2017 Smartphone Brands In The Philippines Still Going Strong This 2018

Upcoming mobile device players like Oppo and Vivo are using a strong marketing campaign to gain popularity and have been successful so far, targeting the millennials who are the very subject of how they develop their products. Plus, they are also relying on wide distributorship to cement their brands in the strong smartphone market in the Philippines. To enhance their brand equity among their target market, both established and new smartphone companies have focused on the intense battle of marketing campaigns this year.

These companies have hired huge celebrities as endorsers like basketball star Stephen Curry, or popular local actors and actresses like Alden Richards and Sarah Geronimo for Oppo, Daniel Padilla, Kathryn Bernardo and Barbie Forteza for Vivo, Bea Alonzo for Asus, Pia Wurtzbach for Huawei, Vic Sotto and Anne Curtis for Cherry Mobile and Liza Soberano for Samsung to name some. Plus, they are holding below-the-line activities, new marketing strategies such as product placements and co-branding. Both local and global brands who are vying for a spot in the Philippine market are using these strategies.

Fortunately, the share of Filipino companies in the smartphone market went up as compared to previous years. Despite the edge of the global competition over the local players, Filipino brands are faring better locally as compared to other homegrown brands in other SEA countries.

Shares of global brands like Apple and Samsung remain at the same spot as last year, with only Samsung increasing in rank and performance as noted by IT services in the Philippines. However, reports show that global brands continue to thrive and grow in the region.

Here are some highlights ranked from last to the top brand:

Asus

Taiwanese electronics company Asus took its name from the winged stallion Pegasus from Greek mythology. Asus manufactures consumer electronics, including mobile phones. Recently, they have tapped popular South Korean actor Gong Yoo from the Goblin fame and Filipina actress Bea Alonzo as brand ambassadors for their Asus Zenfone 4 series. Now, they recently released ZenFone 5 with AI Cameras/Quad Cameras to boost that selfie game of yours.

Vivo

Vivo holds the sixth spot, but their rank is going higher every quarter. By using NBA superstar and two-time MVP Stephen Curry as their endorser, they have increased brand awareness in the Philippine market. Aside from that, Vivo benefits from their roadshows and their “selfie tour” activities. Capitalizing on targeting the millennial market, they have hired sought-after actors and actresses to endorse them, namely Daniel Padilla, Kathryn Bernardo, Barbie Forteza, and Julie Anne San Jose.

Huawei, Cherry Mobile

The very affordable Filipino brand, Cherry Mobile, still is one of the leading brands in the smartphone market, with phones that cost below $50 raking in the profits. To counter the marketing campaign of Chinese competitors, Cherry Mobile has focused its promotion budget on spots seen on popular noontime shows targeting the mass. Huawei, on the other hand, has tied with Cherry Mobile for the fifth spot. This Chinese multinational brand was founded in 1987 but just entered the mobile phone competition in 2003. The latest in their smartphone line is the Huawei Mate10 series which boasts of having the world’s first Kirin A1 processor. Their famous endorsers are Marvel’s Black Widow actress Scarlett Johansson, Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi and DC’s Superman actor Henry Cavill.

Sony, Myphone, LG

Japanese brand Sony enters the ranks in the fourth spot, tied with the first local brand Myphone and South Korean giant LG. The latest for Sony smartphones is the Xperia XZ line, which features the world’s first super slow-motion video in a smartphone. For Myphone, they still continue in offering affordable mobile phones just like Cherry Mobile, targeting the general market. LG recently released LG V30 featuring a six-inch organic light-emitting diode or OLED display, wireless charging, and a dust-proof and water-proof body.

Oppo

Coming in as the third biggest vendor in the Philippines, Oppo owes its success to aggressive marketing, merchandising, and advertising tactics. Like Vivo and Samsung, they also gain profit through their partnership with Home Credit, which allows 0% interest for members even if they don’t have a credit card. Oppo also uses marketing with heavy promotion through celebrity endorsers.

Apple

Apple has been a steady force in the smartphone market that they have sky-rocketed to the second spot in the Philippine smartphone ranks. They’re a no-brainer internationally as they are one of the two titans in the smartphone business, along with Samsung. Recently, they released three new iPhones: the iPhone 8, the iPhone 8 Plus which has a wireless charging feature, and the highly anticipated iPhone X which commemorates the 10th year anniversary of the first iPhone.

Samsung

The top spot goes to the other titan, Samsung. By using a strong marketing campaign through above-the-line promotions using popular celebrity endorsers, Samsung wipes out every competition except for Apple. The popularity is also backed by the strong sales of their J-series smartphones. The latest, Galaxy J7 Pro, is endorsed by none other than the most beautiful face in the world, Liza Soberano.