523. International Boxing Referee SONNY PADILLA for OMEGA PAIN KILLER, 1978 Print Ad

In 1959, the Wong Brothers of Cebu--George, Sixto, Sergio, David Sr., and Pio Sr., founders of International Pharmaceuticals, Inc., launched a new anti-body pain liniment  that would become a byword in pain relief: OMEGA PAIN KILLER. It enjoyed much success after the greaseless version was introduced in 1968.

But the brand solidified its place in the pain market when CARLOS “Sonny” PADILLA Jr. —the Filipino boxing referee of the historic “Thrill in Manila’ Ali-Frazier fight ---gave OMEGA Pain Killer a major push in 1978.

3rd Man on the Ring: Referee Carlos Padilla Jr. via Business Mirror

Coming from an internationally-renowned referee who saw first-hand and up-close the  worse body aches and pains: sprain, cramps, muscle spasms—there was, indeed, no better recommendation than OMEGA Pain Killer for effective ache and pain relief. After all, long-before the Ali-Frazier fight, he was familiar with after-sports pain—his father Carlos Sr. and uncle, Jose Padilla Jr. were former Olympic boxers for the Philippines in 1932 and 1936.

Padilla’s celebrity magic would also propel Pagoda Internationals’ Family Rubbing Alcohol to stratospheric heights, resurrected his movie career, and importantly, and jumpstarting his international refereeing career, that included high-profile fights like Wilfred Benítez vs. Sugar Ray Leonard (1979); Mike Tyson vs. Pinklon Thomas (1987); Thomas Hearns vs. Roberto Durán (1984);  Julio César Chávez vs. Ruben Castillo (1985), among others.

522. Let's Raise a Glass or Two!: CAFE PURO, Various Glass Premium Ads, 1966-69

At the peak of its business, Commonwealth Foods Inc., producer of Instant CAFÉ PURO, held the distinction as the First and Largest Coffee Plant in the Far East, with the Biggest in Sales in the Philippines. It’s flagship brand CAFÉ PUROand its variants Le Café and Café Bueno, was a market and industry leader, known for its professionally-done advertising, and the regular consumer promotions.

Instant CAFÉ PURO was a leader in packaging innovation, the first to come out in glass jars with plastic caps—that were actually, usable decorative drinking glasses. These premiums had added-appeal to consumers, as you not only get coffee, you also get to keep the glass that you can use daily, so you can be regularly reminded of the coffee brand that gave it away to you—Free.

The most popular CAFÉ PURO collectibles that added immensely to the brand’s success were exclusively designed glasses that often came in sets. Chief among these were the CRYSTAL GLASS Collection, which featured applied “starlight” designs, with a flip-off plastic cap. These first came out in 1966, advertised on weekend and women’ magazines.

The CRYSTAL GLASS promo was so successful that the next year, the FOLK DANCE glass series was launched, which proved to be their biggest packaging promo ever. These were the first truly collectible glasses, that also came with matching shakers and pitchers. Each carried an ACL (applied color label) design of the country’s famous folk dances, rendered in stylizes drawings.

Singkil, Tahing Baila, Maglalatik, Itik-Itik and Tinikling were among the illustrated dances that were featured on the glass. To this day, these Café Puro FOLK DANCE series are sought after by advertising collectibles fans. (see separate article about these glasses on this blog.)

In 1968, a more premium-looking glass set was offered; The Instant Café Puro RAINBOW GLASS collection. The colors of the rainbow are all aglow in the glasses with gradating vivid hues of Orange, Yellow, Blue, Violet, Green and Purple.

Unfortunately for CAFÉ PURO, Nescafe, which initially came out in unsightly tin cans, improved on the packaging idea, and came out with their own glass collection that became truly classic—the straight-sided clear diamond-cut glass. Where Café Puro was giving out large glass jars with tin caps, Nescafe was offering classy 4-sided mutli-purpose glass canisters with glass and plastic stoppers. Simple and durable, sales took off for Nescafe, and the drinking glass and glass canisters became ubiquitous in  homes, office canteens, food stalls and wayside carinderias. With its massive market budget, product line extensions, and coffee expertise, Nescafe would bypass CAFÉ PURO by the 70s.,

 That being so, CAFÉ PURO remains a beloved brand, remembered for its full-bodied aroma and taste, as we as for its glass giveaways,  which, in their time, were the most attractive, well-made utilitarian tableware that every housewife would be proud to own.

521. HELENE CURTIS SUAVE presents: "The Creation Series" 1961

“POUFF PARISIENNE” by Panching Servando of Ben Farrales Glamour House. The August creation puts a twist on the French pouff by flattening the hair on the sides and back exposing the ears. The model is Ines Villareal-Regala.

One of the earliest haircare brands to forge a strategic alliance with beauty institutions and the leading hairdressers in the country was HELENE CURTIS, In the early 1960s the company began to build on the success of its SUAVE brand, introducing shampoos, creme rinses, and wave sets. To promote it, SUAVE was promoted by beauty salon operators and the country’s leading hairstylists, in tie-up ads that bannered new hairstyles and the latest coiffure craze for them month, through a “creation series” launched in 1961 through 1962. The following 2-color ads which featured name models, were part of the series that ran in women’s magazines nationwide.

“PAPILLON” by Beny Baluyot of Beny’s Beauty Salon. A new creation for February that flaunts soft-looking hair for a chic, casual style that women will love.

“BOB PARISIENNE” by the Kayumanggi Styling Group, This shimmering hairstyle creation for December with lovely highlights features model Mrs. Caroline Manning. 

“THE BELL” by Moises Sia of Del Val’s Beauty Salon. Classically-designed  hair highlighted by sparkling gleams created by Suave for a radiant effect, without looking oily.

SUAVE, introduced in 1937 by Helene Curtis, is one of the most successful and enduring brand of the company and is still available to this day. Now with Unilever, SUAVE as a brand represents more than 100 products including shampoo, lotions, soaps and deodorant, used in United States, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Canada.

SOURCES:

Suave (the brand), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suave_(brand)

Helene Curtis Industries Inc. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helene_Curtis_Industries,_Inc.