L’Oréal uses technology to reach consumers

Digital habits push personalised marketing in the Philippines.

L’Oréal Philippines is deepening its use of technology and artificial intelligence as Filipino consumers spend more time online and expect more personalised brand experiences.

Speaking at the Retail Asia Summit 2026, Yassine Bakkari, Managing Director of L'Oréal Philippines, said the country’s digital habits are reshaping consumer engagement. “First, the Philippines is a highly connected market, and Filipinos are digital consumers. They spend 5.2 hours a day on their smartphone, much more than the global average.”

He said the shift is not simply from physical to digital retail, but towards omnichannel behaviour. “We also see a shift from the offline to the online but it does not mean that offline shopping is gone,” Bakkari said. “It means that today, more than ever, consumers and shoppers are omni-channel. They want to buy from everywhere at any time.”

To respond, the company is using AI and digital tools to better understand consumers and strengthen brand engagement. “So we use the power of AI and digital to understand the consumer’s needs and we try to build an authentic brand connection with the consumer so that we can offer them a hyper-personalised experience.”

Bakkari said technology is allowing brands to move away from broad messaging and towards more direct engagement. “Through AI and digital, we have the power to reach millions of Filipinos,” he said. But he added that scale alone is not enough. “We need to move from broadcast to personal conversation with consumers.”

He said brands must combine technology with local values and cultural understanding. “We need to engage with them, and we need to make sure that we use our data to understand shopper and consumer needs before they even voice them,” Bakkari said. He added that technology should also be used “to celebrate Filipinos diversity and Filipinos uniqueness.”

The shift suggests marketing in the Philippines is becoming more data-led, more personal and more culturally specific.