The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) and GMA Network, Inc. (GMA) made history as the sole Philippine awardee in this year’s Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards for its Anti-Scam Campaign produced by GMA New Media Inc. (NMI). BPI is also the first Philippine bank to be honored in the history of Cannes. 

The “Maging Listo, Huwag Magpaloko” (Be Vigilant, Don´t Be Deceived) anti-scam advocacy was recognized as a Finalist in the category A3–Informational Films and Explanatory Videos of the 14th edition of the awards for 2023 recently held in Cannes, France.

“We are delighted that our anti-scam campaign has been recognized as world-class. BPI is committed to raising more awareness about the importance of cybersecurity, and this recognition will only inspire us to strengthen our efforts to communicate key messages that help build a better Philippines,” said Cathy Santamaria, BPI's Chief Customer and Marketing Officer.

“It is a great honor to be among the best creative works across the globe,” said Angela Javier Cruz, GMA Network’s Vice President and Head for Corporate Affairs and Communications. “This recognition mirrors BPI’s extensive research, GMA NMI’s creative storytelling, and the craft of our incredible Sparkle artists. We are committed to equipping Filipinos with trusted information through exceptional narratives—and this is only the beginning of more advocacy work from our corner in the world.”

The anti-scam advocacy aims to instill public vigilance of online scams and social engineering schemes, as well as to influence the behavior of banking clients so that they will refuse to share their One-Time Pins (OTPs), passwords, and three digits at the back of their card.

Kaspersky Security Network’s 2022 Report shows that the Philippines ranked second globally among countries most attacked by web threats from January to December 2022. According to the report, the most preferred attack methods include social engineering schemes. Kasperky’s report also shows that the Philippines is among the top five countries with the most phishing attacks (52,914 incidents) in Southeast Asia in 2022.

“When bank clients fall victim, they suffer losses that are rarely recovered. Thus, there is a palpable need to educate the banking public about these scams–how to identify and avoid them. Through dramatized videos and creating relatable characters, we wanted a story that resonates and makes the Filipinos vigilant against scams,” Santamaria said.

“Data security is a major concern, particularly in our industry where the success of our business depends on the protection of our digital information. With the increasing frequency of hacking and online scams in recent times, NMI is pleased to contribute to public awareness regarding how to safeguard themselves, with the help of BPI's dedication to cybersecurity and GMA's extensive reach,” added Dennis Augusto L. Caharian, GMA New Media, Inc. President and Chief Operating Officer. 

The Series

In May 2023, BPI, the first bank in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia, partnered with GMA, the Philippines’ largest and most trusted media organization, and its digital media and technology arm, GMA NMI, to launch a series of cybersecurity videos. The videos consist of three interconnected stories with relatable characters—a middle-aged couple, a gamer, and an influencer—depicting real-life instances of social engineering and scamming attacks. It emphasizes individual vulnerability and promotes vigilance to prevent deception. Giving life to these characters are some of Sparkle’s talented artists – Betong Sumaya, Mae Bautista, Martin del Rosario, and the phenomenal love team of Barbie Forteza and David Licauco.

The tagline "Maging Listo, Huwag Magpaloko" (Be Vigilant, Don't Be Deceived) encapsulates the campaign's message of raising awareness and empowering viewers to protect themselves against scams. The scenarios are inspired by stories of actual people and rooted in research.

“Our strategy to partner with GMA Network allowed us to push the message to a wider audience and not just rely on online presence,” Santamaria said.

Since 2010, the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards annually honors the world’s finest corporate films, online media productions, and documentaries in one of the most important film centers—Cannes, France. It is the only festival for corporate films taking place in this city famously known for feature films and advertising productions.

This year, the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards received nearly 900 submissions from more than 45 countries.