2025 Winner

To deepen its connection with Filipino Canadians, Coca-Cola created “Balikbayan Magic: Philippine Oriental Food Market” to recognize – beyond Christmas – the seasonal tradition of sending love back home to family and friends through a box of gifts. Instead of focusing on presents, the campaign celebrated the community connection at the heart of the tradition. Specifically, the campaign served as a love letter to Sari-Sari stores, neighbourhood variety stores that play an important role in Filipino community life. Coca-Cola partnered with a longtime store owner in Toronto, Tita Rosita, and provided custom Balikbayan boxes for expatriates to send home. Key activations included a poignant video showcasing Rosita’s store as a symbol of community pride, a giant Balikbayan box installation on her storefront and influencer support from Filipino celebrities such as actor Nico Santos (Crazy Rich Asians). The campaign delivered 11 million impressions, eight million video views and a 257% year-on-year spike in brand mentions related to Balikbayan.

Credits

Office: TAXI Montreal, a VML Agency

Debbi Vandeven, Global CCO, VML
Rafael Pitanguy, Deputy Global CCO, VML
Graham Lang, CCO, Canada, VML Canada
Andrew Keller, Global CCO, WPP Open X
Antoine Bécotte, ECD, VML Canada
Frank Macera, ECD, VML Canada
Sasha Ortega, ACD, VML Canada
LB Cooper, ACD, VML Canada
Jeremy Lenz, CD, VML Canada
Sucheta Shankar, ACD, VML Canada
Coralie Adler, Art Director, VML Canada
Sarah Auclair, Copywriter, VML Canada
Sam Bullis, Design Lead, VML Canada
Jennifer Yoon, Sr Designer, VML Canada
Steve Emmens, SVP, Head of Production, VML Canada
Chris Esguerra, Sr Producer, VML Canada
Heather Hyland, Sr Producer, VML Canada
Chase Cornett, Global CSO, The Coca-Cola Company, VML
Christine Maw, CSO, VML Canada
Lizzie Dabous, VP, Strategy, VML Canada
Jeremy Singer, Strategy Director, VML Canada
Stephanie DeCelles, Global Client Lead, The Coca-Cola Company, VML
Emma Toth, Chief Client Officer, VML Canada
Maxime Mercier, MD, VML Canada
Louthiern Bonsart, MD, VML Canada
Camille Joly, Account Director, VML Canada
Gabriel Trépanier, Account Supervisor, VML Canada
Nicolas Laurin, Account Manager, VML Canada
Rachel Hlinko, VP Integrated Media Strategy, Weber Shandwick
Riya Dhaliwal, VP, Client Experience, Weber Shandwick
Tanny Chiu, Manager, Media Relations, Weber Shandwick
John Nadalin, Executive Producer, MOWAD
Marc André Debruyne, Director, MOWAD
Lester Millado, Cinematographer, MOWAD
Dana Gadsden, EP, TA2 Sound+Music
Steve Gadsden, Director & Composer, TA2 Sound+Music
Kenneth Lo, Sound Engineer, TA2 Sound+Music
Joe Frustaglio, Audio Director, TA2 Sound+Music
Fi Alvarez, Editor, School Editing
Yumi Suyama, Producer, School Editing
Manolo Arroyo, Global Chief Marketing Officer, The Coca-Cola Company
Stephanie Eaddy, Sr Director, Multicultural Marketing North America
Solange Grimard, Sr Integrated Manager, The Coca-Cola Company
Stephanie Knowles, Integrated Marketing Manager, The Coca-Cola Company