From Donny Pangilinan to the Super Bowl: Why Brands Are Betting Big on Celebrities
- Choosing Sunrise
- 18 minutes ago
- 4 min read
It’s Donny Pangilinan’s birthday, and as Sun Lifers, we are happy to celebrate this special day with him. Ever since he joined the Brighter Life, it’s been such a blast seeing him in our Facebook Cover page, Tiktoks, and other campaigns.
Just like his fans, I bet many of Donny’s brands and endorsements are ecstatic to celebrate this talented man. And this echoes a global trend where brands hand-pick their celebrity partners. The recently concluded, record-breaking Super Bowl show was also a star-studded event that had millions tuning in.
These days, authentic, advocacy-based (and even employee-empowered) marketing is making waves. And just like Sun Life, the brands that win are those that work with credible advocates.
Donny Pangilinan x Sun Life: When the Endorsement Matches the Message
Donny isn’t just a random star; he fits Sun Life’s themes of:
Young, Gen Z/young millennial audience
“Health + wealth” lifestyle
Making financial literacy fun (yes, his singing lines of “6% for life” is still ringing in my head a few months after the campaign was released).
It’s refreshing to see him presented not just as a pretty face, but as someone talking about building a secure future and planning young. Gen Alpha and Gen Z can see him as a kuya encouraging them to start making sound money choices.
In Donny’s case, he’s not just a celebrity endorser; he’s an effective embodiment of a “celebrity as translator” of complex financial products into easier-to-understand stories.
If you’re inspired by Donny’s financial choices, you’re one chat away from your personalized insurance plan made especially for your age, needs, and budget.
Watch Donny grace Sun Life's event here.
Are brands still obsessed with celebrities right now?
Yes. And it’s a phenomenon which will not really stop until mass media is here.
Here are some points on why celebrity faces are here to stay:
Trust and attention are scarce.
Celebrities cut through noise, especially in short-form, scroll-heavy platforms. They bring built-in audiences and instant recognition. Again, if you have not seen Donny’s Sun Life Secure Income video, you are missing out!
Record ad spending and “celebrity arms race.”
Just take notes from the Super Bowl advertiser trend: more celebs mean bigger fees. But they find it worth it because brands feel they need star power just to be noticed. Even Bad Bunny wearing an all-white outfit at the Super Bowl brought media attention to the brand Zara.
Good storytelling over features and benefits.
Celebrities help brands simplify abstract ideas (like “secure income,” “protection,” “peace of mind”) into stories you can feel. Insurance is notoriously boring and complex on the outside. With Donny at the center of ‘6% for life’ or ‘Play for Life’, the concepts become more interesting.
The Shift: From Pure Celebs to “Human Brands”
But I also want to share a thing Sun Lifers are also doing. Our company is maximizing its joint slay with its roster of celebrities, its large advisor force, and employees. One scroll on Sun Life’s social media platforms and you can see some posts with employee and advisor interactions.
This highlights another trend in marketing where employees are seen as “marketing mavericks”. It gives a great insight on the company culture of openness and approachability.
It ties together the power of celebrity and a show of empowered employees and advisors for a holistic work and service environment. The most powerful mix is:
A credible face (like Donny and Sarah Geronimo) to open the door and build trust. It can pique the interest of the public about savings, insurance, guaranteed income, and more.
Real employees and Sun Life financial advisors who continue the story with their own content and everyday interactions. As the next Sun Lifer, you can also be the hand that guides the public into realizing their financial goals with a carefully curated insurance portfolio. You can learn more on how to be Sun Life Advisor today!
Celebrities spark the interest, but advisors sustain the relationship and become your Partner for Life.
From Donny’s spotlight to everyone’s influence
It’s been a few years since Donny joined Sun Life, and with him, many advisors like me have grown since then. And we are happy to see positive role models like him dominate the brand spaces both online and offline.
Donny being the face on the billboard or the Facebook ad makes it easy to continue sharing our advocacy about financial literacy. Together with the public figures and employees, us advisors can keep on shining through and live the Brighter Life.
For our Sun Life clients: Schedule your policy review today!
For those who wish to know how to be a financial advisor / insurance advisor, send us your CV today!
Views expressed are my own and do not represent official company positions. Always consult your financial advisor for personalized advice.