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