550. Scenic Spots in Philippine Ads: BANAWE RICE TERRACES, various ads 1962-65

TANDUAY RHUM "Banaue, World's 8th Wonder" Ad, 1965

Creating an eye-catching print ad doesn’t just entail casting the most attractive models, writing the most grabbing headline, and designing the most pleasing lay-out—it sometimes involves finding the right setting for the print ad narrative.  These three products—TANDUAY Rhum, FILPRIDE Gasoline and MARLBORO Cigarettes used the picturesque, age-old Banaue Rice Terraces as relevant backdrop for their product messages.

The first ad for TANDUAY Rhum immediately makes a strong association with the “8^th wonder of the world” with the “matchless quality” of the product. Just as the Banaue Rice Terraces stand in the forefront of the country’s scenic wonders, so does the TANDUAY standard of quality which leads all others wherever rhum drinks are served. 

FILPRIDE Gasoline "GO PLACES' AD, 1962

The FILPRIDE GASOLINE ad of Fil-Oil, reminds the readers of the scenic wonders of the country, like the Banaue Rice Terraces, 351 kms. from Manila, then gently urges them to use power-packed Filpride gasoline when motoring to these places. If you are going to see the Philippine pride that is Banaue, wouldn’t it be fitting if you fill up your car with Filpride gasoline? That’s one smart connection!

MARLBORO COUNTRY "Banaue Country" Ad, 1965.

The last ad for MARLBORO Cigarettes went one step further by describing  the famed Banaue Rice Terraces as evoking the same Marlboro Country imagery-- rugged independence, adventure, self-reliance—an untamed place where men find flavor. Thus, the iconic, "Marlboro Man" cowboy scanning the vast grandness of the terraces—that seem to invite men of the same spirit to “Come to where the flavor is. Come to Marlboro Country”.

Today though, when one refers to the Marlboro Country of the Philippines—two sites are top-of-mind recalls: the Racuh Apayaman on Batan Island, Batanes which features rolling green hills, grazing cattle, and dramatic cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean; and the Marlboro Hills in Sagada, Mountain Province, famous for its pine-clad mountain trails , "sea of clouds" during sunrise and grand vistas of limestone peaks.