(UPDATE) Jomark Peladra and his crew of foodpanda riders did a happy dance to the beach house classic "Ever After" and got nearly five million views in three days, and 13 million at the close of 2021 -- cracking a viral formula on Gen Z's favorite platform, TikTok.
Peladra and the six-piece SPC Dancing Riders picked a feel-good jam, granted a follower's request for a collab with a McDonald's branch manager and just danced to make their audience happy.
The magic is in the chroreography that makes viewers want to dance, throwback music and that Gen flair, said top food influencer MasarapBa. "Umabot ako sa point na inaral ko yung steps kasi parang gusto ko rin sumali," the incognito critic told reportr.
"Nakakaaliw yung fact na kahit nasa crisis tayo, they still manage to have fun and express creativity. To think na ang hirap ng work nila ah. Tas game na game pa si madam manager. Nakakaaliw. Thirty seconds of much needed escape from reality," MasarapBa said.
The SPC Dancing Riders (named after their base, San Pablo City) was lucky the manager, Roselle Ann Cosico, is a dancer herself and needed just two practice rounds before filming on her way out from work.
"Masasabi lang po namin is saludo po kami sa lahat ng delivery riders na katulad namin na nagsasakripisyo at handang magbigay serbisyo sa gitna ng pandemyang ito," Peladra said.
@jomakzky Reply to @icedcoffee221 Thankyou so much McDo plaza san pablo! At kay manager na game na game ???? saan next? ##fyp? ##spcdancingriders ##foodpandaph
? Ever After - Ceejay Laqui
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Just like other quarantined Filipinos, Peladra and fellow deliver riders Vincent Atienza (former theme park performer in Hong Kong), Phoker Caravana (ex-account officer), Jim Latade (ex-barista and dancer), Andro Trinidad (ex-barista), and Angelito Mañores (former freelance dancer) found an outlet for their creativity on TikTok during dead hours for foodpanda orders.
The SPC Dancing Riders' TikTok got their breakthrough in March, 2.5 million views for their dance outside a KFC branch in San Pablo. Their followers noticed the group's knack for choreography and blocking.
Since then, followers regularly send their collab requests, until the McDonald's video with close to five million views over the weekend.
"Bale nag-request po sila na mag-collab kami and napasali namin po si Ma'am dahil out na din po siya sa work that time," Peladra said.
"Wala po sa isip namin na magvi-viral siya, sobrang gulat po ako pag-upload ko po nung video, two minutes pa lang po, 10,000 views na siya agad."
When netizens called for an encore, they made another video at the same branch: this time, with the crew members.
@jomakzky Reply to @icedcoffee221 Ayan napo mam sana ikaw naman kasunod na kasayaw namin ???? #fyp? #spcdancingriders #foodpandaph #mcdoph #tiktokphilippines
? Bang Bang Bang - putri pake i
Since then, his TikTok account @jomakzky exploded with 4.3 million likes and 332,000 followers. Despite their rising popularity on social media, the group will continue with their day jobs to continue bringing food and essentials to quarantined millions.
MORE ON DELIVERY RIDERS:
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Mr. Speedy Driver, an Ex-Pop Star, is Riding Out COVID-19 with Grit
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