Q& A with Onora: Digital marketing for the once-taboo afterlife services

One thing that COVID-19 changed in the Philippines is that it has lifted the lid off the once-taboo topic of death and afterlife services. People of all ages and socio-economic classes want to know how to make sure they and their loved ones are safe and prepared, in case the worst case happens. Onora, the online platform of legacy afterlife service providers, jumped in to fill the conversations - and meet the urgency with a real-time on-demand app. In this Q and A, Marketing Interactive discusses with Benjie Dychangco, Onora founder and chairman, how they are getting their message across, and the steps needed to shift a long-entrenched collective mindset.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: How long have you been in the afterlife or aftercare service?  What prompted you to go digital and create the Onora app?

We have been in the aftercare service for over a century, 108 years, to be exact.  It started in the year 1914 and I belong to the third generation of aftercare service providers.  The funeral business is a very traditional business dating back to Ancient Egypt whose belief is that when the body died, parts of its soul known as ka (body double) and the ba (personality) would go to the Kingdom of the Dead.  Much has changed since but the basic element of giving honor to the dead remains intact and in practice in over the world. 

What changed, however, is the practice and manner by which honor-giving is rendered.  Fast forward to modern times: a family that experiences a loved one’s death does not know what to do first or where to start.  They’re inclined to ask relatives and friends how to go about this situation.  Once they realize the need for a funeral service provider, they try to go or get in touch with several funeral homes.  With grief abounding, families tend to make erratic decisions, thus making the whole grieving process harder than it already is. 

Onora reduces these hardships because options can be done remotely by just using a smartphone.  We give the families the space to make the right decisions expeditiously, thus allowing them to grieve properly.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: People, especially the elderly, do not want to talk about death as they are understandably sensitive about it. Filipinos, in general, are also silent about it because they tend to believe that talking about it or preparing for it can result in “bad luck.” How did you fight these belief systems and start the conversation?

 In the 1960s, when the first pre-need memorial plan was introduced in the Philippines, representatives were shooed away and even confronted aggressively.  In today’s time, people are more exposed to the idea of death and even accept it as part of life.  However, there is still a segment of society that refuses to accept it and outrightly dismisses it as if death would not come.  Constant education and exposure to the idea of death as a natural part of living would help improve people’s perception of the topic of death.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What was the initial response of the market?  Have you categorized them?  Who are your heavy users? Your distant audience?

The mentality of people about death has improved by leaps and bounds since the 1960s.  The pre-need business has ballooned to a billion-peso industry.  The fraction of people owing life plans has tremendously increased.  We’ve categorized this segment as people at certain age brackets who are the decision decision-makers in the family, there is usually a point person who is entrusted with this decision.  As per our survey, these are predominantly male and middle-aged.  The exception, however, are OFWs who are decision makers with no age range because, simply, they are the breadwinners of the family. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What is your one message that persuades people to consider what you have to offer?

Practicality and transparency. Leaving families to have more time to grieve and take care of other things as important as the funeral arrangement. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: After being in the afterlife or aftercare service for so long, what have you learned is the most effective communication strategy or approach that will make your target audience respond? 

Like any other service, product or commodity, price is still definitely a sensitive matter that’s nearest the heart of the bereaved families.  That is why families tend to canvas prices from different funeral homes before they finally commit.  With Onora, this can be done with just a smartphone anytime and from anywhere as long as there is internet.  It empowers families to browse among the different funeral merchants’ offerings complete with prices and inclusions.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: How do you make afterlife or aftercare service customer-friendly?  How do you balance attending to the urgent with sensitivity?  In short, how do you persuade the customer to do the urgent things that have to be done, without appearing cold or heartless about it?

While Onora could be considered as digital and somewhat cold, we have addressed that by providing real-person chats with the family to assist them and console them, if needed, given the grief they’re experiencing.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What are the most important things that the Filipino market is looking for in this kind of service?  How have you responded?

As previously mentioned, price and transparency are major deciding factors.  Onora has responded by reflecting in its app prices, pictures, and service inclusions of a certain package.  Browsing through these would give families an idea of what they want and the budget range allocated for the service.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Would it be fair to say that Onora is disrupting or redefining the industry?  How?

A disruption and a paradigm shift to the industry.  First, we are very transparent.  Based on surveys all over the world, the funeral industry people are the most distrusted business people.  People see the industry as vultures who feed on carcasses and benefit from the misfortune of others.  Second, we have digitalized a very traditional industry. Onora has proven that it can be done.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE:  How did your messaging affect the way that people perceive afterlife and aftercare?

We have slowly but surely strategically made Onora visible to the public through social media, print media, and broadcast media. Merchants from the funeral service provide caterers, flower shops, pet services etc. have been onboarded for the benefit of our clients.  Hospital partnerships have been initiated to address first-base contact with the bereaved families.  Groups, associations, and even local government units will be tapped to promote Onora.  OFWs through the Department of Migrant Workers will have easy access to Onora when a need arises.  These initiatives have strengthened and expanded the public service mission and capability of Onora.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Where do you go from here?  What are your next business and marketing objectives in the next 2 years?

Onora is now in negotiation with a North American group to bring us outside the bounds of the Philippines.  Onora will be white-labeled and scaled to operate in North America piloting in certain limited states.  It is also our objective to make Onora a top-of-mind option when an unfortunate death comes into the family.