United Asia Automotive Group, Inc. Chief Marketing Executive Lyn Manalansang-Buena on the wisdom of mall displays

Interview by Kap Maceda Aguila

AN INITIATIVE that started last year, UAAGI (United Asia Automotive Group, Inc.) On the Move, billed as “a multi-brand automotive extravaganza,” kicked off its 2025 edition with a staging at the Fashion Hall of SM Megamall recently. But while a dealership is an ideal venue for experiencing a brand, its automobiles, and everything it stands for, there has to be a deliberate effort to go to the location. This means only those looking to buy or those coming in for a PMS schedule are the usual suspects. The mall display, on the other hand, as we learned from our interview with UAAGI Chief Marketing Executive and Senior Vice-President Lyn Manalansang-Buena, has unique advantages — lending itself as a vital tool for a marque looking to increase awareness as well as generate sales.

Here are excerpts from our exclusive interview with her.

VELOCITY: Can you tell us what UAAGI On the Move is all about?

Lyn Manalansang-Buena: UAAGI On the Move is a consolidated one-stop shop, an extravaganza of all the brands under the umbrella of the United Asia Automotive Group, Inc. This is the maiden road show for 2025, and it features all of our brands on display. We have cars, after-sales services, merchandise from each brand, test rides, and surprises and freebies for everybody who will visit and make a purchase of any of our cars. To top that off, we also have a music festival.

For people who are still not aware of the brands under the group, please give us a rundown, and perhaps the segment of the market they’re targeting.

Let me start off with Foton Motors Philippines. We have Foton pickup trucks, the Tunland, the Thunder, the Outback. We also have vans and, of course, we have a lot of commercial vehicles. Next is Chery. We like to say there’s more to our cars. We have a lot of crossovers. We have a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle). We have hybrid cars, eight-seaters, and seven-seaters that offer great value for money. We also have BAIC, a very new brand here that has been very successful fairly recently because we launched a model called the B30e — a hybrid 4×4 model that hit the market by storm. There are so many B30 fans right now. Apart from that, we also have other products: the B40, X55, B80, and B60. Lastly, we have Lynk & Co, a Swedish heritage brand that is manufactured in China, and is positioned as a premium automobile to those who really want a rewarding car experience.

The idea of a mall display is something that’s being used not just by car brands but a lot of companies across industries. What do you see in this medium that makes it very important to your brands?

Well, Filipinos are a mall-going lot, and we tend to hang out in mall venues. Families go to malls during Sundays after church. They eat at a restaurant, which happens to be in a mall. So for me, it’s a great opportunity to showcase our cars and learn about the behavior of the market; to see if they like what we have to offer, and also observe them during days where they’re relaxed, and offer them the great products that we have.

Is there important insight you get from these visitors who may not necessarily be in the market for a new car? Do these activities help you better read the public?

Absolutely, definitely. In mall displays, what we like to think is, if we don’t get to engage them heavily, they’re not really on the path to purchase yet. At the very least, we have awareness, and awareness counts a lot — especially for the brands that we have. We have two new brands barely a year old, really. So this is very important, and it also teaches us a lot about buyers, their behavior, their preferences. The next time we show up, we’re better; we can make better offers, make better after-sales support systems. You know, we also get them to like our pages, engage in social media. At the end of the day, nothing is lost: We’ve been able to engage with them, and we can see and learn about their preferences.

Where might we see UAAGI On the Move next?

We plan to have four road shows this year. I can’t mention the next venues yet, but they will be big lifestyle malls and business centers. We’re also going to try and see if we could go to other areas; regions and provinces to bring our cars closer to our target audience.