After showing what teens can score with PHP 20, this marketer sent ice cream sales through the roof!

Monday: Marketing Marvels Happy Monday, everyone! I wish you all a fantastic start to both your personal life and work life this week. Let's kick off this day with a burst of inspiration from our “Marketing Marvels.” Every Monday, we present outstanding industry professionals, shedding light on their experiences, contributions, and valuable insights. Today, you’ll learn about a marketer whose advertising style produced some of the most memorable Filipino campaigns in 2009. Keep reading to know more about her. CEO, MBO Partners Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute

After showing what teens can score with PHP 20, this marketer sent ice cream sales through the roof! Would you talk about price when you want to advertise a product? Probably not. After all, focusing on the price of a product can generate mixed results, especially when everyone has different ideas on what makes a good deal. … but did you know that in 2009, price became the central theme of an entire marketing campaign for a popular ice cream product in the Philippines? Because of that, the ice cream company not only met but also surpassed its sales targets! This feat could not have been possible without the genius marketer behind the campaign: Abi Aquino! Aquino is the Chief Creative Officer at MullenLowe (formerly Lowe), an esteemed advertising agency in the Philippines with a commitment to innovation and impactful storytelling. Since 2007, Aquino has helped the agency craft award-winning campaigns for an extensive clientele including brands such as Alaska, Closeup, and Unilever. The most iconic among her contributions is the Cornetto “Bente (20)” marketing campaign. Let’s dive deeper into the story behind this marketing strategy… In 2009, the dairy and ice cream company Selecta tasked MullenLowe to promote Cornetto and achieve enough sales for a target growth of 40%. Aquino led the production of such promotions. Through a values-based advertising approach, Aquino and her team aimed to make the ice cream product relatable by talking about its suggested retail price to the target audience—teenagers. The team’s strategy? Present Cornetto as a simple yet gratifying everyday indulgence! Thus, the hilarious and unforgettable Cornetto TV advertisements were born, with every commercial opening with the question: “Hanggang saan aabot ang twenty pesos mo?” (How much can you get with PHP 20?) The ads followed a teenager as he tried to get a haircut, a sweater, and VIP access to a party club—with just PHP 20. In the resulting transactions, the penniless protagonist received… … a one-sided haircut… … an improvised flashlight-lit rave… … and a sweater in the form of a hug. OH NOOOOO… Through these ads, the campaign cleverly demonstrated the cool things teens can’t purchase with PHP 20, BUT with the exception of a delicious Cornetto. YUM! The hilarious skits ended with this call-to-action: “Mag-Cornetto ka na lang!” (Just have a Cornetto ice cream!) Filipino audiences enjoyed the witty advertisements so much that demand became sky-high for the ice cream product. Selecta Cornetto posted an impressive 86% growth at the end of 2010, surpassing growth targets a year after the commercials were launched in 2009. That’s not all… The campaign also received several accolades, including the Adobo Ad of the Year in 2010 and multiple prizes in the Araw Awards in 2011. Lastly, Aquino was recognized for her creative leadership and served as a juror for the Direct Lions in the Cannes 66th Festival of Creativity in 2019. Who would’ve thought that PHP 20 can achieve such incredible results? Kudos for this, Aquino! — The success of the Cornetto “Bente” presents the strengths of Aquino’s marketing style: Values-based advertising Aquino's values-based approach struck a chord with audiences who resonated with the idea of affordability. Talking about the Cornetto’s suggested retail price worked because the product was framed as an indulgence that wasn’t costly. Creative collaboration Aquino's managerial approach emphasized collaboration, encouraging everyone in the team—from seasoned professionals to interns—to contribute ideas. In a news article published in 2011, she stated: “I believe everyone has an idea worth looking into.” Quality and quantity Aquino's purposeful and collaborative process yields various campaign ideas to deliver the best options for clients. According to her: “We make sure that we are ready and have a bounty of options for clients to select from, whether for traditional, new, and social media.” Overall, Aquino's marketing style shows the strength of values-driven advertising and collaborative creativity. Her successes, such as with Selecta Cornetto's “Bente” campaign, point to the ability of advertising to not just sell products but to also resonate with audiences by appealing to their values. Consider applying the insights above when crafting your marketing campaigns!     Hope you’ve found this week’s topic interesting and helpful. Few names from the Philippine advertising industry have earned worldwide recognition and success. Learn more about David Guerrero in next week’s article!