367. Creative Guild’s TV Ad of the Month, Aug. 1987: DEL MONTE SPAGHETTI SAUCE “Godfather”

The Creative Guild of the Philippines, an association of creative personnel working in the advertising industry, was just 3 years old when the 1987 Creative Guild Ad of the Year Awards night at the refurbished Metropolitan Theater was staged. One of the frontrunners for the Ad of the Year was DEL MONTE SPAGHETTI SAUCE’s “Godfather”, a much-talked about TV ad produced by McCann Erickson for Del Monte Phils.

WATCH THE DEL MONTE SPAGHETTI SAUCE 'Godfather" TVC HERE:

To drive home the “Italian-ness” of the product, the agency made use of the iconic Don Vito Corleone, a fictional character in Mario Puzo’s “The Godfather”, ably essayed in the 1972 film by Marlon Brando. McCann caster Amy Salona found a talent in the person of Enrique “Ricky” Rivero, an occasional stage actor, who, when fully-made up, became Brando’s doppelganger—right down to his raspy voice.

TV viewers took notice of this well-produced, imported looking commercial, what wit its authentic production design,  moody lighting, the supporting characters, and most especially, the uncanny duplication of the “Godfather’s” look and the cast's superb acting. It was no wonder then that the Del Monte commercial was chosen as the TV ad of the month for August 1987,  by a jury consisting of agency art directors, creative directors, copywriters and producers.

In the grand awards night, however, Nestle’s MILO “Gymnast”, headlined by SEA games gold medalist Bea Lucero,  edged out the DEL MONTE’s “Godfather”, for the plum TV Ad of the Year prize. But Enrique Rivera’s portrayal of  the “Godfather” was so unforgettable that he was  honored as one of the 10 Best Commercial Models of the Year. He was cited for his ‘effective portrayal of a distinctive character in the most natural and realistic manner, through skillful acting that captures the drama between product and consumer'.

DEL MONTE'’s “Godfather” would win more technical awards at the next Philippine Advertising Congress, but the best  was yet to come. In 1990,  the same Del Monte brand will win top honors at the  Creative Guild TV Ad of the Year for the commercial “Novices”, the most prized award for the evening. For McCann Erickson, the feeling was just—magnifico!

SOURCES:

Creative Guild Ad of the Year 1988 program

Youtube: 1986 Del Monte Spaghetti Sauce TVC, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_s1c2CNLws