Brand Origins

Brand Origins

Learn about the Origins of the Biggest Brands in the Philippines, as well as the histories behind the biggest brands in the country (Ayala, SM, Jollibee, Shopee, Lazada). A podcast for Filipino entrepreneurs.

Episodes

December 1, 2025 β€’ 33 mins

In this episode of Brand Origins, we dig into the true history of NescafΓ© and the instant coffee wars. We uncover the early inventors who came before NestlΓ©, how instant coffee existed decades earlier, and how NescafΓ© still became the global leader and the Philippines’ #1 brand.

We break down how World War I and World War II turned instant coffee into a battlefield essential, how the Great Depression almost killed the idea entirely,...

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SkyFlakes: The Complete Brand History

Skyflakes is one of the biggest cracker brands in the Philippines. You will find it in lunch boxes, sari-sari stores, office drawers, long bus rides, merienda tables, and OFW care packages sent across the world.But how did a simple cracker become such a big part of everyday life in the Philippines?


In this episode of Brand Origins, we uncover the complete brand history of SkyFlakes a...

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In this episode, Chris is joined by Monique Avila, Head of Customer Success at Payoneer, the fintech platform helping small and medium-sized businesses thrive on the global stage.

Together, they discuss how Filipino entrepreneurs and freelancers are breaking barriers, building international businesses right from home. Discover how Payoneer is reshaping the way Filipinos get paid, connect with clients worldwide, and transform local ...

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<h2>Watsons: The Complete History of the Philippines' Biggest Health and Beauty Retailer</h2>


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Watsons has become a household name in the Philippines. You will find it in nearly every SM mall, beside every grocery, and in almost every major city.

But how did this happen? And why did SM choose to partner with Watsons instead of Mercury Drug, the most established pharmacy chain in the country at the time?

&l...

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In this episode, Chris talks about BBK Electronics β€” the Chinese smartphone company behind Vivo, Oppo, Realme, OnePlus, and iQOO. Learn about why they decided to launch multiple brands instead of just launching one big brand, their growth strategies, and how they defended their market share against the threat of Xiaomi. 

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TIMESTAMPS:

(3:00) - Humble beginnings of Duan YongPing and BBK Electronics

(8:49) - The Real reason...

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In this episode, Chris breaks down the auto industry in the Philippines, the auto manufacturing industry in China, the history of each Chinese car brand that has entered the country, and whether China-made cars are finally worth considering. 

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TIMESTAMPS:

(4:26) - Which car brand is winning in the Philippines?

(7:29) ...

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January 28, 2023 β€’ 22 mins

Shopee and Lazada implemented different strategies in terms of logistics, funding, marketing, inventory, expansion, and even management style. Go in-depth into the reasons why they different routes, and how it affected their present-day situation. 

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Learn about Rocket Internet, the startup incubator that founded Lazada. Learn about the logistical and cultural problems that Lazada had to find solutions to in order to get people to embrace eCommerce. And most importantly, learn about the Alibaba acquisition and how Lazada became as big as it is today. 

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This episode covers the complete history of Shopee. I talk about Sea Limited, the mother company of Shopee, Garena, and SeaMoney. Learn about the strategy that Shopee used to dominate Southeast Asia, and why the synergy of the three companies makes Sea Limited an unstoppable force.

Lastly, learn about the reasons why Shopee has recently been on the decline, and why the collapse of the company may be near if they don't become profit...

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Learn how Starbucks converted me from a hater into a Starbucks superfan. I talk about what Starbucks does right, and what smaller local coffee shops can learn from them so that they can create customer loyalty.

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In this episode, I talk about how virtual influencers will dethrone human influencers, Rings of Power budget vs. House of the Dragon's budget, the Tolkien Estate, Liquid Death's Branding masterclass, and the business of FreeWater. 

(1:00) - Marketing Examples by Harry Dry

(7:15) - Virtual influencers vs. Human influencers

(15:57) - Starting an investment group with your classmates

(20:30) - Rings of Power's massive budget

(28:...

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In this episode, I talk about status symbol businesses. Ryan Holiday's The Painted Porch perfectly fits my idea of the status symbol business I aspire to build. What's yours?

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Tennyson Chen never expected that he'd go from running his own poultry farm to owning one of the biggest fast-food chains in the world. This is the story of the unexpected birth of the roasted chicken giant - Chooks to Go. 

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Learn how Shein started, why they steal designs, Shein's unorthodox strategy, how Shein beat Zara, and why Gen Z love Shein even though it is destroying the environment. 

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Share your story at chrisgarin.com

Subscribe to my YouTube channel 

Message me on Instagram

Want to sponsor an episode? Check out the details on my website.

Timestamps:

* 1:30 - Otis, fractional investing in collectibles

* 6:54 - Farmtogether, FarmFolio

* 8:48 - Alternative investments, Alts.co

* 10:32 - Walnut, disrupting healthcare

* 17:26 - Tabs for Cats

* 19:52 - Ivella, banking for couples

* 22:35 - Travel Influencers, Be...

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In 1942, Jose and Socorro Ramos opened a small bookstore at Escolta with a starting capital of around P211 pesos (55-60k in 2022).

In this episode, learn about the complete history of National Bookstore, the inspiring story of Socorro Ramos, and how she navigated through the challenges that life threw her way.

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Melanie Perkins and Clifford Obrecht weren’t programmers, they didn’t have millionaire parents, they didn’t have the connections, and they weren’t based in the US - they both simply spotted a problem that needed to be solved. This is the story of how they built Canva.

Canva Free Trial: https://bit.ly/3CxiiRi

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Chris talks about the complete history of Louis Vuitton in this brand origin story episode. 

TIMESTAMPS:

Louis Vuitton myths (3:05)

How Louis Vuitton started (6:30)

The LV Monogram (12:05)

Louis Vuitton during WW2 (14:25)

Louis Vuitton goes public (17:55)

Bernard Arnault & the LVMH Merger (18:29)

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In this special episode, I talk about challenges I've overcome this past year, and how it has made me more grateful. This is my way of saying thank you to all of you listeners. No origin stories or business ideas to steal in this one. 

Message me on Instagram: @brandorigins

Follow me on Twitter: @garinchris

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Here's an idea worth stealing: create a business around teaching seniors how to play video games. Chris also talks about Netflix's brilliant marketing move in promoting the film 'Red Notice' when they stole the Mall of Asia globe, and the success of Mr. Beast's Squid Game YouTube video.

(0:40) - MrBeast's Squid Game video

(4:23) - Mall of Asia Globe / Red Notice promo

(8:29) - Mall of Asia Globe / Red Notice promo

Subscribe to my Y...

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