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| The Metro Pacific Health Tech Corporation partnered with the UAAP for special edition MWell watches. Ivan Saldajeno |
PASIG—Basketball fans may have only heard of the term "MWell" upon seeing the fitness and wellness app's logo on the jerseys of the Bacoor City Strikers in the MPBL and the San Beda Red Lions in the NCAA.
However, Metro Pacific Health Tech Corporation's business unit head for user growth and marketing Gary Dujali said that almost 3 million people already have the MWell app.
So how did MPHTC successfully reach that many users despite the limited marketing stunt?
"We're really growing it organically, so when we do partnerships, we do talks so people can really understand what it is for because if we just do ads, they don't see the value in it. People would really uninstall the app. I think it's really about being able to bring forth the value that we have and then making sure that they use the app and they're gonna come back," Dujali told Dugout Philippines on Friday.
Unfortunately, despite winning the South Division last season, Bacoor City took a leave of absence for this year's MPBL wars, so MWell lost one major way of advertising itself.
However, an even bigger fish came as not just one team but an entire league forged an alliance with the app.
MPHTC formally signed a memorandum of agreement with the UAAP that will see MWell being marketed primarily to the Gen Z market through the league.
Dujali and the rest of the MPHTC officials and the top guys from the UAAP led by executive director Rebo Saguisag inked their signatures during a formal signing event at MPHTC's office inside the Rockwell Business Center.
One way of advertising MWell to the UAAP's intended audience is the launch of special edition MWell smartwatches wherein either the league's logo or those of the eight member colleges will be the wallpaper on the watch screen.
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| The MWell UAAP watches. Ivan Saldajeno |
"MWell's family is getting bigger and bigger."
As part of the new partnership, MWell will be one of the sponsors for the UAAP Cheerdance Competition on Dec. 1 as well as the women's volleyball season in February next year.
Also, a "wellness university tour" is set where MWell will visit the eight UAAP schools' main campuses to not just promote their product but also create awareness about the importance of both physical and mental health.
"Now, we're really going to the schools, so that's the organic flow of things," Dujali further said.
"It's not your usual tour that you have a template and then go because our services are modular. They can choose which ones are more relevant to you, so we bring them to their school. That's how you solve a problem, not just creating awareness but making them understand that there's an underlying purpose for it."
While MPHTC can give the pro leagues another try--all the more that the three PBA teams under the MVP Group also use the MWell app--Dujali said that their current advertising focus is on the UAAP market.
"It's really because of what the students really need at this point," Dujali further said.
The MWell UAAP watches are available exclusively through the e-shop in the MWell app and MWell's website.
Follow him on X: @IvanSaldajeno
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