GCash emerged as the biggest winner at the YouTube Works Awards Philippines 2026, capturing the coveted Best of Philippines award with a campaign that turned creative storytelling and artificial intelligence into measurable business growth.
Its GLoan with Free Health Insurance: Loan Song Syndrome campaign stood out for replacing traditional financial advertising with humor, relatable storytelling, and creator-led content that resonated with Filipino consumers.
Supported by Google’s AI-powered advertising tools and a full-funnel YouTube strategy, the campaign delivered a 14.5 percent increase in daily users and a 36.7 percent jump in daily loan disbursements.
Search interest for “Free Health Insurance” surged 684 percent, while customer acquisition costs dropped 95 percent compared with standard search benchmarks, underscoring how data-driven creative campaigns are increasingly reshaping financial services marketing.
“For many Filipinos, providing for the family means finding ways to make every peso count. But when emergencies happen, having quick access to a financial lifeline can make all the difference,” said GCash Chief Marketing Officer Neil Trinidad. He said the campaign made financial protection more accessible while delivering strong commercial results.
The awards also highlighted YouTube’s growing role as a performance marketing platform rather than simply a video-sharing service.
Google Philippines Country Manager Prep Palacios said the platform’s combination of trusted creators, extensive audience reach, and AI-powered advertising helps brands convert consumer attention into sales and achieve stronger returns on marketing investments.
Google said more than 19 million Filipinos now watch YouTube on connected televisions, while uploads of YouTube Shorts have increased by more than 90 percent year on year. Citing internal research, it added that 81 percent of surveyed Filipino viewers trust product recommendations from YouTube creators, reinforcing the platform’s growing influence on consumer purchasing decisions.
The results reflect a broader shift in digital advertising, with brands increasingly combining creator partnerships, short-form video, and AI-driven targeting to improve marketing efficiency and drive business outcomes.
