1983 was a period of turmoil in the Philippines, marked
by destructive typhoon Bebeng, a major earthquake in Luzon , and the killing of
Marcos opposition leader Ninoy Aquino in August that would catalyze protests
all over the country, culminating in the People Power Revolution.
It was against this uncertain backdrop that
Magnolia launched its MAGNOLIA SORBETES, a line of local flavors that are sure
to please, generously filled with chunky fruit bits, and other tasty ingredients--"punong-puno ng sarap!"
There were four initial flavors—Halo Halo Fiesta, Queso
Rico, Ube Macapuno and Fruit Salad—all familiar favorites, as the product
concept aimed to replicate popular, sought-after “sorbetes” flavors that one could easily pick from a cart from one’s friendly neighborhood sorbetero.
The launch
materials included a full color introductory ad and a jingle-based TV
commercial that featured mouthwatering food and consumption shots, and
employing showbiz personalities like Toby Alejar, actor/model Marty Merino and
dancer Ida Ramos.
WATCH MAGNOLIA SORBETES TV AD HERE:
In 1996, SMC went into joint venture with Nestle that
resulted in the Magnolia-Nestle Corp. Two years later, SMC withdrew but Nestle
continued producing ice cream under the
Sorbetes name. In 2004, after a 10-year absence, Magnolia Ice Cream returned to
the market with its classic ice cream products. Magnolia Sorbetes was promoted by its food supplier arm (Great Food Solutions) but its present website no longer lists the
Sorbetes brand in its product portfolio.
COCA COLA COUPLE. Susan Roces appears in one of her earliest ads, with love team Bernard Bonnin, for Coca Cola's 50th Anniversary. 1957.
Queen of the Philippine
Movies, SUSAN ROCES (born Jesusa Purificación Levy Sonora, 28 Jul. 1941 in Bacolod) began her movie
career at age 8, when she was cast in the movie “Mga Bituin ng Kinabukasan” by Nepomuceno Productions.
SUSAN ROCES in a Philippine Charity Sweepstake color print ad, 1960
Dr. Jose Perez, Sampaguita
Pictures’ big boss “re-discovered” her as a teen beauty, when she was already in
Manila, an interna of La Consolacion College. She passed her screen test and
was given the screen name “Susan Roces” (after Susan Magalona and the Roces
Publications).
.SUSAN ROCES does a LAVORIS Mouthwash and Gargle print ad, 1961.
First introduced in “Miss Tilapia” and “Bokingera (Daw)”
(1956), Roces would rise to become one of the most celebrated and influential actresses
of the 60s era, especially when she went free-lance, acclaimed as the queen of
Tagalog cinema, for such movies as “Susan, Susay Susie”, “Susanang Daldal”, (1962), “Bayan Ko, Lumaban Ka” (1965), “Maruja”
(1967), “Divina Gracia” (1970) “Patayin
mo sa Sindak si Barbara” (1974). She would win a back-to-back Best Actress Famas
award for “Maligno” (1978), and “Gumising ka , Maruja” (1979).
SUSAN ROCES for LIFEBUOY SOAP, with Romeo Vasquez, 1960
Roces reached a milestone in her career
when she married widow of Fernando Poe Jr.[, who left her a widow in
2004. Daughter Grace Poe is a senator. On
TV, Roces was in “John en Shirley”, an ABS-CBN comedy show until October 2007.
She currently is still in the top rating “FPJ: Ang Probinsyano” series which
began in 2015.
SUSAN ROCES as a 60s LUX BEAUTY.
At her peak, Roces was avidly sought by companies for
endorsements—from Coca Cola to beauty and personal products like Lux. Now
regarded as an icon of Philippine movies, the much-loved and respected actress continues
to appear in TV commercials for such products as RiteMed and Champion. Then, as
now, Susan Roces has the face that refreshes, and a voice that sells.
SUSAN ROCES PRESENTS...MODERN REST BED. Print ad, 1965.
SOURCES:
Susan Roces, First Lady and Eterenal Queen of Philippine Movies,
VICKS, the leading name in cough , cold flu and pain
medications, began in the 1890s as a concoction of pharmacist Lunsford
Richardson, who developed a menthol-based salve that releases soothing vapors
when applied to the body.
He named it after his brother-in-law, Dr. Joshua W.
Vick, who helped him in setting up his
business. Richardson created 21 products which he sold under his newly- formed
Lunsford Richardson Wholesale Drug Co. in 1898, which became Vick Chemical Co.
In the 1930s, the company merged with William S. Merrell Chemical
Co. to become Richardson-Merrell. In time, VICKS became a successful global
brand, and the products reached our shores after the war, distributed by VICKS
International. The initial products were VICKS Vaporub and Cough Drops.
In the 1950s, VICKS was actively promoted in the
Philippines via Print and Radio advertising. It became a household name when
VICKS started a radio show on DZRH, entitled “Reyna ng Vicks” in which
housewives and mothers recounted their saddest sob stories. The one who could
elicit the most reaction via audience applause, was crowned as “Reyna ng
Vicks”. A film version starring Susan
Roces hit the movie screens in 1958.
After various mergers and acquisitions, it became
Richardson-Vick, Inc., in 1980 . Procter and Gamble (P&G) acquired the
company from the Richardson family and its advertising began in 1987, initiated and managed by the
local P&G office, and which continues to this day.
**********
VICKS VAPORUB. The most popular VICKS product was created
in 1919. During the Spanish flu epidemic in the U.S. in 1919, Vaporub sales
tripled to $2.9 million in just one year. It was th first VICKS product to
become available in the Philippines after the War.
VICKS VAPORUB, in jars and tins. 1959
VICKIE SANTOS, VICKS brand charactre, 1950s.
**********
VICKS COUGH DROPS. The popular menthol cough drops were
launched in 1931, and were instant hit, selling 25 million pacakges in the
first year. By the 1950s, they were widely available in local drugstores. Flavored versions--Wild Cherry and Lemon-- were made to appeal to kids.
VICKS COUGH DROPS, 1956.
VICKS COUGH DROPS, for Children, 1959
VICKS COUGH DROPS, 1959
**********
VICKS VA-TRO-NOL. Also introduced in 1931, VICKS Va-tro-nol Nose Drops was launched in
1953 in the Philippines. The drops provided relief from nasal congestion, bit
did not catch on with the Filipino public.
VICKS VA-TRO-NOL NOSE DROPS, 1953
**********
VICKS INHALER. The instant stuffy nose
reliever-in-a-tube, first produced in the U.S. in 1951, was launched in the
Philippines in 1959. Its advertising was the first to use a celebrity, matinee
idol Jaime de la Rosa, as its print model.
VICKS INHALER, 1959
**********
VICKS FORMULA 44.
VICKS Cough Syrup, the first liquid cough syrup introduced by Vicks was
launched in 1952. As VICKS Formula 44, the syrup provided 8 hours of
long-lasting relief to cough sufferers.
VICKS FORMULA 44. 1959
**********
VICKS IMPACT. The short-lived anti-cold VICKS Impact
tablet for cold and fever was introduced in 1959, but did not flourish.
SMOKEY'S TRAY LINER featured sausage trivia such as this, used at the Quad outlet, 1982
Since the 1960s, Pure Foods Corp. was a dominant meat
products company whose hotdog, sausage and processed meat products were
favorites on many Filipino tables. In the 1980s, the company decided to enter
the fast-food industry through outlets that offered an assortment of hotdog-based
products, from plain dogs to fancy sandwich preparations, freshly prepared and sold at reasonable
prices.
SMOKEY'S TRAY LINER, agency-designed for the 1st Quad outlet, 1982.
The first step was to create a name for the said fast food
concept, and the task fell to Ace-Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising, formerly
Ace-Compton. The Creative Team drew up a list of name studies that were
whittled down to 3 Finalists—Steven’s, Sidney’s and SMOKEY’s.
SMOKEY'S TRAY LINER. Illustrated by account executive, Dinky.
After the names were subjected to Focus Group
Discussions, the winning name was chosen—SMOKEY’S. A product descriptor was
appended to capture the wide variety of sausage offerings, and thus the full
brand name became SMOKEY’S SAUSAGE WORLD.
SMOKEY'S TRAY LINER. 1982, "Hotdog with a Healthy Purpose"
The first outlet of SMOKEY'S was opened on November 1982
at the Quad Car Park in Makati City—the first sausage parlor in the country. The
launch was complemented with full advertising support. To get across the
message that there’s more to sausages than just hotdogs---the agency creative came
up with the thematic line—“Get the sausage surprise of your life!”.
LISTEN TO SMOKEY'S 1982 JINGLE HERE:
A jingle-based commercial was produced that dramatized the surprising
varieties— from the juiciest, tastiest to the fanciest and hottest hotdogs in
town! While we do not have the commercial, we still have the jingle that was
composed by award-winning jinglemaker, ms. Charo Unite and ably sung by Jakiri.
SMOKEY'S SAUSAGE TRIVIA: Secrets of Roman Victories, 1982
After its successful launch, Smokey's franchise became
popular to independent business entrepreneurs in Metro Manila. By 1989,
franchising was expanded to include provinces, thus making SMOKEY’s a national
name.
In 2002, Purefoods, the top meat products company was merged with the
country's number one brewery corporation, San Miguel, giving birth to the new
San Miguel-Pure Foods Corporation.
EVOLUTION OF THE SMOKEY'S LOGO
Now simply known as SMOKEY’s, its carts and
kiosks continue to give customers the most enjoyable and delightful sausage
surprises of their lives.
In the 50s, young Pinoy lads dabbed their hair with
"brilliantine" pomade to create the pompadour look that was the rage
of the era. Popularized by James Dean and Elvis, the iconic men's hairdo was
completed with cowlick that was forced to curl in front of one's forehead with
more dabs of pomade. Early brands included imported ones like Vitalis, Yardley and
Brylcreem, but cheaper, local brands dominated the market from the late 40s-60s,
like "Palikero", "X-7", "Verbena", "Le Conte"
. One post-war brand, "ROBIN HOOD MEDICATED SOLID BRILLIANTINE POMADE"
(in both cream and liquid brilliantine forms) attained a measure of popularity
with young Pinoy lads of the era.
Created by Beauty Chemical Lab which had a plant along
Benavidez St., Binondo in Manila, ROBINHOOD caught on with the young crowd,
favoring its extra-heavy brilliantine effect on hair.
The brand icon shows the
bemoustached hero-outlaw who robbed the rich to help the poor---ROBIN HOOD--all
in his red tights glory. Curiously, the package graphics show him wielding a
sword instead of the bow and arrow that identifies him as an archer, first and
foremost. ROBIN HOOD Pomade was promoted nationally and advertising
tin signs like this example were nailed in front of neighborhood stores to
attract consumer attention. There were comics-like print ad versions written in
deep, poetic Pilipino.
ROBIN HOOD, print ad 1953
Pomades went out of style in the 90s, with hair gels and
clay taking their place. But in the distant 50s, there was nothing like ROBIN HOOD to groom you and bring out the the handsome rogue in you. Finally, as its
advertising blurb proclaims---gleaming, shining, brilliant hair can now be
"thrillingly yours!".
POSTSCRIPT: Sometime in 2012, a cache of vintage ROBIN
HOOD pomade stocks as well as point-of-sale materials, mostly tin signs, were discovered in a Binondo store. These were
immediately snapped up by Filipino pickers and collectors.
Who can forget that line delivered in a tiny, squeaky
voice by a hunky male talent at the end of a 1997 KENNY ROGERS ROASTERS
commercial? The dissonance in the character and his voice proved to be so
memorable that the KENNY ROGERS commercial was soon being spoofed on TB gag
shows, even as a horde of customers began
flocking the newest chicken restaurant in town.
The concept of a chicken restaurant was not new back in
the country back in the mid 1990s. KFC, the former Kentucky Fried Chicken, was
already a dominant fastfood chain serving various chicken products. Enter KENNY
ROGERS ROASTERS . Established in 1991 by country musician—and foodie-- Kenny
Rogers, in partnership with John Y. Brown, and Kenny Rogers, it first opened
its first branch in Coral Springs, Florida.
Just a mere four years later, Roasters Philippines Inc.
brought the KENNY ROGERS ROASTERS to Manila. Roasters Phils., was founded by
the enterprising Bernardine Sy, whose family was also behind successful consumer
brands like Jag Jeans, Lee Jeans, Marie France. She expanded their business
portfolio to include food—hence she ventured into franchising, acquired KENNY
ROGERS and opened the first outlet at Alabang Town Center on 28 March 1995 to
great acclaim.
Two years after, its first drive-thru restaurant opened
in Lipa. Filipino customers took to enjoying roasted chicken (as opposed to
fired) that they heartily ate along with side dishes, salads, pastas---and of course,
the best-selling muffins.
When it came to pushing KENNY ROGERS ROASTERS with
advertising, the brand’s imported image came into play—and the first print ads
showed slick product shots straight from an American magazine. If there was a
barrier that needed to be broken, it was the high class image that the brand
projected that needed fixing. After all, such an “uppity” image can be
alienating.
By 1997, powerhouse agency Jimenez DMB&B was getting
ready for the impending loss of KFC which it had been handling for over 2
years, due to managerial changes in the company. At that time, Jimenez DMB&B
had been handling another Sy business—JAG Jeans—which was performing very well
in the fashion market, thanks to the agency’s award-winning campaigns. The
agency had long wanted the KENNY ROGERS account, but contractual obligations
forbade it to handle conflicting accounts. KFC’s loss paved the way for the
eventual addition of KENNY ROGERS to Jimenez DMB&B’s client list.
WATCH THE KENNY ROGERS "PILA" TVC HERE:
The first KENNY ROGERS ("Pila" TVC 30s) commercial produced by the agency
addressed the image problem of the store by coming up with the “Ordinary People,
Extraordinary Goodness” campaign. To show how accessible KENNY ROGERS is, the
creative team headed by Raoul Panes and Poch Guevara came up with the idea of having
“unseen people watchers”, observing the comings-and-goings inside a friendly
KENNY ROGERS restaurant. Through this peepshow
approach, we see how the KENNY ROGERS crowd actually come from all walks of
life, ordinary people like you and me—but with extraordinary taste for all that
is good, that gives value for their money and that prices great eating
experience.
WATCH KENNY ROGERS' "GANADO" TVC
Much of the charm of the commercial, directed by ace Vitt
Romero, relies on the lively, chatty
voice-overs of the unseen voyeurs. They were, in fact, provided by the agency creative
themselves, led by the Creative Director Raoul Panes, and Jim Battad, an art director.
The one voice that stood out for was that of the good-looking hunk at the end,
high-pitched and squeaky. It was voiced by Lilit Trinidad, also a creative
writer of Jimenez DMB&B.
The new commercials were very well-received and Jimenez DMB&B
would go on to produce a follow-up "Ganado" commercial using the same format. It would also keep KENNY ROGERS
ROASTERS longer than KFC, which to this day, continues to offer its signature
roasted dishes, cooked on cooked
together with the freshest ingredients in all their over 50 Kenny’s stores all
over the Philippines.
COL. HARLAND SANDERS, Signed promotional photo. 1997
The Philippines welcome KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN in 1967,
with many franchisees running their own stores. But the restaurant as we know it
today came to be only on June 1994, when Manuel U. Agustines was awarded the
sole franchise over the sale and distribution of Kentucky Fried Chicken
products in the country. By then, its name had been shortened to just its
initials—KFC!
COL. HARLAND SANDERS https://waldina.com
The founder of KFC was the legendary Col. Harland Sanders
(b. 9 Sep. 1890/16 Dec.1980). The portly, white haired, cane-wielding Colonel,
dapper in his all-white suit and black string tie and bespectacled face, became
such an icon that many people believed him to be a fictional character.
In reality, he was a real person from Indiana, who, in
1930 parlayed his love for cooking into a modest business, opening his
restaurant—Sander’s—for travelers.
Favorite on his menu was his fried chicken,
cooked from his own secret recipe. That fried chicken would take his business
to greater heights when he set up his own franchising business , which he
called Kentucky Fried Chicken. The rest is history.
During his lifetime the likeness of the Colonel was a
major promotional asset. In 1976, a survey ranked the Colonel as the world’s
second most recognized celebrity. When he died in 1980, fictionalized Colonel
Sanders have repeatedly appeared as a mascot in KFC's advertising and branding.
WATCH: THE COLONEL'S WAY 1994 TV 30s
This 1994 U.S. commercial features the American actor Henderson Forsythe as Col. Sanders.
Surprisingly, KFC advertising in the Philippines during
the 1990s, did not capitalize on the Col. Sanders character, but instead,
focused on product features, using the trademark slogan "Finger-Lickin' Good".. In the late 1990s, “Col. Sanders” finally did
visit Manila as part of the company’s promotional stunt and went on store
trips, signing and giving away his photos and autographs.
WATCH: THE SEARCH FOR KFC's
FIRST FILIPINO COLONEL AUDITIONS
Source: KFC PH youtube channel
It was only in May 2017 the search for the first KFC Filipino Colonel
was launched, a move that would have made Col. Sanders proud. The finalists
were all actors—Ronaldo Valdez, Leo Valdez and Pen Medina—and their audition
videos created quite a buzz. The eventual honor of becoming the first Filipino
Colonel went to Ronaldo Valdez.
WATCH FIRST FILIPINO COLONEL
Source: KFC PH, youtube channel
SOURCES:
PHOTO SOURCES:
Col. Harlan Sanders Autographed Photo: Alex Castro
Collection
All others, pls. refer to cited online sources below
pictures.
