Compassion makes unity and pantries possible.
The busy and even the quiet streets in the Philippines are now filled with at least 2500 community pantries. With the initiation of community people from Maginhawa Street, Quezon City, Filipino camaraderie is once again rejuvenated. But, how and why did it rapidly accumulate popularity from our fellow countrymen? How can we learn from it as advertisers?
The pandemic arrived at the most unexpected time. Many businesses closed following the safety and health protocols implemented by the government, leaving most Filipinos unemployed.
Everyone is still battling to survive. Soon, an initiation to create a little change was born. Maginhawa community started installing a community pantry where people can access food, taking what they need, and giving what they can. Fact-checking the current situation and availability of resources can help you identify what advertising strategies are applicable to sustain your goal. In this case, the community pantry can be presumed as outdoor advertising which is the best way to promote its ultimate goal, camaraderie, while obeying the existing safety and health protocols.
Community pantries are open for everyone, regardless of their age, gender, religion, and social class. Its target audience has no restrictions, making it more accessible. If you check out a community pantry close to your neighborhood, you’ll see strategic signage, “Take what you need. Give what you can.” With this, people easily get informed, persuaded, and reminded what community pantries are all about—hitting the primary objectives of advertising.
Remarkably, the Maginhawa community pantry was also advertised through social media. The Facebook post reached thousands of Filipinos where it created a spark, blooming up until now. Social media became an instrument to encourage people to build their community pantries. People create genuine posts about their version of it—which were highlighted by mainstream media outlets in a series of news articles. One of the stories is about a community pawntry for pets, especially stray cats and dogs. Another one offers shoes, slippers, and sandals while most neighborhoods are filling their community pantries with necessities like vegetables, canned goods, rice, and noodles. Using social media for advertising has been useful for reaching out target audience faster and for expanding it more than you expected.
Underlying the success of community pantries are the numerous families struggling to have food at their table. Will the pandemic end soon? No one could tell for now. But, everyone is hoping for things to go back to a state resembling normal. Not yet there, but we’ll get through this together.