BrandCon PH 2025 Showcases the Power of Storytelling, Culture, and Next-Gen Marketing Ideas
BrandCon PH 2025 gathered over 400 participants, including the country’s most influential figures in marketing, brand building, and advertising at Marquis Events Place in Bonifacio Global City on September 19. With the theme “Building Brands That Move The Nation Forward,” the branding and marketing conference organized by The Business Manual shared insights on how businesses can stay relevant and ready to lead in a future-forward, highly competitive landscape.
Archie Carrasco, CEO and Chairman of AGC Power Holdings Corporation, delivered a deeply inspiring speech to welcome the participants.
“In a market that moves faster than ever, brands are no longer just products or services; they are powerful storytellers, shapers of identity, and drivers of our economy. They influence how we see ourselves as Filipinos, and how the world sees us,” Carrasco said.
During the fireside chat “The Power of Insightful Storytelling,” GIGIL Founding Partner Badong Abesamis and PICKUP Coffee Global Managing Director Francis Flores shared their storytelling philosophies.
“We cannot produce ads the way we did 15 years ago, when TV reigned supreme. We live in a social media culture. Our materials have to be entertaining for them to not only beat our competitors’ ads or films, but also to find a place at the table of KOLs (key opinion leaders),” Abesamis said.
Flores’ likewise shared his storytelling philosophy in fewer yet compelling words.
“Powerful truths well-told. Powerful truths—that’s where strategic thinking comes in. Well-told is the magic.”
Baken Founder and CEO Rachel Carrasco, GCash Chief Marketing Officer Neil Trinidad, and Unilever Head of Marketing for the Philippines and Marketing Transformation Lead for Greater Asia Dennis Perez joined the panel discussion “LOCAL TO GLOBAL: The Role of Culture in Global Marketing.”
“Culture is both belongingness and distinction,” Carrasco said.
“It’s a combination of beliefs, a combination of values, a combination of ideals,” Perez offered.
Trinidad spoke from his experience handling GCash, saying, “It really started because it’s a brand that understands the people that we’re serving,” said Trinidad.
‘Best Idea Wins’ Marketing Pitch Competition
From a pool of 43 entries, ten finalists representing universities and colleges across the country invited to pitch live at BrandCon PH 2025. Each student representative, given two minutes to pitch an innovative and AI-driven marketing idea answering the question, “How can you integrate AI into an effective marketing campaign?”
Moreover, the panel of judges: composed of Miko David, President of Consumer Data Analytics Firm David & Golyat; Merlee Jayme, Chairmom, CCO and Founder of Jayme HQ and The Misfits Camp; Leah Ayeng, Director for Youth and Academe of the Philippine Marketing Association and CEO of Prestige Quality Paper Products; Dennis Perez of Unilever; and AGC Power Holdings’ Archie Carrasco.
GenZ Marketers of Cavite State University brought home the trophy for 2nd Runner-Up and Php200,000 worth of media values from The Business Manual. Clutch!, a team of marketing students from the University of the Philippines – Manila, bagged 1st Runner Up and Php300,000 in media values. Team Pulse, representing Silliman University in Dumaguete, hailed as the ‘Best Idea Wins’ Champion and won Php500,000 in media values.
Additionally, BrandCon PH 2025 demonstrated how branding and strategic marketing can go beyond driving business success—they can spark innovation, strengthen inclusivity, celebrate culture, and accelerate national progress. By bringing together the country’s brightest minds in marketing and brand building, this year’s event set in motion ideas and further collaborations that will continue to shape industries and inspire the next generation of marketers.
The Business Manual
BrandCon PH 2025, presented by The Business Manual, in partnership with the Philippine Marketing Association and the Philippine Junior Marketing Association, with support from the Philippine Young Entrepreneur Association and Philippine Retail Association.
The Business Manual thanks its sponsors: Ploom, Nordic Spirit, Baken, and GCash; student partner organizations University of the Philippines AdCore, Far Eastern University Institute of Accounts, Business, and Finance Student Council, San Beda Junior Marketing Association, Adamson Junior Marketing Association, National University Junior Marketing Association, Far Eastern University Junior Marketing Association, Far Eastern University-Diliman Junior Marketing Association, and Ateneo Junior Marketing Association; media partners Edge TV Philippines, Village Pipol, and also Red Cloud Interactive; beverage partner PICKUP Coffee, and hotel partner Hotel 101.
