Monday, April 29, 2019

218. Plop-plop, Fizz-fizz, Oh what a relief it is!: ALKA-SELTZER Print Ads, 1956-57

ALKA-SELTZER, 1956 PHILIPPINE AD.

The most well-known  effervescent antacid and pain reliever in the 50s—ALKA SELTZER—became available in the Philippines as an imported product in the late 1920s, but it was only around 1951 that it was actively promoted. Made by Dr. Miles Medicine Co. of Indiana, U.S. in 1931, ALKA-SELTZER had 3 active ingredients—aspirin (for fever and pain), sodium bicarbonate (antacid) and citric acid (for effervescence)
 
SPEEDY appears in this 1957 Alka-Seltzer ad.

When advertised, ALKA-SELTZER was indicated for the relief of headache, fever and pain, acid stomach, indigestions and hangovers. It was one of the most advertised products in the world, and its commercials were among the most popular. 

Speedy, created in 1951 as the product mascot, was also one of the most recognized advertising character in history, and was extensively used in magazine ads that saw print in the Philippines,

The memorable "Plop, plop, fizz, fizz" ad campaign made its appearance in the Philippines featuring the animate mascot and a hit jingle. 

It was conceptualized by Paul Margulies, a Madison Avenue creative executive, and father of actress Julianna Margulies. The vintage 60s ad showed 2 ALKA-SELTZER tablets dropping into a glass of water instead of the usual one, which caused sales to double.  In 1976, the campaign was successfully revived, with jingle sung by Speedy.

WATCH THE ALKA-SELTZER TV AD HERE:
published by Steve Stout, 23 Apr. 2007

By the time Miles Laboratories was bought by Bayer in 1979, ALKA-SELTZER had disappeared from botica shelves, It is now only available as an imported product, which one can now order online.


 SOURCES:
Alka-Seltzer TV Commercial. uploaded by Steve Stout, published on April 23, 2007.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxjb2UJZ-5I
Alka-Seltzer Just a reliefe Away, pinterest.com

Sunday, April 21, 2019

217. NIDO Full Cream Powdered Milk: “You’re My No. 1” Campaign (1983)

THE WORLD'S NO 1-NIDO, Mother and Daughter, Print ad. 1990


“Look at me, son, you’re my no. 1..”
Smile at me hon, you’re my no.1
And there’s no treasure that I will cherish but you..”

The most successful campaign for NIDO Fortified® Full Cream Milk Powder began in the 1980s, capitalizing on the stature of the brand as the world’s no. 1 powdered full cream milk. 

Throughout its over 20 year-run, the “No. 1” has been attached not only to NIDO, but also to children (‘The World’s No. 1 Child—your Child”) and even to mothers themselves. So, what mom can refuse such a proposition?

NIDO, developed in 1944, has been around in the Philippines since the early 1960s, imported by Filipro Inc-- along with Milkmaid and Nescafe—before it became Nestlé Philippines in  1986. The earliest known NIDO print ads date from 1963. 


As the nutritionally-enriched NIDO rose to become a major competitor for other milk-based products, it also faced criticisms from promoters of breast-feeding, leading the advertising board to require adding tags in powdered milk advertising reminding mothers that “breastmilk is still best for babies”.
 
FOR THE WORLD'S NO.1 CHILD, Mother version, Print Ad, 1983

In 1983, Advertising and Marketing Associates (AMA) was assigned the NIDO account, and headed by executive Greg Macabenta, conceptualized the “World’s No. 1” thematic campaign that catapulted the milk brand to national popularity.
 
FOR THE WORLD'S NO.1 CHILD, Father version, Print Ad, 1983

Initially, the campaign made use of foreign imagery—Caucasian mothers, fathers and their kids, set in some European highlands-- perhaps to allude to NIDO’s western origins. 

WORLD'S NO.1 FATHER & SON, Print ad, 1990

A song, with lyrics written by Greg Macabenta and set to music composed by award-winning composer Caloy Agawa, accompanied the lush, emotional visuals of parent and child interacting. This time, local Filipino talents were cast for the NIDO commercials.
 
THE WORLD'S NO. 1, Father & Sons, print ad, 1990

It was the memorable “You’re my No. 1” jingle that really struck a chord in the minds of consumers, and the line became widely associated with NIDO, and was rearranged many times for use in other commercial platforms.

WATCH "YOU'RE MY NO.1" MTV VERSION
as sung by Sharon Cuneta (2008)

Even when NIDO was moved to Publicis Manila due to agency alignment, the campaign was refreshed and used. In 2008, an MTV was produced featuring megastar Sharon Cuneta and her children, singing an extended version of the song. A later jazzed-up,acoustic version in 2014 also paired Cuneta with singer-songwriter Barbie Almalbis to appeal to younger mothers.

Today, NIDO has been expanded into a range of milk products that claims to offer "nutrition solutions for each stage of childhood" (e.g. for toddlers, for school-age, etc).

SOURCES:

NIDO MTV "You're my Number One" with Sharon Cuneta, Frankie and Miel Pangilinan etc),
posted by spraky24, published on Aug 11, 2008

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

216. Where Are They Now?: MYRA MENDOZA: The Face of Close-Up, Camay, Oil of Olay---and JINGLE Music Magazine!


THE FRESH, WHOLESOME FACE OF ADVERTISING,

One of the most refreshing faces in the modeling scene in the mid-70s to the 80s, was teen beauty MYRA MENDOZA. The winsome high schooler from St. Paul was but a teen when she started modeling for commercials; she enjoyed the experience so much and never looked back—bagging major contracts for Close-Up toothpaste, Camay Soap, US Shampoo and Clearasil in her heyday.

She was in high school when she performed in a dance number for an event sponsored by the popular 1970s music magazine, JINGLE Chordbook. She met the owner  Gilbert Guillermo, whom she credits as her “discoverer”.

MYRA, as she appeared ob JINGLE Music Magazine, 1977, Source: Nonoy Bonzon

Pretty soon, she was appearing on the pages of the widely-read  Jingle magazine, along with song lyrics set with guitar chords. Her posed pictures were just small insets—strumming a guitar, reading the magazine,  candid shots. But the readers were drawn to her good looks—and she would become the unofficial sweetheart of the popular youth-oriented music magazine.

Next thing Myra knew, she was being besieged by talent agents and casters from major ad agencies. She recalls:  “In those days , casting was not done as efficiently and professionally as today. I would just get phone calls from agents or ad agencies asking if I was available to shoot. Simple as that. No try outs, no vtr’s  (videotaped auditions).

US SHAMPOO AD, 1979

Her earliest ad was a TV commercial for Clearasil, directed by legendary commercial director Jun Urbano. In 1979, she also did an ad for US Shampoo with conditioner, targetted at teens and young adults. This turned out to be her busiest year, as she also was featured in the popular Chiclets’ “Tsikletin Mo, Baby” TVC.

MYRA, Tsikletin Mo baby, TV Ad, 1980

Myra was also scouted by local women’s magazines, and she became a cover girl i many of them, shot by the leading photographers of that time. She was still finishing her communications course when she was cast to appear in one of the most sought-after roles in the industry—that of being a Close-Up girl for Close-Up Toothpaste, then a very popular youth brand. For many of the lucky Close-up talents, the slick, well-produced commercials were springboard to TV and movie stardom.

“The Close-Up ad was fun to do!” , Myra reminisced.  Though she could no longer remember the name of her male partner in the (“I think his last name is Rodriguez”), she found the experience of shooting her commercial very easy and enjoyable. “Close-Up was doing a campaign consisting of a series of ads. So all the lead talents --some of them at least--came out in each other’s TVCs as background talents. Parang barkada!”.

MYRA MENDOZA, on the cover of Women's Home Companion Magazine, 29 Nov. 1979

Incidentally,  Loren Legarda, the future senator,  was also part of that Close-Up batch. Years later, when Myra was working for ABS-CBN, she would bump into Legarda, who, by then, was the anchor of the late night news, “The World Tonight”. “ And she still remembered me long after our  Close-Up years were over!”, Myra enthused.

With a diploma finally in hand, Myra landed a job with one of the most prestigious multinational advertising agency in the Philippines—Ace-Compton Advertising (later, Ace-Saatchi & Saatchi)—as a talent caster, of all positions!! That time, Ace-Compton had the best in-house talent casting department in the industry, complete with a studio and VTR machines for go-sees and auditions.

MYRA MENDOZA, as the Face of Oil of Olay, Procter & Gamble, 1980

She was casting for such blue-chip clients like Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, and Filipro-Nestle, Inc. Her stint with Ace-Saatchi & Saatchi was memorable for 2 reasons. It was with the agency that she was picked to do the Camay “Guess Who’s 16” TV commercial, thus joining the elite circle of Camay Girls. She also became the face of Oil of Olay when it was introduced by P&G in the Philippines.

Looking for other creative challenges, Myra set her sight on commercial production. When Advertising & Marketing Associates had an opening, she resigned from Ace to try broadcast production. She realized that she was not cut out to be a producer, so she made a drastic move to the hotel industry, by being a banquet sales manager for Manila Hotel.

MYRA, AS A CASTER AT ACE-SAATCHI with copywriter Alex Castro

But the lure of advertising, the world in which she grew up in,  proved irresistible after awhile. Lintas top honcho Wally Reyes called her up and invited her to set up the casting department of the growing agency. She took up the offer, organized the agency’s talent department and stayed on for 4 years.

Myra would move back to Ace-Saatchi & Saatchi for a brief interlude. Her last corporate job was with the Sales Department of ABS-CBN. After ten years, she resigned in 2002 due to health issues, as she needed time to recuperate from a major surgery.

WATERCOLOR ART OF MYRA, A SELF-TAUGHT ARTIST.

“I’ve stayed a homemaker ever since”, she says without regret.  So I then started painting among other things. I’m a hobbyist. I created some fashion jewelry, I sew, despite having no formal training. I also like to cook. So really, I dabble in anything that interests me.”

COME A LITTLE CLOSER BABY, SMILE, FOR ME.
Myra Mendoza and  boyfriend, Chris Portillo in their younger days.

True to her calling, Myra Mendoza remained an honest-to-goodness model all her life.  With her collective life experience and achievements, you could say that she is a model homemaker, mother, and wife today!


WATCH THIS VIDEO OF FORMER AD 
MODEL MYRA MENDOZA-PORTILLO TODAY:


SOURCE:
E-mail interview conducted by author, April 2, 2019
Where in the world is Myra?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UYWnDmPqMo, posted by Dennis Garcia, 7 Sep. 2013
Photo collage of Myra as Jingle Music Magazine model, Nonoy Bonzon, posted on Jingle Music Magazine FB page.
Myra Mendoza-Portillo FB Page.

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

215. Brand Stories: ZEST-O, the No. 1 Juice Drink (1981)

ZEST-O ORANGE JUICE DRINK, 1990 Print Ad.

 The country’s best selling juice drink was conceived by self-made magnate Mr. Alfred M. Yao,  who rose from humble beginnings to become the founder of one of the most successful homegrown business in the country today. Mr. Yao took over the care of his family at age 12, when his father died. Five years later, the young entrepreneur who did not even finish high school, took a bank loan of Php3,000 to put up a printing press, which proved to be very viable.

While on a 1979 business tour in Europe, he chanced upon a new packaging technique introduced by French inventor, Louis Doyen, back in 1962. He introduced a specially-shaped plastic bag that can be aseptically filled with liquid products, that could stand on its own. Called “doypack”, it was significantly cheaper than traditional carton packaging.

To test the new packaging, the rising businessman mixed juices in his kitchen and packaged them in doypacks. He was so satisfied with the results that in 1981, he decided to shift his attention to creating a beverage company known as SEMEXCO Marketing Corporation, with ZEST-O Orange Juice Drink as its lead product. The jucie drink in its innovative foil pack with a plastic straw was launched that same year.
 
SEMEXCO COPRORATE AD, 1989
ZEST-O was enthusiastically received by the market, as it was so affordably priced, and had a really refreshing orange flavor that can be cooled easily in its own foil pack. It wa handy, could be disposed easily,  and provided more value for one’s money. ZEST-O soon became widely available nationwide, and overtook leading brands to emerge as  the no.1 juice drink in less than a decade—replacing more expensive sodas and juices during parties, meriendas, and funeral wakes!

WATCH ZEST-O 2006 TVC HERE:

More new flavors under the ZEST-O name were introduced in the ensuing years: Guyabano, Mango, Grape, Pineapple, Calamansi, Apple, Strawberry.

SUN-GLO, another SEMEXCO juice brand.
Using the same modern doypack technology, SEMEXCO branched out into more jucie brands (Sun-Glo), milk ( Dutch Maid, Milkland), along with other traditional canned and bottled products (Tulip, Tita Frita). 

The ZEST-O brand, however, built more positive and enduring equities that it was adapted eventually as the name of the corporation.

When the company forayed into other product lines and business, the name ZEST-O was used, as in the case of its ZEST-O chocolate drink. In 2008,  Mr. Yao ventured into aviation and launched Zest Airways which, like his famous juice drink, was known for low-cost fares.  Integrated with Air Asia, it became Air Asia Zest in  2016.

ZEST-O juice drinks continue to dominate the juice market today, even with the additional taxes levied on sugared beverages in 2015, that threatened to close down some plants. In picnics, memorial services, family reunions,  company and school parties,  chances are, you will find a packs of ZEST-O being passed around, proof that the humble drink has become a part of our everyday life.

WATCH ZEST-O 35 YEARS TVC HERE:

SOURCES:
Zest-O Juice Drink Commercial The Best 2006.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrDn5-Lvi8c, posted by Zest-O Videos, Oct. 18, 2015.
Zest-O 35 Years TVC,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lvfGBlKtT4, posted by Zest-O Videos, Oct. 18, 2015.
Doypack:
Success Story of Alfredo Yao: The Juice King: http://primer.com.ph/business/2017/06/19/success-story-of-alfredo-yao-the-juice-king/, Philippine Primer, The expats Guide to the Philippine Lifestyle, 19 June 2017.