Waves of Giving-When Business Growth and Community Impact Move in the Same Direction
How Clean Ocean Marketing helped STG Global launch Waves of Giving — a surf-based community development program that uplifted coastal communities across the Philippines and gave their brand a deeper meaning.
CASE STUDY Client: STG Global Project: Waves of Giving — Corporate Social Responsibility Program Role: Head of Content (Contract, 2023–2025)
Overview
Before founding Clean Ocean Marketing, I had the opportunity to lead content for STG Global — an Australian-based commercial truck body manufacturer with a heart for giving back to communities. During my time as their contracted Head of Content, one of the most meaningful projects I worked on was building and communicating their corporate social responsibility program: Waves of Giving.
My Role
As Head of Content, I was responsible for developing the program, voice, messaging, and digital presence of the Waves of Giving program — translating a genuine desire to give back into a platform that could inspire partners and connect with coastal communities across the Philippines.
The Challenge
STG Global had the heart for it. What they needed was a clear, authentic way to communicate it. In a market where buyers increasingly choose brands based on values, the opportunity was to position Waves of Giving not as a PR move, but as a true reflection of who STG Global is as a company.
The goal was simple but meaningful: use surfing to give kids joy, and help them grow a lasting appreciation for the ocean and their environment.
What we built
Together with the former CEO, Ross Yendle, and with the help of DT Shapes, a Filipino surfboard shaping company, we developed the Waves of Giving project end-to-end — from shaping the program's strategic direction to building its public-facing presence. This included:
- Conceptualizing and developing the program's identity, messaging, and digital platform
- Creating volunteer and donor engagement strategies with STG’s clients to grow community participation
- Directing free surf clinic activations and surf competitions across the Philippines
- Managing athlete partnerships, development, including content and communications
- Overseeing the junior surfboard initiative in collaboration with DT Shapes, designed specifically for children aged 5–12
- Producing success stories and program documentation that demonstrated real community impact
The Impact
- Built a CSR platform that gave STG Global a meaningful public identity beyond their products
- Helped communicate their reach across 8 barangays and growing
- Positioned the program to attract corporate partners, sponsors, and volunteers
- Told the story of surfing as both a vehicle for joy and a pathway to economic opportunity in underserved communities
The Takeaway
This project shaped a lot of how I think about marketing today. Every entrepreneur — at every level — has the capacity to serve. And when a business finds a way to act on that, marketing becomes something more than promotion — it becomes a vehicle for fulfillment. Not just for the customers you reach, but for the business owner and the team behind it. That belief is at the core of why I started Clean Ocean Marketing.
