PLDT bringing fan-based app Hopscotch to SEAsia

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) is investing $1 million in a partnership with US-based fan app developer Hopscotch to be able to market the latter’s mobile solutions in Southeast Asia.

PLDT said the investment in the partnership would come from the telco giant’s investment arm PLDT Capital, which has set aside a total of $50 million to beef up the group’s digital services portfolio this year.

Under the partnership, PLDT will serve as the exclusive distributor of Hopscotch’s mobile solutions in the region.

PLDT Capital co-managing director Winston Damarillo said the partnership is expected to enable businesses in the Philippines to grow their fan base and promote consumer loyalty through custom applications built on Hopscotch’s platform.

 “More and more Filipinos are starting to use their smartphones to connect with brands, and Hopscotch provides businesses, both large and small, the opportunity to engage with their customers in a more personalized way,” he said.

Through Hopscotch, businesses can make their own apps by simply dragging and dropping video, music and social media assets into a Content Management System, within two weeks.

The interface can also deliver audience insights and revenue reports on sales via plug  and  play services integrated into the platform.

Hopscotch has earlier produced apps for fans of the Philippine Basketball Association, E Sports Gaming Summit, as well as concerts of Ariana Grande, Imagine Dragons and Maroon 5.

As part of the deal, PLDT Capital has engaged local digital content provider MediaQuest Holdings’ Digital5 to develop an app.

Digital5 head Chot Reyes said he intends to offer creative services to produce cutting  edge graphics and short -form videos within the app.

 “A lot of companies can build apps, but the key is to give fans a reason to keep using them,” he said, noting the app should drive engagement.

MediaQuest president and chief executive officer Noel Lorenzana said Digital5’s participation in the deal shows the company’s commitment to cater to Filipino viewers across all kinds of screens.

 “Many of them are now digital natives and look to their devices for content that is tailored for them,” he said.

For his part, Hopscotch founder and chief executive officer Laurence Sotsky said the partnership is expected to enable the app developer to take advantage of opportunities in the Southeast Asian region.