GCash, the leading mobile wallet in the Philippines, was hailed as the Company of the Year in the 55th Anvil Awards, dubbed the Emerald Anvils, after its collective public relations initiatives and tools proved to be the best in the industry.
For its maiden year of joining the much-coveted Anvil Awards, considered as the “Oscars” of the local public relations industry, GCash won the accolade “for its excellence and innovation in its public relations, digital, and marketing communications programs.”
This is the first time that a homegrown financial technology (fintech) firm was honored as the Anvil’s Company of the Year, which is often awarded to big conglomerates, veteran companies with large teams of corporate affairs practitioners, and established household names across different industries.
“We are extremely humbled to be awarded by the premier award-giving body in the country, the Anvil Awards, and we are thankful that all our hard work is validated by the awards that we scored for our relatively-young organization. Receiving these awards is an affirmation that we are effectively complementing our initiatives to promote finance for all,” GCash Corporate Affairs Chief Ney Villasenor said.
GCash won a total 21 Anvil trophies, eight of which are gold and 13 are silver, all falling under different award categories namely: PR Program on a Sustained Basis for Consumer Welfare, PR Program on a Sustained Basis for Good Governance, PR Program on a Sustained Basis for Arts and Culture, PR Program on a Sustained Basis for Children’s Welfare, PR Program Directed at Specific Stakeholders – Employees, PR Program Directed at Specific Stakeholders – Students, PR Program Directed at Specific Stakeholders – Communities, PR Program Directed at Specific Stakeholders – Consumers, Public Relations Tools – Exhibit and Special Event Launch, and Public Relations Tools – Digital Tool.
Gold Anvils were awarded to the following PR programs: Financial Inclusion Among Filipino Deaf Community; GCash Manila: Bringing Financial Inclusivity to Local Government Units; GCash Talks: Strengthening Stakeholder Relations through Thematic Thought Leadership Dialogues; and GCash for Good: Going Beyond Financial Inclusivity.
It also won Gold Anvils for PR Program and Tools such ad GCash Brand Love through Effective Media Relations Campaign; #WeAreGCash: Empowering the Workforce of the Country’s Leading Mobile Wallet; and We Are GCash Facebook Page: Utilizing Effective Social Media Strategies in Promoting Corporate Reputation.
Silver Anvils were awarded for GCash PR programs and tools like GCash For Good, GCash Talks, GCash Enterprise, GCash Forest, G!, the Official Newsletter of GCash, and GCash Media Initiatives.
“Working on these programs were already rewarding, and being awarded for implementing them is only a bonus. These citations challenge us to implement more effective communication strategies that not only promote our organization, but also create an impact on communities, consumers, and our internal and external stakeholders,” Villasenor said.
GCash won these laurels after it proved to an esteemed panel of judges that its PR programs and tools were able to raise brand awareness and loyalty while effectively educating stakeholders and serving higher community needs. Being awarded accolades, the communication programs of GCash were considered to be “innovative, trailblazing, and transformative.”
“We are blessed to be supported and backed by award-winning organizations, Globe Telecom Inc., Ayala Corp., and Ant Financial, all of which have been great inspiration for us in working towards campaigns that promote financial inclusivity, good corporate citizenship, and environmental awareness,” Villasenor said.
With deep emphasis on the huge contribution of PR in brands, companies, and groups, the Anvil Awards is an annual selection and awarding ceremony that recognizes the best PR programs in the country. It is presented by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP).
