The How-Tos of Storytelling for Brands, According to PICKUP Coffee’s Francis Flores

 The seasoned marketer draws lessons from his vast portfolio.

In a world saturated with ads, content, and endless digital noise, storytelling has become both a powerful tool and a formidable challenge for brands. Crafting narratives that rise above the clutter and truly connect with audiences requires not just creativity, but also clarity, authenticity, and strategy. Throughout his years as one of the country’s most sought-after marketers, PICKUP Coffee Global Managing Director Francis Flores has successfully used storytelling in his campaigns. This article summarizes principles and insights on how storytelling can build stronger, more resonant brands, as shared by Flores at BrandCon PH 2025. 

Before leading PICKUP Coffee to become the Philippines’ fastest-growing retail coffee chain, Flores spearheaded campaigns for Unilever, Jollibee Foods Corporation, and Smart Communications.

During his tenure at Unilever, Flores was exposed to marketing campaigns for some of the world’s most recognized FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) brands. It was in this highly competitive environment  that he came to a realization, having met equally as talented marketers.

He voiced this realization at BrandCon. “Filipinos are probably the best Asian marketeers in the world,” he said.

It was also during Flores’ time at Unilever that his personal advocacy took shape. After a decade with the FMCG giant, he made a vow to dedicate his career to working exclusively with Filipino brands and helping them go global.

And his reason was clear: “The way we can help build our nation is by helping build brands that build our country,” he said. 

Connecting With Your Audience: 3 Guiding Principles

Flores outlined three key principles for building stronger connections with your target market.

1. Always start with a powerful purpose

Marketers must go beyond setting traditional marketing objectives to achieve real impact. It’s not all about the numbers.

 “Of course you have to meet your business objectives, but you have to have a very compelling purpose on why you’re doing it. Why? Because in those challenging times, what will drive you forward will be your purpose. It is the one that will give you irrational power to move on,” Flores explained.

2. Make sure you connect deeply with your consumer

This builds on Flores’s track record of delivering campaigns rooted in authentic, real-life stories shaped by insights drawn directly from the target audience. Case in point: the “Kwentong Jollibee” series.

First released on February 14, 2016, the “Kwentong Jollibee” ads sparked a new wave of emotional advertising in the Philippines. The enduring series tells stories of love, family, and, of course, Jollibee itself.

Flores advocates an alternative approach to generating value-laden insights that will influence a campaign. Rather than relying heavily on FGDs (focus group discussions), he recommends empowering marketing and creative teams to empathize with and understand consumers themselves. Back in his “Kwentong Jollibee” days, he and his team would hold what he refers to as ‘hugot sessions.’

“Importante yung team mo may pulso (It’s important for your team to have a pulse),” Flores said.

3. Work with the best creative team

Flores stressed the importance of working with creatives who can bring your vision to life. He took pride in mentioning his earlier collaborations with GIGIL Founding Partner Badong Abesamis, who was named by Campaign Brief Asia as one of the ’Top 10 Most Awarded Creative Leaders in Asia’ in 2021, and the ‘Philippines’ Most Awarded Creative Director’ in 2023 and 2024. Flores and Abesamis previously worked on a series of video campaigns for TNT under Smart Communications and Jollibee Savers.

Strategy and Magic

According to Flores, a campaign always has to start with a strategy so it aligns with the business objectives and the brand’s personality and ethos. 

“Once that’s set, then you now tap your creative team for the magic to happen within those bounds.”

He underscored time and again the value of collaboration, especially with agencies as disruptive as GIGIL, which is known to push boundaries with its campaigns.

“I think as marketeers, we really need to partner with brave creative teams,” Flores said.

However, Flores was quick to point out that working with out-of-the-box thinkers requires courage—the kind that allows marketers to consider, and even pursue, unconventional campaign ideas. That courage, he added, must always be tempered with strategy, with marketers staying grounded in their brand’s identity to effectively guide their creative teams.

“You really have to know what is your brand, what is not your brand, so you can guide them–and then let them loose.”

Storytelling Philosophy 

Flores shared one definitive philosophy that guides his approach to storytelling.

“Powerful truths, well told,” he said. “Powerful truths—that’s where strategic thinking comes in. Well-told is the magic.” 

In parting, Flores reminded the audience that executing an effective marketing campaign is never the work of just one person.

“Our role is actually mostly to make sure that we get the strategy correct, and guide the creative team with the proper brief and the proper guidelines for the brand.”

PICKUP Coffee at BrandCon PH 2025

PICKUP Coffee was The Business Manual’s exclusive beverage partner at BrandCon PH 2025. Eager coffee lovers lined up for the fastest-growing coffee chain’s signature offerings such as Iced Kape Kastila and Iced White Mocha Latte, and espresso-based classics such as Cappuccino and Flat White.

BrandCon PH 2025 is presented by The Business Manual, in partnership with the Philippine Marketing Association and the Philippine Junior Marketing Association, with support from the Philippine Young Entrepreneur Association and Philippine Retail Association.

The Business Manual thanks its sponsors: Ploom, Nordic Spirit, Baken, and GCash; student partner organizations University of the Philippines AdCore, Far Eastern University Institute of Accounts, Business, and Finance Student Council, San Beda Junior Marketing Association, Adamson Junior Marketing Association, National University Junior Marketing Association, Far Eastern University Junior Marketing Association, Far Eastern University-Diliman Junior Marketing Association, and Ateneo Junior Marketing Association; media partners Edge TV Philippines, Village Pipol, and Red Cloud Interactive; beverage partner PICKUP Coffee, and hotel partner Hotel 101.

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