Globe partners with storytelling app Wattpad

MANILA, Philippines - AdSpark, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Globe Telecom Inc., has tied up with storytelling platform Wattpad for an exclusive advertising deal.

AdSpark director Bela Gupta D’Souza said yesterday the partnership offers brands an opportunity to go to Wattpad and engage with millions of millennials using the app to promote their products in the country.

Through the partnership, AdSpark will serve as the agent which brands in the Philippines can go to if they want to market their products on Wattpad.

Brands can promote their products by tapping writers who can come up with stories and integrate such into Wattpad.

Depending on the product being promoted, Wattpad can help brands find the suitable writer within its pool.

“We’re delighted to partner exclusively with Wattpad in the Philippines and look forward to developing many successful executions for our clients who are looking for more creative and effective ways to connect with their customers,” D’Souza said.

Wattpad chief executive officer and co-founder Allen Lau said the partnership offers brands in the Philippines a unique opportunity to promote their products as the country is the second largest community in Wattpad after the US.

Filipinos spend 25 million minutes a day reading Wattpad stories, with the majority of users under 30 years old.

With Filipinos spending more time reading Wattpad stories than looking at standard display banner ads, Wattpad business development head Aron Levitz said going to the storytelling platform gives brands a more effective engagement with potential customers.

“Users spend 30 minutes on average on Wattpad compared to seconds spent on banner ads. So far, this is the best engagement you can get on social media,” he said.

Brands that have been invited to work with Wattpad to engage with users so far are Globe, Smart Communications Inc., TV5, Summit Media, Eskinol and Cornetto.

AdSpark which aims to accelerate digital and mobile advertising in the country, leverages on its various assets such as core telco technology, subscriber data, exclusive ad inventory, and differentiated media plays in order to provide comprehensive digital solutions for their clients.

Canada-based Wattpad meanwhile, is the go-to entertainment destination for individuals looking to discover or share stories about the things they love.

At present, Wattpad has more than 40 million users and offers stories in over 50 languages on mobile devices and the web.