Lyceum of the Philippines University Manila
THE EFFECTS OF THE CONTROVERSIAL RC COLA ADVERTISEMENT “BASTA”
TO THE PRODUCT CONSUMPTION AND BRAND PATRONAGE OF SENIOR
MULTIMEDIA ARTS STUDENTS OF LYCEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES
UNIVERSITY MANILA FOR S.Y. 2022-2023
A Research Proposal
Submitted to the Faculty of the
College of Arts and Sciences
Lyceum of the Philippines University Manila
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements of the Degree
Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Arts
Amo, Vanessa
Era, Erika Lou
Francisco, Michael
Lagrama, Ronan Alan
Submitted to:
Ms. Maria Merzenaida D. Donovan
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION OF THE STUDY
This chapter describes the research paper’s overall structure. It provides a brief
overview of the research conducted for the period of 2023-2024. This chapter includes
introduction, statement of the problem, rationale, theoretical and conceptual framework,
hypothesis and assumption of the study, scope and delimitation of the study, objective of the
study, significance of study and definition of terms used in the paper.
In the Philippines, companies such as RC Cola invest millions of pesos in advertising each
year, specifically, P 1,075,100 on magazine and media advertisement (Mendoza, 2011) because
they believe it is an unfailing, if not a reliable, way to promote their products, brands, and
organizations while reaping massive profits. Considering the amount spent on advertising,
understanding its impact is critical for businesses.
Advertisement is necessary for survival, and consumers usually behave similarly in
response to advertisements. Advertisements are the first thing that consumers notice. Customer
behavior is critical in advertising. Contact with customers is critical, and it can be difficult to
analyze end-user behavior at times. Consumers' responses to ads on Social Networking Sites are
low. The brand's attitude toward health is critical. There is a connection between product
placement and socialization agents.
Advertising is one of the most effective methods of selling products: “Basta”
advertisement for example reached more than 10 million views according to the agency, increasing
sales 67%. Advertising provides a service to the community, but it has both advantages and
disadvantages.. Posters and advertisements are now in a variety of styles that appeal to a wide
range of people. Advertising assists shoppers in understanding how to use the products advertised
and informs consumers about a variety of products.
Advertising is a type of mass communication which is massive industry since it
communicates specific benefits to consumers. To begin with, advertising informs consumers
about the worth, benefits, and application of a product. Advertisements are published in
newspapers, magazines, schools, and on billboards, posters, TV, and so on. It is important for
advertisers to pay attention to the advertisement as this will attract the consumers. Personal
emotions, as well as consumer needs, play a role. Customers' opinions and perceptions are
critical to the success of any product campaign.
RC Cola ad “Basta'' is created by the agency ‘GIGIL’, a creative agency that started in the
year 2017. According to GIGIL, the firm advocated the use of humor and absurdity as a marketing
strategy for the company, as GIGIL’s Associate Creative Director Dionie Tanad stated “We use
humor to make the brand stand for something cool in the minds of Gen Z audiences.” According
to Tanada, the humor of the ad was inspired by the advertisements from Thailand but it's an
unfamiliar approach for the Filipino market, which is why they used that kind of advertisement.
The campaign was based on the word ”basta”, which means ”whatever, I like it because I like it.”
which shows Gen Z's relaxed approach towards routine decisions. According to GIGIL, the
“Basta” advertisement reached more than 10 million views, increasing sales to 67%.
After the controversial “Basta” ad, GIGIL released another bizarre film “Band”, which is
about a group of friends playing music, and at the end, they reveal that the musicians can produce
ice from their eyes, while the lead singer has an RC Cola bottle inside her arm. According to the
agency, the 67% increase in sales was solely due to advertising of these two films.
The researchers are conducting this study to determine the effects of the RC cola
advertisement on consumer feelings and behavior. Filipinos are not used to such advertisements,
and this kind has become popular and trending among Filipinos. This paper, as an audience research,
focuses on the effects study using simple random sampling in selecting the respondents of the study.
RATIONALE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of controversial
advertisements on consumer consumption, and brand patronage of the senior Multimedia
Arts students of Lyceum of the Philippines Manila. Specifically, these are the following
objectives:
●
To determine whether viewers will buy RC cola products after viewing its
advertisement, “Basta.” To determine whether the controversial advertisement has
some effect on the brand patronage of the viewers.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
This study aims to determine the effects of the controversial RC Cola Advertisement
“Basta” to the consumption and brand patronage of Senior Multimedia Arts Students of Lyceum
of the Philippines University Manila S.Y. 2022-2023.
Specifically, this study seeks to answer the following questions:
1. What is the demographic
profile of the respondents in terms of their: Age, Gender, Family
Income, Religion?
2. How many respondents
will buy RC Cola after watching their advertisement, “Basta”?
3. What are the factors that
affect their decision to purchase RC Cola products in terms of: Brand
loyalty, Brand awareness, Perceived quality, Brand association?
4.
What are the positive and negative effects of the RC Cola advertisement, “Basta” to the
respondents?
THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
The world of advertising has become competitive in the last advertisements; the principle
behind preparing the advertising copy remains the same. The model that copywriters use in their
advertisements to persuade consumers to buy their products is the AIDA marketing model which
stands for attention factor, interest element, desire element, and action element. The effective use
of this model meets advertising and marketing objectives. American advertising and sales
pioneer Elias coined the phrase AIDA in marketing communication. The model was developed in
1898 by St Elmo Lewis in an attempt to explain how personal selling works. The model laid out a sequence that
describes the process a salesperson must lead a potential customer through in order to achieve a sale. The stages,
Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action, form a linear hierarchy (Oxford University Press, 2023). Customers
must move from being aware of a product’s existence to being interested enough to pay attention
to a product's benefits and advantages to having a desire to the benefits from the product before
they are driven to make a purchase. Lewis thought that progress through the first three phases
would naturally lead to the fourth stage, action.
AIDA is an acronym that stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action. These are the
four stages that a consumer goes through when watching or viewing an advertisement. According
to Lewis, the primary role of advertising is to attract customers. Heinz (2021) also believes that
the goal of advertising is to encourage the customers to buy. Once an ad has captured the
consumer’s attention, it must pique their interest in the product. After generating interest, the
advertisement must instill a desire in the consumer’s mind to use the product, and the consumer
must then take a favorable action toward the product by ultimately purchasing it which then
completes the AIDA PROCESS.
THE PROCESS OF AIDA
Attention: Attention is usually grabbed using image, color, layout, typography, size, celebrity,
model, among others.
Interest: Once attention is grabbed, it is necessary to create interest in the viewer’s mind so that
they will read more about the brand being advertised. The use of attractive image heads, and the
viewer's interest can be invoked.
Desire: The element of desire is usually created using body copy where you write in detail about
the necessity of buying the brand, thereby explaining the features of the brand, facts and figures.
Action: Towards the end, the contact information of the brand will be given where they expect the
viewers to act immediately. It can be in the form of shop address, toll free numbers or website
address.
Figure 1. The Aida Model of Advertising
Effects of RC Cola
Ad “Basta” to Senior
Multimedia Arts
Students
At each stage of the buyer's journey, the Aida Model decides how to create and deliver the
marketing messages to their intended audience. An advertisement's goal is to draw viewers in so
that they would become interested after watching. The Aida Theory relates to the cognitive phases
a person experiences when making a purchase or using a service. RC Cola created an
advertisement that attracts the audience's attention and engages them in their advertisement. It
certainly generated the interest of the audience as the RC Cola released more of a similar
advertisement. After the release of the RC Cola advertisement “basta”, RC Cola Mega in the
Philippines increased by 67% after its video getting 51 million views and 366,000 shares across
social media platforms since it was posted online in November of ____(year). The advertisement
became so successful that they released different unusual advertisements.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY
For centuries, producers have used branding to differentiate their products from
competitors' by creating a recognizable and memorable image. According to Farquhar (1989), a
brand is a name, symbol, design, or mark that adds value to a product that is not functional. The
term "brand equity" first became popular in the 1980s, and it was defined as "the "added value"
that a brand bestows on a product." This may appear to be a simple and raw definition, but it is
correct and has served as a launching pad for future research.
Aaker (1991) provides one of the most detailed and widely accepted definitions of brand
equity as "a set of brand assets and liabilities linked to a brand, its name, and symbol that add or
subtract from the value provided to a firm and/or that firm's customers." Figure 2 illustrates
Acker’s brand equity. Consumers desire the experience when they enter a shop or buy online or
call customer service. They expect the brand to deliver their promises. When brands act this way,
the consumers will most likely support those brands and eventually trust their products and will
lead to product patronage. According to Aaker's Brand equity model (year?), loyal customers are
more likely to purchase something they are familiar with. According to Ovidiu (2005), who used
Aaker's concept, devoted clients anticipate that the brand will always be accessible and will
attract others to recommend it. Due to their lack of interest in learning more about the other
brands, pleased brand users make it difficult for brand competitors to reach out to them. As a
result, other brand competitors may find it hard to invest resources to win over happy and
devoted customers, and even if they do, it takes time. At the recognition level, brand awareness
can provide a brand with a feeling of familiarity as well as a signal of substance, commitment,
and awareness.
Figure 2: Aaker’s Brand Equity Framework
Source: Brand Equity Model (David A Aaker, 1991)
The model demonstrates how brand equity is built on the five dimensions of brand
loyalty, name awareness, perceived quality, brand associations, and other proprietary brand assets
(ex. distribution system). Consumers develop an overall, intangible rating of brand equity based
on how the brand performs on these dimensions. This equity then provides value to the consumer
and the firm in the ways described. Aaker's model was one of the first seminal works in the field
of brand equity, and it paved the way for subsequent research in the field.
Corollary to this, the Aida Model of Advertising identifies the stages and insights of the customer's mind
and represents the steps needed to generate product consumption. Aaker's brand equity model places a
strong emphasis on emotions. The Aaker Model assists in developing a brand strategy composed of various
components that distinguish a brand from its competition and develop it. Despite having different conceptual
frameworks, both have the same goal of promoting both the brands and the consumers' feelings and
emotions about the products. There are four distinct frameworks in each model. The first phase in the Aaker
process is brand awareness, which basically implies that customers are aware of the brand and are familiar
with the brand's product category. It matches the first step of Aida's model that it presupposes that
consumers' attention has already been captured by advertisements. The main objective of both phases is
to inform consumers that a product is available. The second phase is brand association in which creating a
powerful and favorable brand is crucial. Customers can form brand associations based on the company's
employees, prices, and celebrities who endorse and promote the brand. Relating it to the AIDA model, this
will fall under the second step, which is interest. Creating brand associations is important to the
consumers. Customers' interest must be intrigued and held long enough to learn about the product. As
consumers develop interest in a product, the third step on the Aida model of advertising occurs which
corresponds to desire. It is crucial that advertisers assist customers in realizing why they require this
product. This step will help the consumers remain loyal to the product. In theory, this will make customers
want the goods more and more, ultimately resulting in brand loyalty. Every business aspires to gain
customers' loyalty as it is the foundation of a company's success.It enables the business to continue operating
while introducing new services. Customers' beliefs must be considered in the overall quality of the brand to
create brand loyalty. The last step is to close the deal and persuade the customer to act on their interest,
which may involve getting past resistance and creating a call to action. Effective advertising should inspire
consumers to act by creating a sense of urgency to purchase the product being advertised. Hence, Aaker's
Model illustrates the potential for a successful or positive brand equity of the controversial RC Cola
advertisements. Even though RC Cola is already a well-known soda brand, one of their commercials had a
significant impact and sparked a lot of discussions and reactions among Filipinos. Yrastorza, the brand
partner of RC Cola, stated in 2021 that the advertisement attracted a large viewership, especially after it
started trending on social media. The two films were the only elements that changed their marketing mix.
They
d i d n o t engage in any other promotion during the time that will influence the rise of consumption;
hence, the only factor in the 67% increase in consumer production was the creation of the two
controversial commercials.
Ibanez (2021) stated that due to its peculiar story, “Basta” had a mixed response from the public. The
advertisement had received 51 million views by February 2021 and had been shared 366,000 times on social
media. In the same month, RC Cola Philippines stated that the advertisement was responsible for the 67
percent rise in product sales.
RESEARCH PARADIGM
Figure 3 illustrates the flow of the study, where "consumers" act as an input variable to
be observed and "brand equity" as a process variable that will focus on the effects on the
students of the specific marketing campaign that are perceived as controversial on social
media.
Figure 3. Research Paradigm
The first variable in the research paradigm is "consumer," which is derived from the Aida
Model. This identifies the stages and insights of the customer's mind and illustrates the actions
necessary to generate product consumption. The second variable is "brand equity," which is
derived from the Aaker brand equity model. This strongly emphasizes on emotions; it and
helps
develops a brand strategy made up of various elements that distinguish a brand from its competitors
and help it grow. The last variable which focuses on the result is "effects" on consumers
towards the specific marketing campaign that are perceived as controversial on social media.
By using the AIDA model of Advertising on the insights of the consumer's mind, the
controversial RC Cola commercial will first capture the viewer's attention after watching its bizarre
commercial theme, which then piques the viewer's interest in the product. The viewer will then
want to use the product, and eventually take action by buying the product, which will result in
product consumption.
In the first phase of Aaker's Brand Equity Framework, consumers are aware of the RC Cola
brand and are familiar with the soda beverage. After watching the commercial, the viewers will move
on to the next phase, which is brand association. Consumer interest in the product grows as the
RC Cola firm upholds its commitment to provide good quality products and excellent customer
service. The consumer will then grow increasingly enamored with the products, which will
encourage them to be loyal to the brand, RC Cola.
The RC Cola advertisement titled "Basta" had a phenomenal impact. Social media users
joined an interest in the advertisement by posting their own opinions and "memes" regarding the
video. As the social engagement got higher, so was the sales as it increased in 67% after its release
online. The video had 51 million views and 366,000 shares on social media platforms since it
appeared online in November 2020.
HYPOTHESIS AND ASSUMPTIONS OF THE STUDY
The study has the following hypotheses and assumptions:
Ho: RC Cola Advertisement “Basta” does not have an effect/s on MMA students.
Ha: RC Cola Advertisement “Basta” has an effect/s on MMA students.
Assumptions of the Study
The study focuses on the effects of the Controversial RC Cola “Basta” to the product
consumption and brand patronage of Senior Multimedia Arts students of LPU Manila S.Y. 20222023. The following assumptions were made:
1. The researchers assumed that the RC Cola advertisement "Basta" influenced the
purchasing behavior of senior multimedia arts students of LPU.
2. The researchers assumed that respondents would be a great source of information on
what kind of effects the controversial advertisement had on them.
3. The researchers assumed that due to this kind of approach to advertising, people would
be more likely to purchase the product.
SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The main purpose of this study is to determine the effects of the controversial RC Cola
advertisement “Basta” to the Product Consumption and Brand Patronage of Senior Multimedia
Arts students of LPU Manila S.Y. 2022-2023 and how this affects the buying behavior of a
consumer. Furthermore, it focuses on factors affecting consumer behavior and the
advertisement's positive and negative effects, excluding its effectiveness.
This study is an
audience research of senior multimedia arts students for S.Y. 2022-2023 and will not involve
other year levels or disciplines with the CAS.
Possible limitations of the study were the fact that the effects of the controversial RC Cola
advertisement were relatively new and the lack of previous research studies on the topic for further
analysis and credibility.
The researchers employed the descriptive research design and survey research in
particular that will be conducted in Lyceum of the Philippines University Manila for S.Y 20222023. The researchers used the purposive sampling technique in selecting the respondents of
the study as the researchers targeted the respondents who are knowledgeable about the topic and
have seen the controversial advertisement “Basta”.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will be of great benefit to the following:
Students. This study will provide knowledge and deeper understanding regarding the effects of
the controversial RC Cola Advertisement “Basta '' on product consumption and brand patronage.
Data gathered will act as a platform for students to determine the effects of those controversial
advertisements on them.
Researchers and Future Researchers. This will be a tool to guide and navigate them in
discovering credible, accurate, and similar factors to have a better knowledge on the study. This
study will also serve as reference or guide for future researchers working on similar or related
topics and will give them insights for further analysis of the effects of controversial advertisement
on the consumers in relation to the variables used.
Royal Crown “RC Cola” Company. This study will be beneficial for them to aid in market
strategizing, enhancing brand equity, and attracting more customers to purchase their product.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
The following terms are defined as used in the study.
Brand – could be name, term, design, symbol, or other feature that differentiates one seller’s
goods or service from those of other sellers.
Consumer - is a person or customer who purchases products and services.
Controversial advertisement - is a strategy for attracting attention by breaking the norms.
Customer behavior – is the consumer’s decisions and actions when purchasing and using a
product.
This chapter discussed the background of the research, the theoretical and conceptual
framework derived from the process of AIDA, and Aaker’s Brand Equity model, which helped
the researchers developed the research paradigm on consumer consumption and brand
patronage. The chapter also outlined the scope and delimitation of the study, its hypotheses, and
assumptions, as well as its significance to the general body of research, and the terms introduced
through this research endeavor.
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES
This chapter contains a review of related literature and studies that the researchers
examined to shed light on the research area. Furthermore, the purpose of this chapter is to provide
an overview of the topic. The first portion goes over the definition of soft drinks and RC Cola in
general. The researchers also discussed the psychology of consumers and how they perceived the
product after seeing the RC Cola controversial advertisement. The study also discussed consumer
purchasing habits for soft drinks. Consumer patronage tackles consumer loyalty and satisfaction
towards RC Cola and other soft drinks. The willingness of the consumers to purchase the RC Cola
product again, the product's quality, and the effect of advertising were also tackled. Finally, the
researchers discussed the consumption and market size of RC Cola Philippines after they released
the video of the controversial advertisement.
FOREIGN LITERATURE AND STUDIES
Definition of Soft Drinks
Soft drink (also known as a soda, pop, coke, soda pop, fizzy drink, tonic, seltzer, mineral,
sparkling water, lolly water, or tonic ) is a beverage that usually contains water (often but not
always carbonated water), a sweetener, and a flavoring agent. Sugar, high-fructose corn syrup,
fruit juice, sugar substitutes (in the case of diet drinks), or a combination of these may be used as
a sweetener. Soft drinks are likely to contain colorings, caffeine, and other additives (Allen, 2018).
Soft drinks can be served chilled, at room temperature, or warm, as in the case of Dr. Pepper. In
the Western world, the first marketed soft drinks appeared in the 17th century. They were made
with water and lemon juice that had been sweetened with honey. The Compagnie des Limonadiers
of Paris was granted a monopoly on the sale of lemonade soft drinks in 1676. Vendors walked
around with tanks of lemonade on their backs, handing out cups of soft drinks to thirsty Parisians.
Soft drinks are made by combining dry ingredients and/or fresh ingredients (such as
lemons, oranges, and so on) with water. Soft drink production can take place in factories or at
home. Homemade soft drinks can be made by combining syrup or dry ingredients with carbonated
water. Carbonated water is created by dropping dry ice into water or using a soda siphon or a home
carbonation system. Companies such as Soda-Club sell syrups commercially; dry ingredients are
frequently sold in pouches, similar to the popular U.S. drink mix Kool-Aid. The retail sale of
bottled water, carbonates, concentrates, functional drinks, juices, RTD tea and coffee, and
smoothies constitutes the soft drinks market. The total market volume for soft drinks, however,
excludes the concentrated category. The market is valued using the retail selling price (RSP) plus
any applicable taxes. Revenue in the Soft Drinks segment in the Philippines amounts to
US$10.97bn in 2023. The market is expected to grow annually by 5.50% (CAGR 2023-2027).
The Philippines beverages market size was valued at 4.23 billion liters (BL) in Q4 2022. In Q4
2022, soft drinks were the leading beverages category in the Philippines. (Philippines Beverages
Consumption Trends and Forecasts Tracker, Q4 2022).
About 45% of soft drinks are a typical energy source for snacks among Filipino children,
claimed by Adair and Popkin (2005). It is also recognized as one of the most readily available,
frequently consumed, and a source of dietary sugar for Filipino children (6 to 12 years old)
(Yabao et al., 2005). The main added sugar source in the diet of Filipinos is SSBs (SugarSweetened Beverages). The 2013 survey showed that about 45% of the SSBs consumed by
Filipino adults are soft drinks.
About RC Cola
Royal Crown Cola is famously referred to as RC Cola. It is a well-known soft drink
associated with the competitive beverage market. RC Cola was founded by Claud A Hatcher in
1905. It has a long and progressive history spanning more than 100 years that has helped it become
one of the most well-liked soft drinks worldwide. After being originally introduced in Georgia,
United States, RC Cola quickly expanded its market reach to include nations like the Philippines,
Thailand, Estonia, India, Iceland, and Bangladesh. According to Michael Walker (2022) RC Cola
was the best-selling soda in the Philippines in 2015. The Royal Crown Company was popular as
the most innovative soft drinks manufacturer in the beverage industry for a long time.
Nature of Consumers
A consumer is defined as a person or a company who orders or uses a purchased good,
service, or product for personal, family, or social needs, or for other related needs (Grower, 2019).
According to Rajak (2023) consumer behavior is the study of how people, communities, and
organizations choose, buy, use, and discard goods and services, ideas, or experiences to meet their
needs and desires. Buying behavior is a customer's habit associated with the purchase,
consumption, and disposal of a good or service. Purchasing behavior reflects personal, group, or
organizational attitudes, preferences, or emotions that may influence a customer's purchasing
habits (Ahmed, 2019).
Consumers frequently purchase products that have a specific meaning. The target audience
for the RC Cola campaign "Basta" is Gen Z and millennials. Gen Z consumers are drawn to work
that is wild, illogical, and emotional. The key to addressing the Gen Z group is humor. The
meaning of a brand can be an important factor in a consumer's purchasing decision. Ahmad and
Tyagaraj (2015) state that "the brand can satisfy the consumer's desire for sensory pleasure, and
cognitive simulation generates emotional value." According to psychology, such goods, in addition
to their appearance, create personality and confidence in the customer, so the customer is willing
to pay a higher price for it. Furthermore, for customers, the top brand implies a higher quality
product. The customer believes that by purchasing a brand product, he has received something
valuable in exchange for his money (Taherkhani, Maleki, Najafi, & Shahrami, 2016).
Overall, the nature of consumer behavior is complex and influenced by various factors.
Cultural, social, personal, and psychological variables are among them.
Consumer Patronage
Customers are simply those who frequently use a company's offering (goods or services).
In other words, a customer is a stakeholder in an organization who provides payment in exchange
for an offer made by the organization in order to meet a need and maximize satisfactionof a
customer as a business or individual who purchases the goods or services of another company
(Bloomenthal, 2019).
Customer satisfaction was defined by Auka (2012) as "the customer's post-purchase
evaluation and affective (emotional) response to the overall product or service experience, which
is a measure of how the customer's needs, wishes, desires, or expectations were met or exceeded."
According to Khan et al. (2013), "customer satisfaction" can be defined as a sense of contentment
with a product or service received. Customer satisfaction, according to (Palací et al. 2019), is a
"response (cognitive or affective) that pertains to a specific focus (i.e. a purchase experience and/or
the associated product) and occurs at a specific time (i.e. post-purchase, post-consumption)."
LOCAL LITERATURE AND STUDIES
Birth of Advertising in the RP
Advertising was ushered in the Philippines in the 20th century. It was dragged in, as it
were, on the coattails of the Industrial revolution (Lent, 1924). Throughout the 1970s, R.C. Cola
was famous in the Philippines through its licensee Asia wide Beverages, but when the brand was
missing for three decades, R.C. Cola was revived and surpassed Coca-Cola's and Pop Cola to
become the third most popular cola brand, trailing only Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola. It also began
promoting with a smooth, laid-back image, which it has conveyed since the 1960s.
To survive market competition, RC Cola uses a strategy to create a significant impact on
the market, which has recently become the talk of the town after seizing on a different kind of area
in marketing strategy, and that is employing humor (“RC Cola sales soar after viral ad” 2021).
The sales of RC Cola Mega in the Philippines increased by 67% after its video advertisement
gained online viral attention. According to Camus (2023), RC Global Beverages saw revenues in
2021, surge 115 percent to $8.24 million while sales rose 7 percent to $23.37 million, the
disclosure showed.
By using a less common method for this particular campaign, RC Cola Philippines created
a unique ad that resonated with its audience to cater and liven up the Filipino taste buds and
turned into a lift for the brand that raised both the brand's income and popularity with customers.
Effects
In November of 2020, soft drinks manufacturer RC Cola released a bizarre film that
immediately took off and penetrated pop culture in the Philippines. Due to the sugar tax in 2018,
RC cola was unable to compete on pricing in the Filipino market. In an effort to reach a Gen Z
audience, the brand partnered with Gigil to identify an unexplored area of distinctiveness. The
target of the brand being the Gen Z members, it reflects the Gen Z attitudes toward making
decisions. Filipino advertising company GIGIL was founded in 2017, just over three years ago,
a minor participant in a vast, well-established, and highly competitive field. Badong Abesamis,
Herbert Hernandez, and managing partner Jake Yrastorza are the founding partners of GIGIL.
The agency has recently created some of the silliest advertisements, putting an emphasis on a
strange kind of advertising that is uncommon in the Philippines.
The budget constraints meant that the brand used a very basic media strategy but due to
the power of the creatives and social media, the film was watched 1.6 million times within the
first six hours. According to Badong Abesamis, Herbert Hernandez, and managing partner Jake
Yrastorza, they use collaboration accounts in Facebook and boosted their accounts on twitter to
increase views and engagements. The advertisement was also the number one trending topic on
twitter for two days. It was also featured on the Ellen DeGeneres US's segment 'Ellen and
Twitch Guess What's Going to Happen Next in This Crazy Commercial show on January 2021,
and covered by a lot of local and international press like Fast company. In November 1995,
Alan Webber and Bill Taylor established Fast Company, a monthly American business
publication with its headquarters in Manhattan. Fast Company focuses on technology, business,
and design. The campaign was so big that it increased sales to 67% to the client. This type of
film advertisement isn't something you normally see on a daily basis in the Philippines,
Yrastorza brand partner of GIGIL, stated that since the campaign was launched. Their agency
often tells them that works like this were too “crazy” but now they want something as crazy as
the RC Cola advertisement. Overall, the brand targeted the Gen Z audience to make the brand
stand for something cool. It is an unexpected approach to the Filipino market. Yrastorza claimed
that although the financial results have not yet been reported, there are indications of rising sales
across the nation, with several stores fully selling out RC Cola stocks and placing new orders for
the item.
Chavez, Cetra, and Alusen (2020) state that brand equity is regarded as a key asset in any
given product, service, or organization because it gives the brand significance in the eyes of its
customers. A strange commercial from soft drink producer RC Cola was released in the
Philippines' pop culture before the end of November 2020. The Philippine government
implemented a sugar tax in January 2018, which resulted in a 41% increase in soda prices. Due
to this, RC Cola's comparable price with Coca-Cola decreased, and sales fell by 7% while the
entire soda category shrank by 9.5%. To reach a Gen Z audience, the brand partnered with
GIGIL to identify an unexplored area of distinctiveness (Yrastorza & Gigil, 2021).
According to Lacap and Tungcab (2020) sensory, emotive, cognitive, behavioral, and social
reactions to brand stimuli are referred to as brand experiences. The phrase "Basta"—which
translates to "Whatever, I like it because I like it"—was used as the basis for the cultural insight
that helped design the campaign. It illustrates the casual way in which Gen Z approaches daily
choices. “Basta” is currently the primary brand platform that distinguishes RC Cola in the
category. According to Abesamis, the word “basta” in the commercial really helped a lot in
determining the mindset of a Gen Z audience since they act in irrational ways: for example, they
might buy Coke just because they like the way it tastes.
CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY
In this chapter, various data collection and analysis procedures that were pertinent to the
research are explained. It covers topics including the study's setting, the design of the research,
sample size and sampling methodology, the sorts of data being collected, and how that data was
managed.
To determine the effect of the controversial RC Cola Advertisement “Basta” to Fourth
Year Multimedia Arts Students of Lyceum of the Philippines University Manila for S.Y. 20222023,this chapter explains the data collection process and the methods used on how to determine
the factors that affect the decision of a consumer to purchase in a specific brand. Specifically,
this chapter includes the research design, research instrument, data gathering procedure and
treatment of data.
RESEARCH DESIGN
This study employed the quantitative non-experimental research design while using
the survey method in collecting the information required to fulfill this study. A survey
questionnaire is the key information gathering tool or research instrument. The data was
collected through online survey questionnaires by simple random sampling from 4th year students
of LPU Manila. The study employed a quantitative research approach in analyzing and in
understanding the independent and dependent variables.
SURVEY RESEARCH
The researchers conducted an online survey questionnaire by purposive sampling using
Google Forms. The researchers chose the fourth year LPU students to participate in this study as they are
more knowledgeable and experienced in the field of multimedia and advertising. The researchers prepared
ten questions based on RC Cola “Basta” advertisements about consumers' buying behavior. The survey was
conducted in LPU Manila in 2023. The survey was distributed and collected by the researchers and then
analyzed the results and processed the data.
SAMPLING DESIGN AND SAMPLE TARGET RESPONDENTS
Non-probability sampling design and purposive sampling in particular was
utilized by the researchers in this study to get the sample. The fourth-year LPU students were
chosen as respondents of this study since they know a lot about multimedia and advertising. A
sampling was formed to select some of the individual processes in the study so these persons are
volunteers. The goal of sampling is to employ certain individuals to get information about the
population. Purposive sampling was employed to collect samples for this investigation.
Purposive sampling, according to Arikunto (2010), is the process of choosing a sample by
picking a subject that is not based on level or location, but rather on a specific goal. According to
Riyanto (2001), the research procedure was oriented toward selecting a sample of that population
and the objective was particular from the study known by researchers from the beginning.
DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE
The questionnaire was prepared through Google Forms. It in such a way that
whoever will participate in the study has to go through the consent form first and must click “I
agree to participate in the study” before they can proceed to the questionnaire. Before answering
the questions, respondents will be requested to enter their details. Privacy and confidentiality of
records will be strictly maintained throughout the study. Ten questionnaires were prepared by the
researchers focusing on RC Cola “Basta” advertisements about consumers' buying behavior.
Participants will be given sufficient time to complete the questionnaire. When all questionnaires
are completed, the respondents will submit the form. The researchers will then collate the data
and encode them in Excel to be transferred for data analysis.
DATA ANALYSIS
The survey questionnaire which is in Google Form format will be sent via email to
the senior multimedia arts students of LPU Manila. The respondents will be briefed about the
nature of the research. Twenty people will be requested to participate in the study. Once the
respondents’ consent is secured, they will be given access to the survey questionnaire. They have
48 hours to submit the result of the survey to be included in the study. The results will be collated
and
tabulated
to
be
processed
statistically.
Questionnaire for pilot testing
Some sample questions that were included in the questionnaire are the following:
Question 1: Are you familiar with the Ad "Basta" by RC Cola?
Question 2: Does RC Cola advertisement stimulate or encourage you to purchase the products?
Question 3: Does RC Cola advertisement convince you to buy the same brands?
Question 4: Does the advertisement always influence your buying habits?
Question 5: Is your participation in purchasing influenced by friends & family?
Question 6: Does RC Cola advertisement motivate you to shift from one brand to another brand?
Question 7: Does the advertisement provide pleasure and entertainment?
Question 8: Does restrictive advertisement also attract your mind and convince you?
Question 9: Do you prefer RC Cola for its cheaper price compared to other brands?
Question 10: Is strange advertisement necessary to attract the consumers?
RESEARCH INSTRUMENT
In carrying out the survey research, the study used an online survey questionnaire.
The researchers prepared the research questionnaire using Google Forms and distributed it online
to the target respondents. The questionnaire is divided into two sections, consisting of ten
questions. Each section will be discussed as follows:
Part 1 refers to General Information. This section was used to collect information related to the
demographic profile of the participant such as age, sex, course, and year level. This is needed for
the purpose of identifying and describing the respondents.
Part 2 covers the problem statements in the survey questionnaire by examining the factors that
affect the decision of consumers to purchase a specific brand in terms of brand loyalty, brand
awareness, perceived quality and brand association. It also covers the positive effects and negative
effects of the advertisement of RC Cola on consumer consumption and brand patronage.
Pilot Testing of Research Instrument
The approved survey questionnaire was piloted on 20 respondents for the period of 3 days
on July 11 through online survey using Google form. The results of the pilot testing (Annex A) showed
that the research instrument was valid, reliable, and accurate to answer the research problems
identified under the ‘Statement of the Problem’ section in Chapter 1.
Results of the Pilot Testing of Research Instrument Annex A
No.
Of
Responden ts
Age
Table 1
Table 1 shows the age range of the respondents mostly Gen Z which is the target
audience of the Advertisement.
Table 2
Table 3 shows that 80% of the respondents are familiar with the advertisements. Five percent
(5%) of the respondents do not know the ad and 5% in between.
Table 3
Table 3 shows that 25% of the respondents are encouraged to buy their products after watching
the advertisements while 45% are not convinced by the adwhile 25% are in between.
Table 4
Table 4 shows that most of the respondents are not convinced to buy the same brands after watching
the advertisement while 35% are convinced and 25% are in between.
Table 5
Table 5 shows that 50% of the respondents are influenced by advertisements.
Table 6
Table 6 shows that 45% are influenced by friends & family.
Table 7
Table 7 shows that most of the respondents acknowledge that the ads provide pleasure and
entertainment for them.
Table 8
Table 8 shows that 45% of the respondents agree that restrictive advertisements attract their
mind convincing them to buy while 30% are not convinced.
Table 9
Table 9 shows that 55% of the respondents prefer RC Cola because of its cheap price
while 25% of them answered no and 20% are in between.
Table 10
Table 10 shows that 55% agree that strange advertisements are necessary to attract consumers
while 20% of them do not agree and 25% are in between.
Table 11
Table 11 shows that 75% of the respondents only buy RC Cola when it's necessary.
Table 12
Table 12 shows that 75% of the respondents consider that the most important aspect in
advertising is humor while 60% of them think that the user's opinion attracts them the most. The
third aspect is the information about the price, usage information and personalizing the brand all
got 55%. The fourth is the expert opinion with 25% and only 15% answered the appearance of
the actor and last is the participation of famous people.
Sample of answered questionnaire
Conclusion
During the pilot phase of the study, although the advertisement of RC Cola gained a million
views, there were still 18.8% who were not familiar with the advertisement. All the respondents
were Gen Z, which is the target audience of the advertisement.
After watching the advertisement, the respondents were not convinced to purchase the
products of RC Cola. It is clear that the creative campaign was effective in social media but it does
not influence the purchasing behavior of the consumer. Although it had an impact to motivate them
to shift from one brand to another by 56.3%, the researchers also looked at whether a restrictive
advertisement attracts the mind of the consumers and convinces them, consumers tend to favor the
creativity of the advertisement with 56.3% answering yes. As it was mentioned earlier,
permission was obtained from all the participants in the research through an introduction letter in
Google forms. The letter was to assure the respondents that their participation in the research is
voluntary and confidentiality was observed.
This section of the paper discussed the research design that will be used to answer the
statement of the problem 1, 2 and 3. It also discussed the procedures that the researchers will
undertake and statistical treatment that will be used in order to get the results.
Chapter Summary
This chapter presents the survey research methodology used by the researchers. The intended
participants' demographic profile is covered in general information. The problem statements in the
survey questionnaire and the outcomes of the respondent's answers are also covered in this chapter.
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