446. Celebrity Endorser: Comedian PUGO for Philacor’s WINNER Refrigerator, 1978

Comedian PUGO, as WINNER Refrigerator celebrity endorser, Print Ad, 1978

Philippine Appliance Corp. (PHILACOR) had its humble beginnings in 1963,  when an enterprising engineering graduate of the University of the Philippines, Dante Santos, began assembling basic home appliances, together with artner Hilarion Henares.  He had also gone to the University of Washington to take advanced studies in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering.

 In March 1965, PHILACOR plant was inaugurated in Parañaque and by the 70s, became the leading manufacturer of freezers and refrigerators in the Philippines with around 1,500 employees. Its line of refrigerators under the brand name WINNER turned out to be one of the biggest best-sellers.

 It is no wonder that PHILACOR became one of the more active advertisers during this period. One of the celebrities employed to push WINNER Refrigerators was the veteran comedian PUGO (Mariano Contreras in real life, b. 12 Jul. 1910. 12 Dec. 1978). He started as a bod-a-bil comic, achieving fame in the 1930s thru the 1950s, as the other half of the Pugo and Togo comedy tandem.

 From the stage, PUGO  went into movies, landing leading roles in Sorry Na Lang (1947), Edong Mapangarap (1950), Kambal Tuko, Sundalong Kanin (1952) and Nukso ng Nukso (1960) . He found greater fame with the advent of TV, in sitcoms like Tang Tarang-tang (1966) which became Si Tatang Kasi in 1970. His other hit TV shows in the 1970s were Wanted: Boarders and My Son, My Son.

Due to his popularity, PUGO was sought by a few clients to endorse their products, including San Miguel Beer in 1967. This WINNER Refrigerator print ad, which featured PUGO in 1978, was the last of his appearances. As the Dean of Philippine Comedy died later in the same year, at age 68.

 As to PHILACOR, it woukd be beset with serious problems in the new millennium, including union woes, unsettled debts, huge losses traced to failure to sell its old plant and over-production. This led to a break-up of its operations in June  2000.

 SOURCES:

Pugo, Wikipedia.com

Philippine Appliance Corporation is inaugurated today, March 1965,

Phil. Daily Inquirer, Philacor closes shop for 3 months, settles P1B IOUs, break up operations, June 8 2000

445. Pilipino Advertising Klasiks (PILAK 2002) SPRITE “Japorms” TVC 30s, 1999

In 2002, the PILAK Awards were instituted by the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines (4 A’s) to determine the top 25 ads from the last 50 years, the golden age of Philippine advertising. Hundred of ads were screened by the country’s top creative agency heads, until only 100 were left. From these, the 25 cream of the crop were chosen--“patalastas na walang kupas”---to be honored with the Pilipino Advertising Klasiks or PILAK Awards.

 One of the PILAK Awardees was a fairly new ad from a SPRITE TV campaign conceived by the powerhouse creatives of McCann-Erickson Phils. The “Magpakatotoo Ka”  (Be True To Yourself) TV ad series was an instant hit, with its brand of youthful humor—so comical, yet true, slick editing, stylish look, and fast-paced storytelling—not to mentioned the over-the top acting.  The “Magpakatotoo Ka” pool includes the famous Piolo & Toni (“I Love You, Piolo!) version, Ryan Agoncillo “Elevator” version (“Are you in heat?”); Music Teacher; and Basketball “Kaka” Girl, among others.

WATCH SPRITE "Japorms" TVC HERE:, uploaded by Duvine Gil Reyes

But it was the “Japorms” version that earned the judges’ nod as a PILAK winner—about a stylish youngster who thinks of himself as hip and cool when he stepped out in the sun, dressed in jeans, shades, and a very thick hoodie. He quickly suffers a heat stroke, fainting in front of a gaggle of girls who offered him cool relief with a bottle of SPRITE. “Obey your thirst” the ad says, “magpakatotoo ka”. Well, for awhile he did. He surrenders to the refreshment of SPRITE—then quickly switches back to his “feeling hip, cool” mode,  like nothing happened. The SPRITE “Japorms” TV also won a Gold Araw Award at the 1999 Philippine Advertising Congress Awards Night in Cebu.

CREDITS:

Client: Coca-Cola Philippines

Agency: McCann-Erickson Philippines / Creative Director: Teeny Gozum

Copywriter: Divine Gil / Art Director; Carlo Director

Producer: Telly Arce

Production House: Unitel

Director: Jun Reyes / Cinematographer: Boy Yñiguez

SOURCES: 

youtube, Sprite ‘Japorms’ commercial TV, uploaded by Divine Gil Reyes, 2016: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI7-AhJfxZ8

 

444. THE ANNUAL 9TH AND 11TH TOYS AND GIFTS FAIR, 1984-85, 1986-87

TOYS AND GIFTS FAIR, 1984-85

One of the most popular shopping attractions in the late 70s thru the early 1990s is the Annual Toys and Gifts Fair, a Christmas trade exhibition by the Philippine Center for International Trade and Exhibit (PHILCITE). The very first Toys and Gifts Fair was organized in 1976, and proved to be a hit for shoppers, opening as early as November, and ending past January. The area was even decorated for the holidays; in 1986, the front of Philcite featured a giant Japanese lighted robot display.

In the 1990s under Fred Elizalde, the fair evolved into an amusement park later named Star City. The former PhilCite building upon was pulled down in the late 1990s to make way for the park's indoor rides. On October 2, 2019, a huge blaze caused widespread damage to Star City; it reopened in 2022. 

TOYS AND GIFTS FAIR, 1986-87

SOURCES:

Star City Official website: https://www.starcity.com.ph/

Star City (amuseument park) Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_City_(amusement_park)

443. Brand Stories: CHE-VITAL Cheese and Dairy Products of New Zealand Creamery, 1958

THE NEW CHEESE EXCITEMENT! Print Ad, 1967

One cheese brand with a long history in the Philippines—65 years in 2023—started out as CHE-VITAL Pasteurized Cheese made by New Zealand Creamery Inc. It was actually a company that was established in 1958 as a joint venture of the New Zealand Dairy Board. The arrangement was that the local company would provide the technology to manufacture the dairy products but this deal fell through.

CHE-VITAL. Golden rich, deliciously nourishing, 1967

A later partnership with Golden State of California in the 1960s (part of the American conglomerate, Foremost Dairy Group) resulted in a company called Golden State Phils., which was tasked with marketing and distribution of Golden State products. This partnership was eventually cancelled, and the local company founder decided to send his managers to Australia and NZ for training to learn the modern way of dairy product manufacturing.

CHE-VITAL CREAMERY BUTTER, Prind ad, 1967

With the new-found expertise, the company was set to relaunch under a new name. As it was taking too long for the Securities and Exchange Commission to approved the name, the founder revived the first company name-New Zealand Creamery, and so from 1962 onward, it had kept that name.

A CHE-VITAL CHRISTMAS, Print Ad 1978

The company’s best-known and best selling product turned out to be their CHE-VITAL cheese products, led by CHE-VITAL Pasteurized Cheese in 1962. One of the first cheese food brands in the market, CHE-VITAL was made from Australian dairy ingredients and packed in blocks.  CHE-VITAL became a favorite for making sandwiches, canapes, desserts and pastries.  By 1978, the cheese line came to include CHE-VITAL BLUE (Cheddar, packed in circular tin cans), CHE-VITAL Cheese Balls, CHE-VITAL Ham or Pimiento, and QBB Cheddar. There was also CHE-VITAL Fresh Butter, introduced in 1967.

CURRENT PRODUCT LINE, Source: New Zealand Creamery FB Page

Today, New Zealand Creamery continues to be productive as ever, still making longtime favorite CHE-VITAL: CHE-VITAL Pasteurized Process Cheese Food, CHE-VITAL Quickmelt, CHE-VITAL Cheddar, CHE-VITAL Fresh Creamery Butter. Still going strong is its  QBB Cheddar. Another powerhouse brand includes QUES-O Cheesefood, QUES-O Supermelt, QUES-O Cheesy Spread, and O-K Processed Filled Cheese Spread, a price brand. The company also makes the premium Queensland Butter in Cans, Queensland Pure Creamery Butter, Golden Crown Butter Compound, and Dairy Magic Margarine, used for cooking and baking. Indeed, with New Zealand Creamery cheese and dairy brands still around—the good life is yours to enjoy, on and on!

 SOURCES:

FB Page, New Zealand Creamery, https://www.facebook.com/newzealandcreameryinc

New Zealand Creamery Inc. website, https://newzealandcreameryinc.com/

442. Pilipino Advertising Klasiks (PILAK 2002): JOLLIBEE “Lola” TVC , 1987-88

JOLLIBEE "LOLA" TVC, PILAK Awardee 2002, by BASIC ADVERTISING

In 2002, when the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of the Philippines (4 A’s) convened to vote the 25 Best TV ads over the past 50 years, one of two Jollibee ads to make it to the list of “patalastas na walang kupas” was the heartwarming “Lola” TVC . The plot involved two grandkids, conniving to treat their “Lola”—who they realized was “lagi na lang ikaw ang taya”-- to a Jollibee lunch paid for by their savings.

Touched by the act of her grateful ‘apos’, Lola sheds a few tears, leading the elder grandchild to ask “Lola, napuwing ka?”. The charming ad won its way to the hearts of viewers—and the creative jury—to a well-deserved win at the PILAK Awards Night held on 31 August 2002.

WATCH THE PILAK AWARD-WINNING JOLLIBEE "LOLA" TVC HERE:

The Jollibee “Lola” ad was significant due to the rare appearance of NATY CRAME-ROGERS (b.1922/d. 2021) who portrayed the role of the doting grandmother.

 CREDITS:

AGENCY: BASIC ADVERTISING

CD/ COPYWRITER: Boy Leuterio

ART DIRECTOR: Mario Serrano

PRODUCER: Aton Roxas

CASTER: Eric Munchua

DIRECTOR: Vitt Romero

MUSIC: Charo Unite

PRODUCTION HOUSE: Salon Films

 SOURCES:

Natividad “Naty” Crame-Rogers,Philippine Thetaer Legend, 98 https://varsitarian.net/circle/20210225/natividad-naty-crame-rogers-philippine-theater-legend-98

Minyong Ordonez Youtube channel, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWjaj8sDU9A

4 A’s youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGA6lRJVdRg