346. Pop From The Past: Canada Dry HI-SPOT

CANADA DRY HI-SPOT, 1962 Print Ad

Canada Dry Beverages, which was founded in 1923 by P.D. Saylor and Associates, reached the country in the 1950s when the Canada Dry Bottling Co.  of the Philippines was put up in Parañaque, Rizal, by authority of the Canada International Corp. New York, U.S.A. 

One of its short-lived products that was launched here was HI-SPOT Lemon Soda, a bubbly, sparkling lemon-y soft drink introduced in 1965. Hi-Spot was overshadowed by more popular Canada Dry products like Uva, Tru-Fruit Orange, Kola Champagne, so production was discontinued.

297. Canada Dry’s UVA: The Country’s Favorite Grape-Flavored Soda of the ‘60s

UVA, Canada Dry's Popular Grape Soda, 1960

Canada Dry Beverages has a long history that started in 1904 with the production off the 1^st ginger ale drink concocted by Ontario native Jonh J. McLoughlin. After his death in 1914, his brother Samuel took over the company but then sold it to P.. Saylor and Associates which put up CANADA DRY Ginger Ale Inc.

The business grew exponentially, and by the 1930s, CANADA DRY was available worldwide. From the 1950s onward, the company ventured into soft drinks and mixers, which proved also successful. CANADA DRY Beverages reached the country in the 1950s when the Canada Dry Bottling Co.  of the Philippines was put up in Parañaque, Rizal, by authority of the CANADA DRY International Corp. New York, U.S.A. 

UVA, 1962 AD

In 1959, CANADA DRY began pipelining their soda beverage bottled products through local sari-sari stores—Kola Champagne, Root Beer, True Fruit  Orange, Strawberry and UVA—a grape-flavored softdrink. Royal had attempted to popularize  grape sodas before, and so did other provincial brands—to lukewarm reception. But UVA changed all that—elevating grape soda closer to the level of orange-flavored softdrinks. 

UVA, Refreshes in a Wink! 1960

By 1960, UVA had independent ads, which  hailed its merits as a “lively,sparklingand refreshing drink”. “Refreshes in a wink!” was the thematic campaign line, used that year. Indeed, UVA enjoyed quite a measure of popularity and success in the Philippines in the 1960 decade. 

UVA, Lively! Sparkling! 1960

Soon after, in 1964 CANADA DRY was ought by Norton Simon took an interest in the company and it was merged with its other holdings, the McCall Corporation and Hunt Foods, to form Norton Simon Inc. The subsequent change of ownership and the politically charged 70s decade caused the closure of the CANADA DRY business in the country—and along with it, the end of UVA. Currently, the brand name UVA is being used by a Puerto Rican soda company that manufactures the grape-flavored softdrink touted as the island’s favorite.

167. CANADA DRY Beverage Advertising, 1960-1962

CANADA DRY BEVERAGES Print ad, 1962, featuring fruit-flavored drinks.

Canadian pharmacist John J. McLaughlin of Ontario is credited with giving the world the first ‘Pale Ginger Ale’ in 1904, a product of his carbonated water plant he founded in Toronto in 1890. He perfected a lighter version that became CANADA DRY Ginger Ale—the “dry” refers to its not-so-sweety taste as in “dry” wine.  The drink was a hit, especially in the U.S., that he set up a manufacturing plant in Manhattan, New York.

Canada Dry Ginger Ale and
Beverage bottle

Upon McLaughlin's death in 1914,  his brother, Samuel took over but later sold the business to .P. D. Saylor and Associates in 1923, which then set up  CANADA DRY Ginger Ale, Inc.

The business grew exponentially, and by the 1930s, CANADA DRY was available worldwide. From the 1950s onward, the company ventured into soft drinks and mixers, which proved also successful.

CANADA DRY Beverages reached the country in the 1950s when the Canada Dry Bottling Co.  of the Philippines was put up in Parañaque, Rizal, by authority of the CANADA DRY International Corp. New York, U.S.A.

The CANADA DRY bottles all featured the map of Canada on a shield, topped by a crown, in reference to the drink’s appointment to the Viceregal Household of the Governor General of Canada in 1907.

UVA, the grape-flavored drink, was the most popular Canada Dry beverage introduced in 1960.

Its mid 50s product line include CANADA DRY Ginger Ale, Spur Cola, Hi-Spot Lemon Soda, Dry Water. In the 1960s,its quality flavored beverage line  was introduced bannered by Uva (Grape), Strawberry, Tru-Fruit Orange (later, Real Orange), Kola Champagne and Root Beer (Sarsaparilla).

CANADA DRY REAL ORANGE & STRAWBERRY, print ads, 1961

CANADA DRY beverages had its own following in the country, and the fruity flavors were heavily advertised in magazines, via both full color and black and white print ads. Many of the print ads carried charming illustrations done locally.

CANADA DRY KOLA CHAMPAGNE & ROOT BEER, 1962 Ads.

Norton Simon Inc. bought CANADA DRY in 1964, which, after a few years, decided to close the Philippine operations. It was later sold to Dr. Pepper, but when Forstmann Little & Co. bought the latter, CANADA DRY was acquired by Del Monte Foods. CANADA DRY is owned by Dr.Pepper Snapple Group today.

SOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Dry

https://www.canadadry.com/