288. PEST KILLERS AND INSECT REPELLENTS, Various Ads 1955-1980

Mosquitoes and rodents and roaches,  oh my!

Ever since the dawn of civilization, mankind has been plagued with pests of the most annoying biting-stinging-crawling-wiggling-disease carrying variety, infesting every nook and cranny of homes and offices. And men have found ways to deal with them.

The first known pesticide was elemental sulfur dusting used in ancient Sumer about 4,500 years ago in Mesopotamia. It was only in 1946 that the first modern bug repellant was invented by Samuel Gertler of the US Department of Agriculture,  receiving a patent  for using DEET  in the form of a cream, lotion, or powder.

The aerosol can had been invented in 1931 and was largely undeveloped until American Lyle Goodhue devised a practical version that could be used to propel insecticide. In 1945, Goodhue, joined Airosol, Inc.. With him as director of research Airosol  became a leading packager of aerosol spray consumer products after the war—including insect spray—which gave us a major advantage in our war against pests and bugs.

Here are some anti-insect and pest products that have protected us and our homes through the years:

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RODENTICIDE

RAT-EX WITH WARFARIN. A powerful rodenticide manufactured by Estraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories, an exclusively distributed by La Estrella del Norte. 1955.

DORA RAT KILLER, One of the most popular rodent killer brand, that came in granules forms. Manufactured by Fumakilla Lab, a Japanese company. 1978.

MOSQUITO KILLER

LION BRAND MOSQUITO KILLER, an early katol-type coil with fumes that can kill mosquitos. 1957.

VAPE ELECTRIC MOSQUITO DESTROYER, a new,modern way to keep away mosuitos. Made by Fumakilla Lab. 1966.

OFF INSECT REPELLENT. your invisible mosquito net. Apply or spray this on your skin to ward off pesky mosquitos. Made by S./C.Johnson. 1975.

SHELLTOX BLUE. Kills all troublesome breed of insects, including mosquitos. From the Shell Chemical Co. (Phil.) Inc. 1979.

ROACH AND FLY KILLER

KAN-KILL--kills filthy germ carriers that can cause malaria, cholera, dysentery, typhoid fever and diarrhea. Made with Strobane, the world's deadliest insect killer. 1961.

NUVAN AEROSOL SPRAY. "Pamatay n, pleasant-smelling pa!", Does not contain DDT and fluorocatbon claimed as harmful to the ozone layer. 1978.

NUVAN, the insecticide thatt scores a 1-2 punch to knock out pests every time! 1978.

SHELLTOX ANT AND COCKROACH STOP. Kills crawling isects. 1979

ADVANCED FORMULA SHELLTOX INSECT KILLER. Kills on contact, ones pray lasts for days. 1980.

287. LADY'S CHOICE MAYONNAISE of California Manufacturing Co., Early Ads, 1966-1972

EARLY LADY'S CHOICE MAYONNAISE AD, 1966

LADY’S CHOICE was an American food brand that started in California way back in 1872.  A Philippine manufacturing plant—the California Manufacturing Company (CMC)—began operations in 1955, and introduced Filipinos to its world of flavorful products  like  jams, spreads, pickled vegetables to condiments and canned goods.

"BRING OUT THE BEST" APPEARS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ADS, 1968

The pioneer product of CMC was Royal Pasta,but not long after that, it launched LADY’S CHOICE MAYONNAISE in the 1960s. Mayonnaise was already a condiment that Filipinos were familiar with,  supposedly invented to the French chef of the Duke de Richelieu in 1756. To celebrate the Duke’s triumph over the British at Port Mahon in Minorca, the chef whipped up a celebration dish with sauce made from cream, egg yolks and oil. Thus, mayonnaise or “mayonesa” as Filipinos in the early 1930s called  the homemade concoction was born, used mainly for preparing salads.

 

THE 'BRING OUT THE BEST CAMPAIGN' contunues in 1969

LADY’S CHOICE MAYONNAISE was one of the first commercially-produced mayonnaise (the other being Egg-O), and was met with success. The mother brand was promoted through print advertising, and one of it early endorsers was the newly-crowned Miss International 1964, Gemma Cruz.

 

'MAKE IT A LADY'S CHOICE DAY", 1972 Print Ad.

Individual product advertising began in the mid 1960s, with many featured recipe ads. The popular “Bring out the Best” slogan came out in 1968, and would be used throughout the 1970s. Today, LADY’S CHOICE MAYONNAISE is a Unilever brand, having acquired CMC in 2000.

286. FRESCO DEODORANT BEAUTY SOAP by Philippine Manufacturing Company, (PMC), 1955

In October 1955, the Philippine Manufacturing Co., , the maker of popular products like Purico, Perla and Star Margarine—introduced a new kind of soap—a deodorant soap with the brand name FRESCO Deodorant Beauty Soap.

Years before, PMC had already launched Camay with resounding success, one of the first beauty soaps in the country. Now it was ready to introduce an innovative soap. FRESCO claims to stop perspiration odor because of a special active ingredient called Arodin, a “wonder deodorant” that neutralized odor-causing bacteria that ordinary soaps can’t remove. 

The pink deodorant beauty soap is recommended for all-over beauty protection, with an alluring fragrance that clings to the skin and fragrance and lasts for hours.  FRESCO Deodorant Beauty Soap costs no more than other leading beauty soaps too.

Despite these wonderful benefits, FRESCO Deodorant Beauty Soap seemed to flouder, as its ads—by 1957—diminished in size and became rather unremarkable. FRESCO lasted for just a few years, and was discontinued before the new 60s decade began.

285. Brand Stories: AVEGON RADIOS, 1953

AVEGON CORPORATE AD, 1953

One of the more popular brands of transistor radios that promoted the golden age of the Philippine radio industry was AVEGON, produced by Avegon Inc.,with offices at Sta. Ana, Manila. At its peak, AVEGON RADIOS rivaled the country’s leading radio and TV maker—Radiowealth—which was founded almost 20 years ahead of the company.

AVEGON TRANSISTOR RADIOS/WIRELESS RECORD PLAYER, 1957

The story began with Engr. Antonio Avecilla y Nepomuceno, a Kapampangan born in San Fernando (b. 10 Sep. 1901) who was one of the leading lights of Philippine infrastructure reconstruction after the War. A 1923  Civil Engineering graduate of the University of Santo Tomas, Avecilla ‘s post-war works included the La Mesa Dam and Swimming Pool, Bel-Air Building, Syquia Apartments, Mote de Piedad, Galaxy Theater,  the San Sebastian Convent and Colleges, the Philippine Wallboard Corp. Bldg., the Rizal Motor Sales Bldg., and the rehabilitation of many war-damaged homes and factories.

FOUNDERS OF AVEGON

In 1953, noting the burgeoning radio industry thanks to its rising use as an entertainment and marketing medium, Avecilla teamed up with a friend, Joaquin l. Gonzalez of Baliwag, and pooled their money together to form a fledgling manufacturer and importer of electrical appliances called AVEGON INC., coined from their 2 surnames, AVEcilla and GONzalez.

SPECIFY AVEGON, PRINT D 1960

AVEGON'S NEW YEAR'S NEW PRODUCTS, PRINT AD 1961

Despite a bumpy start, AVEGON’s transistorized radios began gaining a large following, favored for their hi-fi  performance and economical price. They were also prized for their handsome construction, as the cases were made from durable Philippine hardwood.

The company expanded by leaps and bounds, necessitating the construction of its own AVEGON office and factory buildings located at Invernes St., Sta. Ana, Manila. Avecilla served as the company president and general manager.

Later, AVEGON  forayed into the production of fluorescent lamp ballasts that could withstand high humidity and temperature—the first of its kind in the country. AVEGON Radios however, were the company’s flagship brands, with many models to choose from.

THE NOVELTY HOUSE RADIO OF AVEGON, 1962

One of the most unusual were the AVEGON Dreamhouse radios—made in the shape of little roofed houses with TV antennas. It sold wireless record players, radios with legs—all sold at affordable prices.  AVEGON radios were regularly advertised on print and radio and had its own loyal market from the lower-midle class bracket.

AVEGON TV SET ADS, 1964

Radiowealth upped the tempo of the competition by leading the local production of the so-called “TV and Radio/ Music Player Furniture Sets”, an innovation that sought to rethink our idea of what an appliance is, which, to the company can be a home furniture too. It is in this arena of product innovation that AVEGON faltered. It belatedly introduced its first TV set in early 1960s, and continued to produce traditional small and portable transistor radios, which, nevertheless had their own market niche. With more and more Filipinos finding new prosperity, large and modern appliance furniture became the vogue in the 60s right through the 70s—with the advent of the age of stereophonic, quadraphonic and surround sound technology.  

AVEGON TRANSISTOR RADIOS, PRINT AD 1966

AVEGON continued making radios, and the hardwood cases gave way to modern colorful plastic in the 70s. The compToday, AVEGON Radios are prized by radio and music collectors as fine examples of local radio craftsmanship that is distinctively Filipino

SOURCES:

TABLEAU: Encyclopedia of Distinguished Personalities in the Philippines, p. 73.

BALIWAG, Then & Now. Vilacorte, 1985