COLGATE DENTAL CREAM’a most visible advertising campaign first aired in 1981 featured the “ New 2-Fluoride System” story, which promised double
protection to teeth. This Colgate dental breakthrough was in response to the
launch of Crest Toothpaste in the Philippines, another formidable product of
Procter and Gamble.
Delivering the story is a character named ERIC BAINES, an
authority figure who credibly showed the superiority of the 2-fluoride system
through a “chalk demo”, as seen in this commercial:
WATCH COLGATE'S 'ERIC BAINES' TVC HERE
Eric Baines was a constant figure in Colgate’s advertising,
appearing in several spots that made him recognizable to many Filipino
viewers—what with his trademark white hair, moustache and business suit. His
presence—whether driven by a car or entering a conference room—was always
announced with excited squeals from the audience—“Si Eric Baines! Eric
Baines!”.
Just who is Eric Baines?
Well, Baines is neither a dentist, a doctor or a figure
created by an ad agency executive. He is actually a real-life
professional—Colgate’s Worldwide Director for Research & Development based
in Piscataway, New Jersey. He remained with Colgate until the 1990s, often
working in the Asian region, until his retirement.
Baines, himself, could not believe his popularity here, and
even after the 2-fluoirde campaign came to an end (it trounced Crest, by the
way), his name still crops up in consumer research every now and then. Whether
he likes it or not, Eric Baines has become part of Philippine pop culture.
7 UP was introduced in the mid 50s in the Philippine by
Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Philippines. The
name, they say, was derived from its “7 natural flavors blendedinto a savory, flavory drink with a real wallop.” Predictably, 7 UP was advertised as a
pick-upper, with crisp lemon-lime flavor that refreshes and lifts spirits up.
It targetted the active family and came up with the 1952 slogan “The Fresh Up Family Drink”, to replace the earlier “You Like It, It Likes
You”. Later variations were also used like
“Fresh Up with 7 UP”,”Nothing Does it Like 7 UP”. Advertising for 7 UP began in
the Philippines in 1955, with print ads that simply copied the original U.S.
version.
7 UP was drank by older people because they believe it was
less gassy than cola drinks, and therefore less stomach-upsetting. This
‘medicinal’ image was considered uncool by the younger set. Not even the teen
campaign the product launched in the sixties—and which was adapted in the
Philippines-- could make its image more contemporary.
Then in 1967, its advertising agency, J. Walter Thompson conceived
of a campaign that celebrated the uniqueness of 7 UP against cola-based drinks.
7 UP 'UNCOLA' LOCAL PRINT AD, 1970
The UNCOLA Campaign sought to promote the idea of the fact that the product is
not made from cola nuts, a differentiating angle that resonated with young
people at the threshold of the so-called
“Me decade”, which described a new
attitude of Americans towards individualism.
The UNCOLA Campaign was rolled out in 1968 and ran through
the 70s in the U.S. with many memorable ads for TV and print. The campaign
doubled sales for the product and by 1972, 7 UP ranked as the third largest
soda marketer behind Coke and Pepsi.
THE UNCOLA, drawn in psychedelic style, 1970
The UNCOLA Campaign was adapted in many countries, including
the Philippines. The local print ads which first came out in 1970 were similar
to those produced in the U.S. which started running them a year earlier.
UNCOLA Print Series, 1970
The eye-popping executions capitalized on the psychedelia
craze, with fantastic, graphic illustrations rendered in bright, vibrant
colors-- an artistic style popularized by the artist Peter Max.
7 UP UNCOLA-SPONSORED DANCE EVENT, 1972.
There were pop art poster giveaways, UNCOLA upside down glasses, and psychedelic dance
parties that magnified the campaign in the stores and on-ground.
Suddenly, 7 UP was a
hip, with-it brand again. The UNCOLA TV commercials aired here included two
versions, one of which became a global hit, and made a star out of its
presenter. The JWT-produced TV commercial--which was aired on Philippine TV in 1972-- starred actor, director and choreographer Geoffrey
Holder as a Caribbean planter explaining the difference between cola nuts and
7 UP's "uncola nuts," lemon and lime.
WATCH 7 UP's 'UNCOLA" TVC HERE:
Holder’s performance was so well-remembered that he was
signed on to do more versions of the same campaign.
Another UNCOLA Ad was a product-the-hero ad scored with a
jingle noted for its sheer lyrical strength. The jingle wasn’t just selling fizzy beverages twelve ounces at
a time, it was singing praises to a way of life that challenged all
conventions.
The 7 UP UNCOLA Campaign had a good run, but the succeeding
initiatives—including its Fido Dido “Cool to be Clear” ad, did not do much to
stop the increase of the share of its primary competitor—Sprite—throughout the
‘90s. By 1998, the 7 UP bottle underwent a design face-lift, which dropped the term
"Uncola" from the soda's packaging.
And there goes a piece of advertising history.
SOURCES: From Uncool to Uncola: The Fabulous Psychedelic 7 UP Ads 1969-1973. http://flashbak.com/when-7up-was-cool-the-uncola-ad-campaign-1969-1973-27578/ The Uncola's Unclever Ad Campaign: http://archive.fortune.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1998/12/07/252125/index.htm Uncola: The Video History of a 7 UP Breakthrough Ad http://adage.com/article/news/uncola-video-history-a-7up-breakthrough-ad/116484/ youtube, 7UP "THE UNCOLA", uploaded by videoblast, 26 November 2008.
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.
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 57th FAMAS Awards, and
named as one of the 13 "Movie Icons of Our Time".
