

• Content quality: Look at their posts. See if the content they create is well-made and executed, from the hooks and scripts to their filming and editing styles. They don’t need to have high production value, but they do need to be creative and offer something substantial to the viewer.

• Previous posts: Branded or otherwise, their posts will tell you more about their interests and the kinds of products they gravitate towards. This will also give you an idea of what their audiences care about. Their existing posts are a good way to gauge if your product is something that could resonate with their audience or address a pain point they are experiencing.

• Follower engagements: Micro-influencers tend to have more opportunities to interact with followers due to their smaller community and specific niche. You can tell if a micro-influencer has an engaged following if they respond to followers’ comments on their posts or if the followers themselves have discussions in the comments.

3. Make use of influencer discovery tools.

There is a wealth of influencer marketing platforms that can point you to different content creators in the Philippines. At Near Creative, in addition to our wide influencer database, we use these tools to enrich our influencer recommendations, as they are able to provide in-depth insights such as content niches, posting consistency and performance, average engagement rates, and even influencers in the same category. This way, we are able to refine our recommendations to ensure a brand fit for our campaigns.

These tools simplify and speed up the vetting process, while also ensuring the quality of content for the future.

Making memorable content with micro-influencers

Choosing the best micro-influencers is half the battle, but the other half is developing high-quality content that your target audience will watch.

• Collaborate. An influencer is a partner; not simply a doer. This means that the final output must be the result of collaboration with them; you can guide them on the brand’s identity, while they direct on what content works best for their platforms.

• Communicate. Be clear about what you need, when you need it, and how you need it. When everyone is on the same page, it will be a seamless experience from when you onboard an influencer to when they finally upload the content.

• Cultivate. Build and nurture a relationship with your influencer partners. Getting to know them leads you to understand them better, which will help you create even better content for your future collabs!

So remember, in 2025, micro-influencers are key to social media success! Understand your audience, get to know your influencers, and employ appropriate tools to find the best recommendations. From there, three Cs: collaborate and communicate with your micro-influencer partners, then cultivate a relationship with them to ensure you create more great content and campaigns together.

Want to build an influencer strategy that works? Sign up for our webinar today!

We’re back with awesome new insights for episode three of Convos with Marketing Pros!

In this episode, we are featuring Jonas de los Reyes, head of digital marketing at Metrobank. Jonas’ 20 years of expertise shows a depth of insight into how marketing strategies and campaigns must adapt and evolve to a world that continues to experience change – technologically and behaviorally.

Tell us more about your company and what’s keeping you busy these days.

“I am currently the head of digital marketing and omnichannel at Metrobank, the second-largest bank in the country. Aside from work, what keeps me busy is spending quality time with my family, finding time for my hobby – which is to improve my tactical shooting skills, and some side projects with industry colleagues in the artificial intelligence and fintech (financial technology) space.”

You've had over 20 years of marketing experience in the finance and tech space. How do you stay updated? How has your approach evolved over the years?

“My career has always been in the intersection of technology and the customer, which is constantly evolving. This means there is a constant need to know and understand changing technologies, business landscapes, and consumer behaviors.

“I stay updated with industry trends through engagement of content from select publishers and industry leaders/influencers. I find time to attend industry events to listen to and network with other professionals. I’ve also had the privilege to be invited to speak in events. Preparing for these and interacting with attendees keep me sharp and allow me to understand different points of view.

“Over the years, my approach to learning has evolved. It began with self-help only via what’s online – because at that time, it was the early days of the internet and digital marketing – to learning by doing through mentorship of key bosses in the industry. Then I became a subject matter expert, teaching and giving talks, which leads me to present day where, aside from self-learning, mentorship, and teaching, I now have regular catchups with industry friends and colleagues in which we talk about all things related to fintech, marketing technology, and customer-centric strategies.

What have you observed are the key elements that make a marketing campaign truly stand out in today’s competitive landscape where everyone’s attention span is so short?

“First, personalization is becoming increasingly important. Customers expect tailored messages and experiences that reflect their individual needs and preferences by leveraging data and behavioral insights to deliver personalized interactions.

“Secondly, omnichannel engagement is critical. Customers want a seamless campaign experience across all channels, whether they’re seeing your messaging online via mobile or laptop, or offline through a branch or a billboard. This requires a cohesive strategy that integrates digital and physical touchpoints.

“Lastly, creative storytelling: Crafting a narrative based on insight that connects emotionally with the audience while delivering the brand’s unique value proposition – this remains a strategic imperative, especially today.

“I believe a marketing campaign that integrates these elements while being authentic and visually compelling can stand out in today’s cluttered and attention-challenged landscape.”

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

“The rise and eventual ubiquity of the internet has challenged marketers to adapt content strategies that are native to the new platform that is most engaging to the current generation. It happened in the early days of Friendster and later with Facebook and Twitter, and we still see it with Instagram and Tiktok. What has helped me adapt is this simple outline that I learned from my boss in Yahoo:

• P for People. Before diving into any platform, it's crucial to understand who your audience is, in this case the younger generation. Know how they think, what motivates them, what influences them, what captures their attention, etc.

• O for Objective. Clearly define what you want your marketing efforts to accomplish. Are you looking to build brand awareness, drive traffic, generate leads, or improve customer loyalty? Your objective will guide the type of content and campaigns you create.

• S for Strategy. Your strategy should outline the type of content to create, the tone and style to use, and the key activities for success. It’s also important to decide how you’ll measure success (KPIs).

• T for Technology. Technology comes last. Identify and understand the platform. Like Instagram or TikTok, each platform has unique features, content formats, algorithms, and audience expectations.

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

“First, always be curious. Stay updated on industry trends, emerging platforms, and customer behavior shifts. Invest in continuous learning since information is generally free. Don’t be afraid to test innovative ideas or explore new channels.

“Second, be data-driven. Learn to understand and utilize data analytics. The ability to interpret data is essential for crafting insightful, effective, and measurable marketing campaigns.

“Third, connect with a community. Build your personal network and surround yourself with like-minded professionals who can teach and inspire you, challenge your thinking, and motivate you to always improve, learn and adapt.”

Remember, folks, social media success requires a depth of understanding – of your audience, your goals, your approach, and your platforms. This is the only way you can make campaigns that are both personal and personalized to your target market.

Dive deeper into the 2025 shift towards personalization by downloading Near’s newest e-book here. Interested to work with us? Message us via sales@nearcreative.co!

Near is back with episode two of our very own Convos with Marketing Pros series, in which we speak with the most respected names in the marketing biz to learn the the best practices for relevant and exceptional campaigns in today’s ever-changing world.

Today’s expert is Roj Tirona, head of marketing at foodpanda Philippines. His longtime experience in the tech and e-commerce industries gives us insightful knowledge into how creativity can turn curiosity into loyalty.

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 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!

Convos with the 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 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!

Turning TikTok users into engaged followers can be confusing, but the Near team has several hacks to help your brand achieve its TikTok growth goals steadily

With 2024 birthing a new face to authenticity, it has also put the spotlight on different kinds of influencers – those who capture audiences with their distinct personalities. Here are five Filipino influencers keeping your timelines fresh with their content!

Authenticity in 2024 isn’t just about being real! It’s also all about flaunting it and telling people exactly what makes you who you are.

The future of commerce is content-driven, and it is called shoppertainment.

Succeeding on TikTok Shop requires consistent effort to reach your customers. Here’s how you can succeed on the e-commerce platform this 2024, brought to you by Near Creative!