Seeing 2018 Miss Universe Catriona Gray breeze through a Q&A minute where she lets her hair down, laughs without a care, and just stays her cute, cuddly, lovable self can be endearing–but it’s all the more refreshing with this twist: the video is a collaboration with BDO Unibank, a veritable historical, financial, and cultural institution in the Philippines.
Well, you know how it is. BDO Unibank as an institution is, well, a boomer and yet, here’s BDO in a sleek, entertaining, and fun video with millennial icon Catriona Gray.
If anything proves that this so-called generation gap is just an illusion, a stereotype that only keeps all of us from having fun together, then this “One Minute Video” collaboration between Catriona and BDO is the ultimate proof.
The video is all about getting to know more about Catriona from her own words–that’s about as authentic as it can get. We’re both relieved and amazed at how down-to-earth and easygoing Catriona can be. This is a young woman who was the toast of the world, a beauty queen beloved by all, and crowned with honor and celebration–but then she reveals that she would rather stay home than party on a Saturday night.
She then describes herself as “such a lola (grandma)” for preferring Saturdays at home. Her Filipina taste shows in her favorite Pinoy foods: adobo and halo-halo. You can’t get anymore Pinay than that. Her favorite cheat day food–again, like many Pinays–are French fries. And when she’s just out by herself, free of any formal obligations, she prefers wearing sneakers to stilettos.
All in all, Catriona reveals her authentic self with fun abandon, despite the glam makeup and outfit she’s wearing, she shows that she’s a Pinay-next-door at heart. You get this vibe from the video that even the BDO peeps at the shoot were having so much fun along with her.
We can’t help but wish that we can all get along and collaborate in fun, meaningful projects like Catriona and BDO–whether we’re boomers, gen-Xers, millennials, or gen Z-ers. After all, especially for Filipinos, we are really just one big family trying to find our way through life. So it’s better to work together and collaborate, rather than get divisive, right?
This “One Minute with Catriona” video is something that deserves a follow-up, as a way to give voice to other millennials. The format is just so light, fun, and breezy. It’s an enjoyable yet also meaningful and memorable way to get to know someone.
In the video, Catriona is able to touch on issues that affect her generation and she shows us how institutions like BDO are truly timeless in that it bridges the gaps between generations–and is helping Catriona find her way to the life she wants to create.
In a way, this collaboration between Catriona and BDO challenges stereotypes and shows us that there is not one path to success or happiness. Only by collaboration can we find the path, the way, that truly respects our authentic selves and allows us to thrive. Looking forward to more collaborations between Catriona and BDO!