ABOUT

BACKGROUND
Philippine Spring Water Resources, Inc. (PSWRI) is the manufacturer and owner of the Nature’s Spring brand, the number 1 bottled water brand in the Philippines. It is proud of being a 100% Filipino-owned and a 100% family-owned company. It is also proud to champion traditional Filipino values and is close to uplifting the working class.

The summer of 2024 was forecasted to be the hottest in the Philippines, exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon. Extreme heat posed significant risks to outdoor laborers such as construction workers, street sweepers, and delivery riders, whose jobs demand prolonged exposure to harsh conditions. As a brand that values hydration and the welfare of the working class, Nature’s Spring saw an opportunity to raise awareness of these workers’ contributions while emphasizing the importance of staying hydrated. It also saw an opportunity to showcase what it is doing to battle the effects of or at least lessen its contributions to the worsening state of climate change given that the brand, which uses PET water bottles for packaging and product containment, is seen as a primary contributor to the problem. Without any paid media support, the challenge was to create an impactful campaign that would organically reach and resonate with the public.

TARGET AUDIENCES
The primary audience comprised the general public, particularly digital consumers who engage with social issues online. This audience is highly responsive to human-interest content, especially narratives that showcase unsung heroes. They relate to the struggles of the working class because they too experience the difficulties brought by the high cost of basic goods, high cost of living, and other essential (i.e. cost of education for dependents) and unexpected expenses (i.e. medical bills).

The secondary audience included policymakers, businesses, and industry leaders who could advocate for better working conditions.

CONCEPT
The short film Natatanging Serbisyo aimed to impart 3 key messages to its target audiences:

1. Laborers endure extreme heat daily to keep society moving—let’s recognize and appreciate their contributions.
a. Showcase the featured workers while they are on their actual jobs.
b. Let the laborers speak about their aspirations and the challenges they face on a daily basis.
c. Highlight aspects that would make the general public want to root for the success of laborers and other members of the working class.

2. Staying hydrated is essential, especially for those who work under the sun.
a. Feature shots of laborers drinking water to keep hydrated.
b. Add scenes that have the workers talk about the importance of drinking water, especially during extremely hot days.

3. Nature’s Spring recognizes the need to be proactive in addressing the adverse effects of climate change, as demonstrated by the El Niño phenomenon experienced in the country.
a. Include shots of the new tethered caps for Nature’s Spring products, the first and only packaging of its kind in the Philippines that ensures the water bottle is 100% recyclable after its use.

The short film Natatanging Serbisyo aimed to deepen public appreciation for laborers while reinforcing Nature’s Spring’s commitment to hydration and social responsibility. It sought to achieve the following:

1. Reach at least 6.5 million people organically. This is a bold target given that Meltwater and We Are Social in their 2024 Philippine Digital Report estimate that Facebook page contents only reach around 2% of its followers organically. As of April 1, 2025, the brand Facebook page has total followers of 1,644,983 people. The target is 197.57% more of how many people will normally see the brand contents organically (32,900 people).

2. Garner at least 7.5 million video views. For this target, we want at least 1 million of people who were reached by the short film to watch it more than 1 time. Repeat viewing is indicative of how well the story resonates with the own stories of our target audiences.

3. Achieve at least 6,000 engagements, primarily comments appreciating laborers. While audiences are typically passive consumers of information, especially in social media, due to what is seen as an oversaturation of available content, achieving this target number engagements will indicate how strongly target audiences feel about the aspirations and predicaments faced by our featured workers.

These objectives are to be achieved from the time of posting of the short film until the end of May 2024. This is to cover the entire month of May, traditionally dubbed as the month to show appreciation for laborers and the working class.

The objectives align with the business need of PSWRI as these targets are the best indicators of success of the campaign, which is social media-based.

EXECUTION
Understanding the risks posed by the El Niño phenomenon, the campaign was designed to spotlight the resilience of laborers working in extreme heat. The storytelling approach focused on their struggles, dreams, and dedication, ensuring emotional connection with viewers. The film’s messaging aligned with the brand’s advocacy for hydration and its commitment to supporting the working class. Insights on audience behavior guided content placement, fostering organic engagement and social conversation.

With a modest production budget of Php150,000.00 (plus VAT) and no ad spend, efficiency was paramount. The team maximized storytelling impact by crafting a compelling narrative that resonated emotionally with the audience. The short film was strategically distributed in Facebook, the brand’s most active social media channel, leveraging organic engagement to amplify its reach. Despite resource limitations, the final version of the short film far exceeded expectations, both in terms of the quality of the cinematography (i.e. editing, sound mixing, and color grading) and resonance of the storytelling.

RESULTS
The campaign’s measurable objectives, primarily measured through the Meta Business Manager platform, were significantly exceeded, as of the target deadline for measurement of May 31, 2024:

Reach: Target of 6.5M → Achieved 9.5M (146%)

Views: Target of 7.5M → Achieved 11.1M (148%)

Engagements: Target of 6K → Achieved 9K (150%)

The overwhelming positive response highlighted the public’s appreciation for laborers, aligning with Nature’s Spring’s mission. The success of this organic campaign proved that compelling storytelling can drive meaningful impact even without a paid media budget.