Tag: press release

Shopee shoppers embrace digital payments on 12.12

Adoption surges in North and South Luzon as ShopeePay provides shoppers across the Philippines with easy access to digital payments

ShopeePay, an integrated mobile wallet that offers users easy access to digital payment services, saw more consumers adopt digital payments at the recent Shopee 12.12. It was highlighted by a 50 times increase in ShopeePay transactions in the first hour of December 12 compared to an average day, as people turned to digital payments for their convenience and ease of use.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “I am happy to see more people enjoy greater convenience and rewards with ShopeePay at the Shopee 12.12. Our integrated mobile wallet allowed users to check out purchases more quickly and securely while also accessing exclusive deals. It’s heartening to see more people using digital payments as their preferred payment method. It is a positive trend as digital payments become increasingly important in driving digital inclusion and the acceleration of our region’s digital economy.”

Rising confidence in digital payments in the Philippines

Filipinos used ShopeePay to discover exclusive deals, earn rewards, and complete orders at the Shopee 12.12. The most popular categories checked out using ShopeePay were Home & Living, Health & Personal Care, and Women’s Apparel, showing that people are now more comfortable using digital payments for various essential and lifestyle needs.

Key trends for the use of ShopeePay on December 12 included:

  • Growing digital adoption in cities: North and South Luzon saw the most significant uplift in ShopeePay transactions on Shopee than an average day, showing that ShopeePay offers users easier access to digital payments.
  • ShopeePay adoption increases across different generations: Millennials aged 18 to 34 continued using ShopeePay to conveniently shop for various needs such as kitchen essentials, mobile accessories, and makeup. Gen X users above 50 also saw a surge in adoption, with orders paid via ShopeePay increasing 24 times from an average day.

Yu closed, “As users become more accustomed to digital payments, we are committed to further growing our ecosystem of partner merchants so all users benefit from the convenience both online and offline, while businesses enjoy better growth in the future.”

About ShopeePay

ShopeePay is an integrated mobile wallet that offers users easy access to digital payment services. Launched in 2015, ShopeePay enables a seamless shopping experience by allowing users to make online payments on Shopee, top-up their wallets, transfer and withdraw funds, and make payments offline at thousands of merchants.

ShopeePay makes it easier to shop and do business. It provides users with a convenient, secure, and rewarding payment option; it empowers businesses and helps them to capture new opportunities.

ShopeePay is part of SeaMoney, the digital financial services arm of Sea Group. A leading digital payments and financial services provider in Southeast Asia, SeaMoney’s mission is to better the lives of individuals and businesses in the region with financial services through technology.

For more information on ShopeePay and SeaMoney, please visit seamoney.com.

Finn and Jake return to the Land of Ooo in Adventure Time special

The Emmy and Peabody Award-Winning series Adventure Time returns to Asia with Adventure Time: Distant Lands – four new one-hour original specials. The first, entitled BMO, is now available to stream on HBO GO.

These long-awaited new specials will continue Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time stories that captured imaginations and introduced unlikely heroes and best-buds – Finn the dog and Jake the human – who traversed the mystical Land of Ooo and encountered its colourful inhabitants.

BMO follows the lovable little robot from Adventure Time. When there’s a deadly space emergency in the farthest reaches of the galaxy, there’s only one hero to call, and it’s probably not BMO. Except that this time it is!

En route to Mars, BMO gets sucked into a wormhole and crash lands on an unknown alien world. On this decaying distant land, BMO finds competing alien races mired in a conflict over dwindling resources and appoints himself sheriff of this seemingly lawless outpost.

He deputises a reluctant new friend, Y5, but Y5’s family has other plans for BMO: complete dismantling! Realising BMO’s importance, Y5 joins forces with our robot hero to save this alien world and uncover the real reason her people are on the brink of extinction.

In Southeast Asia, the remaining three episodes will be available on Cartoon Network and HBO GO in 2021.

Obsidian features Marceline and Princess Bubblegum as they journey to the imposing, beautiful Glass Kingdom—and deep into their tumultuous past—to prevent an earth-shaking catastrophe.

Wizard City follows Peppermint Butler, starting over at the beginning, as just another inexperienced Wizard School student. When mysterious events at the campus cast suspicion on Pep, and his checkered past, can he master the mystic arts in time to prove his innocence?

Together Again brings Finn and Jake together again, to rediscover their brotherly bond and embark on the most important adventure of their lives.

Created by Pendleton Ward and executive produced by Adam Muto, Adventure Time is a critically decorated show that garnered numerous entertainment awards and cultivated a generation of talent who have helmed such hits as Steven Universe, Over the Garden Wall, and Clarence. Adventure Time: Distant Lands is produced by Cartoon Network Studios and is an HBO Max Original series.

HBO Original Series as well as live channels are also available for streaming to SKYcable subscribers on HBO GO for as low as Php99/month. To subscribe, call your local SKY office or fill up this form.

Show details and images provided by HBO in a recent press release.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.

Catch the holiday feels at New World Makati Hotel with festive dining feasts and gift-worthy treats

New World Makati Hotel invites family and friends for that much-awaited Christmas celebration to cap off an unforgettable year. Those looking to come together for a holiday like no other will find an array of festive dining feasts as well as gift-worthy treats to share with those they hold near and dear.

Gift-worthy Goodies at The Shop

New World Makati Hotel’s Christmas hampers and baked goodies at The Shop are an ideal way to show loved ones how special and cherished they are.

Readily made hamper boxes come in three varieties: Grand, Deluxe, and the large and small Tangerine Box. The largest one is the Grand box which includes a fruit cake, chocolate tree, rocky road marshmallows, pralines box of 20, Christmas stollen bread, Christmas cookies, chocolate Santa, Christmas mendiant, and a bottle of wine.

The Deluxe hamper comprises a fruit cake, chocolate tree, box of mendiant, Christmas cookies, chocolate Santa, rocky road marshmallows, and a bottle of wine.

A choice between a large or small Tangerine Box comes with a chocolate tree, Christmas cookies, and rocky road marshmallows for the large box; while the small box contains Christmas cookies.

The Grand, Deluxe, and large and small Tangerine Boxes are priced at PHP7,000, PHP4,500, PHP900, and PHP450, respectively. Build your own hamper boxes are also available for a minimum spend of PHP4,500. All prices are in nett.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Dining Offers

All-You-Can-Eat Feast at Cafe 1228

Gather over a festive feast with all-you-can-eat a la carte dishes such as roasted turkey, grilled herb and garlic striploin steak, lamb chops, shrimp, blue crab, clams, and mussels, paired with a selection of salads, pizza, pasta, and more at the Western and seafood stations of Cafe 1228. For Asian and local favorites, there is lechon de leche with paella rice, oxtail kare kare, spicy beef caldereta, pancit palabok, and pork spare ribs as well as select dim sum and noodles.

Cafe 1228’s Christmas feasts are priced at PHP2,000 nett inclusive of one glass of sparkling, white or red wine, and free flowing soda, chilled juices, and iced tea.

Set Menu & All-You-Can-Eat Dim Sum at Jasmine

At Jasmine, guests will have a choice among four set menus and two vegetarian set menus, each comprising eight courses.

Set Menu 1A includes Suckling pig barbecued combination platter, Double boiled chicken soup with Chinese herbs, Steamed prawn with garlic vermicelli, Braised assorted mushrooms with fungus and bamboo pith, Spareribs with mango, mayonnaise and garden salad, Braised e-fu noodle with honey barbecued pork, Glutinous dumpling with milk chocolate and peanut filling, and Hot taro cream sago with pandan and coconut.

Set Menu 1B highlights Combination platter of Cantonese style roasted duck and roasted pork belly, Assorted seafood with wintermelon and conpoy soup, Garoupa fillet with mango and mayonnaise in lettuce cup, Braised abalone with shiitake mushroom and premium oyster sauce, Wok-fried diced beef tenderloin with XO sauce, Fried rice with barbecued pork and vegetables, Glutinous dumpling with milk chocolate and peanut filling, and Chilled mango cream sago.

Set Menu 2A features Suckling pig barbecued combination platter, Japanese conpoy with abalone shells, seafood and bamboo pith soup, Wok-fried prawn with butter and Chinese bun, Pan-fried egg with bean curd and special meat sauce, Wok-fried diced beef with chicken and XO sauce, Dan dan noodle with minced pork, Chilled mango cream sago, and Steamed piggy bun with milk egg cream.

Set Menu 2B has Cold prawn salad with mango and cucumber, Pumpkin seafood soup, Braised sea cucumber with shiitake mushroom, Wok-fried beef ribs with black pepper sauce, Braised assorted vegetables with bean curd, Fried rice with Chinese sausage and taro, Chilled almond bean curd with fruits, and Steamed piggy bun with milk and egg cream.

Vegetarian Set Menu 1 has Crispy fried bean curd sheet roll with assorted vegetables, Corn and tofu soup, Minced vegetables with mushrooms in lettuce cup, Assorted vegetables with fungus and bamboo pith, Braised country style bean curd with Taiwan pechay, Fried rice with assorted vegetables, Fried sweet taro with sesame seeds, and Hot red bean cream and lotus seed.

Vegetarian Set Menu 2 includes Crispy taro with tofu salad, Assorted vegetables with seaweed soup, Minced assorted vegetables with fried vermicelli, Fried bean curd and abalone mushroom with truffle oil, Crispy eggplant with sweet chili sauce and pine nuts, Country style fried rice with cashew nuts, Fried sweet taro with sesame seeds, and Hot red bean cream with lotus seed.

Set Menu 1 (A&B) and 2 (A&B) are priced at PHP1,888 and PHP2,088, respectively and include one glass of red or white wine, iced tea, soda or local beer. Vegetarian Set 1 and 2 are at PHP1,388 and PHP1,588, respectively and include one round of iced tea, soda or local beer. All prices are in nett.

Guests can feast to their heart’s delight on favorites such as barbecued Honey roasted pork, steamed “Har gao” shrimp dumplings, “Xiao long bao” Shanghainese pork dumplings, “Shao mai” pork and crab meat dumplings, and Barbecued pork buns, as well as Fried wonton dumplings, Seafood taro puffs,
Barbecued pork puffs, and much more.

Festive additions include Cheese and Chinese chive dumplings, Scallop and fish roe dumplings, Shrimp and cheese spring rolls, Wok-fried beef tenderloin with sweet walnuts and XO sauce, Deep-fried shrimp mango with mayonnaise, and desserts Hot red bean cream lotus seed and Chilled almond bean curd with fruits.

A selection of rice, noodle, and congee dishes are likewise available such as Fried rice “Yeung chow” style, Chicken congee with shiitake mushroom, and Braised e-fu noodle with minced pork, salted fish and spicy sauce.

All-You-Can-Eat Dim Sum is available for lunch service only at PHP1,588 on 24 December and PHP1,688 on 25 December and is inclusive of one round of iced tea, soda or local beer. A limited a la carte menu will likewise be available.

Christmas Cocktails at The Lounge

The Lounge is making spirits brights with an array of Christmas cocktails comprising Berry Smash, Eggnog, Red Sangria and White Sangria. Each cocktail is priced at PHP495 nett. A minimum spend of PHP800 nett on these drinks entitles guests a chance to win a special prize.

Bring New World Home with Holiday Platters

Those who choose to celebrate the Yuletide season at home can savor the festive flavors of New World with premium holiday platters ideal for intimate celebrations. A choice of eight set menus or a curate-your-own menu are available and is deal for families or groups of ten.

To view each of the eight set menus, guests can visit the website here.

Set Menus 1 to 4 are priced at PHP13,000++ while Set Menus 5 to 8 are at PHP15,000++. Optional drink add-ons are canned soda or chilled juice, local beer or a bottle of red or white house wine. Add-on rates will apply. Delivery fee is PHP600 within Makati and BGC, PHP1,200 for Taguig and within Pasay, Manila, Mandaluyong and PHP1,500 within the rest of Metro Manila.

The New World Makati Holiday Brochure can be viewed here.

For inquiries and reservations, guests can fill up the online order form, call +632 8811 6888 ext. 3679, send a message on Viber at +63 917 888 4194 or e-mail fbreservations.manila@newworldhotels.com.

Details and images provided by New World Makati Hotel in a recent press release.

TikTok launches its first ever Philippines TVC

Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year on TikTok, with an amazing lineup of events, creators, and giveaways.

In the face of all the adversities and challenges that have come our way in 2020, the holiday season remains to be a bright, shining star that Filipinos can look forward to at the end of the year. As the biggest festival celebrated in the country, this Christmas serves as a bittersweet reminder to cherish every moment that we spend with our loved ones, whether face-to-face or online. 

Through a pandemic, back-to-back typhoons, and months spent physically far apart from our loved ones, we should remember that life goes on, no matter how hard things have become. In making every moment count, we must learn to continue on in life with love. 

This Christmas, love lives on TikTok. Here, we are able to preserve our precious memories of wonderful times that have passed, and we are given hope that the best still lies ahead. We realize that, no matter how tough the world out there might be, happiness and optimism will always be with us at home, where we are surrounded by the people that we care about.

The inspiration behind this video is family. Through TikTok, we are reminded that every moment we get to share with our cherished ones truly matters.

This Christmas, the entire TikTok community comes together to celebrate family, hope, and love. Post your #LoveLivesOnTikTok videos using this hashtag, both to inspire others, and also to memorialize your beloved holiday moments on the app. You may even win a special prize from TikTok this Christmas when you share your videos. 

On December 19, 2020, an All-Star Livestream will be taking place on the app, featuring host and content creator, Show Suzuki, with celebrity guest, Alex Gonzaga. Be entertained by their unforgettable antics at the talk show style event, as they reminisce about the year gone by. Watch Alex perform your favorite TikTok challenges, and get the chance to win amazing prizes to be given away by Show “Santa” Suzuki during the event. 

Mark your calendars, and be sure to take part in the love-filled Christmas celebration on TikTok this December. Download the app on your iOS and Android devices to see for yourself, how #LoveLivesOnTikTok.

About TikTok

TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok has global offices including Los Angeles, Mountain View, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo. http://www.tiktok.com.

Ben&Ben music video of KathNiel-starrer “Sa Susunod na Habang Buhay”

“What if every time one dies, they go back to their first date with one of them carrying memories from their previous run?”

Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla stars as a romantic couple stuck in a time loop in the new music video for Ben&Ben’s “Sa Susunod na Habang Buhay.”
Helmed by the band’s resident director Jorel Lising and written by Gaya Sa Pelikula creator Juan Miguel Severo, the song’s visual narrative explores the complicated relationship dynamics of two lovers who have lost and found each other in a fated cycle of events.

Complicated love in a time loop

Severo reveals that “Sa Susunod na Habang Buhay,” a song that deals with the “possibility of another life to succeed in love,” complements the KathNiel starrer that he has in mind. Having written Hintayan ng Langit, an evocative piece that examines eternal romance in the afterlife, Severo decided to do away with another reincarnation story for his interpretation of the material.

“Then it hit me, what about a couple stuck in a time loop?”, the prolific writer points out. “What if every time one dies, they go back to their first date with one of them carrying memories from their previous run? It took the band, Direk, and I a couple of zoom calls, brainstorming ideas to compound on that concept and get everything laid out before I presented it to KathNiel.”

Severo’s writing lends to a beautifully understated film that allows KathNiel to tackle their role with nuanced sensitivity and depth. To make it more impactful on screen, music video director Jorel Lising makes use of non-liner, fragmented storytelling as a way to capture the couple’s memories in its undiluted form. Lising adds, “It all comes from the content of the song – it’s a strong piece that speaks about love lost and an intense sense of longing, so the process of developing the treatment and Severo’s script came from that. The challenge for us was to maximize the emotion based on that kind of narrative.”

Working with KathNiel

According to the band’s co-vocalist and acoustic guitarist Miguel Benjamin, the journey behind the music video was both a dream and a serendipitous sequence of events. “About two months ago, an interesting exchange came up while our keyboardist Patricia Lasaten was working on the music of Juan Miguel Severo’s Gaya Sa Pelikula,” says Miguel. “As a way of showing appreciation when we offered our song ‘Ride Home’ to the series, Juan Miguel graciously offered us in return to write a script for the ‘Sa Susunod Na Habang Buhay’ MV, and pitch it to KathNiel, as they are good friends. We pushed through, and to our surprise, they loved both the idea of working with all of us and the script. This was a big thing for us because we never expected that these great artists would be open to doing a music video with us, given their stature and busy schedules.”

Despite the time constraints, Lising didn’t experience difficulty working with one of the biggest love teams in recent memory. The nine-piece collective’s frequent collaborator recounts that he only has few adjustments for every take, thanks to KathNiel’s astounding professionalism and craft. “We didn’t have a whole lot of time with them, but they definitely possess star power quality on camera. Every frame we took of them has a strong presence that comes with lots of experience, especially since they’ve been acting for so long now.”

Image and details provided by Sony Music Philippines in a recent press release.

Shopee 12.12 Birthday Sale kicks off on a high note, with four times more items sold in the first hour compared to last year

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, kicked off its fifth 12.12 Birthday Sale on a high note with strong enthusiasm from shoppers across the region. Shopping activity surged at midnight on December 12, with four times more items sold in the first hour compared to 2019

Key trends in the first 8 hours of 12.12 Big Christmas Sale

  • Home & Living, Men’s Apparel, and Health & Personal Care are the most popular product categories among Filipino consumers.
  • People are prepping for fitness-related New Year’s resolutions by stocking up on activewear. In the first 8 hours of December 12, around 30,000 units of men’s jogger pants were sold. Filipinos are also keen on doing some home organizing over the holidays, with around 22,000 shoe box organizers sold.
  • Filipinos are eagerly snapping up the best deals in celebration of Shopee’s fifth birthday, with one shopper making almost 100 orders in the morning of December 12
    Shopping activity is also highest in Metro Manila, South Luzon, and North Luzon

Discover more unbeatable deals at Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale until midnight at https://shopee.ph/m/christmas-sale

Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys redefine modern pop with new single “Matches”

New Glory deluxe edition available now at digital service providers featuring “Matches,” “Swimming in the Stars” & “Mood Ring (by demand).”

Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys surprised music fans all over the world with the release of their collaborative track “Matches”—out today via RCA Records. The Ian Kirkpatrick and Michael Wise-produced track is featured on the new edition of Britney’s 2016 album, Glory, along with recently released songs “Swimming In The Stars” and “Mood Ring (By Demand).” 

Backed with infectious, clubby beats and intricate production details, “Matches” sounds prime for top 40 radio and streaming dominance. The song is featured in various New Music Friday playlists across the globe, including the Philippines—one of its formidable markets. The song is currently at No. 2 on iTunes Philippines, while the deluxe edition of the album that it’s part of, has peaked at No. 1 a few hours after the track’s release.

Just last week, “Swimming In The Stars” was released along with the new limited edition deluxe vinyl of Glory. 

ABOUT BRITNEY SPEARS

Multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning pop icon Britney Spears is one of the most successful and celebrated entertainers in pop history with nearly 150 million records worldwide. In the U.S. alone, she has sold more than 70 million albums, singles and songs, according to Nielsen Music. Born in Mississippi and raised in Louisiana, Spears became a household name as a teenager when she released her first single “…Baby One More Time,” a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash and international hit that broke sales records with more than 20 million copies sold worldwide and is currently 14x Platinum in the U.S.

Her musical career boasts countless awards and accolades, including seven Billboard Music Awards and Billboard’s Millennium Award, which recognizes outstanding career achievements and influence in the music industry as well as an American Music Award and the 2011 MTV Video Vanguard Award. So far, Spears has earned a total of six No.1-debuting albums on the Billboard 200 chart and 34 top 40 hit singles on the Billboard Hot 100 — four of which went to No. 1. Spears has been nominated for seven Grammy Awards and won for Best Dance Recording in 2005.

Not only has Britney’s music touched the lives of millions, but she has also used her global platform and voice to support the LGBTQ community, from the Dream Act to anti-transgender bills in Texas. As a longtime ally of the community, she most recently received GLAAD’s 2018 Vanguard Award, which is presented to media professionals who have made a significant difference in promoting equality and acceptance of LGBTQ people.

After her cutting-edge pop concert Las Vegas residency, “Britney: Piece of Me,” at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino ended in December 2017, Spears took her show on the road with a “Piece of Me” global tour in summer 2018. Britney has been creating fragrances for over ten years, and her scents are available in over 85 countries around the world.

ABOUT BACKSTREET BOYS

For 26 years the Backstreet Boys have delivered the finest pop music one has to offer, making them one of pop’s most influential performers. With countless #1s, record-setting tours, numerous awards and worldwide sales in excess of 130 million, BSB has been recognized as the best-selling boy band in history.

In early 2019, BSB released their GRAMMY nominated 10th studio album “DNA” on RCA Records. The album debuted at #1 and features the Top 10 hit “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” The critically acclaimed and chart topping single was nominated for the “Pop Duo / Group Performance” 2019 GRAMMY, and was BSB’s first hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 10 years. Upon its release, the single went straight to #1 on iTunes Top Songs and Global charts and charted in over 22 countries.

In May 2019 the Backstreet Boys kicked off “The DNA World Tour” – the group’s biggest arena tour in 18 years thanks to the global success of their #1 new album. The DNA World Tour has seen the group sell out arenas all over North America, Europe, Asia and South America. 

Over the years, the Backstreet Boys have continually captivated millions of people with their impressive catalogue of hit songs and creative partnerships. Most recently, we saw the group’s highly successful Las Vegas Residency “Larger Than Life” become the fastest selling residency in Las Vegas history; along with hilarious collaborations with Jimmy Fallon and James Corden; a #1 Country radio single with Florida Georgia Line; and viral remixes of their hit song “I Want It That Way” by Chance The Rapper and Lil Uzi.

Image and details provided by RCA Records in a recent press release.

Grab helps Filipino merchant-partners grow with fresh insights, tools, and tech-solutions through Grab Unlocked 2020

Furthering its commitment to support the success of its merchant-partners, Grab Philippines launched its 2020 Grab merchant conference GRAB UNLOCKED: Opening Doors to Uplifting Your Business this New Normal. With insightful talks from Grab and industry experts, merchant-partner attendees learned about digital trends and tools to help grow their business resiliently and sustainably through digitalization.

Virtually held last November 19 and attended by Grab merchant-partners, GRAB UNLOCKED featured updates and insights from Grab’s Head of Deliveries EJ Dela Vega, Head of GrabFood and Grab Financial Group Marketing Daniel Anore, Head of GrabFood Greg Camacho, Head of GrabAds Martin Luchangco, and Grab Philippines Country Head Grace Vera Cruz. To give attendees an informative and inspiring learning session, aside from Grab Philippines representatives, GRAB UNLOCKED also featured industry experts and successful entrepreneurs to share their stories and provide meaningful insights that Grab Merchant partners can be inspired on to grow their businesses, namely Chef Margarita Forés, CloudEats co-founder and CEO Kimberly Yao, 24 Chicken co-founders Mark Ong and Jeff Sy, DITO-CME COO and Udenna Corporation CIO Donald Lim, and Unilever Sr. Omniretail Customer Manager Joselle Dela Rosa.

Embracing change to effectively adapt

Donald Lim, the Chief Operating Officer of DITO CME and the Chief Innovation Officer of the Udenna Corporation also joined the virtual conference to share how businesses can prepare for a post-pandemic world. With insights on how businesses can adapt their strategic response and the secret behind mastering a business pivot, Lim ended his talk remarking “We do not know when COVID will really be gone, but the more that we accept the reality this year, the more we can make adjustments to our business, and [sic] prepare our business, and future-proof our business for other challenges to come,” he said.

To prepare for the challenges to come, Head of GrabFood Greg Camacho unveiled the many upcoming features and upgrades to help businesses effectively adapt to the new normal. “We know that running a business is never a smooth process, and we want to be there with you every step of the way,” he shared.

Taking merchant-partners’ feedback into consideration, Camacho announced a range of features and upgrades to be launched in the coming months:

In the GrabMerchant App, merchant-partners can look forward to upgrades that will give a more seamless operations process through several new features:

  • The improved GrabMerchant Owner Profile gives access to the full suite of tools, allows easy management of employee roles, and provides a seamless shift for store profiles through multi-owner access
  • With communication upgrades integrated in the app, merchant-partners will also be able to quickly make order changes and have access to an in-app live chat for real time feedback from Grab’s support team

Outside the GrabMerchant App, merchant-partners will be able to get ample support through new platforms:

  • To give an even more efficient work process, Grab will be launching the GrabMerchant Portal, a web-based interface where merchant-partners can view and download analytics and reports on sales, operations, and campaigns. Businesses will be able to operate smarter and faster once the GrabMerchant portal starts rolling out in phases by December 2020.
  • Starting early next year, Grab will be launching the Ad Manager, where merchant-partners will be able to build and launch GrabFood ads from the GrabMerchant app in just a few minutes
  • This December, Grab will also be launching the GrabAcademy, a one-stop learning center where merchant-partners can easily access Grab merchant tutorials and courses. As Grab continues to innovate and provide new solutions for more efficient processes, the new GrabAcademy for merchants is sure to make learning much easier for its employees.
Putting safety at the core of your business

As businesses learn to adapt to the so-called “new normal,” addressing the demand for deliveries and prioritizing safety become key factors every business owner must take into consideration.

Unilever, a key partner of GrabFood in its commitment to providing safer meals, shared tips and tricks on how food businesses can ensure protection and good health of its employees and customers. With the goal of raising the bar for safety and hygiene in the food and delivery industry, Unilever Philippines’ Manager Joselle Dela Rosa talked about talked about all the cleaning and hygiene must-haves to maintain a safe kitchen— from surface sanitizer sprays like CIF to hand sanitizers like its new product Lifebuoy.

After a whole afternoon of insightful talks, Grab made sure merchant-partner attendees not only got learnings to help them with their businesses, but also a chance to win from hundreds of exciting raffle prizes. With the support of GRAB UNLOCKED’s co-presenter Unilever and sponsor Coca-Cola, some of the prizes given out were 500,000 GrabReward Points, Samsung S10 phones, Cebu Pacific round trip flight tickets to a local destination, Coca-Cola branded LED watches and cooler bags, Knorr Seasoning, and so much more!

Despite living in these unprecedented times, Grab Philippines’ Country Head Grace Vera Cruz assured its merchants that Grab will continue to be their partner in leveraging technology that can be utilized to further grow their businesses. “While we have a long road to recovery ahead of us, I am confident that by working together, we can build a stronger and more resilient economy; and it starts with every one of us fully embracing digitalization and unlocking its many opportunities,” she said.

Although today’s circumstances remain unprecedented, Grab is committed to working together with its merchant-partners to find the most effective solutions to better reach and serve their consumers. Through technology and digitalization, Grab will continue to provide its merchant-partners with various platforms that will help grow their business, such as the 2020 Grab merchant conference GRAB UNLOCKED.

To learn more about how you can grow your business with Grab, sign up to be a Grab merchant through https://www.grab.com/ph/merchant/food/

BTS #LifeGoesOn TikTok Challenge Sets a Record of 930M views in 15 days

TikTok, the leading destination for short-form mobile videos, today announced that BTS’ ‘Life Goes On’ which recently topped the Billboard ‘Hot 100’, hit a milestone on TikTok, setting a record of 930 M hashtag views in just 15 days.

Held from November 21 to December 5, the #LifeGoesOn challenge was a call for users all over the word to interpret and positively express how ‘Life Goes On’ in their own creative ways. The videos created with #LifeGoesOn had more than 463,276 in 15 days of the campaign.

BTS also participated in the challenge and connected with their fans by releasing TikTok videos of their own: Jin goes through a flipbook, RM and V does maple leaf art, Jimin decorates a glass bottle, j-hope takes Polaroid pictures and JungKook practises calligraphy. In response, the group’s fans, ARMY, uploaded videos of themselves dancing and singing along to the new song, as well as moments in their daily lives with friends and family.

A special ‘Life Goes On (ARMY version)’ music video will be released on the official BTS TikTok and social media channels on December 30, capturing selected video submissions that were part of the #LifeGoesOn challenge.

For more details about the challenge, visit the #LifeGoesOn Challenge Event Page.

Image and details provided in a recent press release.

The unfettered truth about love: PhilPop releases final batch of songs

PhilPop, the country’s premier songwriting competition, drops the final batch of songs from the South Luzon cluster.

Carefully selected from thousands of submissions, the entries from this particular group reflect the unfettered truths about romantic relationships, disappointments, and heartaches, written based from personal experiences or from the perspective of an outsider looking in.

Distributed by Warner Music and produced by PhilPop, the homegrown tracks are available today, November 27 (Friday) on all digital and streaming platforms worldwide. The entries include “Para Kay Catriona,” composed by Kulas Basilonia and interpreted by I Belong to the Zoo; “Bitaw,” composed by Keen and interpreted by Zsaris; and “Lunod,” composed by Chochay Magno and interpreted by Shaira Opsimar.

Para Kay Catriona: A Beautiful Serenade

“Para Kay Catriona” comes to terms with the painful reality of loving someone who will never be aware of your deep and strong romantic affection. Kulas Basilonia penned the track when he was aboard the bus, seeing Catriona Gray on television as she struts in the runway with her signature slow-mo twirl. “It felt as if my life is in a slow-mo too,” the up-and-coming singer-songwriter quips. “I immediately researched about her and found out that she has a Music Theory certificate from my dream school. I was amazed, and it made me daydream about the possibility of being destined together. But reality check: we’re different in a lot of ways, and I know, it’s never going to happen.”

The intricately arranged folk ballad is interpreted by I Belong To The Zoo, and produced by Caio Cadiz. Instead of synthesized sounds, Cadiz went for real instruments such as classical guitars in his attempt to record a serenade that is both heartwarming and beautifully melodic.

Bitaw: A Soulful Ballad

“Bitaw” is an emotional R&B track that centers around the dissolution of a romantic relationship, and the struggles of dealing with healing and self-love. With slinky beats and soulful delivery, the Keen-helmed song refuses to stick to the time-tested formula of pop music, tapping someone like Zsaris to interpret the material with the right balance of sensitivity and nuance.

“We are confident enough to win the vibe of the listeners,” Keen shares, beaming with so much enthusiasm and confidence. “The production team sauces up the final piece, they’ll be hearing a different approach from the original one that I made.”

Lunod: A Colossal anthem

According to composer Chochay Magno, “Lunod” is about finding merit in quitting, and how it can be liberating sometimes to just give in to loneliness and melancholy. “Sometimes quitting is winning,” the South Luzon finalist shares. “And walking away from those who failed to see your worth is your first step towards regaining yourself back.”

Magno wrote “Lunod” while lying in the sands of La Union. She attests to the power and tranquility that nature gives off, which allows her to hit the reset button and escape the toxicity of work and personal life. “I can cry my tears out without being obvious because when you’re soaked in water nobody knows you’re crying, right,” she explains. “I can shout to the waves without being judged. It’s like the sea is my witness and fortress.”

“Lunod” is interpreted by pop newcomer Shaira Opsimar, who gave justice to the song’s colossal nature and emotional depth.

“Para Kay Catriona,” “Bitaw,” and “Lunod” are are now available on streaming and digital platforms worldwide via PhilPop and Warner Music Philippines.

Image and details provided in a recent press release.