522. Let's Raise a Glass or Two!: CAFE PURO, Various Glass Premium Ads, 1966-69

At the peak of its business, Commonwealth Foods Inc., producer of Instant CAFÉ PURO, held the distinction as the First and Largest Coffee Plant in the Far East, with the Biggest in Sales in the Philippines. It’s flagship brand CAFÉ PUROand its variants Le Café and Café Bueno, was a market and industry leader, known for its professionally-done advertising, and the regular consumer promotions.

Instant CAFÉ PURO was a leader in packaging innovation, the first to come out in glass jars with plastic caps—that were actually, usable decorative drinking glasses. These premiums had added-appeal to consumers, as you not only get coffee, you also get to keep the glass that you can use daily, so you can be regularly reminded of the coffee brand that gave it away to you—Free.

The most popular CAFÉ PURO collectibles that added immensely to the brand’s success were exclusively designed glasses that often came in sets. Chief among these were the CRYSTAL GLASS Collection, which featured applied “starlight” designs, with a flip-off plastic cap. These first came out in 1966, advertised on weekend and women’ magazines.

The CRYSTAL GLASS promo was so successful that the next year, the FOLK DANCE glass series was launched, which proved to be their biggest packaging promo ever. These were the first truly collectible glasses, that also came with matching shakers and pitchers. Each carried an ACL (applied color label) design of the country’s famous folk dances, rendered in stylizes drawings.

Singkil, Tahing Baila, Maglalatik, Itik-Itik and Tinikling were among the illustrated dances that were featured on the glass. To this day, these Café Puro FOLK DANCE series are sought after by advertising collectibles fans. (see separate article about these glasses on this blog.)

In 1968, a more premium-looking glass set was offered; The Instant Café Puro RAINBOW GLASS collection. The colors of the rainbow are all aglow in the glasses with gradating vivid hues of Orange, Yellow, Blue, Violet, Green and Purple.

Unfortunately for CAFÉ PURO, Nescafe, which initially came out in unsightly tin cans, improved on the packaging idea, and came out with their own glass collection that became truly classic—the straight-sided clear diamond-cut glass. Where Café Puro was giving out large glass jars with tin caps, Nescafe was offering classy 4-sided mutli-purpose glass canisters with glass and plastic stoppers. Simple and durable, sales took off for Nescafe, and the drinking glass and glass canisters became ubiquitous in  homes, office canteens, food stalls and wayside carinderias. With its massive market budget, product line extensions, and coffee expertise, Nescafe would bypass CAFÉ PURO by the 70s.,

 That being so, CAFÉ PURO remains a beloved brand, remembered for its full-bodied aroma and taste, as we as for its glass giveaways,  which, in their time, were the most attractive, well-made utilitarian tableware that every housewife would be proud to own.

455. Choco-Happy Holidays: HERSHEY'S , RICOA, PRESTO and GOYA CHOCOLATES, Prints Ads 1967-1986

HERSHEY'S COCOA, For baking and drinking. Print Ad, 1986.

You must agree: Chocolates are way up there on every holiday shopper's "must-buy" list. Whether as presents, as part of the Christmas fare, and as "Kris-kringle" secret gifts, chocolates are eternal favorites! That's why, when the holidays come, expect a barrage of ads from the country's top chocolate manufacturers and distributors--just like these ads that are guaranteed to make you drool!

PRESTO MILK CHOCOLATE CHRISTMAS GIFT BOXES, Print Ad, 1967

RICOA Chocolates and Breakfast Drinks, Print Ad. 1975

GOYA Premium Milk Chocolate, Print Ad , 1986

430. Is That Who I Think She Is? BIBETH ORTEZA for LE CAFE, 1978

 Le CAFÉ was a coffee brand introduced by Commonwealth Food Corp. back in the mid 1960s, and was still going strong in the 1970s. Their promotions—of offering coffee packaged in re-usable glasses and mugs –were very popular with consumers , that they kept these promotional giveaways going.

In 1978, Le CAFÉ was packaged in HONEYGOLD Colored Coffee Mugs, described in the ad as “class-na-class talaga, pang-bisita! Di pwedeng isnabin!”. To push this promo, COMFOODS found an endorser in the person of BIBETH ORTEZA.

Orteza was then a rising TV writer who dabbled in acting. She was the chairman of the University of the Philippines  Repertory Co. in the 1970s, and started her writing career as a Junior Writer at KBS. Her break came, when she became the scriptwriter for “Aawitan Kita”, a KBS music program that starred Armida Siguion-Reyna. By 1978, she added Actress to her resume, and acted in films and TV as a comedienne with a Visayan accent. It was at this time that her potential as an model/talent was spotted by the agency of COMFOODS, who cast her in her first commercial appearance. In 1981, she would also a print ad for UNION Electric Fan. 

 Later, she focused again on writing and promotions, and did work for Blackgold Records. She is credited with writing many successful scripts for TV (OK Ka , Fairy Ko, Magpakailanman, John en Shirley, My Big Bossing, Rio del Mar, Vampire ang Daddy Ko), and Films (Enteng Kabisote, Iskul Bukol: 20 Years After).

 In the late 70s however, BIBETH ORTEZA was a one of the most intelligent, multi-faceted creative talents to animate the TV and Film industry who was praised for her excellent writing and funnybone acting---which, in the words of the advertising copy in her ad—“di pwedeng isnabin!”.

SOURCES:

Bibeth Orteza: Love in the Time of Revolution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOelf13dp9k, uploaded by Middle of a Love Story, 

Bibeth Orteza-IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0650988/

Lifestyle.INQ. Bibeth Orteza and Carlitos Siguion-Reyna Return to the Stage to Spill Family Secrets, by Amadis ma. Guerrero, 17 June 2022. ://lifestyle.inquirer.net/405465/bibeth-orteza-and-carlitos-siguion-reyna-return-to-the-stage-to-spill-family-secrets/

394. THE PREMIUM GLASSES OF CAFE PURO, 1966-1969

CAFE PURO RAINBOW GLASSES, 1969

 INSTANT CAFÉ PURO, the coffee brand produced by Commonwealth Foods Inc., had established its dominance in the coffee market in the 1950s, and continued to do so in the 60s, even as other brands like Nescafe and the relatively newer Blend 45 began to step up their advertising and promotional push in the 1960s. 

CAFE PURO ANNIVERSARY CRYSTAL GLASSES, 1966

To maintain interest in the brand, CAFÉ PURO offered many promotions in succession. Beginning in 1966, it began packaging its coffee in reusable, decorated drinking-glass type jars that became keepsakes for its customers, long after the coffee had been used up. The “collective glass” packages, as premiums, provided added value to the brand.

CAFE PURO SPARKLING CRYSTAL GLASSES, 1966

The CAFÉ PURO glasses were so popular that for 3 successive years, they were offered as bonus giveaways. The first of these were the CAFÉ PURO Crystal Glass Collection, given away on the occasion of CFI’s 5^th Anniversary, Decorated with applied “sparkle’ designs, the large glasses were also available wit their Café Bueno and Le Café variants.

CAFE PURO ANNIVERSARY CRYSTAL GLASSES, 1966

That collection were quickly followed by their most well received glass premiums ever—the CAFÉ PURO Folk Dance Collection, launched in 1967. The series featured glasses native folk dance illustrations like “Itik-Itik”, “Maglalatik”, “Tahing Baila”, “Pandanggo sa Ilaw”, and many more. But CAFÉ PURO went steps further by incorporating the sme folk dance them in giveway pitchers and shakers as well. The collection was so well received that the promo ran for 2 years.

CAFE PURO FOLK DANCE GLASSES, 1967

Finally, in 1969, CAFÉ PURO rolled out its products in eye-catching colored glass packaging, promoted as the CAFÉ PURO Rainbow Glass Collection. Again, the elegant glass set was snapped up as soon as they appeared on supermarket shelves. Its competitors quickly recognized the value of these innovative packaging that pretty soon, its chief rival, Nescafe, began offering glasses of different designs as well, like the nescafe Diamond Cut glass, as well as classic glass multi-purpose jars,

 But the CAFÉ PURO glasses were unrivalled for their creative design and durability, so it is no wonder that they can still be found today still in use in homes, or stored away in somebody else’s old “platera” or tableware cabinets.

330. Choco-craze of the 70s!: RICOA CHOCOLATES, Commonwealth Foods, Inc. 1971

In the 70s, the favorite chocolate treats that came in personal boxes were the flavor-loaded treats from Commonwealth Foods, Inc. Three years earlier, it had merged with Fibisco and Ricoa, the first local company to produce chocolate products in the country.

The RICOA CHOCOLATE line featured this chocolatey array of affordable boxed choco terat,

·         CURLY TOPS, the line’s best-selling chocolate comes in small crinkle cups, with a signature swirl at the top. Favorite as gifts during special occasions, like valentine and Christmas.

·         FLAT TOPS, are similar to Curly Tops, but have a lighter color, and harder in texture.

·         PEANUT CRUNCH are peanut filled chocolate confections.

·         C’BON are milk chocolate macaroons.

·         BABY CHERIE are soft chewy candies with layered filling of cream and chocolate

·         ROLL-O NUT is a short chocolate bar layered with nuts.

·         BABY CREAMY WAY are candies filled with soft, gooey chocolate

·         RICO NUTS are round chocolate treats laced with peanut bits.

·         SWEET TWENTY are assorted chocolate candy treats

326. Everybody Loves COCOA RICOA by Philippine Food Industries Inc., 1962 Ads

COCOA RICOA was the pioneer product of the  Philippine Food Industries, Inc. when it bgena its operations in the chocolate processing and manufacturing plant along EDSA in Mandaluyong in 1956. The brand became a traditional favorite for chocolate lovers, using COCOA RICOA for the chocolate breakfast drinks, cakes, custards, ice cream, cookies and other chocolate-based goodies.

The product was advertised heavily in color ads that often carried recipes to promote its varied usages, although the chocolate powder was mostly used for hot and cold drinks. COCOA RICOA was also produced in blocks, and in sweetened powder and syrup form, for versatility of use. 

It attained such popularity that in 1962, a thematic campaign was launched to create a”bandwagon effect” for the brand. “Everybody Loves Cocoa Ricoa” featured every member of a Filipino family attesting to COCOA RICOA’s flavorsome, chocolatey appeal as used in their specific favorite choco treat: Lola for her “champorado”, Lolo for his “Chocolate Español”, Mama for her chocolate cake, and so on. 

Today, COCOA RICOA is still being produced, led by its  COCOA RICOA Breakfast Powder, still in its familiar, but modernized deep turquoise packaging by Commonwealth Foods, Inc, which  has owned the brand since 1968. COCOA RICOA is one of the few trailblazing, locally-produced chocolate product brand that has survived the test—and taste—of times, inspite of the  greater availability of imported brands in the Philippine market, proof that after all these years, “Everybody loves COCOA RICOA!”

318. CAFÉ BUENO, “No Nerves” Print Campaign, 1962

CAFE BUENO INTRO ADS, 1958

Commonwealth Foods Inc. was founded back in 1951 and its first flagship brand was  the popular CAFE PURO. It paved the ay for the opening of a new Comfoods plant in 1956,  the country’s first instant and soluble coffee manufacturing plant. Once established, new variants were added to the Café Puro line in 1958:  CAFÉ EXCELENTE, a premium brand known for its winey taste, and CAFÉ BUENO, the decaffeinated version. 

PARACHUTE JUMPER, Cafe Bueno, 1962

When CAFÉ BUENO was launched, its benefit of “having coffee as often as you want and wake up refreshed” was touted in the headline.  Since it had less caffeine, it caused no jitters—“no nerves”, as the copy noted. Four years later,  the “no nerves” story became the 1962 campaign’s central theme. 

HUNTER, Cafe Bueno, 1962

To visualize the benefit, critical situations in which alertness was pivotal were used in a series of ads: jumping with a parachute, hunting and shooting a wild animal, walking on a tightrope.

TIGHTROPE WALKER, Cafe Bueno, 1962

CAFÉ BUENO enjoyed a level of popularity with a niche market throughout the late 60s, longer than CAFÉ EXCELENTE, which was phased out by 1966.  

264. DRINKING GLASSES from CAFÉ PURO, BLEND 45 AND NESCAFE, BLEND 45, 1966-1975.

Before the 1960s decade, there were just a handful of coffee brands in the market—like Hills Bros. and Chase & Sanborn, which were American imports. Then, Commonwealth Foods, Inc. began manufacturing the post-war brand CAFÉ PURO, and by 1951, it had become the no.1 selling coffee brand nationwide, a position it held until the 1960s came along.

This was when more coffee brands came into the fray--Consolidated Food Corporation (CFC), founded in 1961 by John Gokongwei Jr., introduced BLEND 45, an affordable coffee that became known as “the people’s coffee”, with its budget-friendly price and favorable taste. 

NESCAFE, was introduced in the mid 50s decade by Nestlé, and aggressively advertised in the 60s.

With more competitors coming into the picture, all sorts of promotions were launched to entice customers and add more product value. Using a reusable packaging as added product value was an old—but a proven tried and tested idea. It came naturally for coffee brands too. In the post-war 50s, coffee brands still came in round tins, including NESCAFE.  

Then, with the advent of instant coffee brands, wide-mouth glass jars were utilized, and discarded or sold after use. But what if the packaging had more utilitarian value after the product has been consumed?

CRYSTAL ANNIVERSARY GLASS WITH FLIP-OFF CAP, 1966 Print Ad

This led to the  idea of packaging instant coffee in drinking glasses that could be used long after the last coffee drop has been sipped. The glass serves also as a remnder of the pleasure of the coffee-drinking experience. It also helped that specially-designed, set-building glasses encouraged repeat purchases as they became collectibles.

 

CRYSTAL ANNIVERSARY GLASSES, 199 Print Ad

The free, giveaway glasses were given fanciful names to appeal to consumers’ eye. As expected, market leader CAFÉ PURO came out first with its “Crystal Glasses”--to celebrate its 15th anniversary-- with flip-off plastic caps in 1966. 

GLASSES, PITCHER AND SHAKERS FROM CAFE PURO, 1967 Ad

The promotion was so enthusiastically received that the next year, CAFÉ PURO launched  their “Philippine Dance” glass series—with not just 12 glasses but also coffee shakers to collect.

 

CAFE PURO RAINBOW GLASSES, 1969 Print Ad

In 1969, CAFÉ PURO offered its “Rainbow Glasses” collection, with “colors a-glow-glow”! There were 6 colors of glasses to choose from.

 

IMPERIAL CRYSTAL GLASSES FROM BLEND 45, 1967 Ad

Not to be outdone, BLEND 45 came up with its “Windsor Crystal Party Glasses” and “Crystal Imperial Glasses” offer, which were all successful.  The more premium NESCAFE introduced its decaffeinated brand in squat "diamond" glasses with repeating diamond shapes in raised relief. Many of these glasses could still be found being used in many Filipino homes to this day, still stored and kept in glass cabinets after all these years.

 

NESCAFE ESPRESSO IN DIAMOND GLASS, 1975 Ad

Eventually, the promotions came to include storage jars, pitchers,--and with the surge in popularity of coffee houses—coffee mugs in glass and ceramic, like what NESCAFE and CAFÉ PURO use.  BLEND 45, meanwhile, has done away with glass bottles and uses only foil packs today.