Insider Spotlight
The growth marked the brand’s strongest online performance in two years, with sales climbing 63.22 percent compared to the same period in 2023.
Behind the spike was “Steal,” a cinematic campaign developed with independent creative agency GIGIL — work that would soon become one of the Philippines’ most awarded advertising efforts on the global stage.
The beginning
Founded in 1971, Mandaue Foam grew from a family-run mattress maker into a nationwide home store brand offering more than 5,000 furniture and home essentials.
Entering 2025, however, the company faced a strategic challenge: how to reintroduce itself to a new generation as more than just a mattress company.
The answer came in the form of a high-concept heist film. In “Steal,” burglars break into a home only to discover that everything they touch multiplies — a metaphor for the brand’s expansive catalog and value proposition.
The campaign aimed to reposition Mandaue Foam as a complete home solutions destination rather than a single-category retailer.
“Having the client’s full trust during production doesn’t necessarily make things easier,” Saeid Saleh, associate creative director, said in a statement. “If anything, it puts even more pressure on the team to deliver.”
Why it matters
The results underscored a broader business case: bold creativity, when aligned with a clear commercial objective, can translate directly to revenue growth.
Beyond sales performance, the campaign gained international recognition. At the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity — widely regarded as the “Oscars of Advertising” — “Steal” earned a Bronze Lion.
The campaign also received one Graphite Pencil and one Wood Pencil at D&AD 2025 in the United Kingdom, known as one of the industry’s toughest creative competitions.
At the 2025 Clio Awards, the work secured a Bronze, while the London International Awards recognized it with a Silver.
Regionally, the campaign received four acceptances in Campaign Brief Asia’s THE WORK 2025 and won one Gold, one Silver, and one Crystal at MADSTARS 2025.
It also earned a Silver at ADFEST 2025 and took home Silver and Black honors at the 2025 Boomerang Awards organized by the Digital Marketing Association of the Philippines.
The bigger picture
For Mandaue Foam, the recognition reinforced — but did not define — the campaign’s success. The stronger signal was commercial performance.
As brands recalibrate for growth in 2025, Mandaue Foam’s experience highlights a strategic lesson: repositioning requires more than incremental messaging. It demands clarity of challenge, creative bravery, and partnership built on trust.
In this case, a cinematic heist story became more than entertainment. It reframed a 54-year-old brand for a new generation — and proved that when creativity multiplies, business results can follow. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
