The recent presentation of Cathy Ileto, VP for Corporate Communications of SM Retail, which includes SM Store and its retail affiliates, during the National Retail Conference and Expo organized by the Philippine Retailers Association at SMX Convention Center Manila, got me thinking about SM and how it has been an integral part of my life.
Since I spent the first 18 years of my life in Hong Kong where I was born, I got to know SM, or Shoemart as it was known before, when I received gifts sent through relatives who visited us back then. These gifts would be wrapped in the very familiar blue bags and these gifts were usually clothing and whatever trinkets that were in style during those days.
When I moved to Manila to study, SM has always been my go-to place to unwind and relax. From SM Makati, SM North, SM Cubao to SM Bacoor and to the SM Malls which housed the clinic where I worked before, they have all been part of my life’s journey.
Consumer needs
Now that I am back to where I started, I have had the opportunity to learn more and write about the SM brand and how it has evolved through the years. SM has had a long history of evolving with the needs of consumers.
This has taken them from the first Shoemart branch in Avenida to the many innovative ways that SM has serviced customer needs throughout the years like SM Personal Shoppers and its own e-commerce platform, ShopSM.
“Every SM is a melting pot of people from all walks of life. We serve millions every day, making SM a brand that matters. We have become an important part of the lives of millions of Filipinos. We owe it to them to continuously deliver the best quality of service,” Ileto shared in her talk.
We’ve seen another facet of SM this year – a look that’s both brand new yet familiar for every Filipino. Ms. Ileto shared that this is part of SM’s brand refresh journey where they worked with Pentagram, a respected and world-renowned multi-disciplinary design studio to help them with the brand refresh process.
“We are very glad to have collaborated with SM in the brand refresh program. The process of translating the richness of SM’s legacy into the dynamism of their forward looking brand was an unforgettable journey for us,” said Domenic Lippa, Pentagram Director.
The brand refresh journey took several months as it started in late 2020 and then rolled out in 2022. The process involved learning about the consumer, reviewing the deep legacy of the brand and aligning this with SM’s values and vision.
“As SM continues to be the partner of every Filipino as they go about their daily routine, pursue their dreams, and build the life they want, the Brand Refresh will make sure that SM visually resonates across generations through our omni channel strategy,” Ileto added.
The end result of all this is a refreshed SM brand that is familiar, dynamic and forward-looking.
Big leap forward
Even if there were challenges along the way, SM’s leadership team saw the vision and encouraged everyone on the SM team to make this big leap forward. SM’s Brand Refresh has made the brand more vibrant and more recognizable, especially in the digital space.
In addition to the Brand Refresh, SM is also pushing its sustainability programs. SM has a long history of running sustainability programs and through the years, SM realized that communities have to be involved in order to make a difference.
The SM Green Movement makes sustainability as accessible to all by nurturing an ecosystem of stakeholders that are empowered to live green in the easiest way possible. SM can work toward improved quality of life for the communities through priority initiatives of Green Planet, Green Living and Green Culture.
Today’s customers, according to SM, are more conscientious and patronize products that live out their values. In view of this, SM launched SM Green Finds, the first step in highlighting products that incorporate sustainable practices within their value chain. This makes green living easy so much easier by working with suppliers to offer products that are eco-friendly, made from natural ingredients, and support local communities.
I myself have been able to learn and appreciate the sustainable journey of the various brands. This in turn encourages SM suppliers to continue their sustainable journeys and help in creating a greener shopping experience for every Filipino shopper like me.
Thanks to this program, I am slowly appreciating and embracing sustainability as well as supporting products that local communities provide.