Written by: Jocelyn Valle
With core values anchored in good health, Watsons Philippines has teamed up with Premier Volleyball League (PVL) to forge the “perfect partnership” in promot- ing overall wellness throughout the country.
“This collaboration between Watsons and the PVL is truly a match made in heaven,” declared Watsons PH chief operat- ing officer Jefferson L. Go at the contract signing held on Nov. 26 at the Philippine Sports (Phil- Sports) Arena in Pasig City. “A partnership that brings together two leaders in their respective fields, serving up the best for our community.”
PhilSports Arena is one of the venues for the league’s games.
Go added, “While PVL has captivated the nation with the incredible energy and talent of its athletes, we at Watsons be- lieve we can take this league to even greater heights with our expertise in health and beauty, and our deep connection with our customers. We are here to help sustain and strengthen the players’ ability to excel on the court and beyond, and to enrich the experience of the passionate PVL fans who cheer them on.”
In response, PVL president Ricky Palou remarked on their partners’ presence: “It is an honor for us to have them here today in the ceremonial signing of this contract. Thank you for your trust in the PVL and we look forward to working with you for what we hope to be a long and mutually beneficial engagement.”
Reaching an agreement “took months of planning” to en- sure every aspect is addressed, according to Watsons PH senior assistant vice president for marketing, public relations, and sus- tainability Sharon Decapia.
The collaborative idea first came to the executives of the leading health and beauty retail- er when the 2024 season of the volleyball league was nearing the tail end in September.
Around that time, as recalled by Watsons PH customer direc- tor Jared De Guzman, he and Go both observed that the people who watch the games are also those who typically shop at the brand’s stores.
De Guzman also noted that PVL’s standards are attuned to Watsons’ motto: “Look good, do good, feel great.”
Decapia then gave special mention to the volleyball players for bringing to life that brand promise.
Right timing
“I admire the athletes,” she told Lifestyle. “They epitomize real health and beauty. At the same time, what they have go beyond physical beauty. They allot so much time in training. They have a great desire to win.”
Decapia was so enamored while watching a PVL game for the first time just last sea- son that she became an instant fan. She then advocated for the partnership, which marks the brand’s first time to collaborate with a sports league.
Even if the partnership was perfect from the get-go, Watsons PH’s executives felt they had to time its launch at the start of volleyball league’s new season. The 2024-2025 PVL All-Filipino Conference opened on Nov. 9, just a little over two weeks before the contract signing, or the handshake meeting between both parties.
For starters, as disclosed by Palou, the ongoing conference of the league that he heads is go- ing to be the longest at over five months. This means PVL fans and Watsons PH customers will have more opportunities to en- joy what’s in store for them.
During this season, PVL will also feature for the first time a corporate sponsor by etching the Watsons PH logo on the court’s vinyl flooring.
“The league has grown exponentially over the last three years,” Palou pointed out, “and with this signing of this new contract, it will contribute great- ly to the country as well.”
Through the company that he also leads, Sports Vision Management Group Inc., volleyball in the country found a platform in 2004 as an intercollegiate competition called V-League. The name was changed to Pre- mier Volleyball League in 2017, and it became a professional league in 2020.
“We really want this to be a collaboration, where we bring together a lot of exclusive and ex- citing perks to PVL fans and Wat-sons customers,” Decapia said.
What’s in store
She went on to mention as examples free tickets to the games and exclusive discounts, which are particularly advantageous to Watsons Club members.
Those perks will be available in Watsons PH’s big network of over 1,100 stores nationwide, plus through online shopping, starting first quarter of 2025.
Likewise in the offing are meet-and-greet sessions with PVL stars like Kim Kianna Dy, Jolina Dela Paz, and Fifi Sharma that will be held in select stores. “We encourage our players to accommodate and engage with the fans,” Palou said.
Watsons will also par- ticipate in PVL’s nationwide matches by organizing activities in places like Cebu and Iloilo. This includes giving all PVL fans a 10-percent discount at any of its stores in Cebu and Iloilo simply through their game tickets.
What this partnership aims to achieve, Decapia said, is “for more people to have access to the game through our network of stores,” as well as “to have more exposure for the league and the athletes.”
When asked what being active means to the brand, she said, “It means you take care of your holistic well-being. You are proactive in taking care of your health. You don’t wait for you to get sick. What we promote here is, you take charge, you take control of your health. Empower yourself by making sure that you’re healthy. It’s not just about physical beauty.”
ADVT.
This article is brought to you by Watsons.
Read more stories here:
