The Philippine manufacturing plant known as the
California Manufacturing Company (CMC) began operations in 1955, and its
pioneer product was the iconic ROYAL
line of pasta products. The most popular of course, is ROYAL SPAGHETTI, which, from the 60s until today, continues to be a
familiar sight in daily meals, birthday, fiesta celebrations and holidays.
ROYAL SPAGHETTI WITH MEATBALLS, 1962
There was even a canned version of ROYAL SPAGHETTI, complete with meatballs, launched in 1962, but did
not take off, as it is the habit of most Filipinos to prepare and customize
their own spaghetti and pasta dishes. ROYAL
SPAGHETTI was packed in yellow and red cardboard cartons with the familiar “Royal”
font that has remained unchanged over the years. Also aavailable was ROYAL Macaroni, in shell and elbow types.
ROYAL SPAGHETTI CHRISTMAS AD, 1979
ROYAL also
joined the instant noodle bandwagon in 1978, with its Chicken and Beef variants
in pouches (“Noodles na mainit…in just
two minutes!) , but it was its pasta flagship brand that would remain
consistently popular. The advertising was handled for the longest time by
Pacifica Publicity Bureau, and its memorable campaigns included the “Royal celebration”
campaign, rolled out in the Christmas of 1968.
In 2014, Food and beverage firm RFM Corp.acquired the ROYAL Pasta brand from the Unilever
Group, which had bought CMC in 2000. ROYL
thus joined RFM’s own pasta line under the “Fiesta” brand, still in exsistence
today. The transaction was valued at over P2 Billion, which covers mainly the
Royal brand and inventories. For 6 decades now, ROYAL SPAGHETTI continues to be a bestseller, made to match with a
whole new line of pasta sauces, for taste variety.
Today, the name 7-11
is associated with the all-night convenience store that originally opened from
7 am. to 11 pm. that opened in Dallas, Texas way back in 1946. The first name
was “Tote’em Store” but was changed to reflect the extended operating hours.
In 1960, a new cigarette was launched in the Philippines called
7-11 MILD CIGARETTES. No, it had
nothing to do with the 7-11 convenience stores in the U.S., but the cigarettes
were named after a dice game called “craps” . It involves rolling the dice and
getting a 7 and an 11 to win.
7-11 MILD CIGARETTE PRINT AD, 1961
In a time where cigarette advertising in the Philippines
was not yet regulated, the full page ads 7-11
MILD CIGARETTES only contained the information: ‘a blend of choice burley
and Virginia tobacco’. Even the manufacturer’s name is not indicated, but it looks like a local cigarette company
that produced this brand.
Rubberworld Philippines Inc. was once a giant shoe
manufacturer of the country, maker of such iconic brands as Spartan, Kaypee, Grosby and the super popular children’s brand –MIGHTY KID, launched in the early
1980s.
The fashionable kiddie shoes for school and play, caught
the eye of parents and kids, with their snazzy color combinations, and Velcro straps
that made the shoes so easy to put on.
To top it all, a MIGHTY KID mascot pushed the brand to greater heights, a flying
superhero who appeared in commercials, appeared in events and used in
merchandising displays.
So successful was the brand, that MIGHTY KID expanded its product line from shoes to trendy children’s
wear. As predicted, the kiddie fashions sold very well
MIGHTY KID was
an active advertiser, creating mainstream and seasonal advertise such as this Christmas
commercial:
WATCH A MIGHTY KID TVC HERE:
Uploaded by oblaxz2007, 14 March 2010
In 1990, Rubber World employed rising young international
singer and 1989 Junior Star Search champion Josephine “Banig” Roberto to appear in a MIGHTY KID commercial. But 4 years
after, plagued by internal turmoil that led to court cases, ceased its
operations, leading to the demise of MIGHTY KID Shoes. But children growing
up in the 80s still remember the multicolored sneakers that they wore out in
school and at play and the MIGHTY KID
mascot who kept the brand flying high for a good number of years.
In 1933, TANCHO CORPORATION
took regular soft pomade out of jars and
bottles, and put them in a convenient, handy solid tick form that allowed
me to control their hair with a swab and a dab—hence, TANCHO TIQUE.
COLONIAL COSMETIC STICK, 1966, unknown maker
The vegetable-based medicated grooming stick would
revolutionize men’s grooming products with its unique, convenient form, filling
a niche in the market for quick and on-the-spot hair fixes. Pretty soon, the TIQUES category began filling up with
me-too products, just a few years after TANCHO
TIQUE’S super successful launch., 4 examples of which are shown on this
page., launched from 1966 to 1968: COLONIAL, MIKADO, SINSU and TOHO TIQUE
MIKADO TIQUE, 1967, unknown maker
But there was nothing like the pioneer TANCHO TIQUE which, using its marketing
juggernaut, all wiped out the other tiques in a few years. To this day, TANCHO TIQUE in a stick continues to be
produced, with a smaller, but hardcore following.
The rest of the competitors have all
been “ticked” off from market shelves in the 70s.
"Mr. Adonis of PBA", YVES DIGNADICE for Omega Pain Killer, 1989
One of the leading manufacturers and distributors of
various pharmaceutical and consumer products in the country today is the
Cebu-based International Pharmaceuticals, Inc. It was founded by the Wong
brothers in 1959: George, Sixto, Sergio,
David Sr., and Pio Sr., with the launch of a product that would become a byword
in body aches and pain relief: OMEGA
EFFICASCENT OIL.
Aggressive salesmanship and effective door-to-door
marketing were key factors that drove OMEGA
EFFICASCENT OIL, and by themid
1960s, it revitalized its market standing with advertising, using strip ads in
local magazines. In 1968, the greaseless version was introduced, which
solidified the brand’s national popularity that went on through the 80s.
Body aches and pains like sprain, lumbago, cramps, muscle spasms, often happen after
strenuous work or sports—and basketball was the perfect contact sport where
these are manifested. Besides, basketball-crazy Philippines never ran out of
court heroes who can endorse the brand. In 1989, a new campaign was launched by
OMEGA EFFICASCENT OIL, using a
popular cager at the peak of his career—YVES
DIGNADICE, who, with his prowess in the court and his dashing good looks,
gained considerable female fandom earning the monicker “Mr. Adonis of PBA”.
Iloilo-born Yves Arones Dignadice (b. 18 Dec. 1964) was
spotted playing in the Palarong Pambansa as a member of the Western Visayan
basketball contingent. This led to his being recruited for La Salle where made a
good showing at the first ever PABL tournament.
In 1984, he made the national team to the Asian Youth tournament in
Seoul, Korea, where the country placed third.
Dignadice’s
professional career history
included stints with l 1984-1985 Northern
Consolidated Cement (1984-85), San Miguel Beermen (1986-1998), and barangay
Ginebra San Miguel (2000). He was such an excellent defense player that he
earned three All-Star invites and paved the way to his inclusion to the first
ever national basketball team composed of PBA players in 1990 that won Silver
in the Asian Games.
It was the mid 1980s that were truly his prime years—he became several times a
member of the national team that played and won in the 1984 SEA Games, 1985
FIBA Asia Championship (Gold) , 1985 FIB World Championshipa and 1985 Jones Cup
(Gold).
As an established basketball star, Dignadice became an endorser of OMEGA EFFICASCENT OIL in 1989. By then, popular basketball
personalities--like Jaworski, Lastimosa, Codinera, and Patrimonio--were doing
commercials for their pulling power, and Dignadice found himself doing one too
for OMEGA. People still remember his after-game massage scene where he is shown
shirtless-- a sure money shot for the
country’s bestselling liniment.
After his retirement, Dignadice migrated to the US with
wife Jennifer, a nurse, along with daughters Adrianne, 12, and Sophia, herself,
a skilled basketball player. Eldest son Bryce, 24, stays in Manila. He still
plays basketball—in PBA reunion games, Fil-Am leagues, while coaching top girls basketball teams. His Adonis days
may be over, but his basketball skills continue to pay off—handsomely.
Where is He Now? UPDATE ON YVES DIGNADICE
Source: PH Sports Bureau
After his retirement, Dignadice migrated to the US with
wife Jennifer, a nurse, along with daughters Adrianne, 12, and Sophia, herself,
a skilled basketball player. Eldest son Bryce, 24, stays in Manila. He still
plays basketball—in PBA reunion games, Fil-Am leagues, while coaching top girls basketball teams. His Adonis days
may be over, but his basketball skills continue to pay off—handsomely.
The Cinderella story of business magnate Alfredo Yao is
one for the books. Left without a father as a child of 13, he managed a stallin
the Bluemntritt, Sta. Cruz area selling all sorts of products. At age 17, he
put up a printing business, Solemar Commercial Printing, with a Php 3000 loan.
ZEST-O, THE COMPANY'S BIGGEST SUCCESS, launched 1980
As his lot improved, he chanced upon a new concept of affordable
printed packaging in 1979 while on tour in Europe—the doypack format. So, from
printing, he ventured into the juice market with the introduction of his ZEST-O
Juice Drink in 1980, under his SEMEXCO Marketing Corporation.It was packaged in
revolutionary doy pack, that can be filled with liquid or powder on normal
packaging lines, which, while flexible,
can stand alone on store shelves for display.
SUN-GLO JUICE DRINKS, 1990
ZEST-O expanded into different fruity flavors that became
household brands. ZEST-O’s huge success paved
the way for other products contained in the same breakthrough packaging: juice brands SUN-GLO Juice Drink, BIG 250
Juice Drink, and PLUS! which were exported to China, Korea, and Singapore, parts of America and Europe, TITA FRITA
Tomato and Banana Catsup, BEAM Toothpaste, ONE Ice Tea, and TEKKI YAKI Udon.
TITA FRITA Tomato & Banana Catsup, 1990
Today, the beverage company Yao founded has been renamed
ZEST-O Corporation. . He also ventured into low-cost airline industry, after its
alliance with Asian Spirit—thus Air Azia Zest was born, before transitioning to
Zest Airways.
One of the most popular deworming drugs in the 1950s, was ASCAROL brand, produced by Metro Laboratories, Inc. Metro was then a leading
pharmaceutical company that made popular products as Dhobinol (skin ointment), Elixir
Auri-Bromide and Metrotussin (cough medicine).
ASCAROL Print Ad, 1957
Ascariasis, or roundworm infestation, was a common
children’s condition in the post-war 50s, and the most prevalent in
agricultural Philippines. The soil-transmitted parasitic worms can cause severe
abdominal pain, fatigue, vomiting, anemia, distended abdomen, itching, and
malnutrition and weight loss in kids.
ASCAROL print ad, 1960
As liquid antihelminthic medicines tended to be
distasteful for kids, Metro Laboratories made the product in chocolate-flavored
candy forms---ASCAROL BONBONS. The albendazole-based
bonbons, came individually-wrapped in a glass jar,, which children can enjoy
like candy, while being treated for
their infestation. No laxatives were required.
ASCAROL Print Ad, 1969
ASCAROL BONBONS
were promoted in print ads, from the 50s to the 70s, becoming household names,
and proven the most effective worm expellant for decades. The rise of new and very affordable multi-worm products halted
ASCAROL’s market success. Combantrin, for example, is Pyrantel-based, which
required only one dose to eliminate all types of worms, and yet it is gentle on
the stomach.
The brand name Ascarol today, is used by Laboratorio NeoFarmaco
of Ecuador, in their de-worming product that is just as popular as the
Philippine brand of old.
