Ideation | Copywriting | Organic Content Marketing Plan

Find the Hidden GCat

Gamifying user exploration for the GCash mobile finance app

‍THE BRIEF📖

Drive new users to use underutilized GCash services through a creative app promo

project background

GCash is the #1 e-wallet in the Philippines, with over 70 million registered users in 2023.

But back in 2019, – when 99% of local transactions were in cash, and only the most tech-savvy Filipinos have heard of mobile wallets – GCash only had 2 million monthly active users.

GCash users would only buy prepaid load or send money to fellow GCash users, mostly ignoring the app's other services. Free bill payments, free bank transfers, free QR payments, and a savings account with 4% annual interest — it was all manageable in minutes using their mobile phones. Despite the convenience, however, app users couldn't be bothered to check them out.

THE PROBLEM

We needed both new and existing GCash users to understand what makes our underutilized app services great – and why they should drop their cash habits for these services. To do this, users would have to:

Voluntarily tap the app icon of a GCash service they haven’t tried before;
Read and understand the service tutorial or in-app banners;
Realize the advantage of using GCash over cash-based transactions.

research & Development💬

Past promos with a similar brief only brought in an average of 1 transaction per user — usually because the promo that attracted them to the new service (either a cashback or discount) expires after one-time use.

57% of GCash users directly visit the service they need whenever they log in, making no effort to read pop-ups or explore new icons that could have otherwise led them to another GCash service.

We had the following tools at our disposal: vouchers, an economical prize because the amount spent for each can be retrieved if left unused; the GCash social media accounts; and the in-app banners above each GCash service.

the solution