Anko will open third store, taps Anne Curtis as endorser

ANKO took over Alveo Land’s Mergent Residences model unit in Greenbelt 3 on March 4, showing a way to live large on a small budget.

Anko, the house brand of Kmart Australia, arrived in the Philippines in November last year, with a store in Glorietta 2. Anko is part of the Kmart Group under Wesfarmers Ltd. It has announced plans to open a second store in Alabang Town Center in May, but on March 17, it also announced the opening of a third store, its largest so far, in TriNoma in Quezon City.

Spanning 1,634 square meters, the TriNoma store will offer 1,421 square meters of retail space, with the remaining area allocated for office and stockroom use to support operations efficiently. A board-up in Anko’s signature magenta hue is now on display at Level 1 of TriNoma’s Activity Center.

“Opening in TriNoma is a natural next step for Anko in the Philippines. We want to be where Filipino families already shop for their homes, and Metro Manila’s top malls provide the perfect space to introduce more people to our brand,” said Arjun Puri, chief executive officer of Anko Global in a statement.

Rachel Turner, Country Manager of Anko Philippines, declined to comment on the then-undisclosed TriNoma location during the March 4 event, nor did she comment on the future of sourcing materials from the Philippines. However, she did say, “We’re looking for strategic locations where we can continue to expand,” she said in a small group interview.

“We’re really excited about Alabang Town Center, as we will be for other locations in the future. We look forward to being part of the community. When we come to a new location, or we open in a new site, we don’t just bring fantastic products… we also bring employment. We will create jobs, whether that’s retail, supply chain, logistics, customer service, and give back to the local community through job creation.”

Speaking about their five-year plan, she said, “We’re very excited about the stores that we have planned and announced, and we’re looking for new opportunities where we can find them.” According to her, Anko Global produced a billion units (items) last year, sold globally and domestically in Australia.

TAKEOVERMeanwhile, Anko got some help from Australian interior designer Nicole Rosenberg, founder of Melbourne-based Liberty Interiors, to spruce up the Alveo Land unit. Using Anko items, she showed space-saving pieces like makeup towers, and used scented candles, linens, and decorative pieces from Anko’s line.

What she did could be used in any Filipino home, of any size: for example, she said that she used the brand’s sage and light blue pieces a great deal, because “I know not everyone enjoys using color. But I think using these tones, like green, for example, for me, isn’t really a color. It’s outside in nature. It’s like you’re bringing nature inside. I think it’s a good color to start with, if you’re feeling a bit hesitant about color.”

She gave tips like styling in odd numbers, like in groups of threes: “It gives height to the area that you’re styling, and it also brings the eye to that area,” she said in a group interview. As for space-saving tips, she suggested collapsible pieces like Anko’s foldable laundry basket, as well as installing a shelf above the toilet (a space that is usually unused).

ENDORSERFinally, the brand released a commercial with Filipino-Australian actress Anne Curtis.

In a statement, she said, “Being a Filipino Aussie, it actually makes me so proud to be part of a brand that’s bringing some of my all-time favorite Australian products to the Philippines.

“Our homes are where we create memories, find comfort, and share love, even with our fur babies. And as a fur mom myself, I love to spoil this with Anko, I know that can be done with affordability and quality in mind. This journey with Anko is just getting started, and we can’t wait to share some exciting collection styling tips and special surprises with all of you. So stay tuned because there’s so much to look forward to with Anko.”

The commercial shows the actress going around a home filled with affordable items: Anko’s items run from P60 to the low thousands. Ms. Turner said, “Affordability for me means accessibility. Our purpose is to bring beautiful quality products to everybody. Affordability is one of the main pillars of that messaging.” — Joseph L. Garcia