75. MS. GLORIA ROMERO: Her Days as a Top Commercial Model of the 1950s

GLORIA ROMERO, at the peak of her career, with a copy of her Camay Print Ad, 1955.

One of the busiest commercial models in the early to mid 1950s was the beautiful GLORIA ROMERO (born Gloria Galla. 16 Dec. 1933, in Denver, Colorado to Filipino Pedro Galla and American Mary Borrego). She was only four when she returned to the Philippines, settling in Mabini,Pangasinan—her father’s hometown. The war caught up with the family, so the Gallas decided to stay here.

GLORIA ROMERO, for CAMAY BEAUTY SOAP, 1955

She tried her luck in showbiz in 1950 playing bit roles for several production outfits, but it was Sampaguita Pictures that noticed her and who gave her the screen name ‘Gloria Romero’ (after Eddie Romero, who directed her in her early 1951 movie,”Kasintahan sa Pangarap”.

 

INSTANT SANKA COFFEE, Print Ad, 1957

Romero was cast in  Monghita (1952), her first lead role, but it was her appearance in Dalagang Ilocana (1954) that gave her a FAMAS Best Actress—and a place in the top list of Philippine film superstars.

 

SWANS DOWN CAKE FLOUR, Print Ad, 1957

The young ingénue was not only kept occupied filming pictures, but also had her hands full doing pictorial for a variety of products. She was the perfect endorser as she had a spotless image (she even won the role of the Virgin Mary in ‘Martir sa Golgotha”, a 1954 Lenten movie), her deportment and work ethics, of the highest standards. After all, Romero was trained by the Sampaguita bosses themselves—taking her on trips abroad, providing her wardrobe and giving her lessons in social etiquette.

 

CALUMET BAKING POWDER, Print Ad. 1953.

Her early endorsements include leading beauty and personal products as well as consumer goods. Most of her output were Print Ads, as Television was still at its infancy stage at that time.  Romero was especially known for being a Camay Girl and a Coca Cola presenter.

 

JOHNSON'S MEDICATED TALCUM POWDER, Print Ad, 1961

In the 70s, she was cast in “King and I” TVC commercial for Superwheel, a popular ad series based on parodies of historical characters. At the 1988 Creative Guild Ad of the Year Awards, she romped off with the Best Actress trophy for her “Manang Biday” Superwheel TV Commercial.

 

COCA COLA, Print Ad. 1956

Romero’s career spans over 60 years and she continues to be active in movies and TV today. She has appeared in sitcoms like Palibhasa Lalaki,  "Richard Loves Lucy" and in countless drama anthologies for GMA 7.Currently, Romero appears in “Juan Happy Love Story”.

 

COCA COLA,Print Ad. 1956.

For her achievements, she received the first 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award from MTRCB (Movies and Television Review and Classification Board) Award, Huwarang Bituin Award from the 57^th FAMAS Awards, and named as one of the 13 "Movie Icons of Our Time".