142. BANK OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, “Heritage”, 1983

In 1983, the corporate campaign of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) , which traced the bank’s rich, historic past that includes  the distinction as being the first bank in the Islands—was launched amidst much fanfare, glowing reviews and a sense of pride.

The centerpiece material was an incredible TV commercial, part of an ambitious “Heritage” campaign that brings to focus the impressive 123 year heritage of the country’s first and largest bank. SS&C Lintas Worldwide-Manila, led by creative head Richard Gerardini,  was tasked to do the campaign that took all of 6 months to plan--from Dec. 1981 to June 1982.

 

BPI GIRL NIKKI PRIETO, Now a Tarlac congressman, wife of former 
presidential candidate and former Sec, of Defense, Gilbert Teodoro.

As the commercial included many period scenes, locations were scouted all over the Philippines. The location crew went to Vigan for a look-see, but the old houses were all whitewashed and the roads asphalted, so the search shifted to the south—and thankfully, Nasugbu and Taal—old Batangas towns—were chosen. The streets were dressed up to look like Pasig and Binondo, during the 1900s American period. The featured actors, the supporting cast and the extras were all costumed by leading production designer and wardrobe expert, Laida Lim Perez.

Casting was another major challenge.  Most of the talents were recruited by Mad Gallaga (wife of film director Peque Gallaga) who assembled name stars like Joel Torre (fresh from “Oro, Plata, Mata”) and Ronnie Lazaro, to take part in the ad, along with local townsfolk who portrayed farmers, fishermen and vendors.

The casting of the BPI Girl was another matter—the agency team wanted someone who has not appeared in any magazine cover or commercial, and the client wanted an embodiment of class, chic and timeless mystique. Monica Louise “Nikki” Prieto (now Teodoro, a  Tarlac congressman and wife of Gilbert Teodoro), then an international marketing student from a Swiss university, was the final choice.  But her school schedule allowed her only 10 days of leave—so the shooting of the 60 sec. commercial couldn’t go beyond 2 weeks. Prieto was promptly sent her round-trip tickets so she could come home for the Philippine shooting.

 

ACTORS JOEL TORRE & RONNIE LAZARO, gamely joined the
TV commercial cast.

The multi-awarded Image Films, Inc., one of the most experienced and prestigious production houses in the country was given the blue chip BPI assignment. Gen. Manager Amar Gambol contacted Pio de Castro III for the directorial job.  De Castro, who had been shooting films for10 years, was mentored by National Artist Gerry de Leon. 

DIRECTOR PIO DE CASTRO III (+) . He would be honored by the
Creative Guild of the Ph. with a posthulous Lifetime Achievement Award.

His credentials not only include internationally-awarded ads (PBM Steel “A Nation is Growing”, Kodak “Times of Your Life”) but also mainstream films like “Soltero”, and “Ina, Kasusuklaman Ba Kita?”. Commissioned to compose the jingle music was no less than Jose Mari Chan.

LISTEN TO BPI  HERITAGE TVC 

"Cherished Part of Me" Jingle Here:

The filming took up to 12 days of hard work, and every single day had its own challenge. Billboards and electric wirings had to be taken down or camouflaged with tree branches and cadena de amor vines, and whole rowhouses in Taal had to be whitewashed in Taal to reflect the look of the era. 

WATCH THE BPI 'HERITAGE' TVC HERE:

A town Marian procession with lit carrozas  had to be staged. And even Nikki Prieto’s modern girl gait had to be toned down to reflect the demureness of an early 20^th century Filipina. Where an average 60 sec. ad cost about Php 200,000 to produce in the 1980s, the bill for the BPI ad cost up to several times more.

But everything was worth the wait, and the laborious hours that went into the final crafting the TV ad. When BPI president Xavier Loinaz previewed the film, he instantly fell in love with it. When the “Heritage” TVC aired in early 1983, it was hailed for its epic proportions, Filipino theme, technical and production design excellence,  and a memorable tuneful score. These significant impressions were not lost in the next Philippine Advertising Congress Awards as “Heritage” won a slew of technical and craftsmanship awards.

CREDITS:

AD AGENCY: SSC Lintas: Manila

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Richard Genardini

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Bing Baloy

ART DIRECTOR: Olive Mestidio

PRODUCTION: Image Films, Inc.

DIRECTOR: Pio de Castro III

CASTING: Mady Gallaga

PRODUCTION DESIGN: Laida Lim Perez

JINGLE COMPOSER: Jose Mari Chan

SOURCES:ISLANDS, a publication of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, vol. 1 no. 2, “Heritage: The Making of a Commercial, by Ma. Socorro Naguit, pp. 25-28.  July 1983.