490. I CAN SERVE, “Bowls” TVC 30s, 2002

2 BOWLS AND A MARBLE. Photoboard of the "I Can Serve" TVC, July 1922

Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala, a breast cancer survivor, is the Founder and President of I Can Serve Foundation Inc. (ICS)  Its mission is to arm women with breast care health and breast cancer information so they can make informed decisions about their health. It also provides access to special services that will help the breast cancer survivor recover and heal more effectively.

Jimenez D’Arcy (the future PublicisJimenez Basic) partnered with her foundation, to create its promotional materials for its programs, pro bono. PJB Co-CEO Ramon Jimenez Jr. (+), who was a close relative of Kara (her mother Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc was a cousin), would assign ICS projects to all his creative teams so they would get a chance to work with “more creative clients”—as Alikpala was cut from the same creative cloth—she was also a broadcast journalist, documentarian, producer, and foreign media correspondent.

Some of the promotional materials done by Jimenez D'Arcy for ICS

In July 2002, ICS rolled out its breast cancer education program with a low budget, 15 sec. commercial conceived by the creative team of Jenny Lao and Raoul Panes.

 WATCH "I CAN SERVE" BOWLS TVC HERE:

The short but stunning commercial entitled “Bowls”, used a simple parallelism story to send its important message: To have your breasts checked so you can stop guessing  stop guessing and worrying about cancer. The spot won an ‘Ad of the Month’ citation and was entered in international ad competitions and showcases worldwide.  The Creative Team went on to achieve bigger things: Jenny Lao, now married her cinematographer Jessie Pastor, became a sought after film director for commercials, while Raoul Panes went on to become the Chief Creative Office or Publicis Groupe-Leo Burnett).

CREDITS:

AGENCY: JIMENEZ D'ARCY

CLIENT: I Can Serve

CREATIVES: Jennifer Lao, Raoul Panes

AGENCY PRODUCER: Paul Suarez

PRODUCTION HOUSE: FILMEX

EEXC. PRODUCER: Ginny Vizcarra

DIRECTOR: Jennifer Lao

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jessie Pastor

SOURCES:

I Can Serve FB Page

4 As Philippines youtube channnel

465. LEA SALONGA, for AVON "Let's Talk" TVC 30s, 2000

FROM MISS SAIGON TO MISS AVON, Lea Salonga, ca.1999-2000

By the new millennium, LEA SALONGA was already an established star of the musical theater stage, having conquered Broadway when Cameron MacKintosh’s  Miss Saigon opened in 1991, after her West End stint. She again played the role of Kim in the U.S., winning the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Theatre World awards—and the most coveted of them all, a Tony Award, the first actress of Asian descent to be so honored.

Salonga would return to Broadway again sometime in 2000, to rehearse with the cast, for the closing of the Miss Saigon production in 2001. While there, she was contacted by AVON, the direct-selling American-British multinational cosmetics, skin care, perfume and personal care company. 

WATCH LEA SALONGA'S AVON AD HERE:

Credit:  Rafi Sison, "Lea Salonga-Avon Commercial) posted 2018"

AVON was in the midst of pitching the promotion of its cosmetic products. In the end, the company decided to produce in-house their  first-ever global advertising campaign, under the banner “Let’s Talk”. The ads focused on AVON’s relationship with women and its latest beauty innovations.

 LEA SALONGA was one of the celebrities handpicked by AVON to talk to women everywhere in ways they understand. A simple format was used to accommodate the busy schedule of the Broadway sensation.  A representative from Jimenez DMB&B, the Makati-based agency that was handling the AVON business in the Philippines, flew over to New York, during the quick shoot, using an all-American production crew.

AVON PHOTOBOARD, "LET'S TALK" TVC 30s

The campaign was rolled out internationally in 2000, at a cost approximately $90 million in 2000, 50% more than the over 1999 budget allocation. Salonga’s slick, fashion-forward AVON Commercial was aired in the Philippines for a brief period, another addition to her portfolio of major advertising accomplishments that was driven by her  historic international success on the world stage, which remains unequalled to this day.

SOURCES:

Lea Salonga-Avon Commercial, uploaded by Raffy Sison, 2018.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_GO0GDBpA0

1999 Avon Annual Report, https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/a/NYSE_AVP_1999.pdf

461. 2010 Kidlat Ad of the Decade: McDONALD’S “Karen/Lolo” TVC 45s’, 2001

McDo's Most Memorable "Karen/Lolo" TVC, Hemisphere-Leo Burnett, 2001

In 2001, Hemisphere-Leo Burnett produced a TV commercial for its client McDonald’s that departed from the usual “good time, great place, great taste” executions that depicted happy folks, delightful kids, smiling customers in a fun-looking place, with a memorable jingle to match.

The 45 seconder “Karen/Lolo” ad  touched  millions just by showing a quiet, simple interaction between an aging grandfather and his favorite granddaughter Karen. Slightly peeved for being called by a different name by the grandfather with a failing memory, Karen’s attitude changed when the grandfather wraps half of the burger to save it   “para sa paborito kong apo….Karen”.

WATCH McDO'S "KAREN/LOLO" AWARD-WINNING TVC HERE:

(TVC courtesy of 4 As Philippines' youtube channel)

The iconic commercial was one of the most multi-awarded ads in history. In 2002, it earned a PILAK AWARD  from the 4As Philippines, as one of the Top 25 Classic Ads from the last 50 years.

KAREN/ LOLO, PILAK Awardee, 2002

At the 1^st Kidlat Ads of the Decade presented by the Creative Guild of the Philippines in 2010,  McDonald's "Karen" TV by Leo Burnett, shared honors along with Philippine Daily Inquirer  "Volcanic Ash" print ad by Ogilvy & Mather and Lotus Spa "Traffic Therapy" radio ad by JWT. The ads were chosen from the Ads of the Year, from 1999 to 2009.

Internationally  "Karen/Lolo” was the first Philippine ad to win a Gold Lotus in the ADFEST.  This unique award is given to works that embody local values whether in terms of culture, religion, beliefs, traditions, language, insights, or context.

 CREDITS:

CLIENT: McDONALD's Philippines

AGENCY: Hemisphere-Leo Burnett

Creative Director: Richard Irvine / Edsel Tolentino

Copywriter: Sheila dela Cuesta/ Art Director: Mike dela Cuesta / Joel Eudela

Producer: Irene Chingcuangco / Talent Caster: Abbey Young/ Jonathan Herr

PRODUCTION HOUSE: Production Village

Director: Thierry Notz / Cinematographer: Larry Manda

"KAREN” AND “LOLO”, Then and Now

Karen de los Reyes. The character “Karen” was played by a fresh-faced 17 year old talent, Glomirose Amor de los Reyes (b. 29 Sep.1984), a St. Benilde student. Glomirose was lured by GMA Networks to join its roster of talents and it was no surprise that she adapted the screen name Karen delos Reyes”.

She was first signed up for the youth series “Click”, and went on to bigger projects, joining the reality show “Survivor Philippines” and appearing as Savannah in the blockbuster fantasy, “Mulawin”. 

Now 39, she is a single mom with a son, Gabriel Lucas, and continues to be active on TV.

Rudy Francisco. The grandfather role was essayed by 79 year old lawyer and actor Rudy Francisco (b. 4 Sep. 1922), younger brother of matinee idol, Fred Montilla. While still a Far Eastern University law student, the younger Francisco moonlit as an actor, making abiut 10 movies during his short showbiz stint (1951-54). He was known for “Teniente Ramirez”, “May Araw Pang Darating” (with Gloria Romero) , “Buhay Pilipino”and Binibining Kalog (with Lolita Rodriguez). He later lawyered for Sampaguita Films.

Rudy’s son is the businessman, commercial director, film-tv-stage actor Raymond Francisco, better known as RS Francisco. Lolo Rudy passed away on 8 May 2019 in Manila, at the venerable age of 96.

 SOURCES / CREDITS:

Photo of Karen delos Reyes, GMA Network

Bios of Karen delos Reyes and Rudy Francisco, Wikipedia

4 AS Philippines youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzLM8oBbIs

217. NIDO Full Cream Powdered Milk: “You’re My No. 1” Campaign (1983)

THE WORLD'S NO 1-NIDO, Mother and Daughter, Print ad. 1990

“Look at me, son, you’re my no. 1..”

Smile at me hon, you’re my no.1

And there’s no treasure that I will cherish but you..”

The most successful campaign for NIDO Fortified® Full Cream Milk Powder began in the 1980s, capitalizing on the stature of the brand as the world’s no. 1 powdered full cream milk. 

Throughout its over 20 year-run, the “No. 1” has been attached not only to NIDO, but also to children (‘The World’s No. 1 Child—your Child”) and even to mothers themselves. So, what mom can refuse such a proposition?

NIDO, developed in 1944, has been around in the Philippines since the early 1960s, imported by Filipro Inc-- along with Milkmaid and Nescafe—before it became Nestlé Philippines in  1986. The earliest known NIDO print ads date from 1963. 

As the nutritionally-enriched NIDO rose to become a major competitor for other milk-based products, it also faced criticisms from promoters of breast-feeding, leading the advertising board to require adding tags in powdered milk advertising reminding mothers that “breastmilk is still best for babies”.

 

FOR THE WORLD'S NO.1 CHILD, Mother version, Print Ad, 1983

In 1983, Advertising and Marketing Associates (AMA) was assigned the NIDO account, and headed by executive Greg Macabenta, conceptualized the “World’s No. 1” thematic campaign that catapulted the milk brand to national popularity.

 

FOR THE WORLD'S NO.1 CHILD, Father version, Print Ad, 1983

Initially, the campaign made use of foreign imagery—Caucasian mothers, fathers and their kids, set in some European highlands-- perhaps to allude to NIDO’s western origins. 

WORLD'S NO.1 FATHER & SON, Print ad, 1990

A song, with lyrics written by Greg Macabenta and set to music composed by award-winning composer Caloy Agawa, accompanied the lush, emotional visuals of parent and child interacting. This time, local Filipino talents were cast for the NIDO commercials.

 

THE WORLD'S NO. 1, Father & Sons, print ad, 1990

It was the memorable “You’re my No. 1” jingle that really struck a chord in the minds of consumers, and the line became widely associated with NIDO, and was rearranged many times for use in other commercial platforms.

WATCH "YOU'RE MY NO.1" MTV VERSION

as sung by Sharon Cuneta (2008)

Even when NIDO was moved to Publicis Manila due to agency alignment, the campaign was refreshed and used. In 2008, an MTV was produced featuring megastar Sharon Cuneta and her children, singing an extended version of the song. A later jazzed-up,acoustic version in 2014 also paired Cuneta with singer-songwriter Barbie Almalbis to appeal to younger mothers.

Today, NIDO has been expanded into a range of milk products that claims to offer "nutrition solutions for each stage of childhood" (e.g. for toddlers, for school-age, etc).

SOURCES:

Nido, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nido_(brand)

NIDO MTV "You're my Number One" with Sharon Cuneta, Frankie and Miel Pangilinan etc),

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gghy-ZKxuz4

posted by spraky24, published on Aug 11, 2008

11. 2000s to present: THE CONQUEST OF CANNES AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL AD AWARDS