Happy Skin and BLK target value-fluid Filipino consumers

Routine-based marketing seen as key to revenue.

Filipino consumers are becoming more flexible in how they spend, pushing brands to rethink pricing and marketing strategies to sustain growth and loyalty.

Expounding on her talk at the Retail Asia Summit, Jacqe Gutierrez, Co-founder and CEO of Happy Skin Cosmetics and BLK Cosmetics, said Filipino shoppers are not necessarily abandoning premium products but are becoming more selective about where they spend. “Filipinos aren't really trading down. They're trading smart. They're becoming very value-fluid consumers. They really look for brands that give them more value.”

This behaviour is reshaping how brands position their products. Gutierrez said consumers are increasingly mixing purchases across price tiers depending on perceived value. 

She added, “Loyalty now isn't really about the tri-steer. It's not loyal to being luxury goods. It's really loyalty by product.”

For brands, the implication is clear: products must clearly justify their value, particularly in premium categories. Gutierrez said differentiation is critical to maintaining consumer trust and willingness to pay. She highlighted, “If it's a premium price, why is it a premium price? Do you give a little bit more extra? Are you so much better than your competitors?”

She also urged retailers to balance trend-driven campaigns with strategies that create repeat purchasing behaviour. “It’s so easy to get lost in the trends, but focusing on trends creates noise, but focusing on routines creates revenues,” Gutierrez said.

According to Gutierrez, successful marketing must connect trends with everyday consumer habits. “It’s okay to latch on trends, maximise trends, but you need to make sure that you build a routine through that,” she said.

She added that campaigns must fit naturally into the lifestyle of Filipino consumers to sustain long-term growth.