Companies often think offering massive discounts, like 50% off or more, is a smart way to attract customers. It might bring in a lot of sales initially, but let’s take a closer look. The people it draws in the most are bargain hunters – those who love a good deal but might not stick around to buy at regular prices. […]

Market leader Cebu Pacific Air is not only known for having low fare services, but also very agile with their marketing communications and sales promotions. VP Marketing Candice Alabanza-Iyog selflessly shares her insights on how they do a campaign internally. Q1: When Leonardo de Caprio won his first Oscar, Cebu Pacific Air immediately launched a promo free trip to Guam […]

I walked into a meeting with a cup of Zu’s coffee in my hand. It was early December, when Starbucks lines grow longer and planners quietly signal participation in a shared ritual. The person beside me smiled and asked, “Do you like Zu? No Starbucks planner this year?” I laughed and answered honestly. The lines were too long for my […]

It’s tempting in business to chase the next campaign, launch a discount, or offer a flash promotion. But often, these are solving symptoms, not solutions, like painting over a crack while ignoring the foundation. In a low-trust economy like the Philippines, this approach is risky. Customers are skeptical. Partners are cautious. And trust, once broken, can take years to rebuild. […]

Public awareness around corruption and social justice is at an all-time high across much of Asia, including the Philippines. Wealth and power, once flaunted without question, are now being cast in a more critical light. For years, social media made ostentatious displays of wealth feel routine. Few questioned the sources of that luxury, and many influencers posted without considering the […]

How do Filipino brands break through the noise and build lasting loyalty in a culture where urgency and ritual coexist? The answer lies in two deeply symbolic marches that shape the Filipino experience: the urgent protest and the enduring pilgrimage. One is loud and immediate, the other slow and reverent. Together, they offer not only insight into the Filipino psyche […]

Most marketing leaders pride themselves on discipline: detailed calendars, tightly defined KPIs, and precisely allocated budgets. These are signs of a well-oiled machine. But what if that very structure is what’s holding your business back? The danger is subtle but real: over-optimized marketing plans are slowly suffocating innovation. Rather than acting as launchpads for growth, many plans become rigid scripts, […]

Josiah Go features the movers and shakers of the business world and writes about marketing, strategy, innovation, execution and entrepreneurship

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