The Situation

MSMEs (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) account for 99 percent of all companies in the Philippines, roughly 66 percent of employment, and a third of gross value. But only 16 percent of MSMEs across ASEAN had fully embraced digitization, according to Bain & Company. With 51.2 million Filipinos unbanked and most small business owners relying on physical operations, the pandemic exposed a critical gap: the country’s economic backbone had no digital infrastructure.

DTI‘s “digital first” program aimed to equip Filipino MSMEs, particularly women entrepreneurs, with the tools to go digital. But the initiative had no brand, no visual identity, no social presence, and no content ecosystem. Before anyone could be trained, the program itself needed to exist as something people could find, follow, and trust.

The Approach

Phase 1: Campaign Naming & Brand Identity Creation

Created “E-Taas” as the campaign name, a meaningful acronym that reads like the Filipino word “itaas” (to uplift), with the “E” signaling its digital dimension. Designed an original logo that merged traditional Filipino weave patterns with a mouse cursor, visually representing the bridge between local craft tradition and digital transformation.

Phase 2: Brand Book & Visual System Development

Produced a comprehensive brand book establishing the visual identity, tone, and usage guidelines for E-Taas across all touchpoints. This gave DTI and its partners a consistent framework for presenting the program, ensuring every piece of communication reinforced the same message and quality standard.

Phase 3: Facebook Page as Information Hub

Built the E-Taas Facebook page as the primary channel, since 96.8 percent of Filipino internet users were on the platform. The page served as an information gazette for a cross-section of stakeholders: MSMEs learning to go digital, policymakers tracking the program’s progress, and partner organizations looking to collaborate.

Phase 4: Partnership Activation & Content Production

Activated partnerships with DTI, NATCCO, Lazada, and Shopee to provide logistical support, extend content reach, and connect E-Taas to existing MSME programs. Produced case study write-ups and videos featuring women entrepreneurs, alongside social media training content that gave MSMEs practical tools they could apply immediately.

The Results

• Full brand Created from scratch: name, logo, brand book, and visual system
• 4 partners Activated: DTI, NATCCO, Lazada, and Shopee supporting the program
• Live platform E-Taas Facebook page launched as the central MSME information hub

Campaign Highlights:

• Original brand identity merged traditional Filipino weave design with digital symbolism
• Campaign name “E-Taas” created as a bilingual double meaning: acronym and Filipino word for “uplift”
• Partnerships with Lazada and Shopee connected MSMEs directly to e-commerce platforms
• Case study videos and write-ups featured real women entrepreneurs as program proof points
• Social media training content gave MSMEs practical, immediately applicable digital skills

The Takeaway

A government program without a brand is a policy document. E-Taas gave DTI‘s digital-first initiative a name people could say, a logo they could recognize, and a platform they could follow. The program started working the moment it stopped looking like a government mandate and started looking like a movement.

• Industry: Public Sector, Technology
• Service: Creative Services
• Solution: For Enterprise

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you build a brand for a government program that doesn’t exist yet?

Start with a name that carries meaning in the audience’s language. E-Taas worked because it communicated the program’s purpose before anyone read the fine print. Then build the visual identity, the channel, and the content system, in that order. The brand has to exist before the program can recruit participants.

Why Facebook as the primary channel for an MSME digitization program?

Because 96.8 percent of Filipino internet users are already there. For MSMEs who are just beginning their digital journey, you meet them on the platform they already use daily. Asking them to find you on an unfamiliar channel defeats the purpose of a program designed to lower digital barriers.

What role do private sector partnerships play in a public sector digital program?

Partners like Lazada and Shopee gave E-Taas immediate practical value. MSMEs weren’t just learning about digital tools in the abstract. They were being connected to actual e-commerce platforms where they could sell. The partnerships turned the program from educational to commercial.

How do you make a digitization campaign relevant to entrepreneurs who aren’t digital?

By anchoring the brand in something familiar. The weave pattern in the E-Taas logo signaled tradition and local identity. The Filipino word “itaas” made the name intuitive. The content featured real women entrepreneurs, not tech concepts. Every touchpoint was designed to feel accessible before it felt digital.