Filipino queer film SNIFLW breaks marketing rules with immersive street-level campaign

No big budget. No mall tours. No paid media. Just community, authenticity, and risk-taking creativity. That’s how the Filipino queer film Some Nights I Feel Like Walking (SNIFLW) built a marketing campaign that cut through the noise and mobilised audiences.

The film’s promotion was developed in partnership with entertainment marketing agency LunchBox and social impact creative shop Lennon Group. The result was a campaign that audiences and industry peers alike described as both unconventional and effective.

“We crafted an experiential campaign that was rooted in community and designed to meet audiences where they already are,” said Carl Chavez, founder of LunchBox. “The campaign leaned on hyperspecific and unconventional executions.”

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The film, directed by Petersen Vargas, stars Miguel Odron, Jomari Angeles, Argel Saycon, Tommy Alejandrino and Gold Azeron. The story follows a band of street hustlers who carry the body of their overdosed friend across the city to fulfil his dying wish of returning home. More than just a journey through danger, the story unfolds as a portrait of tenderness and brotherhood forged in the margins of society.

Instead of premium invitations, the marketing team used handwritten notes on bus tickets, tissue paper, pad paper and receipts. Each was disposable yet symbolic, reflecting the realities portrayed in the film. “These weren’t just invites. They were relics of the lives the film portrayed. A love letter to the everyday,” the team explained.

Where most films would mount a mall tour, SNIFLW staged a “Grindr Live Tour”. Characters from the film appeared on the dating app, interacting with users through live unscripted conversations across locations such as Poblacion, Cubao and Greenfield.

Flirting, chatting, and connecting, they blurred the boundary between fiction and reality. The reward for meaningful interaction: premiere tickets.

The campaign culminated at Isetann Recto, Manila’s gritty underground cinema known for its role in queer culture and independent film. The decision deliberately rejected traditional luxury cinema norms.

Inside, guests were immersed in a recreation of the city’s underbelly: go-go boys ushered attendees, aisles were lined with KTV bars, thrift shops, massage parlours, and street food stalls, while macho dancers performed live.

“The campaign was an ode to the everyday in the underbelly of Manila streets. Everything about the campaign was experiential and immersive in ways that tell the heart of the film,” said Raymund Sison, founder of Lennon Group. “More importantly, it was a testament to the enormous power of community and the magic of collaboration.”

Chavez added: “From invites that spoke the streets, to the Grindr activations that directly reached queer audiences, to the premiere at Isetann Mall that made the film feel accessible and grounded, to grassroots collaborations with local brands, each effort helped transform the film into more than just a screening - it became a cultural moment.”

The Filipino queer film industry, though often constrained by production costs and scarce resources, thrives on powerful storytelling. Its presence in international queer film festivals continues to expand, sustained by a committed community of filmmakers who push the sector forward.

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