437. Development Bank of the Philippines, “NARDA, “Sipag” TVC, 1988-89. PILAK Awardee 2002

The very famous “Pamilyang Uliran” personal narrative ads of Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), were offshoots of an earlier insititutional campaign started in 1987, “Buhayin Muli”,  that highlighted core Filipino values such as “katapatan” (honesty), “kasipagan” (hard work),”kalinisan” (cleanliness), “delicadeza” (sense of propriety), and “palabra de honor” (word of honor).

A year later, these values came alive in a series of “Pamilyang Uliran, Kayamanan ng Bayan” (model family) story ads, which won praise and awards for the outstanding way the values were dramatized that always ended with human triumphs over life’s adversities, emotional-laden  plots that resonated with the TV audience.

 WATCH DBP "NARDA" TVC AD HERE:

Perhaps, the most popular version was the NARDA TVC, that meant to illustrate the “pagkamasipag” and “pagkamasinop” on TV and Print, respectively, of the Mountain Province family. The main protagonist was LEONARDA “Narda” CAPUYAN of Besao, Bontoc, who was introduced to the art of ikat weaving and embroidery  through her mother, Irene Docallas, who also practiced this age-old craft.

Using her savings, she parlayed her love of tribal weaves into a home business in 1973, making blankets for the local market. Her small business expanded and in 1975, and secured an industrial loan from DBP, to put up her own Narda’s Cottage Industries, later called Narda’s Handwoven Arts and Crafts”. Her shop grew to include 71 looms, including 36 outsourced backstrappers and 120 workers. Soon, she was providing linens, curtains, upholstery fabrics and ikat wall displays to such big institutions like Pines and Manila Hotel.

At her peak, NARDA’s products found international buyers , and in 1982 Blooming dale in New York put up an exhibit-sale of her creations, which sold out her entire 6-month production. Fashion centers in Japan, Germany  France, Canada, Hongkong and China sought out her products. Her worldwide clients include the Pacific Star in Guam which she supplied with complete furnishings. In 1986 she was the recipient of the Golden Shell Award from the Ministry of Trade for her outstanding contribution to a pioneering export enterprise.

DBP picked up her success story in a commercial produced by its agency Basic /FCB Advertising, that drew raves for the acting, casting, production design, directing and overall creative excellence. DBPs “NARDA” is enshrined among the 25 PILAK Awardees, in 2002, representing the top 25 ads of Philippine advertising from the 1960s-80s decade.

CREDITS:

AGENCY: Basic/FCB / CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Minyong Ordoñez

COPYWRITER: Danny Almirañez / ART DIRECTOR: Rino Hernandez

PRODUCER: Ding Fernandez / DIRECTOR: Danny Almirañez

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Tito Arce / PRODUCTION HOUSE: Creative Directors

SOURCES:

DBP ‘NARDA”, youtube video posted by 4A’s Philippines, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdbmEpTjma8

De la Torre, Visitacion. Advertising in the Philippines: Its Historical, Cultural and Social Dimensions, Tower House Books, 1989. pp. 116-117, pp. 194-195,

95. DEVELOPMENT BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES: “BUHAYIN MULI” Values Campaign, 1987-89

Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), founded in 1935, is the country’s premiere development financial institution that has been at the forefront of  nation-building, It helps critical industries and sectors,  promotes countryside entrepreneurship  to advance the progress of communities and improve the lives of Filipinos.

In 1987, Development Bank of the Philippines  rolled out a memorable institutional campaign that highlighted core Filipino values such as “katapatan” (honesty), “kasipagan” (hard work),”kalinisan” (cleanliness), “delicadeza” (sense of propriety), and “palabra de honor” (word of honor). A year later, these values came alive in a series of “Pamilyang Uliran” (model family) story ads.

The campaign evolved into several dramatic true-to-life commercials that ran through the early 1990s, and acquainted the audience with the success stories of Narda Capuyan (handwoven ethnic products) and Virgilio Dytuco (furniture) who founded their homegrown businesses from scratch and grew them into large scale enterprises , with the help of DBP. They became inspiring models for self-employment and job creation.

WATCH DBP "Palabra de Honor" TVC HERE:

The very Filipino approach in advertising (they were all voiced in the national language) earned for DBP several prestigious awards from the Catholic Mass Media Awards, Philippine Board of Advertising, Creative Guild, as well as commendations from various groups.

The well-regarded DBP "Return-to-Values"  campaigns were conceived by the legendary Herminio “Minyong” Ordoñez (+) with several creatives from Basic/Foote, Cone and Belding (FCB) that included the prolific freelance creative director Danny Almirañez, art director Rino Hernandez, visualizer Bong Gonzales and producer Ding Fernandez. The iconic voice of the ads was provided by stage-TV-movie actor Joonee Gamboa. Almirañez even directed the “Narda” TVC that won TV Ad of the Month (January) at the 1989 Creative Guild Ad of the Year.

SOURCES:

de la Torre, Visitacion. Advertising in the Philippines: Its Historical, Cultural and Social Dimensions. Tower Book House. (c)1989. pp. 194-195.

The Creative Guild, 1989 Ad of the Year Program, 

DBP Values, youtube video posted by Robbi Mercado, June 21, 2010

PHOTO SOURCES: Narda Capuyan, from Baguio Midland Courier / Virgiio Dytuco, from