Do you know Spotify’s daylist feature in the Philippines? Let’s take a peek at the creative minds behind Near Creative, the team behind the ultimate narrative twist that is giving influencer marketing a significant boost: Roxi Biribicchi and Erika Madriñan.

Roxi? She is the adventurous, daring queen who once developed a “Snapchat for travel” app. Erika? She’s the girl next door who was raised to think that working for one firm for 20 years was the only way to succeed. They both started rewriting the playbook for marketing success by eschewing the norms and embracing their mutual passion of adventure.

From travel goals to big biz

Back in 2016, Roxi and Erika weren’t exactly loaded. Armed with nothing but a laptop, a dream and a killer pitch, they convinced Cebu Pacific to be their first client. What started as a “let’s-make-it-work” plan to create cinematic social content for travel brands took flight — literally.

In 2017, Roxi and Erika discovered something significant. Near was prepared to ride the wave as influencers were poised to completely upend the marketing industry. They secured their place at the table since so few agencies followed the trend.

However, 2020 arrived. It might have been game over when travel experienced a significant halt. Rather, they shifted like experts, starting webinars and gaining customers outside of the tourism industry.

Near’s crew expanded from three hustlers to 10 by 2022, showcasing their marketing prowess with companies like FoodPanda, AXN and Puma. However, the transformation didn’t end there. In the present day, they are thriving alongside well-known brands like Aquaflask, Shopee and Cebu Pacific.

Their most iconic moment yet? Running Spotify PH’s campaign for the Daylist feature. If you haven’t tried Daylist, it’s like Spotify’s AI knows exactly what mood you’re in. Think: “situationship yearning monday morning” or “party rock rocking evening.” Yeah, that specific.

Roxi summed up the vibes perfectly: “Spotify isn’t just about great music; it’s about celebrating individuality. That’s why Daylist was such a fun project — we got to team up with the likes of Nadine Lustre, Nico Bolzico, Andrea Brillantes and Small Laude to show off how unique every user is.”

From an idea born in a startup to leading campaigns for the biggest global brands, Near’s journey is proof that risks and resilience pay off. Roxi and Erika are living examples of how millennial energy and some killer intuition can take you from zero to iconic.

So, if you’re dreaming big but scared to take the leap, remember: It only takes one pitch, a whole lot of grit and maybe a Daylist playlist to get started.