The Watch! Tap! Shop! Team Jordan Rae Costanilla, Rajan Joaquin Llaguno (on screen) and Anna Porsche Gutierrez with (from center to right) Alvin Peñaflor, Erickson Llaguno, and Asst. Prof. Raz dela Torre
On 3 July 2025, the Gawad Pangulo Grant-awarded team behind Watch! Tap! Shop! convened at Bukas Space in the UPOU-DICT Building, Diliman, to explore integrating their interactive e-commerce platform into short films and student projects.
The meeting brought together team members Anna Porsche Gutierrez, Erickson Llaguno, Alvin Peñaflor, and Asst. Prof. Raz dela Torre onsite, with Rajan Joaquin Llaguno and Jordan Rae Costanilla joining remotely. The session focused on the potential early integration of the app into short films, one prospect was “Kwits”, which was recently screened for the “Panahon, Panoorin, Paggunita” event at the CCDL Auditorium. There was also discussion about applying the platform to student film projects in MMS 175: Videography in Multimedia.
Watch! Tap! Shop! reimagines traditional product placement by allowing real-time viewer interaction through discreet, clickable on-screen product icons. The platform features seamless UI integration with major e-commerce platforms, inclusive tagging based on user experience, and a robust analytics dashboard for advertisers, measuring clicks, impressions, and conversion rates.
As one of the platform’s earliest adopters, Asst. Prof. dela Torre shared:
“From a production perspective, Watch! Tap! Shop! creates opportunities not just for brand integration but for broader storytelling. It offers a way to spotlight local products, inclusive initiatives, and even tourism, without compromising creative vision. As an educator, I also see its potential as a novel teaching tool that fits naturally into how I teach media and communication studies. I’ve given the team permission to pilot the platform through my official website, and I’m glad to be one of its early adopters.”
The team’s vision aligns with the call for innovation in marketing and storytelling, making digital content more dynamic and empowering viewers to engage with content meaningfully, without intrusive advertising. The platform’s development continues to be shaped by collaboration between creatives, educators, and local industries, pushing the boundaries of how storytelling and commerce intersect in the digital age.
Written by Jerome Suplemento II | Edited by Shari Eunice San Pablo
#UPOpenUniversity
