One of the most successful confectionary companies in the
world today is Perfetti Van Melle, the 6th largest in the world
which produces some of the most popular candy brands known to Filipino kids
like Mentos and Chupa Chups.
Van Melle made its presence in the Philippines in 1978
with the launch of FRUIT-TELLA CHEWS, soft, chewy candies that were made with
real fruit juice, natural flavors, and natural colorings. The flavor varieties
included Lemon, Apple, Pineapple, Banana, Orange and Stawberry. The
individually-wrapped chewy candies were a hit—with sales boosted by
colorfully-illustrated ads that appealed to kids.“The more you chew, the more
flavor comes through”, says this FRUIT-TELLA ad, and indeed, the high quality
candies earned quite a following for many years.
Their success prompted local candy makers to make their
own versions, in particular, Columbia International Food Products, a longtime
candy factory in the Philippines founded in 1937. It launched a similar brand
of soft, chewy candies with strikingly similar shape, flavors, and even packaging
called Frutos. (Note: In 2006, Columbia got into trouble with the packaging of
its Chocquick milk that resembled Nestle’s MILO).
With a more established distribution system, cheaper
price, and production volume capacities, Fruitos quickly gained local
following. It was available in practically all outlets—from the smallest
sari-sari stores to the biggest supermarkets. Never mind that it FRUIT-TELLA
had a truer, more authentic fruity taste—consumers were willing to compromise.
FRUIT-TELLA eventually decreased its local flavor
offerings to two: Orange and Strawberry flavors, while Columbia’s flavor range
expanded to include Tropical Fruits, Milk and Shake, Milk Tea and Jelly-Filled.
In 2001, Italy's
Perfetti SpA merged with Van Melle of Netherlands to form Perfetti Van Melle,
infusing new strength in the company operations worldwide. PerfettiVan Melle would focus its energies on its other renown
brands like Mentos and Chupa Chups which continue to have solid market base. For
Perfetti Van Melle, the Philippines will always be an important and significant
turf, for it has been in the country for over 40 years, providing good chews to
one and all!
Like Procter & Gamble PMC., Philippine Refining
Company (PRC)’s started as an oil milling company that became the basis for
its products like detergents (Breeze, Wheel, Rinso) , bath and beauty soaps
(Lux, Lifebuoy), toothpastes (Signal,
Close-Up) and shampoos (Sunsilk, Creamsilk) that were successfully marketed through
the years.
In the 1980s, PRC ventured beyond oil-based products,
expanding their personal care product lines to include deodorants. Their most
successful brand was REXONADeodorant that had its origin in
Australia, developed by Alice Sheffer back in 1908, and sold through her husband’s
Sheldon Drug Co. Rexona became a bestseller
Launched in the Philippines in 1984, REXONA became
a popular brand with a fresh, youthful campaign (Rexona – won’t let you down!)
that was backed with tri-media advertising. Immediately after, they launched
their men’s line –REXONA MUSK—has a foundational, long-lasting fragrance note
characterized by its warm, sensual, and masculine scent. REXONA MUSK was
developed to appeal to active young males who love the sporting life.
REXONA MUSK print ads were more of testimonials
featuring well-known sports personalities of the 80s. Taekwondo star Monsour
del Rosario had his own print ad detailing his story of how Bruce Lee
inspired him to take up the sports. Champion bodybuilder, David Abesamis,
was another athlete whose own narrative included his rigorous quest to develop a
physique that eventually would earn him a division title in the national Mr.
Philippines quest. The ads always ended with how REXONA MUSK fitted into their training
and hygiene regimen.
Short TV commercials were also prepared to support the REXONA
MUSK campaign featuring the cage superstar, Alvin Patrimonio, and the
2-time Olympic boxer (LA 1984, Seoul 1988), Leopoldo Cantancio.
In 1994, PRC was renamed Unilever Phils. Inc.,
to denote its membership as part of the Unilever family. Many major
changes—including the closure of the milling plant, the transfer of soap and
detergent manufacturing to 3rd parties, and the reduction of its
sales force by 50%--happened during the tumultuous 1990s, but REXONA Deodorants
remained in the product portfolio—to this day.
However, REXONA MUSK is now being sold mostly in
Arabic countries and in Turkey. In the Philippines, REXONA’s men’s products
are available in Watson’s , that includes an array of roll-ons, sprays, lotion
under such variants as Arctic Rush, Invisible Dry, Advanced Protect, Motionsense
and Natural Fresh.
As to REXONA MUSK’s former models, Monsour del
Rosario (now age 61), after his Olympic stint, became an action star in movies,
then joined Philippine politics, becoming a congressman from 2016-19, 1st
district of Makati. He lost his senatorial bid in 2022.
Three years after doing this print ad, David Abesamis
won a bodybuilding bronze medal-lighweight division at the 1987 SEA Games in
Jakarta. He became a pioneer personal trainer at the Clark Hatch Fitness Center in
Makati. Online surces reports that Abesamis had passed away.
Alvin Patrimonio (turning 60 this Nov. 2026) also
did a few more commercials (Purefoods) and films (at one time, linked with Kris
Aquino). But he is best remembered for a stellar career in the PBA. Patrimonio
was inducted to the PBA Hall of Fame in 2011.
Leopoldo Cantancio did better n regional games, winning
golds in the Asian Amateur Boxing
Championships and also 2 golds in 2 SEA Games (1983 Singapore-featherweight;
1987 Jakarta-lightweight). He died in a tragic motorcycle accident 2018
at age 54.
REXONA MUSK’s use of athletes in these ads would
presage a future of deeper involvement in sports. Today, the brand makes extensive
use of Sports Marketing to push its deodorants in this large niche market, sponsoring
such events as REXONA’s 10 Miler Race, REXONA Ultimate Challenge
Series, promo stunts in basketball games such as REXONA Twin Cam that spots
local lookalikes of famous cage stars, and giving 2026 FIFA game tickets as prizes in
their promos.
SOURCES:
Rexona Musk "Basketball", TV 15s Philippines,1987, uploaded by vibesey 9 years ago (2017)
Rexona Musk ft. Leopoldi Cantancio TVC 1987, uploaded by Advertising Archives, 2023
Located in Tanay, the picturesqe DARANAK FALLS is one of
the most famous natural attractions of Rizal, and a popular summer destination
for tourists. The word “daranak”, comes from the Tagalog work “danak, meaning
to flow, as in blood flow, or blood being spilled.
The 14 m. high DARANAK FALLS are set n the foothills of
the mountains of Tanay, with its naturally-preserved landscape, complemented
with waterfalls and ponds with water streaming down through plant
foliage and trees.
DARANAK FALLS, is also a favorite spot for shooting
movies like the Sharon Cuneta-Cesar Montano starrer “Wala nang Iibigin Pa”, “Alyas
Pogi” ( Ramon Bong Revilla Jr and Rita Avila ); and Green Paradise ( Kristine
Reyes Andrew Schimmer ). TV shows like the highly-rated “Encantadia” fantasy
series filmed some episodes here.
Likewise, commercials like the Magnolia Long Life Milk TVC
and this LITTON DENIMSprint ad have
also been filmed here. Many magazine pictorials have also used the falls as
backdrop for fashion editorial shoots.
For many
Manilans in the 70s decade, Mount Batulao in Nasugbu, and its environs were the
go-to places to unwind every weekend. In 1975, these area,and parts of Ternate and
Maragondon were designated as tourist
zones.
One of
its earliest developments was the sprawling Batulao Village Club owned the
family of senator Gil Puyat and designed by architect Benjamin Bautista with
landscapes by Ildefonso P. Santos Jr. It was the first resort south of Manila
to offer the same luxurious amenities as Baguio’s older destinations.
The
club’s modern look took inspiration from the terraces of the Mountan Province (
the architect and planner was from Baguio), with touches of environmental
sensibility ahead of its time.Natural materials and indigenous patterns and
textures were incorporated in the buildigs and cottages, like rattan, Capiz
and local woods.
The expansive club boasts of a Gary Player-designed golf course, a main clubhouse, a halfway
house, a village inn, cottages and a sports complex that featured the latest rage in 70s racquet sports – pelota.
Batulao
Village Club rose in prominence in the 70s, providing live combo music, and
evening events. There were hiking and camping activities at the Gulod sa
Batulao, plus lots of swimming and snorkeling for nature lovers.Golf and pelota
tournaments were frequently held, as
well.
Batulao lost
much of its appeal beginning in the 80s as more affordable resorts opened up north,
made accessible by the new expressway of North Luzon. Add to that the internal problems
of the company. Attempts to redevelop it in the mid 1990s with the addition of another beach resort and
the restoration of the golf course did not do much to its dwindling popularity
until it fell into disarray and eventual closure completely.
One of
the premiere beach resort clubs in the 80s was the the MONTEMAR Beach Club, which
was established way back in 1978 in Bagac, Bataan. It has since been operating
as a private membership beach resort Club.
As a beach resort, Montemar is ideal for rest, recreation, dining,
conventions, parties and weddings.
In the
1980s, its facilities and amenities include 64 airconditioned rooms with
balconies, tennis, golf, pool, two restaurants, waterfall, and windsurfing. It
boasts of a 500 meter-long powdery white sand beach, spacious palm-dotted
lawns, just 2.5 hours-drive away from Manila. Back then, MONTEMAR was the go-to
place for the rich and famous,
Today,
MONTEMAR is still in operation. According to its website, it now has 89 plantation-inspired rooms spread among the
five Mediterranean-styled inns that provide comfort and space for
relaxation.Ocean View and Garden View
rooms are offered at the Club to provide scenic views for a worthwhile and
memorable experience.
Three
swimming pools (Members’ Pool, Pavilion Pool and Garden Pool) are also
available at the Club. Various indoor
and outdoor activities such as kayaking, jet-skiing, horse-back riding, and
fishing are offered at the Club for everyone’s enjoyment.
MONTEMAR
is majority-owned by Philippine Communications Satellite Corporation
(Philcomsat).
SOURCE: Montemar Beach Club website, https://www.montemar.com.ph/
One medicine that has a special place in our medical
history is TIKI-TIKI, that was developed in 1909 by chemist-pharmacist MANUEL
ZAMORA ,(1870–1929), of Sta. Cruz,
operating out of his laboratory/pharmacy on R. Hidalgo Street. It was
formulated to cure infantile beriberi (“taun”, in Pilipino) , a
deadly disease that plagued poorly-nourished Filipino children during the
American colonial period, caused by Vitamin B1 deficiency.
TIKI-TIKI 'BOUNCING BABY', Print Ad, 1940
Made from rice bran extract, it became a crucial public
health solution during the American colonial period. The brand name was derived
from “tikitiki” a local term for the rice bran from which the liquid medicine
was extracted. The bran was a rich source of Vitamin B1 or Thiamine
and it was Zamora who successfully extracted a stable version of it,
producing it commercially, thus saving thousands of Filipino babies’ lives.
TESTIMONIAL AD 'Virginia Dela', Print Ad, 1953
Zamora made known TIKI-TIKI’s life-saving
impact on Tiki-Tiku print ads that were circulated in dailies and magazines regularly:
“The TIKI-TIKI MANUEL ZAMORA extract is a medicine unequalled in
quality for the prevention and cure of Infantile
Beri-Beri which is a dangerous disease of children…..Within the years that
this famous TIKI-TIKI MANUEL ZAMORA has beEn discovered, countless mothers
and children have been saved from early death”.
TIKI-TIKI 'Health Protection', Print Ad, 1958
The success of the ban prompted international pharmaceutical
companies like Parke Davis to
make lucrative offers to Zamora to buy him out, but he refused to sell
the rights to his formula, ensuring it remained accessible to Filipinos. Zamora
eventually helped establish the Philippine Pharmaceutical Association.
UNITED AMERICAN TIKI-TIKI Print Ad, 1964
While originally a specialized medicine, TIKI-TIKI
is now manufactured by Unilab as a children's multivitamin brand, originally
under the name United American (Tiki-Tiki Drops and Syrup). It
became well-known for its memorable jingle that was heard on he raio without
fail, every day—“United American, United American, United American TIKI-TIKI
ang bilhin!”.
UNITED AMERICAN, 'Bring Up Your Babies', Print Ad, 1964
Today, TIKI-TIKI is a significant product in the
history of Philippine medicine, credited with fighting a national health crisis.
MARCA
PIÑA SOY SAUCE has
a long and hallowed history that dates back to thelate 1940s starting
patriarch Kiam Tiam Sy who built the brand from scratch in their
backyard and turned it into a product of national prominence in the 60s and
70s.
It all
began when Mr. Kiam Tiam Sy began marketing the soy sauce from his
backyard factory, under the name National Soy Corporation. He, along
with his son Tian Tan Sy, formulated the brand with a taste so
superior-tasting that Marca Piña soon became the no. 1 brand in Pampanga,
Tarlac and the National Capital Region. In Batangas and Laguna,
it had 90% of the market.
Its
heyday began with its effective advertising that revolved around its claim as
the best-tasting in the market. Thus, the slogan “PIÑAkamasarap!”
was born in 1968, appearing on top of their newpaper and magazine ads. But the
line took off when, in 1972, a new Marca Piña TV commercial was produced
by Convey Advertising featuring a precocious boy who was supposed to
conclude the commercial by saying “Piñakamasarap”.
But try
as he would, the little boy could only manage to say “piñarap” or
worse, piñanap”, take after take. The shooting made no progress as a
result, so the director decided to go ahead and use the cut with “piñarap!”,
the best the boy could do. He figured, the audience might find it cute, anyway.
Indeed,
as once the budget TV ad was aired, Marca Pina’s slogan became a byword
, thanks to the adorable little Chinese boy who uttered “Piñarap!!”
to millions of TV watchers nationwide, and propelled the brand to greater
heights.
The
model was TIAN SY, then, the 3-year old son of Tian Tan Sy, and grandson of founder Kiam
Tiam Sy. For the next few years, Tian Sy was the face of Marca
Piña, and his TV ad continued to delight viewers while working wonders for
their soy sauce business.
However,
the next 2 decades would bring much change to the company that included renaming
the condiment company as Balanced
Food Corp. in 1973. Five years later, it was redubbed as “Piñakamasarap
Corp.”. Labor problems began to surface too, and it was believed that the
work force was infiltrated by militants who threatened the owners. This prompted
the Sys to flee to Canada and halt Marca Piña’s operation
from 1993-1997.
TIAN SY
had gone to Canada even earlier to start college at the University of Toronto.
When things settled down, the Sys returned to the Philippines to restart the
company, and no less that TIAN SY—the commercial star that made the brandslogan famous—was named as CEO of the Piñakamasarap
Corp. To prepare himself for the role, he tookMaster in
Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies at the Asia Institute of Management
from 2004-2005. He also started his family with wife Mir and 2 children.
With TIAN
SY at the helm, he sought to relaunch MARCA PIÑA Soy Sauce , bring
it back to supermarket shelves through more dynamic distributors. He also asked
for the reformulation of the soy sauce to appeal to more modern tastes. To
capture the younger market, he employed social media to connect them better to
a legacy brand. But to reintroduce MARCA PIÑA Soy Sauce to the national
market, he relied on his gut instinct—replicate the scene he made famous and
which solidified Marca Piña’s leadership.
WATCH THE "PINARAP BOY" TVC AIRED ON JAN. 2007 HERE:
(uploaded by tiansy, 2019)
He did
not have to go on an expensive casting search, as his ka-lookalike son with
wife Mir Sy—Christian--was ready to take on the roll. The bubbly boy not only said the word “Piñarap”
perfectly, but also sang the whole jingle. Footages from the old commercial
were inserted to underline the appeal of the brand across generations.
Aired in
January 2007, the new “Piñarap Boy” TVC enjoyed a high recall, a
big boost to Marca Piña’s 20% market share. The CEO who once was
a drumbeater for the brand wants to ensure that the family company that makes Marca
Piña Soy Sauce will be passed on to more generations to come.
SOURCES:
Quiambao Tina Arceo The Unforgettable Piñanap Boy, Business Inquirer, 7
March 2007
Osorio, Ma. Elisa, Marca Piña soy sauce brand tries to expand market
share, 11
