509. Procter & Gamble PMC's TIDE, "Tide Clean" Campaign, 1961

In 1961, TIDE embarked on a local campaign that was based on a formulaic P&G advertising strategy principle of re-setting the bar of laundry cleanliness, using “Tide Clean” as the new standard. This benefit is expressed in the selling line: “The cleanest clean is TIDE Clean”.

The campaign also featured a tried-and-tested “product demo”,  P& G copy jargon that visualizes the product superiority through a demonstration of its cleaning power—statically shown as a series of captioned inset pictures , so typical of their advertising in the 60s and 70s. 

A sub-text of “affordable cost” is embedded in the execution expressed thru an additional copy intended to reassure : “…and costs so little to use!”. P&G was often fond of cramming their advertising with many sub-messages and their agencies were challenged to think of ways to include these seamlessly in crafting the copy (think Mr. Clean’s “labadami, labango, labanayad’  Dari Crème’s “pinipili ng mapiling ina…at anak!).

To top it all—just to make sure the message is not lost on the mass market,  the TIDE Clean campaign, used all sorts of talents to represent a father, a mother, their kids, friends and a token grandparent, who appeared in their own individual colored print ad. 

Truly, this TIDE print campaign can be held up in a basic marketing class as a perfect example of P&G’s formula advertising, ticking all the boxes of how their product advertising should be done—this, from a company which “invented” brand management.

429. Appeal of the Masses: KOMIKS-STYLE ADS

At one point in our media history, the Philippine comic book—or “komiks”—was one of the most popular printed entertainment for many Filipinos. Ever since Liwayway Magazine came out with serialized comic strips done by early cartoonists like Kenkoy creator Tony Velasquez and Romualdo Ramos, ‘komiks’ became even more popular when they came out in book forms, for sale or rent in neighborhood stores. 

AJI-NO-MOTO PRINT AD, 1989

Like the radio, komiks became influential media forms. Mars Ravelo’s komiks characters—like Darna, Captain Barbell, and Bondying---made their transition from the page to the silver screen (and later, TV)  successfully. 

ASTRING-O-SOL PRINT AD, 1957

The 50s-60s were considered the golden age of komiks and the comic strip format was soon employed by advertising agencies to push products and services. After all, the strip form made for easier storytelling, as the reader can follow the narrative at his own pace, just by referring to the drawings and reading the script on the speech bubble. 

CAFIASPIRINA PRINT AD, 1954

On this page are examples of print ads in the komiks format, from as early as 1929 to 1990.

FLETCHER'S CASTORIA AD, featuring Kenkoy, 1955

COLGATE AD, 1929

DERMALIN OINTMENT AD, 1990

TIDE COLOR AD, 1966

VASELINE, "Bing and Bong" AD, 1955

SOURCE: Philippne Comics, wikipedia,com

174. P&G PMC Sensational Washing Discovery! TIDE DETERGENT: The First Philippine Ads, 1957-1959

THE FIRST TIDE LAUNCH ADS, Sunday Times Magazine, 1957.

The powdered laundry detergent that would revolutionalize how Filipino housewives would wash in the late 1950s was manufactured b7 Procter & Gamble back in 1946.

TIDE was not actually the first powdered detergent; pulverized soap was known as far back as the 1880s. But TIDE—originally designed for heavy-duty machine cleaning, was a major improvement as it was made with synthetic alkylbenzene sulfonates that  made machine washing with hard water possible.

Test-marketed in 1946, TIDE was dubbed as the world’ first heavyweight detergent, and was rolled out nationally in 1949. TIDE became a national hit, and in 1957, was launched in the Philippine market. At that time, manual detergent bars were widely used all over the country; the use of powder was unheard of.

PART OF A SERIES OF TIDE LAUNCH ADS, 1957

When the first English ad for TIDE came out that year, the detergent was touted as a product of modern science, a “Sensational New Washing Discovery---TIDE washes clothes cleaner than any other soap.” The superior-cleaning claim was backed by its international success in the U.S., England, Canada, France, Belgium, Mexcio, Cuba and Venezuela.

TIDE FIELD MARKETING. PHOTO: P&G PMC Brand History

In its first year TIDE was pushed by field marketing and radio advertising, novel initiatives that P&G would be well known for.

“No need to change the way you wash—just change to TIDE!”, the ads encouraged, and soon, Filipinos were ditching their old-fashioned bars for the new powdered detergent packed in that iconic box and pouch with bright red orange and deep yellow concentric circles forming the backdrop for the TIDE fonts in blue. They were not only washing clothes with it, but used it for dishes and utensils too—to great effect!

TIDE PRINT ADS, Sustaining, 1959

Traditional bar makers countered that TIDE—being in powder form—led to wastage and is therefore more expensive to use. Hand-held bars give the user more control, as the user can regulate the amount of product used via the number of scrubbing. Thus TIDE launched “value for money” testimonial ads around 1959, to convince housewives that in the long run, TIDE is more cost-effective.

TIDE TESTIMONIAL AD, 1959.

For the next decade, TIDE lived up to its promise--“Never before such a washing sensation!”, prompting competition like Philippine Refining Co., to launch its own powdered detergent brand that would give TIDE a stiff competition—Breeze. TIDE would also be known for its iconic vernacular TV commercials in the 1960s—“Utos ni Mayor”, “Puputi ang damit kahit hindi ikula!”, “Balik-Tide”.

SOURCES:

Tide Brand: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tide_(brand)

P&G Philippines Brand History: https://www.pg.com/en_PH/company/history/historydetail.shtml