The company, which for years has lagged behind the Ayala Group’s Globe Telecom, recently launched mobile brand KiQ, which boasts a fully app-based service and customizable features.
Martirez, regarded as a marketing whiz during his past stint with Smart in the early 2000s, hopes to replicate his previous success.
In doing so, he also challenged what he called superficial efforts to reach Gen Z users, the young market segment aged 19 to 29 years old, by competitors and even within his own organization.
“I also observed that the industry just had a short-term promotional view in addressing Gen Z. They sometimes use a famous pop group, maybe they use a famous singer,” said Martirez said during the launch earlier this month.
“And they think that they’re addressing the Gen Z. I said no, I will structurally address the Gen Z in a very purposive manner,” he added.
Big picture
With about 29 million Filipinos classified as Gen Z, Smart is targeting a booming segment, with many still studying, just entering the workforce, or rising into higher-earning roles.
In other words, this is an emerging economic force—and a lucrative demographic for Martirez, now in his 70s, part of the age group often referred to as baby boomers, or “boomers” for short.
The move comes as Smart looks to lift wireless revenues, which dipped 1 percent to P42.3 billion in the first half of 2025.
The company also trails Globe, whose mobile business brought in P57.1 billion over the same period.
“When I rejoined Smart last year, September 1 to be exact, I sought it therefore as my personal mission to rebuild Smart’s legacy of innovations, to retake lost market share, and reclaim our legacy of market leadership,” Martirez said during the launch.
Is KiQ the answer?
Smart is banking on Gen Z customers relating to KiQ’s features.
These include its app-based mobile service with customizable options—like letting users choose their own number or adjust data, calls, texts, and validity using an intuitive in-app slider.
While past services focused on bundling features for value, KiQ centers on unbundled services built around personalization.
Most intriguing is KiQ’s prioritized network experience in high-traffic areas, such as concerts, malls, campuses, or busy city centers.
This network prioritization positions KiQ as a more premium youth offering within Smart’s lineup, Lloyd Manaloto, first vice president at Smart, told InsiderPH.
Will this new strategy succeed in winning over young customers? That remains to be seen. Just don’t expect celebrity endorsers to show up anytime soon.
Miguel R. Camus has been a reporter covering various domestic business topics since 2009.
