From ballots to brands

Purchasing decisions are not just about price or product features. People are drawn toward brands that reflect their identity, beliefs, and aspirations, much like how voters support leaders who share their principles.

This was emphasized by Mai Marcelo, Globe’s Vice President and Customer Intelligence Head, during her recent talk in Bangkok titled “From Ballots to Brands: How Values Shape Consumer Choices.” 

Marcelo was a speaker at the recent Insight Innovation Exchange (IIEX) Asia Pacific 2025 conference, one of the world’s largest and most prestigious communities of research and insight leaders.

Using the Schwartz Universal Values Framework, Marcelo highlighted the strong connection between political and brand loyalty, showing that Filipino consumers prioritize tradition, universalism, and conformity—values that influence their preferences.

"Consumers and voters make choices based on what matters most to them. When brands stay true to what people believe in, they build stronger connections, trust, and loyalty," she stressed. 

Marcelo also challenged the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven consumer insights and synthetic data, pointing out that while AI can process vast amounts of information, it often misses the deeper emotions and motivations that drive human behavior. 

She underscored the need to embed values into predictive algorithms for AI to achieve greater accuracy and relevance in understanding consumer preferences. This way, AI can go beyond simple sentiment analysis to uncover why people make decisions, not just how they behave.

"AI can help brands understand patterns in consumer behavior, but to be truly effective, it needs to move beyond just data. It should recognize what influences people—their beliefs, emotions, and motivations. When brands infuse human values into AI and synthetic data, they create more genuine connections and build relationships in a way that feels real and meaningful,” she explained.

Marcelo also noted that AI needs to be more effective in identifying trolls and misinformation, as online conversations can mislead public perception. Bot-driven attacks, amplified sentiment clusters, and artificial engagement skew reality, shaping false narratives.

As AI continues to shape market research, Marcelo advocates for a “soulful” approach to consumer insights—one that values empathy, ethical discernment, and sustainability, qualities AI cannot replace.

She urged companies to move beyond transactional data and focus on long-term, meaningful engagement with consumers. She also encouraged brands to integrate future thinking, expanding their research beyond today’s needs to anticipate what consumers will value in the years ahead.

Globe is already applying this approach by leveraging AI-driven solutions while maintaining a human-first perspective in its operations. It uses technology to enhance consumer experiences while staying true to the values that create real connections.