511. The Milk Formula Trusted For Infants: PELARGON from Nestle, 1957-1971 Ads

PELARGON MODERN MILK, 1968 Print Ad

Before the advent of infant formula powdered milk like S-26 and NAN, there was PELARGON, a full-milk powder formula for babies, developed by Nestlé in 1934. It became a favored alternative to breastmilk as it was enriched with lactic acid bacteria for easier infant digestibility.  PELARGON gained popularity after World War II, as mothers made a switch from breastfeeding to bottle-feeding.

LACTOGEN ACIDIFIED POWDERED MILK, 1957 Print Ad

In fact, many mothers and children in the 60s and 70s recall PELARGON as their ideal firstborn formula. PELARGON was pure, full cream pasteurized cow’s milk, acidified with lactic acid for improved assimilation, then fortified by the addition of dextrins—maltose, sucrose, starch, vitamins A&D, thiamine, niacin, ascorbic acid and iron citrate.

PELARGON’s protein content and fat globules are similar to breastmilk. It forms soft, easily digestible gastric curds, and provides a formula adequate in all nutrients known to be essential for the regular feeding of normal, premature or weak infants.

IMPROVED FORMULA PELARGON, 1971 Print Ad

Filipro  Inc. introduced PELARGON to the Philippines only in the late 1950s after the war curtailed their importation activities, and things began to improve. The brand was promoted through advertising, using America-made ads featuring Caucasian babies and parents from the 60s thru the 70s.

PELARGON still exists today, no longer in the Philippines, but in South Africa, where it is known as NAN-PELARGON, as NAN and PELARGON were once individual brands owned by Nestle.

298. MILO vs. OVALTINE: The Battle for the Title of the Olympic Energy Drink

OVALTINE & MILO: Official Olympic Energy Drinks

OVALTINE was a chocolate malt drink that was reputedly first produced in Bern, Switzerland in 1865. Originally, it was called “Ovomaltine” as its formulation contains eggs, but a misspelling of the name on the trademark registration application led to the name being shortened to Ovaltine in English-speaking markets. OVALTINE was already advertised in the Philippines as early as 1925.

1972 OVALTINE Ad,Munich Olympics

Since its introduction, OVALTINE had a variety of health claims—from appetite builder, a recuperative drink for convalescing patients, fatigue alleviator, vitality and energy giver.

OVALTINE OLYMPIC AD, 1948. Credit: Alamy

When the Summer Olympics was held in Los Angeles, California, OVALTINE became one of the games’ sponsors—where it was to become the official Olympic energy drink, thus pre-dating MILO’s claim by over 35 years.  In fact, OVALTINE was the health drink sponsor in 9 Olympics!  

OVALTINE OLYMPIC 1948 Tin Sign, Credit: Pinterest

The local MILO print ads however, claimed otherwise: in 1968, it ran ads proclaiming MILO as the choice of the 1968 Olympics. In 1972, it stole the thunder from OVALTINE by headlining the claim in its ads that MILO is the “official energy drink of the Munich Olympics”.

MILO OLYMPIC AD "Official Energy Drink",1972

There was an attempt by OVALTINE to wrest that title from MILO, as that same year, it ran an ad that showed the brand’s consistent presence in successive Olympics from 1932-1972.  But the strip ad was no match for the media juggernaut of Nestlé. And too bad as well—at that time, there really was no advertising regulatory board that the makers of OVALTINE could go tom to file a complaint (the PBA was founded only in 1974).

MILO 1968 MEXICO OLYMPICS AD,  "Choice of the '68 Olympics

OVALTINE let it go, gave up without further fight, and continued with variable thematic promises,  while MILO picked up the “Olympic Energy” title and went to town with that strong, single-minded message in successful campaigns that went on for years, featuring the country’s best and brightest Olympians in its ads. OVALTINE'S loss is MILO's biggest gain.