ADS THESE DAYS have full-blown narratives, taking viewers through a beginning, middle, and emotional climax in a matter of 30 seconds — and Filipinos are proving to be most susceptible to this.
Damien Yeong, global head of retargeting for mobile advertising solution platform Mintegral, said that this is the reason brands are shifting their budgets towards “short-form, emotionally resonant videos.”
In a virtual interview with BusinessWorld, he cited three reasons for this: higher engagement, stronger recall, and better downstream conversion.
“Filipino users spend hours a day on mobile, making full-screen vertical formats the most immersive way to engage. These formats now dominate social feeds, in-app placements, and rewarded video spaces,” Mr. Yeong said.
“While these formats were once dominant mainly on social platforms, we now see them gaining significant traction across mobile games, utility apps, and web inventories.”
For example, if one were to play a mobile game that requires points to access in-game currency or more chances to play, there is usually a video ad that the user can watch in exchange for points.
Mr. Yeong explained that users actually choose to watch these ads in exchange for a benefit.
“Because they’re opt-in, we tend to see stronger engagement and better message retention compared to traditional interruptive formats,” he said.
Meanwhile, on social media, where algorithms are designed to maximize engagement, it is “short, emotionally charged videos that tend to perform best.”
AI AND PERSONALIZATIONFor Mintegral, AI (artificial intelligence) helps advertisers test and optimize story-driven creatives at scale.
Mr. Yeong shared that elements such as pacing, music, character perspective, and even subtle emotional tones can “significantly impact performance.”
“Our system analyzes these variations in real time to understand what resonates most with different audience segments,” he said.
Because of AI, the “most relevant version of the ad” can be tailored to each user, whether they’re encountering the brand for the first time or already engaged at a deeper stage.
However, as a technology platform, Mintegral is guided by user privacy policy, according to Mr. Yeong.
“The personalization I mentioned must be done ethically and transparently, using data responsibly and in full compliance with all regulations. The goal is to create more relevant experiences without ever crossing the line into being intrusive,” he explained.
He added that Mintegral adheres to global privacy regulations and industry certifications like SOC 2 to ensure user data is handled securely and transparently.
FILIPINO PREFERENCESWhen asked why such ads appeal to Filipinos in particular, Mr. Yeong spoke of how they “feel like entertainment and a reflection of real life.”
“Filipinos connect through shared stories and emotions. When an ad tells a story about family, overcoming hardship, or celebrating a small victory, it taps into a universal experience that feels authentic and relatable,” he explained.
More effective than a direct sales pitch, story-driven ads are created to build curiosity. “Viewers want to see how it resolves, which is why they don’t skip,” Mr. Yeong added.
He also clarified that an important goal of ads is not to force the viewer to immediately act, but to give a gentle follow-up.
“This could happen when a well-placed banner can bring the brand back to their attention and move them closer to conversion. It’s really about creating consistency across different touchpoints, rather than relying on just one moment,” he said.
Filipinos are also prone to emotional fatigue, since they are online all the time. Mr. Yeong explained that this poses a challenge for brands to find “unique, authentic stories that align with specific values, rather than just copying a successful formula.”
“If every brand tells the same type of tear-jerking story, consumers will become desensitized, and the impact will diminish,” he said.
“Filipinos can easily spot when a brand is manufacturing emotion without genuine alignment to its values or actions.” — Brontë H. Lacsamana
