368. Creative Guild’s TV Ad of the Month for Jun. 1996: JAG ANTI-FIT “Merman”

JIMENEZ DMB&B's winning ad for Jag Anti-Fit, aired June 1996

Jeans ad featuring merman makes waves

(from a PR article published in the Philippine Star and Manila Bulletin, Sep. 1996)

The new JAG Anti-Fit commercial is making waves, literally, with its focus on a mythological sea creature. Titled “Merman”, the ad is catching the fancy of viewers. It features a man shown swimming with a fishtail, then removing it afterwards to put on a pair of JAG Anti-Fit Jeans.

Using a merman as model for denim jeans is indeed a fresh idea,

Australian model MATT CHENEY, a competitive swimmer, and did all the swimming scenes in the ad.

“We had to think Anti-Fit. I think this is synonymous to being rugged, daring, comfortable and even controversial”, says Jun Reyes, the commercial’s director.

“When we say jeans, it usually refers to tight-fitting denims, so the idea behind the commercial is to show how we can feel comfortable with jeans”, adds Alex Castro, who collaborated with Reyes on the JAG ad. “ We fitted a man with the tail of a fish to show how constricting denims can be. It shows the limitation of movement. It is not relaxed, not comfortable. Then we show JAG breaks out of the denim stereotype”.

 WATCH JAG ANTI-FIT "MERMAN" TVC HERE:

Source: JAGJeansPh

To make the commercial work, the team relied on realistic props and materials. Says Reyes, “it took hours to put the fish tail on the model. He had to wake up at 4 a.m. for the make-up artist to work on him. We really made sure that the tail would appear as though it was a part of him. We used prosthetics so that the tail would look real. And the tail was detailed for the model so that it would not make him uncomfortable. We had a another tail on reserve in case it got damage. The model had to be carried by 4 men to the beach.

JAG ANTI-FIT "MERMAN' TVC SHOOTING IN BOLINAO, PANGASINAN

Choosing the ideal site for the commercial was also crucial. The shoot was shot in 2 locations: Anilao, Batangas for the underwater scenes, and Bolinao, Panagsinan for the beach scenes.

Reyes and Castro said the commercial was easy to do. They shot the underwater scene for a day, and the scenes above the water overnight.

Since models count a lot in the success of a commercial, JAG made sure they had a perfect merman in its ad. “We had to look for a model who is rugged and suave at the same time. These qualities we found in Matt Cheney, who is a swimmers and a model from Australia. He was paired with Carol Dunbar to add appeal to the commercial. Together, they epitomize the image of JAG—young, spirited, adventurous”, Reyes explains.

The prosthetic fish tail was molded on the model's body

Mythological creatures, gorgeous bods, and a cool concept. With all these elements combined, the JAG Anti-Fit commercial is already making a big splash on TV screens.

NOTE: JAG ANTI-FIT ‘MERMAN’ TVC was adjudged by the Creative Guild of the Philippines for the month of September 1996.

CREDITS:

AGENCY: JIMENEZ DMB&B

Copywriter: ALEX R. CASTRO / Art Director: NIKKO CORNELIO

Producer: PAUL SUAREZ / Account: ANNA DOMINGO

PRODUCTION HOUSE: UNITEL

Director: JUN REYES

D.O.P. BOY YÑIGUEZ, LEE BRIONES / Editor: IKE VENERACION

Production Design: TOMMY NG / Executive Producer: Deet Castillo

ADVERTISER: FIL-PACIFIC APPAREL INC.

Marketing Manager: Veng Taningco / President: Angeline Siy

SOURCES: JAGJeansPh, youtube video /  Manila Buletin, The Phlippine STAR press releases.