477. 1986 Creative Guild of the Philippines: BERT "Tawa"MARCELO, “Best and Biggest Talent of All Time”

BERT MARCELO, Creative Guild Awards Night, 1987

The Creative Guild of the Philippines awards night was held at the Rizal Theater in 1987, hosted by TV personality Ariel Ureta and Malu Maglutac, former Miss Magnolia runner up and news caster.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of a Plaque of Achievement from the Creative Guild of the Philippines to an advertising icon—BERT “TAWA” MARCELO, who is a regular presence on the boob tube, ever since his first appearance in a San Miguel commercial in the early 1970s, produced by Philippine Advertising Counsellors.

WATCH THE SMB "KALENDARYO" TVC HERE ca. 1974:

The Baliwag native (b. 6 June 1936, Norberto J. Marcelo) embodied the Filipino everyman, made more authentic by his flair for Tagalog, complete with his provincial accent, and a happy-go-lucky attitude, amplified by his signature, high-pitch laughter. 

WATCH SMB "BERT MARCELO & BOSS" TVC HERE ca. 1975-76:

He is best identified with San Miguel Beer, which he endorsed for almost 3 decades, appearing in memorable commercials (“Isang Platitong Mani”, "Si-Boom", “Pupulbusin ko ang Dibdib Mo”, "Kalendaryo", "Bruno", etc) that made him one of the most recognizable personalities on television.

WATCH SMB "BERT MARCELO & BRUNO" TVC HERE, ca. 1976:

The plaque was presented to BERT MARCELO by Jun Urbano, commercial idrector behind his many San Miguel Beer commercials, and the Queen of Philippine Movies, Susan Roces. The citation reads:

ACTRESS SUSAN ROCES & DIREK JUN URBANO PRESENTS PLAQUE TO BERT MARCELO.

“The Creative Guild of the Philippines, under the auspices of the 4As (Asoocation of Accredited Advertising Agencies) Philippines, presents this Plaque of Appreciation to BERT MARCELO, a true original whose name is synonymous with laughter. Bert Marcelo brings in the advertising industry a unique style of product endorsement that blends warmth, sincerity, and humor and for enlivening and enriching the advertising industry with his participation and presence”. 

Signed by:

Mr. Teddy Jurado, President, 4 As of the Philippines

Mr. Cid V. Reyes, President. Creative Guild of the Philippines

Elsewhere, Bert Marcelo also did ads for HITACHI Electric Fans, Sierratone Beds and 680 Department Store. He also was a sought-after host, for talent shows such as “Ang Bagong Kampeon” (with Pilita Corrales) and the Baliksaya roadshows for OFWs worldwide. His silver screen appearances include “Pomposa, Ang Kabayong Tsismosa” (1968) ,“Tisoy” (1969), “Wanakosey” (1977), “Omeng “Mga Mata ni Angelita” (1978), and “Isang Platitong Mani” (1986).  He ran for the governorship of Bulacan in 1995, but lost; passing away shortly after a stroke on 16 Dec.1995.

 SOURCES:

Bert Marcelo mini-biography: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1416288/bio/

 View on the 3rd,-Jojo Bailon, https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2716615658634997, poste 10 Nov. 2021

 4 A’s youtube channel: San Miguel, kalendaryo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWTT-AJP0PI

 The World Archives youtube channel: San Miguel Pale Pilsen,  Bert Tawa Marcelo & Subas Herrero "Boss" TVC 1975 (Philippines), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F04I-ese2as, uploaded by The World Archives, 2023

229. GOLD EAGLE BEER “Billiards” TVC, starring the Bad Bananas, 1988

GOLD EAGLE BEER POSTER, "PARA SA IYO, PARE KO!"

GOLD EAGLE BEER  was launched around 1981, a low-cost, flanker beer of San Miguel Corporation. It was looked at as a light-bodied beer made for the working class to enjoy at day’s end. It was the first beer assignment of McCann-Erickson, and the launch commercial was mainly a brand awareness, jingle-based campaign that showed an eagle being released to the skies, with shots of the product interspersed with the soaring bird, to the beat of “Let the GOLD EAGLE fly!” refrain.

The account went back to Philippine Advertising Counselors and in 1988, the agency developed a popular GOLD EAGLE campaign featuring the Bad Bananas, a  group of actor friends that included Christopher de Leon , Edgar Mortiz, Jay Ilagan† and Johnny Delgado† . 

They had been stars in a highly popular comedy-variety TV show called “Goin’ Bananas” in 1986. It moved to IBC, and then to ABS-CBN, in 1987, where its following grew bigger.

The story is set in a billiard hall where we find the Bad Bananas at play. A kibitzer, superbly played by Ricky Fernando provides commentaries as they play, annoying them in the process. (For his portrayal, Fernando would be named as one of the Top 10 Advertising Models for 1988).

 

RICKY FERNANDO, THE BILLIARD KIBITZER ,  Top 10 Ad Models for 1988

The billiards kibitzer then demonstrates his moves, hitting the ball accurately one by one, as he amazes the gang with his playing prowess. He even took their challenge to sink a bowling ball on the table! The Bad Bananas rally around him, treating him with a bottle of  GOLD EAGLE BEER.

 

GOLD EAGLE BEER PHOTOBOARD

There were two versions of the TVCs, one, dialogue-driven, and the other, jingle-based using the full “Para Sa ‘Yo,Pare Ko!” song. “Billiards” was perhaps the most memorable ad produced by GOLD EAGLE BEER, which, to this day, continues to delight its loyal core drinkers.

WATCH THE GOLD EAGLE BEER "Billiards" TVC Here:

WATCH THE GOLD EAGLE TVC "Billiards"

FULL JINGLE VERSION HERE:

CREDITS:

AGENCY: PAC/BBDO

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Romy Sinson 

ART DIRECTOR: Edwin Wilwayco

COPYWRITER: Julius Deslate

ARTIST: Pit Santiago

CLIENT: San Miguel Corp. 

PRODUCT: Gold Eagle Beer

SOURCES:

Gold Eagle Beer "Billiards" - Philippines , 1988, uploaded by vibesey

Published on Jul 23, 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arLWgLtNpbU

EKING'S GOLD EAGLE BEER COMMERCIAL, uploaded by: perfectmanastig

Published on Aug 12, 2008, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awSLuqN7E00

227. Creative Guild’s 1984 TV Ad of the Year: SAN MIGUEL BEER “Pulutan”

David Ogilvy identified several elements which could make a TV commercial register in the minds of the market, and among them are such formulae as slice of life and dashes of humor. He warned, however, that “very, very few could write funny commercials that are funny.”

Humor certainly carried the day, not to mention the campaign, for the very first Creative Guild Television Ad of the Year, a 30-second drinking table argument among friends that was concluded with one of the decade’s mist memorable advertising one-liners.

The client was San Miguel Beer, a min account of Philippine Advertising Counsellors from when the brand first began advertising in the ‘60s, to the time the San Miguel account moved to McCann-Erickson in 1986.

The campaign was “Ito ang Beer”, which had been launched to confront the first product to challenge the best selling Pale Pilsen’s leadership in years, Beerhausen.”We were simply out to reinforce the product’s market position,” says Romy Sinson., then, one of the copywriters along with pal, Julius Deslate, on the San Miguel account.

Now president of SLG Advertising, Sinson recalls how the campaigngave him a chance to use that favorite Pinoy humor genre, the anticlimax, in a series of commercials starred in by the brand’s 5-man team of well-known endorsers: comedian Bert Marcelo, boxing great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, singer Rico J. Puno, billiards champion Amang Parica, and racing winner Jockey Eduardo.

The commercials had progressed at an entertaining pace;  after a series of 15-seconders focusing on the accomplishments of each spokesman, invariably ending with the assurance that “Ito ang Beer,” the boys figured in more ads  that had them arguing over options, whether it was music to play for the night, or which watering hole to head for. “The common element was San Miguel Beer,” Sinson says. “The message was that , no matter what your taste was and where you were heading, san Miguel Beer was the best companion to have around. “

WATCH SAN MIGUEL BEER "Pulutan" TVC HERE:

The winning ad”,  the “Pulutan TVC”, had the protagonists again at odds over the evening’spica-pica.The ad is a delightful sequence of memorable reaction shots from the different personalities; the late Elorde’s calm drawl is perfect foil to Puno’s arrogrant demand for “crispy pata” and Marcelo’s agitated whine for “inihaw na pusit”.

Adding even more spice is the nameless waiter, who is exasperation personified,, especially when Elorde settles the matter with his ludicrous but legendary request for isang platitong mani”.

Romy Sinson credits the directorial wizardry of Jun Urbano for a huge “50%” of the commercial’s with-it appeal. Needless to say, Beerhausen’s German-flavored campaign was steam-rollered by the gang’s  endearingly Pinoy antics. The dialogue became so popular that “isang platitong mani” even became a movie title. “Everybody familiar with the San Miguel campaign remembers the ad.” Sinson recalls.

CREDITS: 

ADVERTISER: San Miguel Corp.

PRODUCT: San Miguel Beer

AGENCY: Philippine Advertising Counsellors

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Nita Claravall

COPYWRITERS: Romy Sinson, Julius Deslate

ART IDRCETOR: Edwin Wilwayco

DIVISION MANAGER: Adie Pena

DIRECTOR: Jun Urbano

PRODUCER: Jun Castro

PRODUCTION HOUSE: Filmex

SOURCES:

PERFECT 10: A Decade of Creativity in Philippine Advertising, Published by the Executive Committe of the Creative Guild of the Philippines. 1995. Butch Uy, Alya Honasan

 "Isang Platitong Mani" TVC:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-PnNCgP1BQ, uploaded by Casvar Daikun. Published on Feb 3, 2009

“Isang Platitong Mani” title slide: OJ Movie Collection, Published on Sep 18, 2016

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SPVwae5vy0

114. Creative Guild TV Ad of the Month, August 1989: GOLD EAGLE BEER, “Pagbabalik”

KA FREDDIE FLIES HIGH WITH GOLD EAGLE. Print ad, 1989.

One of the strong contenders for the Creative Guild TV Ad of the Year for 1989 was a commercial for GOLD EAGLE BEER, entitled “Pagbabalik”, produced by PAC-BBDO (Philippine Advertising Counsellors) for San Miguel. GOLD EAGLE BEER has been making headway since it was it was introduced in the early 1980s as a flanker brand. McCann-Erickson had originally handled its launch with its “Let the Gold Eagle Fly” campaign, showing a man releasing an eagle in the air.

When the brand moved to PAC-BBDO, the agency created a successful campaign—“Para sa Iyo, Pare Ko”,  starring the rowdy “Bad Bananas” gang (Christopher de Leon, Edgar Mortiz and the late Jay Ilagan) in 1988.

The next year, folk icon Freddie Aguilar was tapped to appear in a new ad that still carried the theme, but with a more subdued, nostalgic mood and tone. The San Miguel connection with San Miguel was also strengthened with a message overlay, “May pangalan ‘to, pare ko” (This beer’s got a name, friend).

WATCH GOLD EAGLE "PAGBABALIK" TVC 30s HERE:

The GOLD EAGLE BEER “Pagbabalik” TVC follows the homecoming of Freddie Aguilar in his old town, after making a name for himself---where he is warmly received by long-time friends, neighbors, town mates and his barkada. The jingle, sung by the folksinger, talks about going back to one's roots, and the importance of keeping one’s name—which is an implicit reference to San Miguel, the name behind GOLD EAGLE. Two versions were made—one, a mostly instrumental version (“Freddie”), and the other, utilizing the full jingle (“Pagbabalik”)

WATCH THE  GOLD EAGLE "Freddie" VERSION HERE:

The commercial was well-received for its cinematography that captured the rustic,, provincial feel of an old town, and for the jingle that could very well have been the theme song of a balikbayan or an overseas Filipino worker. When the Creative Guild of the Philippines convened to vote for the best ads of 1989, GOLD EAGLE BEER’s “Pagbabalik” was selected as the best TVC for August. It also was a nominee for Best Direction (Vitt Romero), Best Cinematography (Rody Lacap, Jun Kraft, Fred Manansala), Best Jingle (Charo Unite, for both versions), Best Production Design (Joey Luna, Aped Santos, Gino Marasigan).

CREDITS:

AGENCY: Philippine Advertising Counsellors-BBDO

CREATIVE DIRECTOR/WRITER: Romy Sinson

ART DIRECTOR: Pit Santiago

PRODUCER: Vivian Abalos

JINGLE COMPOSER: Charo Unite

SINGER: Freddie Aguilar

PRODUCTION HOUSE: Provil, Unitel ('Freddie' version)

DIRECTOR: Vittorio Romero

CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Rody Lacap, Jun Kraft, Fred Manansala

CLIENT: SAN MIGUEL BEER CORP, BRAND: Gold Eagle Beer

SOURCES:

1990 Creative Guild Ad of the Year Program

youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG4z-CDRJNI, uploaded by Filmmaker Vitt Romero, published on May 11, 2014

youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TDKIzlLygA&t=8s, uploaded by Filmmaker Vitt Romero, published  May 13, 2014

88. “TULOY ANG PASKO”, SAN MIGUEL BEER CAMPAIGN, 1985

TULOY ANG PASKO...basta may San Miguel Beer. Frames from the 1985 TVC

The immediate years that followed after the Aquino assassination was fraught with unrest, uncertainties and public outcry against Marcos. Although the “Ito ang Beer” campaign of SAN MIGUEL BEER was firmly in place and TV commercials featuring the riotous gang of Bert Marcelo, singer Rico J. Puno, ractrack king Jockey Eduardo, boxing champ Gabriel ”Flash “ Elorde and billiards wiz Amang Parica were getting great recall, 1985 still turned out to be a trying year for businessmen in particular, and for Filipinos in general.

The Philippines faced unprecedented economic instability; companies watched their sales plummet.”The problems were economic.” Recalls copywriter Romy Sinson: ”People were having a hard time. There was even a call for the boycott of San Miguel products, as Danding Cojuangco was a personal friend of the Marcoses.

Some morale boosting was in order, and Sinson put the inevitable idea into words.”Despite everything, tuloy ang Pasko. Nothing can stop the coming of Christmas”. Thus SAN MIGUEL BEER's most unforgettable campaign for 1985 was born.

WATCH SMB'S "TULOY ANG PASKO"

1985 TVC HERE:

The result is a commercial that became a Creative Guild Ad of the Month, featuring the usual San Miguel beer barkada, with folk minstrel Florante  singing of the joyful coming of Christmas despite the lean, hard times:

TULOY ANG PASKO, Creative Guild Radio Ad of the Year, 1985 

The radio component of San Miguel Beer’s “Tuloy ang Pasko” campaign did even better as it was adjudged later as the 1985 Radio Ad of the Year by the Creative Guild of the Philippines.

The Jingle, for which Lorrie Illustre put Sinson’s lyrics to music, was a testimony to the Filipino’s resilience and ability to plod on.”Tuloy ang Aguinaldo”, the ad begins, and with that come staples like simbang gabi, caroling, Christmas itself and lest we forget, San Miguel Beer.

San Miguel Beer’s “Tuloy ang Pasko” 1985 campaign, thus joins the long list of memorable San Miguel commercials that have become truly classics of Philippine advertising.

CREDITS:

AGENCY : Philippine Advertising Counsellors

ADVERTISER: San Miguel Beer Corporation

PRODUCT: San Miguel Beer

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Nita Claravall

COPYWRITER: Romy Sinson

JINGLEMAKER: Lorie Ilustre

Sources: 
X: Perfect 10, A Decade of Creativity in Philippine Advertising, 1995, Creative Guild of the Philippines, ed. Butch Uy. p. 66-67.

youtube, San Miguel Beer"Tuloy ang Pasko" Philippines, 1985. Posted by advertisingarchive, on 23 July 2016.