ANTA Philippines continues its bid to gain a foothold of the local basketball market following the launch of its biggest store in Metro Manila recently.
The brand opened its 20th branch at the Ayala Malls Feliz in Pasig City a week ago, and celebrated as much just last Saturday by bringing over OPM icon The Itchyworms to perform their greatest hits at the Activity Center.
Frontman Jugs Jugueta also serves as the local ambassador of the ANTA X The Smiley Company collaboration, which was among the event’s highlights as well.
(C) ANTA
“It’s actually been open since last weekend, but we decided to launch it in the biggest way we could today, and that’s why we had the Itchyworms,” ANTA PH marketing manager Mikko Abello told Tiebreaker Times.
Needless to say, the Chinese sporting giant’s local arm has been aggressive in growing the brand’s presence in the country.
The newest branch’s opening came just a few weeks after ANTA PH formally announced that it will serve as the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League’s (MPBL) official outfitter at least in the next two years.
(C) ANTA
And days before Saturday’s special launch, the brand has also unveiled model Pau Fajardo as the face of the ANTA X Sesame Street collab.
“We got the perfect guy to represent the Smiley Collection, si Jugs, and for the Sesame Street collection we got Pau Fajardo,” Abello said.
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Despite the success as of late, ANTA PH isn’t stopping anytime soon. In fact, store no. 21 is set to open later this week at the Gateway Mall in Cubao, Quezon City. “Ganun kabilis,” said the amiable executive.
Soon, the group will be opening in other key cities all over the country, hoping to meet their goal of having 50 stores by the end of the year.
“That’s the plan that we have. The next rollout will be the provinces,” said ANTA PH general manager JP Paglinawan. “When we started out, the intention really was to cover the entire Philippines. ‘Yun talaga ‘yung strategy.”
“So, we’re opening in Davao; we’re opening in Naga, Legazpi, and in the Cavite area,” he added. “We’re following through doon sa strategy na where the MPBL teams are, and also where the strong basketball cities are.”
Also part of ANTA PH’s plans in the coming months is adding more schools to the Varsity Project, as well as a link-up with another league.
“Malayo pa,” said Paglinawan as the brand refuses to settle. “We have more plans … we have so much more coming in the next five years.“
