Phoenix Petroleum moves to strengthen its brand with the rollout of its digital transformation program in response to the business challenges of the ongoing pandemic.
“Companies should resist the instinct to forego brand building when finances run tight, which is based on the thinking that marketing is not an essential expense. The truth is that a brand’s resiliency should be put on full display precisely during times of crisis,” said Celina Matias, assistant vice president and head of integrated marketing and strategies for Phoenix and its portfolio of brands.
The independent oil firm said when the pandemic kicked in, the company sharpened its focus on digital communications by intensifying its presence on social media and coming up with compelling content to keep their respective followings steadily growing.
“Consumers as well as the general public will remember brands that were with them in difficult times. When the dust settles, they will gravitate toward the familiar, the tried-and-tested, and the true. Sustaining and fortifying brand equity when the going gets tough is the mission that any company worth its salt should take to heart,” said Matias.
In terms of digital transformation in its operations, Phoenix has fortified its online sales channels, such as the delivery ordering portal on the Phoenix SUPER LPG website. It has also pioneered contactless payment solutions in the industry starting with 100 of its fuel retail stations in Luzon, with those in Visayas and Mindanao to follow.
At present, Phoenix is the only gasoline station that accepts four e-payment merchants—GCash, Alipay, Grab Pay and WeChat. These digital solutions are all geared toward ensuring the safety and welfare of Phoenix’s customers.
The company said it will expand its contactless payment option to its gas stations in the Visayas and Mindanao. This method of payment will be implemented within the month amid concerns over the possible transmission of Covid-19 through paper bills and coins.
“The move came as part of the company’s tightened safety protocols across its businesses to help stop the pandemic,” said Phoenix Petroleum President and COO Henry Albert Fadullon.
“Phoenix has always been an advocate of safe and secure service. While we continue to provide quality products to our customers, we are also very serious in our rally towards stopping the spread of Covid-19.”
Phoenix has also evolved its marketing activations into the digital sphere. Its Young Drivers Program, which is an annual search for new Filipino race car driving talent, transformed into an E-Sports Virtual Charity Race during this time of community quarantine. The virtual race is a competition geared toward online race gaming enthusiasts in collaboration with long-time partner Tuason Racing.
“This crisis serves as an eye opener to the role of brand and marketing in business resiliency and a large part of marketing these days and in the foreseeable future will all be happening in the digital arena,” said Matias.
Adding timely relevance to the activity is a corporate social responsibility (CSR) component, which had Phoenix donate a FamilyMart food pack for medical frontliners for every participant who registered in the race series. Thus far, a total of 1,300 food packs have been distributed to various hospitals in Metro Manila.
On the Kwentong Phoenix corporate Facebook page, meanwhile, inspiring real-life narratives of the lives that the company continues to touch through its CSR initiatives have garnered record-breaking engagements.
From a homegrown company established in Davao City nearly two decades ago, Phoenix has become a tough contender for the mythical top three big players in the local oil market.
In 2019, an independent market study showed Phoenix landing third spot in the category of brand used most often (BUMO). Its brand supremacy was also affirmed when it received the coveted title of Marketing Company of the Year at last year’s Agora Awards by the Philippine Marketing Association.
“All these were a result of Phoenix’s focus on building brand equity through intensive marketing efforts,” said Matias.
Phoenix currently has 660 retail stations, 11 storage facilities and 72 FamilyMart stores.
With Manuel T. Cayon