Megaworld Lifestyle Malls: Redefining the Shopping Mall Experience in the Philippines

It nabs both the Mall of the Year and Marketing Initiative of the Year accolades at the Retail Asia Awards 2023.

Megaworld Lifestyle Malls, the retail arm of the country’s leading property developer Megaworld Corporation, has once again proven its dominance in the retail industry as it takes home two prestigious awards at the recently concluded Retail Asia Awards 2023.

Festive Walk Iloilo, a mall that has reinvented itself by becoming the centre of arts, culture, and community gatherings, has been named "Mall of the Year," whilst Megaworld Lifestyle Malls itself has been recognised as the "Marketing Initiative of the Year" for its #ExtraChristmas campaign.

Festive Walk Iloilo: Elevating the Community’s Malling Experience Through Arts, Culture, and Celebrations 

Inspired by the city’s culture and dynamism, Megaworld Corporation, launched its first lifestyle mall outside Manila, Festive Walk Iloilo, in 2018 and revolutionised the malling experience the city is accustomed to. 

The mall introduced several firsts in Iloilo City, such as being the first pet-friendly mall, the first mall with an outdoor park, and the first mall with a chapel. It also holds the record for introducing the first advanced cinema features in Iloilo, such as the first VIP cinema and Dolby Atmos sound system in theatres.

When the global pandemic hit the world in 2020, Festive Walk Iloilo sought to bring back the joys of malling by extending its services and features to uplift the community. They anchored their plan of action based on what locals love and miss the most: arts, culture, and celebrations.

The mall transformed its expansive outdoor area into the city’s first Korean-themed destination, K-Town, to boost friendly relations between Iloilo and Korea. K-Town stretches over a kilometre and gives mall guests a uniquely Korean experience by offering a lineup of Korean and local food and hosting Korean pop events.

Festive Walk Iloilo also championed the identities of Ilonggos and Filipinos through its museums. It launched the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art, the first of its kind in the region, and the Philippines’ first Brandy Museum, which offers an interactive journey into the brandy-making process.

The mall also contributed to the return of in-person celebrations, events, and festivals. It hosted the Iloilo Bike Festival for the seventh consecutive year, one of the biggest cycling events in the country. It also made a mark by being a venue for Dinagyang: The Queen of All Philippine Festivals, wherein it introduced a new synergistic approach that brought together the local government and private organisations with the goal of bringing the festival back to its heights and attracting both foreign and domestic tourists.

Moreover, the mall served as a venue for community-initiated projects, from fashion shows to art exhibits, community fairs, and more. It formed 105 community and government partnerships in just one year.

As a result, the mall surpassed its pre-pandemic revenue, foot traffic, and mall occupancy rate by turning in average foot traffic of 6 million from 2021 to 2022, a 39.5% increase versus the 4.3 million recorded in pre-pandemic 2019. The mall achieved an average tenant occupancy rate of 95%, a 35.7% gain from the previous 70% in 2019, and average mall sales of $26.2m, a 41.9% surge from $15.1m in 2019.

#ExtraChristmas: Going the Extra Mile for the Biggest Christmas Celebration in Years

With the pandemic plaguing the holiday spirit for the past two years, malls turned into ghost towns, even during peak seasons, when lockdowns and community quarantines were in effect. Fortunately, local businesses were kept afloat post-pandemic by revenge spending, a trend that sees consumers spending more than they normally would for products and services.

As the country's pioneer in lifestyle and entertainment, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls pulled out all the stops across its 20 properties to bring an #ExtraChristmas experience. The Extra Christmas campaign was designed to align with Filipino trends and traditions during the 'ber' months of the year and provide even more than what they usually enjoy in those months: shopping, decorating, promotions, events, dining options, and many more.

The campaign was executed in three phases spread out from September to January, with each phase catering to the needs and behaviours of consumers within a particular timeframe. The preparations began with hundred-day countdowns, and decorations were displayed across properties and social media. 

Shoppers were treated to countless sale events and exclusive discounts from partner stores across all properties. Mall-goers enjoyed a wide variety of shops offering an array of #ExtraOptions and #ExtraSelections of gifts and presents for the entire family. Families and friends indulged in #ExtraFreedom, a series of free concerts and live musical performances from local bands and artists. Kids of all ages enjoyed #ExtraWonders from parades and mascot meet and greets. Evenings were made #ExtraBright by world-class fireworks displays and Christmas shows.

Megaworld Lifestyle Malls’ Extra Christmas campaign was a resounding success, with daily foot traffic increasing by over 500%, with an average of over 200,000 from September 2022 to January 2023 compared to 2021’s 34,650. Daily sales were over $2m, an increase of over 330% compared to the previous $ 491,483.84. The occupancy rate significantly increased to 91% compared to the previous year’s 66.5%.

With the abundance of events, activities, and promotions, the Extra Christmas campaign garnered remarkable numbers across all properties, making last year’s festivities the biggest Christmas in years.

Today, Megaworld Lifestyle Malls look ahead to a promising future that surpasses the accomplishments and celebrations of the pre-pandemic Philippines.

The Retail Asia Awards is presented by Retail Asia Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2024 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's exceptional products or initiatives in the retail industry, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].