Coca-Cola Celebrates Filipino-Canadian Tradition with Return of Balikbayan Boxes
According to the 2021 census, 957,355 people of Filipino origin live in Canada. Considering the fact that we’re now in 2025, and that number only accounts for first-generation immigrants, it’s not surprising that according to Coca-Cola, the country’s Filipino community annually ships approximately 7 million Balkibayan boxes (gift boxes) overseas during the holiday season.
This is something which the brand celebrated in 2023, when it launched a programme in the Greater Toronto Area to distribute free, custom-designed Balikbayan boxes to the community, all with complimentary shipping included. And, off the back of that success, it only seemed right to expand the initiative further in 2024, which is exactly what happened. Working with nine local, Filipino-owned businesses (Sari-Saris), Coca-Cola distributed 600 boxes to the community. Not only that, but it turned one participating Sari-Sari, Philippine Oriental Food Market, into a giant Balikbayan box to further highlight the tradition, while simultaneously honouring the role these stores play in the community. Created by VML and WPP Open X, the campaign serves to highlight the importance of celebrating heritage, legacy and culture, no matter the side of the ocean you’re on.
To learn more about how this endeavour came to life, and what the scaling process was like, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with The Coca-Cola Company’s senior director of multicultural marketing, North America, Stephanie Eaddy, for a chat.
LBB> This is the second year in a row the programme has run. What made you want to bring it back?
Stephanie> The positive response to the programme last year highlighted how important the Balikbayan tradition is for the Filipino community. And, due to demand in 2023, we’re proud to have offered three times as many Balikbayan boxes to help even more Filipino-Canadians stay connected with their loved ones during the holiday season.
LBB> Tell us more about this! What did it take to expand the programme and ensure the infrastructure was in place?
Stephanie> Expanding the programme to 600 boxes this year required careful planning and collaboration with our partners. We also wanted to make sure the community could access the Balikbayan boxes across the Greater Toronto Area. So, this year, we partnered with nine Sari-Sari stores, up from four local businesses last year, to make the boxes more accessible for the community. By building on these established relationships, we successfully scaled the programme, helping even more families stay connected during the holiday season.
LBB> And what was the collaboration like with these various businesses?
Stephanie> Sari-Sari stores play a vital role for Filipino-Canadians, not just as local businesses, but also as gathering places for the community. That is something we wanted to celebrate!
All in all, the collaboration with the nine Filipino-owned stores has been rewarding, allowing us to support local businesses and honour their significance in keeping cultural traditions alive.
LBB> As part of this, the decision to transform one of the stores into a giant Balikbayan box is awesome! What made this right for your brand?
Stephanie> Transforming the Philippine Oriental Food Market into a Balikbayan box was a way to celebrate the important role that Sari-Sari stores play in the community. As a fixture for over 50 years, that particular store embodies the same values as the Balikbayan box: connection, tradition and care. Both also serve as bridges, linking Filipinos to their loved ones and heritage.
Overall, this opportunity felt like a unique and meaningful way to honour tradition while creating a memorable moment for the community during the holiday season.
LBB> Do you have any anecdotes from the experience, or working with these businesses?
Stephanie> One heartwarming moment came from working with Tita Rosita, the owner of the Philippine Oriental Food Market. Her pride in being part of this initiative and the stories she shared of decades of engagement with the community really highlighted how meaningful the programme is for her and other Filipino-Canadians. Tita Rosita and her store are featured in the 2024 Balikbayan campaign, showcasing her incredible contribution to the community.
LBB> This campaign also featured a new, custom design for the Balikbayan boxes. What went into this process?
Stephanie> The boxes were designed to celebrate the tradition of the Balikbayan box while incorporating Coca-Cola’s signature colour palette and a seasonal snowflake design made of Coca-Cola bottles. Every detail was crafted to symbolise joy, care and connection, ensuring the boxes resonate with both the Filipino-Canadian community and their loved ones in the Philippines.
LBB> What challenges have you faced during this project? How did you overcome them?
Stephanie> Scaling the programme year-over-year required coordination with our partners to ensure production timelines could be met. Ongoing communication and collaboration allowed us to successfully deliver on an expanded programme for 2024, and we’re proud of the way the campaign is supporting the community.
LBB> What lessons have you learned from the making of this campaign?
Stephanie> The crew that created this year’s campaign video included a Filipino-Canadian director as well as multiple other crew members. Having the community represented in the way the film was concepted, shot and edited contributed so much richness of emotion to the final product, and helps it ring true to the tradition of Balikbayan boxes for the community here.
LBB> What has the response to this year’s programme been like?
Stephanie> The response to this year’s programme has been positive. Balikbayan boxes have been claimed across all nine locations, validating the choice to scale up.
LBB> Finally, what would you like to say about the importance of supporting cherished traditions and your Filipino community?
Stephanie> At Coca-Cola, we understand the importance of staying connected with loved ones, especially during the holiday season. That’s why we’re not only proud to support the cherished Filipino tradition of sending Balikbayan boxes, but also members of the Filipino-Canadian community who put their love and effort into the contents of the Balikbayan boxes (while we take care of delivering it to their loved ones in the Philippines). This tradition plays a meaningful role in bringing families together, and we’re honoured to help make it a little easier for families to share the joy of the holidays, no matter the distance.
