University Thesis
From The Tree to The Palm: Final Thesis by Group 9 Offers a Refreshing Look to Decades Old Brand, Lipa Buko
Disclaimer: The group is in no way affiliated with Fruits of Life Inc. and Lipa Buko. The purpose of this project is purely for academic purposes. All currently existing materials that feature Fruits of Life Inc, Lipa Buko, and other companies and brands belong to them and not the group.
“By repositioning Lipa Buko as a wellness-focused brand, the team aims to cultivate a deeper, community-based connection with consumers—one that extends beyond simply quenching thirst.” - Group 9, Industry Overview
With the rapid pace that markets are evolving at, especially the markets that deal with food and beverages, businesses are trying to find ways to not fall behind and ‘future proof’ their plans. That’s exactly what a group of senior students from Ateneo de Manila University demonstrated in their Integrated Project, or final thesis, titled “Refreshing the Decades-Old Brand of Coconut Products: Fruits of Life”. The team – consisting of Sam De Belen, Ameera Abu-shendi, Izabella Azucena, Patrixia Castillo, and Julianne Go – brought together their diverse skills and perspectives to explore ways on how to future proof Fruits of Life and their brand, “Lipa Buko”, by revamping their strategies and keeping them with the times.
Led by Sam de Belen, the project aimed to position Fruits of Life’s brand, Lipa Buko, as an essential part of a wellness-focused lifestyle rather than just a refreshing drink. This entailed refreshing the current consumer perceptions of the brand by updating its overall branding and products to fit with the current times. Combining primary data collections, interviews, and more, the group uncovered new consumer insights and channeled them into the project’s outputs and overall plans. This project consisted of an industry overview, a comprehensive marketing, operations management, and financial plan, as well as a 5-minute pitch video and a 30-minute presentation. The group only had 4 months to work on this project – starting from January 20 to April 12, 2025. With the rapid-paced timeline and the members' different skillsets, the group was able to tackle the project from different angles – blending creative strategy with analytical data thinking.
This thesis project was developed by:
• Sam de Belen: Group leader, researched industry and company, co-led Products (4Ps), analyzed financial data, identified process changes, objectives, and productivity measures, directed and wrote pitch video
• Ameera Abu-shendi: Researched current processes, co-created proposed process changes, co-led Promotions (4Ps), analyzed financial data, researched industry and company
• Izabella Azucena: Co-created proposed process changes, co-led Promotions (4Ps), researched industry and company, analyzed primary research data, edited, shot and produced pitch video, analyzed financial data, led Place (4Ps)
• Patrixia Castillo: Co-graphic designer (packaging for bottled, canned products, & BUKO YAN), co-led Products (4Ps), researched current processes and industry, analyzed financial data, co-created visual branding, led and analyzed primary research, shot and produced pitch video
• Julianne Go: Co-graphic designer (packaging for frozen goods, & BUKO BOOST), led Price (4Ps), researched proposed e-commerce processes, designed website interface, analyzed financial data, co-created visual branding, researched industry and company, shot and produced pitch video
Despite the outlined tasks, all team members jumped between tasks and helped each other out even on tasks that were not assigned to them. Creating a dynamic and energetic flow between each member which was evidently reflective in their outputs.
Following the success of their thesis, the group is now focusing on fulfilling their last requirements for the semester and exploring options for their post-graduate life. Some are applying the skills they've gained during this project in their professional roles, while others plan to take a breather before they jump back into the corporate grind.
This final thesis project is a prime culmination of what the group has learned in their 4-year stay at Ateneo de Manila University, as Communication Technology Management majors; and shows how impactful collaboration is to finding quality insights and creating great plans. Asides from exceeding academic expectations — they created work that has shaped their potential as future marketers in the real world.
