MANILA, PHILIPPINES – In today’s digital-first world, seamless, secure, and engaging communication is essential — and Rakuten Viber is leading the charge. On February 18, 2025, the global super app hosted “Level up with Viber” at Blue Leaf, McKinley, unveiling its latest innovations designed to empower businesses and redefine customer engagement in 2025.
As the Philippines remains one of Rakuten Viber’s most engaged markets, the event set the stage for brands, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to explore how Viber is evolving as a super app for business growth. From cutting-edge ad solutions to next-level secure messaging, Rakuten Viber is doubling down on its commitment to helping businesses thrive in the digital age.
Shaping the future of communication with customers
With the Philippines emerging as a mobile-first market, Rakuten Viber CEO Ofir Eyal shared insights on three major trends reshaping business communication:
- The rise of digital lifestyles – More Filipinos rely on Viber for personal and business interactions, as there is a demand for platforms and channels that offer easy communication and value-added services in one place.
- The dominance of mobile – As more online visits come from smartphones, businesses must prioritize mobile-first strategies to stay relevant.
- The shift in business messaging – While SMS is still widely used, brands are now turning to messaging apps like Rakuten Viber for secure and interactive customer engagement.
Latest Viber for Business solutions
Rakuten Viber’s Senior Director for Advertising Solutions Jean-Marc Alomassor, and Senior Director for Sales and Partnerships Noa Bar Shay introduced new business solutions designed to help brands stand out in a competitive market.
New Rich Business Communication solutions:
- Recently launched security solutions, such as Verification messages (OTP) for seamless customer authentication and SecurePlus messages for verifying the recipient’s number.
- Business Calls, enabling free in-app calls from customers worldwide.
- Upcoming features for an interactive and automated customer experience include List messages, which will serve as surveys or polls, and Carousel messages, showcasing a range of products with personalized offers.
Next-gen advertising:
- Click-to-Message, already available ad format that leads to predefined chatbots where customers can easily complete a purchase in just a few clicks.
- Branded Viber Gems, festive animations triggered by keywords such as “Happy Birthday” and “Happy New Year” in user chats. These can be exclusively customized by brands to build emotional connections and interactive experiences during holiday campaigns. Brands like ShareTreats and Nestlé’s NIDO have already used this solution.
- Upcoming updates include full-screen and video ads, new brand placements, and AI-powered ads that allow users to ask questions about a product or service directly within the ad banner.
Success stories: How brands are winning with Viber for Business
Brands that leveraged Viber for Business solutions have seen impressive results:
- KFC Philippines – Reached 5.6M+ people and achieved 2.81% CTR through Viber Ads and 8.5% capture rate with AR-powered branded Viber Lenses and gamification.
- Kimberly-Clark – Improved engagement for Huggies campaign with personalized Viber business messages, achieving impressive results shared by the company’s Digital Media and Content Manager Dymphna Liu Chiang:
- 127% sales increase (vs. email marketing)
- 6x higher click-through rates (vs. industry benchmarks)
- 80% higher open rates (vs. SMS and email campaigns)
AI, creativity, and the future of automation
The event wrapped up with a panel discussion led by adobo Magazine’s Founder, President, and Editor-in-Chief Angel Guerrero, featuring:
- Shayne Madamba, Chief Digital Officer, HAVAS Ortega
- XP Garcia, SVP and Head of Transaction Banking Group, PBCOM
- Eduardo Hernandez, Head of Process and System Excellence, Maxicare
- Philipine Davis, Founder and CEO, Promotexter
They discussed what brands should focus on in 2025:
- Simplify the way customers can reach out to you.
- Let customers choose their preferred way to connect, whether through calls or messaging.
- Use secure digital channels as the primary means of customer communication.
- Pay attention to empathy and emotional connection, while keeping up speed and efficiency.
- Focus on creativity and originality when creating content for your campaigns, avoiding AI-driven mediocrity.
- “Embrace the beauty of impermanence”: stay agile, embrace change, and push creative boundaries to remain relevant and impactful.
With streamlined and automated messaging, stronger security, and smarter advertising, Rakuten Viber is giving businesses new ways to connect and grow in 2025. As the platform continues to push boundaries with interactive messaging, enhanced security features, and new ad formats, businesses can expect a more personalized, efficient, and results-driven approach to customer engagement.
With millions of Filipinos relying on Rakuten Viber daily, the platform isn’t just shaping conversations — it’s shaping the future of digital commerce.
Connect with Viber for Business today and discover how your brand can level up in 2025.
