425. Creative Guild TV Ad of the Month for May, 1984: NIDO MILK "No. 1"

NIDO'S # 1, Chosen as Creative Guild's TV Ad of the Month for May, 1984, by AMA.

378. Carnation COFFEE-MATE NON-DAIRY CREAMER, "Perfect Harmony" Campaign, 1989

CARNATION COFFEE-MATE Perfect Harmony AD, Piano, 1989

CARNATION is an evaporated milk product company  created in 1899, and its Carnation Evaporated Milk first made its presence in the Philippines in the early 1960s. Evaporated milk were favored in the country then, but Carnation made product extensions, including condensed milk, instant powdered filled milk, and a liquid coffee creamer---first introduced in 1974—Carnation COFFEE-MATE in cans.

 But Philippine households believed in cost-efficiency; since evaporated milk was already available at home, coffee-drinkers in the family used the same milk as coffee creamer. As expected, Carnation COFFEE-MATE Liquid Creamer didn’t quite succeed in the market. 

LIQUID COFFEE-MATE AD, 1974

It was only in the early 1980s, that a Carnation COFFEE-MATE Non-Dairy Coffee Creamer in powdered form, was re-introduced to the Philippine market. The non-dairy creamer was already popular in the U.S. since the mid to late 1960s, clearly positioned as a coffee partner. The new Carnation COFFEE-MATE had a better level of acceptance, despite it being perceived as a premium product.

In 1985, Nestlé acquired the Carnation Company, and the Carnation name was removed from the brand name. In 1989, its ad agency, Advertising and Marketing Associates (AMA) relaunched COFFEE-MATE with a new campaign entitled “Perfect Harmony”. The campaign echoed the perfect-for-coffee message of the older U.S. campaign. It made sense as Nestlé also produced the best-selling Nescafe Coffee brand

CARNATION Omnibus Ad, 1984

The brand embraced its premium image, and that was translated in classy, sophisticated  ads that were mostly in black and white tones, and printed on the glossy pages of magazines. A jar of COFFFEE-MATE was featured alongside cups of coffee, with black-and-white piano keys and chessboard as backdrops. The poster-like ads had little copy—jut “Perfect Harmony” in glowing white fonts.

The TV commercial was memorable for its mellow jazz-laced  jingle with a sexy  saxophone solo as the singers sing-- “COFFEE-MATE and your coffee..go together in perfect harmony..”. The “Perfect Harmony” campaign was rather unexpected in coffee advertising, as most commercials of the time featured situations and vignettes, lasting for over 2 years. 

CARNATION COFFEE-MATE Perfect Harmony AD, "Chess", 1989

Now branded Nestl COFFEE-MATE, the product continues to be available in the market and is available in stand-up packs. Flavored COFFEE-MATE (Hazelnut, Vanilla, Caramel) were launched in  2007-2013. The new liquid form was re-introduced in 2018. Its advertising presence continues to be active, with commercials produced on a regular basis. 

317. BEAR BRAND STERILIZED MILK “Generations” (“I Remember Yesterday”) TVC Campaign (ca.1988-90)

BEAR BRAND "I REMEMBER YESTERDAY" ca. 1988.

BEAR BRAND Sterilized Milk  is an iconic milk brand with a long history in the Philippines, one of the first brands to be imported locally at the turn of the 20^th century. It is no wonder that “Marca Oso”, as it was popularly called, became a part of the everyday life of Filipinos for many generations. The heritage story also inspired the creatives of Advertising and Marketing Associates (AMA) Consolidated to use this angle in crafting BEAR BRAND’s new campaign around 1981, producing a "Decades" TVC that used vignettes to show how the milk brand played a role in nourishing Filipino families, under the theme--"The special milk trusted for generations"/ 

Few years down the road, around 1988, a refreshed campaign was launched again for BEAR BRAND, usin te same thematic line, but executed differently.

 WATCH THE BEAR BRAND TVC HERE:

The result was an epic, jingle-based commercial that was unprecedented in terms of length (a minute and a half!)  and cost—a novel idea at that time. The agency came up with a series of period commercials situating BEAR BRAND in the lives of Filipinos through decades,  adding the line, "So much a part of our lives", to the original positioning statement "The special milk trusted for generations”.  

The commercials were noted for their grand production design, period sets and wardrobe, plus wonderful casting. The main commercial was pure nostalgia, prefaced by the jingle line “I remember yesterday, the world was so young….” , shows a 1930s scene where family members visit grandma. A young boy is prodded to “dance with Lola”, with courtesy shots of family members drinking the milk. 

A picture is taken by the boy’s father as lola and grandkid dance. Fast forward to the 1980s. A young girl points to the same picture, now old and framed, and points to the young boy. She asks an oldish man by her side—“Is that you Lolo?”. To which the senior citizen replied—“Yes…Look at my mole!”. We realize he was the same little boy 5 decades ago!  The story comes full circle when the Lolo starts dancing with her granddaughter. 

The BEAR BRAND “Generations” commercial not only became famous for its jingle, and memorable dialogues, but an urban legend developed around the other girl talent (the one wearing a ribbon) who is  allegedly a ghost. Her face, people say, is never seen in the commercial, and in the end shot, she mysteriously is  not present!

The campaign lasted through the early part of the 1990s. There has never been another BEAR BRAND ad that reached the level of prominence and popularity that this campaign has achieved;  in fact, most children of the ‘80s are quick to recall and sing the jingle that began wistfully  with—“I remember yesterday..”

 CREDITS:

ADVERTISING AGENCY: AMA Consolidated / CREATIVE DIRECTOR; Eva Perez

ART DIRECTORS: Franz de Castro, Roel Sunga / COPYWRITER: Joyce Bustamante

CLIENT: Nestlé Philippines

SOURCES:

Bear Brand old Commercial, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBCguyjreXs, uploaded by Marwin Manuel, 17 Dec. 2009.

Dela Torre, Visitacion. Advertising in the Philippines, Its Historical, Cultural and Social Dimensions. Tower Book House. 1989.

244. THE PLAYBOY CLUB OF MANILA, Silahis International Hotel, 1978

On  August 26, 1978, the doors of the Playboy Club of Manila, swung open at the Siahis International Hotel, joining the sophisticated and uber-exclusive Playboy Clubs around the world. Hugh Hefner built the Playboy empire in Chicago in 1953, with the launch of Playboy Magazine. 

The men’s lifestyle and entertainment magazine is notable for its pictures and centerfolds of near nude and nude women, awakening America’s sexual revolution. Then-unknown Marilyn  Monroe appeared in the very first issue. 

Hefner parlayed the brand’s success by founding the Playboy Club,  which, initially was a chain of nightclubs and resorts. The first club opened in Chicago, Illinois on  February 29, 1960. The clubs were a big hit, and Hefner’s enterprise rolled-out the Playboy Club product internationally.

Businessman Leandro “Biboy” Enriquez, a known Filipino hotelier and considered as one of the pioneers of Manila’s night life, secured a franchise from the Chicago-based Playboy Club International, and began its operations by offering memberships. From 5,000 applications, an initial 3,000 members were approved, that included top Manila executives, diplomats, and male members of rich and prominent families.Members were asked to abide by the rule: “just look, don’t touch”.

That’s because the Playboy Club was manned by “Playboy Bunnies” dressed in revealing cottontail outfits, with trademark bunny ears and cuffs. Of the over 1,000 bunny applicants, only 50 were chosen, trained by the directress of the Playboy Bunny International, Harriet Bassler, who flew over with Playboy bunny mentors, Gabrielle Conklin, Rose Nickerson and Christine Shaw.

The imported Bunnies trained the locals on the finer points of Playboy club stylized service—like doing the “Bunny dip”when serving food and drinks. The training lasted for a month and a half.

The Playboy Club of Manila, located at the Silahis International Hotel along the Roxas Boulevard hotel strip, featured amenities and facilities like the VIP Grill, Living Room with Live Entertainment, Bunny Bar, Playmate Bar, Electronic Games Room, Dining Room, Library, Conference Room and an Open Terrace for private parties for 200 people . The Health Club has a gym, sauna massage room, hot and cold whirlpool bath.

The Playboy Club of Manila had a good run in the 80s  and its live entertainment that featured such discoveries as Gigi Galon and Dale Adriatico, were the talk of the town. But tastes were changing as Makati became the commercial and social hub of the rich and famous. 

The turbulent times in the 80s led to a downtrend in the economy and businesses, including those of Marcos cronies. The Enriquezes, who were a part of that circle, also felt the pinch. Manila’s Playboy Club closed down permanently in 1991. 

These few ads, created by Advertising and Marketing Associates (AMA) are the sole reminders, of the years when the Playboy bunnies came to town.

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

135. FILIPINAS LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY JINGLE, 1977

 FILIPINAS LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY was founded on 27 April 1933, as a subsidiary of Filipinas Compañia de Seguros, in response to the Insurance Commission’s ruling that insurance companies must have separate life and non-life business divisions. The parent company--Filipinas Compañia de Seguros—had been founded earlier in 1913 by Antonio Melian with  brothers-in-law Fernando Antonio and Enrique Zobel  y de Ayala.

The business was briefly interrupted by the war, and when FILIPINAS LIFE resumed its operations, it would flourish and become a dominant name in industrial life insurance for over 30 years thru the 1970s. All the more when FILIPINAS LIFE began advertising on radio, using a high-recall jingle first heard on the airwaves in 1977.

LISTEN TO THE FILIPINAS LIFE JINGLE HERE:

Advertising icon Greg Macabenta of Advertising and Marketing Associates (AMA), penned the lyrics, which was produced by Rusty Velila.  Music was provided by the famed D’Amarillo Studio Orchestra while the singers were billed as “The Filipinas Singers”.Needless to say, the FILIPINAS LIFE Jingle became one of the most widely-heard jingles in the country, catapulting the company topmost in the minds of Filipinos.

In 1990, FILIPINAS LIFE became Ayala Life Assurance Inc. to underscore its transformation into a full-service life insurance company. Twenty years later, it would be renamed BPI-Philam Life Assurance Corp.,( BPI-Philam ) following the sale of BPI’s stake in Ayala Life to Philam Life.

Despite its new name, oldtimers still recall the insurance giant’s former name through the strains of a memorable jingle that woke everyone up in the early morning, singing along with its catchy chorus—FILIPINAS…FILIPINAS LIFE…FILIPINAS LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY!!

 SOURCE:

Macabenta, Gregg. How to Make a Benta: Anecdotes, Lectures & Articles from the Advertising Wars Paperback – March 28, 2011

youtube, Filipinas Life (famous 70s jingle), posted by limva123, April 9, 2013. 

134. NESCAFE, “Great Cities of the World” Campaign, 1979-1980

NESCAFÉ’s most successful campaigns in the 1980s was, without a doubt,  the "Great Cities of the World", conceived by the all-Filipino agency, Advertising and Marketing Associates in 1979. In fact, the “Great Cities” campaign turned out to be a pre-cursor of another major NESCAFÉ hit—the “One World of Nescafe” , launched in 1983. But that is getting ahead of the story.

The “Great Cities” campaign was actually NESCAFÉ’s response to the claim of Blend 45 that “everyday, millions of cups are served all over the Philippines”.  Blend 45 then was NESCAFÉ’s chief competitor, primarily because of economics (it was cheaper),with a taste that’s “good enough” (although research shows that if the consumer respondent had money, he would go for Nescafe).

Research also showed that the positive image of NESCAFÉ was being driven by perceptions that it was an “international” and “imported” brand—which are often equated to “higher quality” in a time when colonial mentality was still prevalent in the Philippines.

The “internationality” of NESCAFÉ vs. the local Blend 45 thus became the basis of the campaign’s proposition, articulated by the consumers themselves: “We prefer NESCAFÉ because of its superior taste and quality, being an internationally-accepted brand”.

The next step was for creative chief Greg Macabenta to write the thematic line for the campaign, which he summed up as “NESCAFÉ…enjoyed in the great cities of the world.”  Nestle, represented by marketing head, Mr. Levi Castillo, approved the campaign.

TV commercials were immediately produced, with foreign footages supplied by the McCann-Erickson ad agency, which was shooting similar commercials for Nestle Japan. Scenes of people enjoying NESCAFÉ in Madrid, Rome, Paris and other European cities were featured in print ads, and of course, the campaign  was highlighted by a Manila version of the successful commercial series.

The campaign ran for three years until 1983, when the same concept was reincarnated into the equally-acclaimed launches of  "A Classic Taste The World Enjoys" and “One World of NESCAFÉ" extension campaigns.

SOURCE:

Macabenta, Greg B., ”How to Make a Benta - Anecdotes, Lectures & Articles from the Advertising Wars”. pp. 88-89. March 2011