realme is #1 in the Philippines : How Did They Do It? What Can Filipinos Expect From realme in 2021?
On November 25, 2020, hotshot tech brand realme officially announced
that it has managed to become the leading or the
number one smartphone brand in the Philippines in terms of total number
units sold based on data gathered by three respected global research
companies, namely,
Counterpoint Research, Canalys, and International Data Corporation (IDC).
According to IDC, realme Philippines was able to enjoy an incredible
962.5% annual growth and captured 25.4% local market share in
Q3 2020, which are enough feats to catapult the brand to the top spot.
This achievement sounds particularly more poignant and impressive when we
consider the fact that realme Philippines is only two-years old and that
2020 was a very challenging year for almost all companies and consumers because of
the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing community quarantine.
As a proud tech blogger partner of realme ever since it was born in the
Philippines, I recently interviewed one of our good friends from the company
- their Marketing Lead, Mr. Eason de Guzman - through their PR agency
- Ardent Communications - and asked him relevant questions about
realme's current lofty status in the Philippine smartphone market as well as
their plans moving forward.
For all Pinoy realme fans and TP Friends, I'd like to share to with you the
meat of my interview with Eason so you can get an idea of how the brand was to
able to accomplish their tremendous feats as well as what you can expect from
realme in 2021 and beyond.
Mark Macanas of TechPinas: To which factors does realme attribute
their success in the Philippines?
Eason de Guzman of realme Philippines: We at realme mainly attribute
our success to the elevated experience each of our smartphones and AIoT
devices bring to their respective price segments.
We also see our strong and wide - and growing - network across the nation,
both offline and online, as a key factor in propelling our growth. We
currently has 465 kiosks, 119 concept stores and 5200+ partner stores in key
areas across the country. We also have a strong partnership with e-commerce
giants Lazada and Shopee.
In service of our customers’ interests, we have also forged relationships
with key industry players such as Moonton, the game developer of the
smash-hit Mobile Legends [Bang Bang].
And lastly, we ensure that our customers have the best experience, not
just with our products, but their complete realme journey - from product
consultation and purchase, to post sale. This has been our guiding
principle since day one.
We keep our connection with our customers strong as gratitude for their
trust and confidence in our products. Our online community, for example, is
now the biggest smartphone brand-led digital community in the Philippines, a
feat we achieved through regular, authentic and organic engagement with our
squad.
Mark Macanas of TechPinas: How big a role did Pinoy tech
bloggers play in their local success?
Eason de Guzman of realme Philippines:
The tech media in the Philippines, which include the traditional media,
bloggers and vloggers, are instrumental to our growth.
In 2018, when we finally entered the Philippine market, the smartphone
industry was already teeming with a lot of smartphone brands from all over
the world. We have always been confident in our products and the
experience they offer, but the trust the media has given us has amplified
this to their own audiences.
We have always appreciated the the reviews we receive from the local tech
media and the expertise they share with us through their critique of our
products.
Eason de Guzman of realme Philippines: One of the best innovations
brought by online platforms is two-way communication. Growing our online
community was our priority back in 2018 to make sure we hear our customers.
As a brand that specifically targets the youth, we made sure we had a venue
of congregation where they can discuss with us and among themselves on not
just about our products, but also their needs and expectations as we see
more trends and advancements in technology unfold. Currently, we host the
biggest smartphone-branded online community in the country.
Through our direct communication with our customers, we get to have a
firmer grasp of what their lifestyle is, what their daily needs are, and
what areas can our technology bring further convenience in.
We put all of this information at the core of our business to properly
identify the right price and features for our products, and in what channels
should they be offered.
Mark Macanas of TechPinas: Now that realme is #1, how do you
intend to sustain it?
Eason de Guzman of realme Philippines: With the launch of our
flagship supreme realme X50 Pro 5G through our postpaid partnerships with
Globe and Smart, we are officially one of, if not the, most
available and accessible smartphone brand as we are now present in multiple
price segments through diverse retail channels.
We would be sustaining our rank by making elevated experience available
and accessible to more Filipinos. Everyone deserves to experience real
innovation - and we are excited to bring more of that.
To guarantee that the flow of our resources is smooth, we are also
optimizing our resource management and supple chain. This would allow us to
bring the realme experience to broader number of Filipinos.
Mark Macanas of TechPinas: What can Pinoy consumers expect from
the brand in 2021 amidst the new normal?
Eason de Guzman of realme Philippines: The pandemic has allowed
Filipinos to reassess the cogs and gears of their daily life. 2020 has shown
us the many potentials that the digital sphere offers - from leisure
activities to academic, corporate and entrepreneurship.
As more people pivot to digital ways and means, Filipino customers can
expect more technology from realme - from our smartphones to AIoT - that can
aid them in maximizing the potentials and grabbing the possibilities offered
by the digital realm.
They can expect that we will be offering a fresh new line of innovations
that can help them make their lives more efficient, convenient and
connected within one big realme ecosystem. The best digital lifestyle
experience is a realme promise.
Certainly a lot to look forward to from realme in 2021 and beyond! I'm so
happy for this company for I know how hard each member of their team and
agency work.
To the realme Philippines Squad and to their millions of Filipino fans
across the country: Great job in 2020! Have a More Blessed, Prosperous,
and Successful 2021! Cheers!
