Ed Caluag's lagging livestream haunts its way to gold

Paranormal expert and content creator Ed Caluag is used to investigating ghosts. During a recent livestream inside an old haunted mansion, however, the spirits lodged a complaint of their own: his connection kept cutting out every time they appeared.

The video was designed to resemble his regular livestream content and ran directly on his platforms, complete with deliberately laggy moments. Each time a ghost appeared on screen, the stream froze, leaving Caluag to continue his investigation while the apparitions waited out the buffering.

Caluag later demands an encore, urging the ghosts to "do it again" for the camera. The first, a bewildered elderly White Lady, hesitantly complies. The tension breaks when a looming, Slenderman-like figure drops character with deadpan fury, criticizing Caluag's consistently lagging stream before suggesting he switch to TNT. The frustrated ghosts eventually turn the tables on Caluag.

Why a haunted house?

Ed Caluag is a Filipino paranormal investigator, psychic, and internet personality. Best known for investigating haunted sites on Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS), his dramatic style turned him into a viral pop culture meme and a sought-after figure for digital campaigns.

The video, launched in February 2026, was developed by Ace Saatchi & Saatchi, with Wavemaker Philippines–WPP Media serving as the media agency. It framed mobile network lag—one of the most frustrating experiences for mobile users—within an unexpected setting. The campaign leveraged recognition translating technical low latency into a relatable scenario.

The campaign recently won gold at the Smarties Philippines in the Creator/Influencer/Celebrity Marketing (Impact Marketing) category.

"This recognition reflects how we continue to find fresh and engaging ways to bring the brand promise to life,“ said Lloyd R. Manaloto, FVP and OIC for Smart. “By combining the authenticity and entertainment value of creator content with the strength of our network, we were able to turn a common frustration into a story that Filipinos could relate to and enjoy.”

The setting also reflects viewing habits in the Philippines, where the majority of internet users watch video on mobile devices. With more than 97% of users regularly watching online video, live and interactive formats like Caluag's streams continue to grow. That trend increases the demand for smooth, responsive connections, where low mobile latency—the time it takes for network data to respond to a user's action—plays a key role in maintaining seamless streams and real-time viewer engagement.