Rethinking Responsible Marketing in the Philippines at adoboTalks

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – In today’s hyperconnected world, where children navigate screens with ease but not always with discernment, advertising wields a profound influence. This power places a unique burden on brands: to market responsibly, especially when the audience includes the youngest and most impressionable consumers.

This was the focus of “Philippine Responsible Marketing Principles,” a forum co-presented by adobo Magazine and Mondelēz International at KMC One Ayala Mall last September 11, 2025. Industry leaders, academics, regulators, and retailers gathered to discuss how marketing practices can balance commercial goals with public health imperatives, particularly in shaping children’s food choices.

Marketing’s double-edged power

“Marketing can inspire, inform, and connect. But with that power comes great responsibility,” stressed Aleli Arcilla, Managing Director of Mondelēz Philippines as she opened the event. She emphasized two guiding pillars: self-monitoring and family-oriented communication. These principles reflect the understanding that while children are part of the audience, parents and caregivers remain the ultimate decision-makers.

Trust, Aleli noted, is not a soft metric. It is a driver of long-term brand value. Globally, companies that uphold higher standards of responsibility build stronger equity, proving that ethical practices and commercial success can coexist.

Policy and proportion

Matt Kovac, CEO of Food Industry Asia, framed the issue in a global context. Childhood obesity, he reminded the audience, is a multifactorial problem driven by economics, lifestyle, and environment, with marketing only one piece of a complex puzzle. Blanket bans on advertising, he argued, often fail to deliver long-term  health outcomes.

Instead, he advocated for proportionate, evidence-based policies that focus on reducing children’s actual exposure to so-called high-fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) ads. Case studies from the UK, Chile, and Quebec show that while restrictions cut ad exposure, they did not translate into lower obesity rates. Matt called for co-regulatory systems that had clear standards, measurable outcomes, and independent oversight. He noted that in the UK and the US, co-regulatory and self-regulatory systems have proven effective, with children’s exposure to HFSS advertising falling sharply. This combination would balance consumer protection with business sustainability, offering lessons that the Philippines could draw from as it strengthens its responsible marketing framework.

The science of influence

Nutrition scientist Dr. Imelda Agdeppa underscored how advertising shapes dietary behavior, particularly among Filipino children who are heavily exposed to ads for foods during peak viewing hours. Research shows these ads significantly increase purchase requests and caloric intake.

Yet she cautioned against oversimplification. Obesity, she said, stems from multiple drivers, including physical inactivity and socio-economic conditions. Regulation must therefore work alongside with education, food labeling, and public health campaigns. “This is not about banning alone- it is about consensus and shared responsibility,” she emphasized.

Strategic Advantages of Responsible Marketing

The panel brought together a diverse cross-section of industry voices, each offering a lens into how responsible marketing must be practiced and enforced. 

Caitlin Nina Punzalan, Corporate and Government Affairs Lead at Mondelēz International, emphasized that manufacturers must go beyond sales to safeguard consumer trust, citing the company’s “Mindful Snacking” advocacy as an example of balancing business with consumer well-being. 

Miko David, Treasurer at the Ad Standards Council (ASC) and President of David & Golyat, highlighted the importance of strengthening self-regulation, especially as digital platforms and influencer-driven content complicate oversight. 

From the retail side, Steven Cua, Executive Director of PAGASA (Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association) and President of Welcome Bac Enterprise, pointed out the pressures supermarkets face between consumer demand and ethical responsibility, stressing the role of in-store practices in managing product visibility responsibly. 

Adding the perspective of media, Erika Sanchez, Executive Vice President and COO of RMN Marketing and Media Ventures from RMN Network, underscored the complexity of regulation in the digital age. She noted that broadcasting is ultimately about amplifying messages, yet challenges emerge as boundaries blur between content and advertising.

From the discussion, several takeaways emerged:

1. Trust as Currency: Companies that forego some short-term reach in child-centred media or use tighter targeting and factual messaging tend to build more resilient consumer trust.
2. Guidelines and Innovation Can Coexist: Rather than seeing regulation as a straightjacket, participants portrayed it as a structure within which creativity, ethics, and brand purpose can flourish.
3. Stakeholder Collaboration: Effective frameworks are emerging where private sector, public agencies, regulators, media bodies, parents, and health experts share responsibility. This multi-stakeholder model supports both legitimacy and operational efficacy.

Taken together, their perspectives reinforced the idea that responsible marketing is not just a compliance issue but a shared industry ethos — one that requires collaboration across manufacturers, regulators, and retailers to meaningfully protect children while maintaining consumer trust and fostering economic growth. 

The “Philippine Responsible Marketing Principles” event made it clear: responsible marketing to children is a complex but navigable terrain. Global policies inform and elevate local practice; local initiatives demonstrate what does not and can work on the ground; corporate policies translate norms into daily operations. When aligned, these layers build not just safer environments for children, but foundations of trust and legitimacy that brands cannot afford to ignore.

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