The Situation
Philippine e-commerce grew 55 percent during the pandemic, according to Google’s e-Conomy SEA 2020 report. But the growth wasn’t just about buyers. As non-essential stores closed, local sellers and SMEs rushed to online platforms to survive. Shopee, the country’s e-commerce leader, was now responsible for supporting a rapidly growing seller base that needed more than a product listing page.
The challenge was positioning. Shopee was known as a consumer marketplace. But the pandemic demanded it become an SME empowerment platform as well. The brand needed a PR strategy that communicated both sides: a shopping destination for consumers and a business growth tool for the local entrepreneurs and small brands that were now depending on it.
The Approach
Phase 1: Shopee University Coverage for SME Empowerment
Positioned Shopee University’s revised program as the lead PR story. The program included new modules on digitizing operations, maximizing e-commerce as a selling platform, and live streaming as a sales tool. Coverage of these masterclasses framed Shopee as an active partner in helping SMEs pivot their business models during the pandemic.
Phase 2: Bloggers Program & Affiliate Program Launch
Created the Shopee Bloggers Program, connecting bloggers across food, beauty, gaming, and other verticals with existing Shopee sellers to produce authentic product stories. The Affiliate Program complemented this with advertorial content that included direct purchase links. Both programs turned content creators into a distributed sales and awareness channel for Shopee‘s seller community.
Phase 3: Influencer-Led Category Coverage
Matched influencers to specific product categories for targeted reach. Mommy bloggers covered baby products. Beauty creators covered cosmetics. Gaming influencers covered tech accessories. This category-specific approach made product recommendations feel credible and accessible to each audience segment rather than broadcasting a generic Shopee message.
The Results
- 300 Blogger releases delivered in a single month through the Bloggers Program
- 98–277 Press releases delivered per month, exceeding the 90 monthly target
- Manila Bulletin, PhilStar, ANC Coverage secured across top-tier Philippine publications and broadcast
Campaign Highlights:
- Bloggers Program covered food, beauty, gaming, and comic enthusiast verticals in a single month
- Shopee University modules positioned the platform as an SME business growth partner
- Affiliate Program created a direct-link advertorial channel connecting content to purchase
- Category-specific influencer matching ensured credible product recommendations per audience
- Campaign cemented Shopee‘s positioning as both a consumer marketplace and an SME empowerment platform
The Takeaway
An e-commerce platform’s PR strategy works when it serves both sides of the marketplace. Shopee‘s campaign succeeded because it gave consumers product stories through bloggers and gave SMEs business tools through Shopee University. The platform grew credibility with buyers and sellers at the same time.
- Industry: Technology, Consumer Retail
- Service: PR & Digital Campaigns
- Solution: For International Brands Entering PH
Frequently Asked Questions
How does PR support an e-commerce platform’s seller ecosystem?
By telling the seller’s story alongside the consumer’s. Shopee University coverage showed SMEs that the platform invested in their growth. The Bloggers Program connected sellers with content creators who could tell product stories to audiences the sellers couldn’t reach alone. PR became a seller acquisition and retention tool.
Why deliver 300 blogger releases in one month?
Because e-commerce coverage needs volume and variety. Each blogger covers a different vertical: food, beauty, gaming, comics. Three hundred releases across those verticals meant Shopee appeared in the feeds of every interest community simultaneously. The breadth of coverage is what gives an e-commerce platform cultural presence beyond its product listings.
How do you exceed a 90-release monthly target by 3x?
Through a multi-program approach. Press releases covered Shopee‘s brand milestones and platform updates. The Bloggers Program generated product-specific content. The Affiliate Program produced advertorials with purchase links. Three programs running in parallel create output volume that a single press release cadence cannot match.
Why match specific influencer categories to specific product lines?
Because credibility comes from context. A mommy blogger recommending baby products on Shopee is a trusted voice in that purchase decision. A generic celebrity endorsing the entire platform reaches more people but influences fewer purchases. Category matching trades reach for relevance, which is what e-commerce conversion requires.
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