497. HAPPY HOLIDAYS from ESCO SHOES, The Shoe of Quality, 1936

 GIVE SHOES ON CHRISTMAS DAY! Made by pioneer shoe manufacturer of the Philippines, Frank H. Hale (b. Aug. 30, 1872) who was known as “Mang Isko” by millions of Filipinos. They gave him this nickname in appreciation of his contribution to improve the Filipino by replacing the  chinelas with a pair of sturdy, stylish, and affordable shoes. ESCO Shoes were available at the big ESCO SHOE STORE in Escolta. At the peak of Mr. Hale’s business, he employed an all-Filipino workforce that made ESCO Shoes a popular household brand. ESCO Shoes were exported abroad, and Hale became a major contractor of military shoes, as well. By the beginning of World War II, Hale’s shoe plant was the largest shoe manufacturing company in Asia. But it would also augur the end of his business as the Japanese interned him prisoner in UST, confiscated his facilities, and closed down his factories. Hale rebuilt his ESCO business after the birth of the new Republic, scaled it down, but it was never the same again. 

496. FREE! NATIVITY STATUETTES from LADY'S CHOICE, KNORR, ALSA, ROYAL, Print Ad, 1978

BRIGHTENING YOUR HOMES WITH NATIVITY STATUETTES, Print Ad, 1978

In 1978, a consortium of products--LADY'S CHOICE (juices, spreads, pickles, dressings), KNORR (bouillons, seasonings), ALSA (gelatines, custards,  desserts), and ROYAL (pasta, noodles) came up with a holiday collectible promo, where one could assemble a set of plastic Nativity Statuettes for a Christmas Belen. The Nativity figures--15 in all-- are packed FREE with every purchase of the participating products, a fitting Christmas decor for your home. The completed set includes figures of the Holy Family, 3 Kings, Shepherds, Animals and an Angel.  Seek--and you shall find the spirit of Christmas in these handsome Nativity Statuettes!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

495. KATIALIS: A Wish for Health & Beauty, Power & Wealth, Christmas/New Year Ad 1948

The most successful local skin ointment in history was formulated in the 1930s by Dr. Lorenzo C. Reyes (b.?/d. 1985) and mixed by his chemist brother, Manuel, at his Locre Laboratorio in San Lazaro, Manila. The name of  KATIALIS topical ointment was coined from “KATI” (itch) and “ALIS” (go away), and was widely marketed as an effective solution to skin diseases such as “tagihawat, anan, anghit, buni, alipunga, bungang araw, bulutong tubig, balakubak, sunog sa araw, masamang butlig, ulsera, sugat, pekas, galis, pigsa, butlig pagkatapos mag-ahit, sigid ng lamok, surot at iba pang maliit na hayop”.

KATIALIS was also famous for its whimsical ads featuring biblical, mythical and symbolic characters drawn by the best illustrators of the times. One holiday ad in 1948 shows kneeling Filipinos in national costumes bearing gifts of wealth, power (represented by two men offering a crown, scepter and jewelry) on one side. On the oppoiste side, a native maiden presents a giant jar of KATIALIS, for the health and beauty of a lady on a throne, representing the product's customer perhaps--and flanked by pages holding fans. The illustrated tableau is surmounted by the greeting "MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR".  

After 76 years, the message still rings true, so we take time to wish you the same, for this Christmas of 2024, and for the New Year ahead!

494. MANILA GAS CORPORATION, Christmas Print Ad, 1967

Established on 27 September 1912 under Commonwealth Act 2039, the Manila Gas Corporation (MGC) was a gas company tasked to produce, buy, sell, and distribute gas, coke, tar pit, and other residual products in Manila. MGC regularly promoted its services and products via print advertising, especially in the 60s decade. During the holidays, the Manila Gas Corp. sends out its holiday greetings to its patrons via full color Christmas ads, just like this “Manger” ad, from 1967. 

 

493. The Classic Adhesive Bandage: CURITAS by Bauer & Black, 1964

Made for Little Accidents: CURITAS Print Ad, 1964

CURITAS, the classic bandage strip that rivalled Johnson & Johnson’s Band-Aid Brand Plastic Strip was a product of Bauer & Black, Inc. ( founded 1893) by Louis Bauer, Alexander Bauer, Gustav T. Bauer, and Stephen H. Black in Chicago, Illinois. It manufactured dressings, porous plasters, suspensories, chest protectors and other surgical appliances. In 1901, it opened a New York branch downtown on Gold St. around 1901

It was acquired by the Kendall Company in 1928 which marketed the plaster products under the brand “Curity”. When  the adhesive strips were introduced in the Philippines in the 1960s, the brand name was Hispanized into CURITAS. This is not to be confused with a plaster strips of the same name manufactured in 1922 by the German company, Beiersdorf AG.

Main Competitor: J&J Band Aid Brand, 1964

CURITAS gained a measure of popularity in the Philippines, becoming almost a generic brand name for adhesive strips—until J&J Band-Aid Brand outpromoted and outvoiced it in the market. Now Band-Aid has became the catch-all term for small adhesive-back strip bandages.

CURITAS, now a Beiderstorf AG brand,

Since 2009, Bauer & Black has been a division of the 3M Company. Beidersdorf has since used the CURITAS brand name to this day, selling all sorts of adhesive strips, catering to the large Spanish and Latin American market.

 SOURCES:

Black & Bauer: Historywiki, https://rpwrhs.org/w/index.php?title=Bauer_%26_Black

Beidersdorf Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beiersdorf