Highlands Gold, the premium corned beef label under CDO Foodsphere Inc., clinched two major industry accolades in a single week, signaling a successful strategic pivot that has translated into both creative recognition and market share gains.

The brand secured the Gold award for Best Rebranding Campaign at the 2025 Panata Awards in the Philippines, followed by the Campaign of the Year – Philippines title at the 2025 FMCG Asia Awards held in Singapore.

The dual recognition highlights a period of accelerating momentum for the brand as it seeks to dominate the high-end segment of the local canned meat industry. The Panata Awards, a benchmark for marketing excellence in the Philippines, cited Highlands Gold for its ability to revitalize its identity while maintaining resonance with its core Filipino consumer base.

Meanwhile, the regional FMCG Asia Awards noted the campaign’s execution and its role in strengthening emotional connections with shoppers in a competitive retail landscape.

The core of the winning strategy centered on a “made-with-Angus-beef” narrative, which the company leveraged to shift consumer perception of the product from an occasional luxury to a modern mealtime staple. This was executed through a multi-phase rollout that combined influencer-led experiential marketing with traditional media.

The collaborative effort involved lead communications agency Seven A.D., which handled the brand’s refreshed visual identity and voice, alongside media partners UM Philippines and Spark Foundry. These partners managed a synchronized distribution of the campaign across digital platforms, television, and in-store touchpoints to ensure maximum reach and consistency.

According to Bernice Ilacad-Jalgalado, Vice President for Marketing at CDO Foodsphere Inc., the recognition from both domestic and regional bodies validates the company’s collaborative approach. She noted that the brand’s ability to resonate with both industry experts and the general public serves as a motivator for the company to further elevate its presence in the market.

The rebranding effort has yielded tangible commercial returns beyond the trophy cabinet. Data from Nielsen indicate that Highlands Gold recorded significant sales growth and an increased share of the premium corned beef segment following the campaign's launch.

The brand also reported a robust year-to-date value performance, suggesting that the refreshed positioning has effectively converted marketing buzz into consumer spending. As Highlands Gold maintains this trajectory, the company aims to deepen its household penetration, leveraging its sharpened storytelling to sustain its competitive edge in the Philippine food sector.