GIVING food, entertainment and merchandise for free, Rakuten ramped up its marketing campaign for its Viber Internet messaging and calling service.
The campaign targets Filipino families who go to shopping malls.
The campaign that began in July harnessed iconic Filipino landmarks, such as the jeepney (painted purple, sari-sari stores, tambayan benches and merienda stalls.
By showing their Viber app, users were given a ticket that gave them access to a free concert and party featuring millennials: actor Bea Binene and University of Santo Tomas volleyball player Carmela Tunay, among others.
Apart from the mall tours, Rakuten’s Philippine office continues to upgrade to better serve its users, according to Viber Philippines Country Manager Kristian Melquiades. Melquiades cited the latest version of Viber promises to optimize data usage “especially in the Philippines, where the Internet is a little bit challenged.”
He cited the firm’s $9-million acquisition of Nextpeer as Rakuten further ventures into mobile gaming. Following the launch of Viber Games in February this year, Viber will tap into Nextpeer’s expertise to increase user engagement and help connect players on mobile and deliver a social platform for developers, Melquiades said.
It also recently added “Wonderball” to its game portfolio, which includes other games, such as “Viber Pop,” “Viber Candy Mania” and “Wild Luck Casino.”
Image credits: Marianne Grace Sarmiento