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

391. TINGTING COJUANGCO for PRC’s POND’S and VASELINE INTENSIVE CARE (1980)

The 1980s were some of the most active years for Philippine Refining Company (PRC), as it battled it out for the beauty care market versus its arch rival, P&G Philippines. At the start of the ‘80s decade, it relaunched POND’s, a product of the POND’s company whuch had merged in 1955 with Chesebrough Manufacturing Co., to become Chesebrough-Pond’s.

 The bestselling cold cream had been advertised in the late 1950s using the Philippines’ most glamorous and accomplished women of impeccable pedigree—from socialite Chona Recto-Kasten (daughter of statesman Claro M. Recto), Eva Estrada-Kalaw (future senator), Virginia Llamas-Romulo (wife of diplomat Carlos P. Romulo) and former First Lady, Luz Banzon-Magsaysay.

In 1980, PRC chose the same approach as it Chesebrough-Pond’s did in the ‘50s, choosing a renown woman and young mother who had been adjudged as among the world’s most beautiful by no less than Harper’s Magazine in the ‘60s. POND’s scored a casting coup when the young socialite Margarita "Tingting" de los Reyes Cojuangco (b. 29 Apr. 29, 1944), agreed to appear in the POND’s “Beautiful Skin Now and Through the Year” campaign.

At age 18, Tingting married José Cojuangco, Jr., of the prominent political Cojuangco clan of Tarlac. She had modeled in her teen years, but this came to a halt when she began a family and settled in Tarlac. That was why, it was big news when she came back prominently as the celebrity endorser for POND’s, appearing in a glossy TVC and an array of print ads and advertorials.

Just when you  thought that POND’s would be her first and last appearance, the elusive beauty resurfaced that same year when she also became the model and spokesperson for VASELINE INTENSIVE CARE LOTION, another PRC skin care product. VASELINE started as hair tonic brand for men that was available in the Philippines as early as 1951. Needless to say, the ad industry was abuzz once more with this unprecedented casting decision that called for the same celebrity to endorse 2 skincare products of different brands, but under the same company.

After her appearances in these J. Walter Thomposon-produced commercials, delos Reyes went back to her role as a parent, raising 5 equally-beautiful daughters: Mikee (now Jaworski, champion equestrienne/actress), Liaa (now, Bautista doctor), Pin (now, Guingona), Maimai (now, Zini) and the youngest China (now, Gonzalez, model).

She would also pursue her studies , holding a Master’s in National Security Administration (MNSA) from National Defense College, doctorate degrees in Criminology and Philippine History. She forayed into politics (late president Benigno Aquino III was her nephew), serving 2 terms as Tarlac Provincial Governor (1992-98). She also ran for a position in the senate. A philanthropist, she is personally involved in  humanitarian projects among Muslim communities as well as  Gawad Kalinga. Truly, delos Reyes epitomized the ideal of a “true beauty with a purpose”.

SOURCES: 

Tingting Cojuangco: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tingting_Cojuangco

283. Brand Stories: VASELINE HAIR TONIC, 1960-1965

One of the best-selling hair tonics in the world is VASELINE HAIR TONIC for Men, manufactured by Chesebrough Manufacturing Co. The product had its start in 1859, when Robert Chesebrough visited Penssylvania oil fields and saw residue called “rod wax” that accumulated on oil rigs. Workers used the waxy substance to heal cuts and wounds. Chesebrough managed to extract petroleum jelly from the rod wax and created a medical product out of it which he called VASELINE.

The brand name was coined from the German word for water “wasser” and the Greek word “elaion” or olive oil.  From VASELINE Jelly, the company began expanding to personal line products using the same ingredient as base. In the 1920s, Chesebrough launched its VASELINE HAIR TONIC, a liquid hair groomer.  It was heavily promoted in print ads on the popular Life Magazine  from the late 1920s-1940s,  promising to ‘stimulate circulation, helped to relieve excessive dryness, and keep hir “manageable and handsome”.

In 1955, Pond’s and the Chesebrough Manufacturing Company merged to become Chesebrough-Pond’s.  By then, a Philippine affiliate company had been set up, marketing products such as Pond’s and Angel Face. It ws in 1960 that  Chesebrough-Ponds introduced VASELINE HAIR TONIC in the Philippines through a series of print ad. At that time GLO-CO, a local cosmetic company, dominated the men’s hair grooming market with its  Glo-Co Hair Tonix, endorsed by movies stars as early as the 50s.

To ensure wider usage, VASELINE HAIR TONIC was positioned as a unisex hair grooming product—good for both men and women.  Its quarter-page ads featured young men and women in various social situations. In 1967, rising young star of sampaguita Pictures--Lito Legaspi—endorsed the brand as its commercial model.

Vaseline was made by the Chesebrough Manufacturing Company until the company was purchased by Unilever in 1987.The product VASELINE HAIR TONIC with scalp Conditioner is still available today.