SM Supermalls recognized for culture, consumer insights, and community marketing at the Marketing Excellence Awards 2026

SM Supermalls Takes Home Three Wins at the 2026 Marketing Excellence Awards

A look at the three campaigns that earned SM Supermalls recognition for cultural storytelling, consumer insight, and launch marketing.

SM Supermalls' two Gold Awards and one Silver Award at the Marketing Excellence Awards 2026 recognize the company's commitment to cultural storytelling, consumer insights, and impactful launch marketing.

MANILA, Philippines, 8 August 2026 — Notice is easy to get. Real connection takes more work — understanding who a campaign is actually for, whether that means honoring local culture, listening closely to what customers want, or building a mall launch around the identity of the place it's opening in. That approach is what earned SM Supermalls two Gold Awards and one Silver Award at the Marketing Excellence Awards 2026.

Recognized at the 2026 Marketing Excellence Awards, SM Supermalls' winning campaigns celebrate local culture, deepen consumer understanding, and create meaningful experiences for communities nationwide.

Gold: SM Lanang's Mindanao Art Initiative

Under the category Excellence in Cultural Storytelling, SM Lanang's Mindanao Art initiative took the first Gold. The campaign turned the mall itself into exhibition space for Mindanao's artists, giving everyday mallgoers exposure to local creativity outside a traditional gallery setting and building appreciation for the region's artistic heritage along the way.

Gold: SM Supermalls Consumer Insights Program

The second Gold went to the SM Supermalls Consumer Insights Program, under Excellence in Consumer Insights/Market Research. Built on continuous customer listening and data, the program keeps SM's understanding of shifting community lifestyles current, instead of relying on guesswork.

Silver: SM City La Union Grand Opening

The Silver Award, under Excellence in Launch Marketing, went to the SM City La Union Grand Opening campaign. Rather than a standard ribbon-cutting, the launch was built around La Union's own identity and growing community, introducing SM City La Union as Northern Luzon's newest lifestyle destination on the province's own terms.

What the Executives Are Saying

“At SM Supermalls, we believe meaningful marketing starts with understanding people,” said Joaquin L. San Agustin, SM Supermalls Executive Vice President for Marketing. “Whether we're celebrating local culture, learning from our customers, or opening new spaces that serve communities, our goal has always been to create experiences that genuinely resonate. These recognitions inspire us to continue creating programs that are relevant, purposeful, and meaningful for every Filipino.”

Across all three wins, the pattern holds: campaigns grounded in genuine insight, built around local communities, and designed for real connection rather than just visibility. As the country's most-loved mall, SM Supermalls keeps building experiences around the people, places, and stories that make each community distinct.