The viral milk tea ad, which features one of the most respected broadcast journalists in the country, has made countless Filipinos laugh since its launch.

With over 4,500 stores all around the world, CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice has definitely come a long way since it was founded in 1997. Despite this, the brand continues to be competitive, especially with many competitors around—all vying for a share of the market. 

While many may argue that CoCo needs no introduction and is already popular as is, it still puts a lot of thought and effort into its advertising. This is very evident with its most recent commercial, which has since gone viral online after its launch on September 22. 

The viral commercial features veteran broadcast journalist Ces Drilon as she goes through a series of unfortunate events. The viral ad comes from Gigil Group, the ad agency behind other viral ads for brands such as RC Cola.

As of writing, the CoCo ad has received more than 105,000 reactions on Facebook. It also has more than 7,000 comments and around 26,000 shares. 

In this article, we look into why the advertisement went viral.

Ces Drilon, the Internet Reacts to CoCo’s Ad

A quick look at the comments on CoCo’s Facebook post will show countless comments calling the ad brilliant. Many comments likewise express how much users love the ad and how they found it funny. 

“I love this,” one Facebook user commented. “Ces Drilon is a mood.” 

“I can relate talaga,” another Facebook user commented. “Milk tea is my stress reliever.” 

Ces Drilon herself has commented on the Facebook post using her personal account, saying that her “heart is full,” thanks to the positive reactions her performance in the ad has received. She likewise uses the hashtag #StressDrilon in her comment when describing what it’s like to have to act for the ad. 

What Makes This Ad Appealing 

The thousands of engagement that it received from people online is proof that CoCo’s ad has been a hit with the audience. Why this is so is thanks to certain aspects of the ad and its narrative. 

The Relatable Series of Unfortunate Events

CoCo’s viral ad features Ces Drilon going through a series of unfortunate events, such as mistaking salt for sugar when drinking coffee and going to work on a Sunday, when there was no work in the first place.

This series of unfortunate events depicted in the ad appealed to the audience as many found it relatable. We all go through bad days, and we all have experienced even just one of the unfortunate scenarios shown in the ad.

The Feeling of Stress

In relation to that, due to the series of unfortunate events she goes through, Ces Drilon successfully depicts the feeling of stress as a result of her experiences. While she adds a very comedic flare to it, the audience likewise relates to feeling stressed in such situations. 

In addition to this, as one of the comments mentioned prior showed, people usually deal with stress by consuming comfort food. For many Filipinos, it is milk tea. Seeing Ces Drilon drink milk tea and feel better by doing so is something relatable. 

The relatability of the narrative is one of the main factors that made it a viral hit with the audience. It was able to tickle the audience’s funny bone by appealing to human nature, particularly when it comes to dealing with stress and bad days. 

The Choice of Main Character

Picking Ces Drilon to stare in the ad is a wise move on CoCo’s part that contributes to why the ad has gone viral. A veteran and popular broadcast journalist, millions of Filipinos around the country know her due to her work with ABS-CBN’s News and Current Affairs division. 

The fact that she is a broadcast journalist adds to the humor of the whole ad. Broadcast journalists are always serious and well-dressed when they appear on our television screens. Seeing Ces Drilon lose her poise and composure made audiences everywhere laugh. 

What Other Brands Can Learn from CoCo’s Milk Tea Ad

The success of CoCo’s latest ad is an excellent example on how to make a viral ad that resonates with the audience. Brands can learn from CoCo’s ad by taking into consideration what appeals to their target audience. 

In CoCo’s case, what worked for them is the relatability and humor of their ad. It is important to note that, according to the Asia Pacific Insights: Influencer Marketing Report 2023 released by Partipost and MSW Ventures, 63.1% of Filipinos actually enjoy comedy, memes, and viral videos. 

Brands looking to replicate the success of CoCo’s ad should thoroughly study what clicks with their audience. For some, comedy may work for them the way it did for CoCo. For others, it may be informative or how-to content. 

Whichever way you go, it is also important to take note that the narrative and executive of said narrative are crucial in making a successful ad. Ensure that the narrative is relatable and, most importantly, communicates the message that you want to convey.