121. VICKS COUGH & COLD PRODUCTS IN THE PHILIPPINES, 1953-59

VICKS, the leading name in cough , cold flu and pain medications, began in the 1890s as a concoction of pharmacist Lunsford Richardson, who developed a menthol-based salve that releases soothing vapors when applied to the body. 

He named it after his brother-in-law, Dr. Joshua W. Vick,  who helped him in setting up his business. Richardson created 21 products which he sold under his newly- formed Lunsford Richardson Wholesale Drug Co. in 1898, which became Vick Chemical Co.

In the 1930s, the company merged with William S. Merrell Chemical Co. to become Richardson-Merrell. In time, VICKS became a successful global brand, and the products reached our shores after the war, distributed by VICKS International. The initial products were VICKS Vaporub and Cough Drops.

In the 1950s, VICKS was actively promoted in the Philippines via Print and Radio advertising. It became a household name when VICKS started a radio show on DZRH, entitled “Reyna ng Vicks” in which housewives and mothers recounted their saddest sob stories. The one who could elicit the most reaction via audience applause, was crowned as “Reyna ng Vicks”.  A film version starring Susan Roces hit the movie screens in 1958.

After various mergers and acquisitions, it became Richardson-Vick, Inc., in 1980 . Procter and Gamble (P&G) acquired the company from the Richardson family and its advertising  began in 1987, initiated and managed by the local P&G office, and which continues to this day.

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VICKS VAPORUB. The most popular VICKS product was created in 1919. During the Spanish flu epidemic in the U.S. in 1919, Vaporub sales tripled to $2.9 million in just one year. It was th first VICKS product to become available in the Philippines after the War.

 

VICKS VAPORUB, in jars and tins. 1959

VICKIE SANTOS, VICKS brand charactre, 1950s.

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VICKS COUGH DROPS. The popular menthol cough drops were launched in 1931, and were instant hit, selling 25 million pacakges in the first year. By the 1950s, they were widely available in local drugstores. Flavored versions--Wild Cherry and Lemon-- were made to appeal to kids.

 

VICKS COUGH DROPS, 1956.

VICKS COUGH DROPS, for Children, 1959

VICKS COUGH DROPS, 1959

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VICKS VA-TRO-NOL. Also introduced in 1931,  VICKS Va-tro-nol Nose Drops was launched in 1953 in the Philippines. The drops provided relief from nasal congestion, bit did not catch on with the Filipino public.

 

VICKS VA-TRO-NOL NOSE DROPS, 1953

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VICKS INHALER. The instant stuffy nose reliever-in-a-tube, first produced in the U.S. in 1951, was launched in the Philippines in 1959. Its advertising was the first to use a celebrity, matinee idol Jaime de la Rosa, as its print model.

 

VICKS INHALER, 1959

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VICKS FORMULA 44.  VICKS Cough Syrup, the first liquid cough syrup introduced by Vicks was launched in 1952. As VICKS Formula 44, the syrup provided 8 hours of long-lasting relief to cough sufferers.

 

VICKS FORMULA 44. 1959

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VICKS IMPACT. The short-lived anti-cold VICKS Impact tablet for cold and fever was introduced in 1959, but did not flourish.

VICKS IMPACT, 1959

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SOURCES:

Information source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicks

www.vicks.com.ph

Picture source:

REYNA NG VICKS: Video48, http://video48.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-fifties-503-gloria-romero-rita.html

120. PUREFOODS SMOKEY’S SAUSAGE WORLD: “The Sausage Surprise of your Life!” Jingle, 1982

SMOKEY'S TRAY LINER featured sausage trivia such as this, used at the Quad outlet, 1982

Since the 1960s, Pure Foods Corp. was a dominant meat products company whose hotdog, sausage and processed meat products were favorites on many Filipino tables. In the 1980s, the company decided to enter the fast-food industry through outlets that offered an assortment of hotdog-based products, from plain dogs to fancy sandwich preparations,  freshly prepared and sold at reasonable prices.

 

SMOKEY'S TRAY LINER, agency-designed for the 1st Quad outlet, 1982.

The first step was to create a name for the said fast food concept, and the task fell to Ace-Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising, formerly Ace-Compton. The Creative Team drew up a list of name studies that were whittled down to 3 Finalists—Steven’s, Sidney’s and SMOKEY’s.

 

SMOKEY'S TRAY LINER. Illustrated by  account executive, Dinky.

After the names were subjected to Focus Group Discussions, the winning name was chosen—SMOKEY’S. A product descriptor was appended to capture the wide variety of sausage offerings, and thus the full brand name became SMOKEY’S SAUSAGE WORLD.

 

SMOKEY'S TRAY LINER. 1982, "Hotdog with a  Healthy Purpose"

The first outlet of SMOKEY'S was opened on November 1982 at the Quad Car Park in Makati City—the first sausage parlor in the country. The launch was complemented with full advertising support. To get across the message that there’s more to sausages than just hotdogs---the agency creative came up with the thematic line—“Get the sausage surprise of your life!”.

LISTEN TO SMOKEY'S 1982 JINGLE HERE:

A jingle-based commercial  was produced that dramatized the surprising varieties— from the juiciest, tastiest to the fanciest and hottest hotdogs in town! While we do not have the commercial, we still have the jingle that was composed by award-winning jinglemaker, ms. Charo Unite and ably sung by Jakiri.

 

SMOKEY'S SAUSAGE TRIVIA: Secrets of Roman Victories, 1982

After its successful launch, Smokey's franchise became popular to independent business entrepreneurs in Metro Manila. By 1989, franchising was expanded to include provinces, thus making SMOKEY’s a national name. 

In 2002, Purefoods, the top meat products company was merged with the country's number one brewery corporation, San Miguel, giving birth to the new San Miguel-Pure Foods Corporation. 

EVOLUTION OF THE SMOKEY'S LOGO

Now simply known as SMOKEY’s, its carts and kiosks continue to give customers the most enjoyable and delightful sausage surprises of their lives.

CREDITS:

CLIENT: PURE FOODS CORP.

AGENCY: ACE-SAATCHI & SAATCHI ADVERTISING

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Mon Jimenez Jr.

COPYWRITER: Alex R. Castro

ART DIRECTOR: Buddy Luna

COMPOSER: Charo Unite

ARTIST: Jakiri

SOURCES:

Company Background: http://www.smokeys.com.ph/ourCompany.php

Smokey’s Cart Photo: http://franchisemanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/smokeys-food-cart-package.jpg

119. Karapatdapat sa Paghanga: ROBIN HOOD POMADE, Print Ad, 1953

ROBIN HOOD POMADE/BRILLIANTINE. 1953

In the 50s, young Pinoy lads dabbed their hair with "brilliantine" pomade to create the pompadour look that was the rage of the era. Popularized by James Dean and Elvis, the iconic men's hairdo was completed with cowlick that was forced to curl in front of one's forehead with more dabs of pomade. Early brands included imported ones like Vitalis, Yardley and Brylcreem, but cheaper, local brands dominated the market from the late 40s-60s, like "Palikero", "X-7", "Verbena", "Le Conte" . One post-war brand, "ROBIN HOOD MEDICATED SOLID BRILLIANTINE POMADE" (in both cream and liquid brilliantine forms) attained a measure of popularity with young Pinoy lads of the era.

Created by Beauty Chemical Lab which had a plant along Benavidez St., Binondo in Manila, ROBIN HOOD caught on with the young crowd, favoring its extra-heavy brilliantine effect on hair.

The brand icon shows the bemoustached hero-outlaw who robbed the rich to help the poor---ROBIN HOOD--all in his red tights glory. Curiously, the package graphics show him wielding a sword instead of the bow and arrow that identifies him as an archer, first and foremost.

ROBIN HOOD Pomade was promoted nationally and advertising tin signs like this example were nailed in front of neighborhood stores to attract consumer attention. There were comics-like print ad versions written in deep, poetic Pilipino.

ROBIN HOOD, print ad 1953

Pomades went out of style in the 90s, with hair gels and clay taking their place. But in the distant 50s, there was nothing like ROBIN HOOD to groom you and bring out the the handsome rogue in you. Finally, as its advertising blurb proclaims---gleaming, shining, brilliant hair can now be "thrillingly yours!".

POSTSCRIPT: Sometime in 2012, a cache of vintage ROBIN HOOD pomade stocks as well as point-of-sale materials, mostly tin signs,  were discovered in a Binondo store. These were immediately snapped up by Filipino pickers and collectors.

118. KENNY ROGERS ROASTERS: “Ordinary People, Extraordinary Goodness” Campaign, 1998

“Don’t forget the muffins!”

Who can forget that line delivered in a tiny, squeaky voice by a hunky male talent at the end of a 1997 KENNY ROGERS ROASTERS commercial? The dissonance in the character and his voice proved to be so memorable that the KENNY ROGERS commercial was soon being spoofed on TB gag shows,  even as a horde of customers began flocking the newest chicken restaurant in town.

KENNY ROGERS, ROBINSONS,
Source; wikimediacommons,

The concept of a chicken restaurant was not new back in the country back in the mid 1990s. KFC, the former Kentucky Fried Chicken, was already a dominant fastfood chain serving various chicken products. Enter KENNY ROGERS ROASTERS . Established in 1991 by country musician—and foodie-- Kenny Rogers, in partnership with John Y. Brown, and Kenny Rogers, it first opened its first branch in Coral Springs, Florida.

Just a mere four years later, Roasters Philippines Inc. brought the KENNY ROGERS ROASTERS to Manila. Roasters Phils., was founded by the enterprising Bernardine Sy, whose family was also behind successful consumer brands like Jag Jeans, Lee Jeans, Marie France. She expanded their business portfolio to include food—hence she ventured into franchising, acquired KENNY ROGERS and opened the first outlet at Alabang Town Center on 28 March 1995 to great acclaim.

Two years after, its first drive-thru restaurant opened in Lipa. Filipino customers took to enjoying roasted chicken (as opposed to fired) that they heartily ate along with side dishes, salads, pastas---and of course, the best-selling muffins.  

When it came to pushing KENNY ROGERS ROASTERS with advertising, the brand’s imported image came into play—and the first print ads showed slick product shots straight from an American magazine. If there was a barrier that needed to be broken, it was the high class image that the brand projected that needed fixing. After all, such an “uppity” image can be alienating.

By 1997, powerhouse agency Jimenez DMB&B was getting ready for the impending loss of KFC which it had been handling for over 2 years, due to managerial changes in the company. At that time, Jimenez DMB&B had been handling another Sy business—JAG Jeans—which was performing very well in the fashion market, thanks to the agency’s award-winning campaigns. The agency had long wanted the KENNY ROGERS account, but contractual obligations forbade it to handle conflicting accounts. KFC’s loss paved the way for the eventual addition of KENNY ROGERS to Jimenez DMB&B’s client list.

WATCH THE KENNY ROGERS "PILA" TVC HERE:

The first KENNY ROGERS ("Pila" TVC 30s) commercial produced by the agency addressed the image problem of the store by coming up with the “Ordinary People, Extraordinary Goodness” campaign. To show how accessible KENNY ROGERS is, the creative team headed by Raoul Panes and Poch Guevara came up with the idea of having “unseen people watchers”, observing the comings-and-goings inside a friendly KENNY ROGERS restaurant. Through this  peepshow approach, we see how the KENNY ROGERS crowd actually come from all walks of life, ordinary people like you and me—but with extraordinary taste for all that is good, that gives value for their money and that prices great eating experience.

WATCH KENNY ROGERS' "GANADO" TVC

Much of the charm of the commercial, directed by ace Vitt Romero,  relies on the lively, chatty voice-overs of the unseen voyeurs. They were, in fact, provided by the agency creative themselves, led by the Creative Director Raoul Panes, and Jim Battad, an art director. The one voice that stood out for was that of the good-looking hunk at the end, high-pitched and squeaky. It was voiced by Lilit Trinidad, also a creative writer of Jimenez DMB&B.

The new commercials were very well-received and Jimenez DMB&B would go on to produce a follow-up "Ganado" commercial using the same format. It would also keep KENNY ROGERS ROASTERS longer than KFC, which to this day, continues to offer its signature roasted dishes, cooked  on cooked together with the freshest ingredients in all their over 50 Kenny’s stores all over the Philippines.

CREDITS:

CLIENT: KENNY ROGERS ROASTERS, Roasters Philippines.

AGENCY: Jimenez DMB&B

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Raoul Panes

ART DIRECTOR: Poch Guevara
ACCOUNT MANAGER; Arvin Sanchez

PRODUCER: Paul Suarez

VOICE-OVERS: Lilit Trinidad, Jim Battad, Raoul Panes

DIRECTOR: Vittorio Romero

SOURCES:

http://www.philstar.com/feature/128373/bernadine-sy

http://kennys.com.ph/kenny-history/

youtube videos of amazingvittromero:

"GANADO" TVC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BAsdsqkIuk

"PILA" TVC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq209v5kmRU

KENNY ROGERS LOGO: http://vectorlogo4u.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Kenny-Rogers-Roasters-Logo-720x340.png

KENNY ROGERS STORE: wikimedia.commons

117. Brand Icon: KFC’s “THE COLONEL” in Manila, ca. 1997.

COL. HARLAND SANDERS, Signed promotional photo. 1997

The Philippines welcome KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN in 1967, with many franchisees running their own stores. But the restaurant as we know it today came to be only on June 1994, when Manuel U. Agustines was awarded the sole franchise over the sale and distribution of Kentucky Fried Chicken products in the country. By then, its name had been shortened to just its initials—KFC!

COL. HARLAND SANDERS
https://waldina.com

The founder of KFC was the legendary Col. Harland Sanders (b. 9 Sep. 1890/16 Dec.1980). The portly, white haired, cane-wielding Colonel, dapper in his all-white suit and black string tie and bespectacled face, became such an icon that many people believed him to be a fictional character.

In reality, he was a real person from Indiana, who, in 1930 parlayed his love for cooking into a modest business, opening his restaurant—Sander’s—for travelers. 

Favorite on his menu was his fried chicken, cooked from his own secret recipe. That fried chicken would take his business to greater heights when he set up his own franchising business , which he called Kentucky Fried Chicken. The rest is history.

 

KFC LOGOS,. Source:https://logorealm.com/kfc-logo/

During his lifetime the likeness of the Colonel was a major promotional asset. In 1976, a survey ranked the Colonel as the world’s second most recognized celebrity. When he died in 1980, fictionalized Colonel Sanders have repeatedly appeared as a mascot in KFC's advertising and branding.

WATCH: THE COLONEL'S WAY 1994 TV 30s

This 1994 U.S. commercial features the American actor Henderson Forsythe as Col. Sanders.  

Surprisingly, KFC advertising in the Philippines during the 1990s, did not capitalize on the Col. Sanders character, but instead, focused on product features, using the trademark slogan "Finger-Lickin' Good".. In the late 1990s, “Col. Sanders” finally did visit Manila as part of the company’s promotional stunt and went on store trips, signing and giving away his photos and autographs.

WATCH: THE SEARCH FOR KFC's 

FIRST FILIPINO COLONEL AUDITIONS

Source: KFC PH youtube channel

It was only in May 2017 the search for the first KFC Filipino Colonel was launched, a move that would have made Col. Sanders proud. The finalists were all actors—Ronaldo Valdez, Leo Valdez and Pen Medina—and their audition videos created quite a buzz. The eventual honor of becoming the first Filipino Colonel went to Ronaldo Valdez. 

WATCH FIRST FILIPINO COLONEL

Source: KFC PH, youtube channel

SOURCES:

PHOTO SOURCES:

Col. Harlan Sanders Autographed Photo: Alex Castro Collection

All others, pls. refer to cited online sources below pictures.

VIDEO SOURCES:

THE COLONEL’S WAY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqFjWu81kuc,

Uploaded by HamptonRoadsTVFan, 2 Nov. 2010, 1994 KFC Commercial (Chicken -- The Colonel's Way).wmv

KFC PH:

THE SEARCH FOR THE 1^ST KFC FILIPINO COLONEL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEbk6cylQBM

THE 1^ST KFC FILIPINO COLONEL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAZ2RgUL8X8