Behind the scenes at Ever Bilena's Pond Naravit Fan Call
Our four-person Ever Bilena team flew to Thailand to give Pond Naravit's fans an extraordinary experience they could cherish forever.
By Denice Sy
A fan call is a short, one-on-one video conversation between a fan and a celebrity, moderated by the artist’s management. Typically, fans enter a lottery for the chance to chat with their idol. For this “PondCall” collaboration, Pond’s supporters only needed to shop his Ever Bilena favorites on our TikTok shop to earn raffle entries. It’s also the first time ever that a brand is sponsoring a major fan service event!
Working on this fan call project with a global A-lister like Pond was unlike anything we had ever handled before. At Ever Bilena, we live by one guiding principle: go all in and do it exceptionally well—or not at all. That same mindset shaped every detail of this campaign.
After the overwhelming success of the Pond Naravit x Ever Bilena Daily Dose Roadshow on July 5, 2025—where nearly 3,000 PangPonds and Narawins gathered at SM Mall of Asia—we knew the excitement around him was unmatched. And with this event held online, the reach was broader, and so were the risks if we failed to deliver.
Co-creating moments with fans
Before launching “PondCall”, our marketing team sat down with Pond’s most active fan club leaders, Luis Cruda, founder of the FiloNarawins, along with House of BL creators Euri Polca, Derrick Ordonez, and BL Bestie Frannie.
As Ever Bilena’s Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, it mattered to me that we understood their perspective. We wanted every activity in Pond’s campaign to resonate with his supporters while staying true to our brand’s approachable, empowering, and authentic personality.
What stood out was how warm, loyal, and generous Pond’s fans are. They volunteered to host TikTok Lives to spread the word and even organized “pasabuy” orders for international buyers—proof of Pond’s global influence.
When we finally opened the raffle, entries poured in from the Philippines, the US, and across Asia—from Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Luis shared: “We are happy when we see fellow fans happy, and it’s so meaningful to us that Ever Bilena made time to learn what Pond’s supporters cared about.” He added that this fan call gave fans worldwide a rare chance to connect, and “what an honor that it’s a Filipino brand making it possible.”
D-Day: The fan call
We booked a private function room for Sept. 15, 2025, at Grande Centre Point Terminal 21 Hotel in Bangkok for Pond and the 40 raffle winners.
Pond arrived promptly at 9:20 a.m., driving himself through Bangkok traffic and even struggling with parking like any ordinary local. Courteous and professional, he was greeted by his GMMTV road manager, Boat, sales manager Mild, and our brand manager, Rafeea Custodio.
Meanwhile, Rhona dela Cruz, our Marketing Manager, coordinated with all the winners via Zoom—managing breakout rooms, briefing participants, and ensuring everything ran smoothly with support from our Manila office. Fellow Ever Bilena team member, Peter Almario, documented everything for social media.
At 10:30 a.m. sharp, the calls began. Each fan had one minute, and Pond made every second count. He even recognized familiar faces of his loyal fans, recalling where he’d seen them before, and smiling throughout. He later told us he had truly looked forward to this day.
Winners flooded TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) with live updates, amplifying the excitement and engaging with Ever Bilena’s official accounts.
To cap the moment, we gifted Pond a custom oversized Funko modeled after him. He laughed and said, “My mom will be the happiest with this gift!”
After the session, he rushed off to attend his engineering class at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang. I was so inspired to witness first hand how he juggles studies, career, and fans with equal dedication!
Dinner with GMMTV
That evening, we reunited over dinner near GMMTV headquarters at Oranuch Thai Dining, hosted by GMMTV’s Nhum Taweepaiboonwong.
We enjoyed Thai classics like Tom Yum Goong, Deep-Fried Shrimp Cake, Stir-Fried Cowslip Creeper with egg, Green Curry with Chicken, and of course, Mango Sticky Rice, among others. Pond had intended to stay for just an hour, but three hours later, we were still sharing stories and laughter.
By midnight, our team headed for our flight back to Manila, while Pond prepared for another packed day of classes and dance practice with his Thai boy band, JASP.ER.
What’s next for Ever Bilena and Pond Naravit?
Throughout the call, Pond expressed how excited he is to return to the Philippines and meet his Filipino fans in person. In the meantime, Ever Bilena proudly supports him as he headlines the three-day sold-out fancon with Phuwin Tangsakyuen, “Rendezvous,” happening Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, 2025, at Union Hall, Union Mall, Bangkok.
Closing reflection
This project reaffirmed what I believe in both business and marketing: authentic connections matter most. Behind every campaign, beyond the strategy and execution, it’s the people who make the difference.
Watching Pond interact so genuinely with his fans reminded us that Ever Bilena is not just makeup, but a brand that helps make people feel seen, heard, and part of something bigger. Being proudly Filipino, we look forward to continuing bridging cultures and celebrating beauty by creating experiences and moments that matter.