How celebs like Kim Chiu, Alden Richards boost product sales

Glenda dela Cruz, one of four judges of “The Final Pitch,” has tapped Kim Chiu and Alden Richards for her business. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

Success begins with a dream that is diligently pursued,” said entrepreneur Glenda dela Cruz, who has been hiring top show biz celebrities like Kim Chiu and Alden Richards to help promote her products.

Dela Cruz, who is CEO of the skin care brand Brilliant Skin Essentials, is one of the four judges in the 10th season of “The Final Pitch: Philippines,” a business reality TV show that will soon air on Cignal TV’s One News.

She started Brilliant Skin Essentials in 2016, when she was only 19. Today, the company has more that 1,000 employees and has since expanded to various industries. “Back then, I didn’t believe in endorsements from celebrities. I preferred hearing testimonials and seeing the ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos of those who actually use skin care products,” Dela Cruz recalled. “It was only when my business turned three years old that I said, ‘It’s time to hire endorsers.’”

‘Age of celebrity endorsers’

Dela Cruz tapped celebrities like Andrea Brillantes, Arci Muñoz, Paulo Avelino, Alden Richards and, most recently, Kim Chiu, to help create buzz for her products. As a result, she said people got more interested not only in her company, but also in her as a personality.

“A lot of them became curious. Who is Miss Glenda? She was only 19 when she started, so what does she know about business? How was she able to get all these endorsers? Why are we seeing her on billboards? When I asked help from celebrities to tell my story, my digital marketing campaign became more effective,” Dela Cruz pointed out.

John Aguilar, founder and host of “The Final Pitch,” agreed and added: “Glenda’s story really resonates with a lot of young people. But I think that in the age of celebrity endorsers, Glenda is really the best brand ambassador because she has lived through the birth pains, the hardship and she really created the products in response to an intimate problem.”

While show biz celebrities and influencers continue to help her company trend on various social media platforms regularly, Dela Cruz said she also does her part. “I joined TikTok and danced there. I also shared my story with my followers. I even became the first TikTok shop ambassadress in the Philippines,” she declared.

“The Final Pitch: Philippines” host John Aguilar

This season’s panel of investor judges also includes Su Le, a Vietnamese-American angel investor based in the United Arab Emirates; Abdul Paravengal, managing director of venture builder Pulse 63 Healthcare Ventures; and returning special guest judge Rosemarie Bosch Ong, COO and senior executive vice president of Wilcon Depot.

“I’m thrilled to be with you this season. I’m looking forward to meeting young entrepreneurs like me. We will witness amazing, innovative ideas from our participants. Each pitch reflects their dedication to achieve their dreams,” said Dela Cruz.

Expanding the show

“The beauty business is just one aspect in Glenda as an entrepreneur. She is in various industries as well. She is someone who defied all logic and expectations. She is very young and dynamic. We are blown away with what she was able to achieve. To think that she started out by finding a solution to a common [skin] problem,” said Aguilar.

Philippine-based tech or nontech startups or individuals with groundbreaking ideas for new ventures are encouraged to apply to “The Final Pitch” for the opportunity to pitch their business concepts. Interested applicants must apply through the official application form on the show’s website.

“As we set our sights on expanding the show globally, we are excited to debut ‘The Final Pitch: Philippines’ to differentiate it from the other editions we are planning on mounting in the future,” said Aguilar. “Naturally enterprising, Filipinos have immense potential for creating innovative businesses, yet most lack the funding and support needed to scale these enterprises into high-growth companies. That’s where we come in with the new season.”

Qualified applicants will participate in the filming of the initial pitches, scheduled June 24–25. The journey of the new batch of entrepreneurs can be viewed on Cignal TV’s One News and GMA International’s GMA Life TV (to air in 103 countries globally). INQ