519. KLIM Powdered Whole Milk by Borden, 1935-1967 Print Ads

1965 KLIM AD "Best Milk for Baby"

KLIM Powdered Milk is one of the oldest milk brands available in the Philippines, but the product version sold here was made by Borden Co., a well-known U.S.-based dairy company that had its beginning in the 19^th c. Early ads featured the slogan "Spell it backwards”.

EARLY 1935 PHILIPPINE KLIM AD

The brand KLIM had an even earlier history though, that began in 1920, when the Merrell-Soule Company of Syracuse, New York improved the spray-drying method patented by Robert Stauf in 1901, a process that dried milk into  powder. Merrell-Soule replaced regular milk with condensed milk, resulting in a dehydrated whole-milk powder that kept not only its nutrients, but also did not spoil quickly.

WORLD CHAMPION BOXER 'FLASH" ELORDE FOR KLIM,1957

KLIM Powdered Milk was sold in cans, and just a few spoonfuls mixed with water can give babies and kids the pure wholesome goodness and flavor of real cow’s milk. As KLIM can stay fresh without refrigeration, it was perfect for use in humid, tropical places. Hence, KLIM was brought to the Philippines as early as the 1930s, imported and distributed by the Getz Brothers.

KLIM achieved success in the Philippines, and its advertising played up on its completeness, value for money, and the convenience of no refrigeration. In the 1960s, NAMARCO-branded KLIM products were launched in support of the National Marketing Corp. which aimed to help Filipino retailers procure products at reasonable prices and promote economic welfare.

1966-67 KLIM AD

Over the years KLIM used tri-media advertising to push the product, using celebrity endorsers that included world champion boxer Gabriel “Flash” Elorde in the late 50s and a young Lea Salonga in the early 80s who popularized the jingle “I love KLIM…wow-..woww..woww.wow..I Love Klim!”.

1966-1967 KLIM AS

In 1998, Nestle acquired KLIM from Borden, which filed for bankruptcy in 2020. That same year, New Dairy Opco LLC won Borden's assets via an auction, becoming the company's new owner. KLIM Powdered Whole Milk is still being manufactured by Nestlé to this day, assuring us that this iconic brand will endure for more generations to come.

319. World Boxing Champion, GABRIEL ‘FLASH’ ELORDE for KLIM POWDERED MILK, 1960

ELORDE FAMILY FOR KLIM POWDERED MILK, 1960

KLIM was one of the early American milk brands that found its way to the Philippines, through importer Getz Bros. in the early 1930s. the brand is “MILK” spelled backwards, first createad in 1920 by Merrell-Soule Company of Syracuse, New York. It was developed as a dehydrated whole-milk powder for use in the tropics, where ordinary milk tended to spoil quickly, so it was perfect for the Philippines. In fact, during World War II, it was included as part of the military jungle rations of the U.S. Army and was used by the Red Cross to feed prisoners of war

KLIM was advertised as early as 1935 in the Philippines, and was actively promoted through the decades, especially through its peak years in the 60s. 

In 1960, the Borden company sought the services of rising professional boxer,  GABRIEL “Flash” ELORDE (b. 25 Mar. 1935/ d. 2 Jan. 1985), who made his professional debut at the age of 16  in 1951, against Kid Gonzaga. He was the most well-known boxer in the country by that time, and lost only twice in his first 14 fights. But he gained international prominence when he became the  Junior Lightweight Champion of the World against Harold Gomes.

 Elorde and his family, which included wife Laura, two boys and daughter, appeared in the 2-color print ad for KLIM—The Complete Milk--where he claims that “My family keep in shape with KLIM”. “That’s why, I think every family should drink this milk”, he suggests, “my family always drinks KLIM at mealtimes”.

 By the end of his long and illustrious boxing career in 1971, Elorde had a achieved a record that is hard to beat: The first Filipino boxer to hold the WBA and WBC World Title belts, the first to become a World Super Featherweight/Junior Lightweight Champion, and the first to hold longest the Junior lightweight division title--7 years 3 months. Elorde retired with a record of 88 wins (33 KOs), 27 losses and 2 draws.

 

Even in retirement, Elorde was a visible presence on Philippine media, due t his association with San Miguel Beer. He was tapped to appear in a 1984 commercial for the world-famous beer along with Bert Marcelo and Rico J. Puno, entitled “Pulutan”, where he delivered the punchline “isang platitong mani”. The commercial was voted the year’s best TV ad for 1984.

Considered as the greatest super featherweight champion of all time in WBC history, he was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1988 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993. Elorde also made itof the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years by Ring Magazine, the world’s leading publication on the sports of boxing. Two of his grandsons, Juan Miguel and Juan Martin Elorde, have followed in his footsteps as boxers.

SOURCES:

KLIM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klim_(powdered_milk)

Gabriel Elorde: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_Elorde

Elorde Photo: ebay.com

BoxRec/Boxing's Official Record Keeper: Flash Elorde boxing records: https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/12678

267. Borden’s HEMO Chocolate Drink, Print Ads 1951-61

BORDEN'S HEMO,1951.

Borden, Inc., was once America’s  largest  producer of dairy and pasta products, founded by Gail Borden Jr. back in 1857. Its first product was condensed milk, and then began selling evaporated milk in 1892.  

In due time, Borden also forayed into ice cream, for which it was well-known. Other products included Meadows Gold Milk and the popular pre-war brand HEMO Chocolate-Flavored Food Drink.

Borden’s HEMO was introduced as a new way to drink milk, with its deep, rich, malty flavor. It was fortified with vitamins and minerals and was positioned as a family drink that fights fatigue, renews energy and vitality. 

The brand name was thought to have been derived “hemoglobin”, as HEMO contain vitamin B11 or folic acid, folate and Iron which is good for the blood and for anemic people.

Borden’s HEMO reached the Philippines beginning in the 50s decade, imported  by Borden  Co. International which put up a Philipine distribution office. 

BORDEN'S HEMO AD,1951

The chocolate product was sold in cans. It actively advertised in magazines,  and its simple, black and white advertising were a far cry from the full color ads in the U.S. that featured the Borden mascots, Elsie and Elmer the cow.

BORDEN'S HEMO 'STAMINA' AD,1957

The small ads also featured the bovine character, who vouches for HEMO’s great chcolatey test and health-giving benefits.

HEMO "Active Lady" 1951 AD, AND HEMO "NAMARCO" AD,1961

“It’s good,!” says Elsie the Borden Cow. The product was marketed nationwide, with its own roving delivery trucks. Borden;s HEMO, however, did not last a decade in the Philippines.

 

BORDEN'S HEMO DELIVERY TRUCK IN ANGELES,1950s

In later years, Borden, the company suffered significant loses and was sold  by KKR and American global investment firm in 1995. It divested itself of its various food products operations and the Borden dairy brands were used by Borden Dairy Co. for milk and by Dairy Farmers of America for cheese. On January 5, 2020, Borden Dairy Company and 16  affiliated companies filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.