433. Best in Ad Direction, 1994 Creative Guild AOY, CINDERELLA DEPT. STORE, "Clothes to You"

At the 1994 Creative Guild Ad of the Year, Craftsmanship Awards for Print Ads were given for Photography and Art Direction . At the event held on 6 April 1995, Louie’s Cinema, Mile Long Makati, Manila, Cinderella’s “Clothes to You” print ad won for Best Art Direction-- a stunning white space ad showing two intertwined hangers to form a heart, supported by a reworked copy based on the song “Close to You”.  Simple, single visual ads like this, became a trademark for a new powerhouse agency known as Jimenez/D’Arcy, Masius, Benton & Bowles (or Jimenez/ DMB&B), founded by the late advertising maverick couple, Ramon “MonJ” and Annabelle “Abby” Jimenez. 

 CREDITS:

AGENCY: JIMENEZ/ DMB&B

ART DIRECTOR: DON SEVILLA III

ADVERTISER: CINDERELLA MARKETING CORP.

PRODUCT: CINDERELLA DEPARTMENT STORES

419. A Tickle of a Pickle Ad: RAINBOW PICKLES, by Ycasas Food Products, 1964

A TITILLATION IN ART DIRECTION, RAINBOW PICKLES AD, 1964

 An example of an ad gone wrong---all because of failed art direction. Instead of promoting these tasty RAINBOW PICKLES, the print ad comes across as simply tasteless. The way the poor model is shown  presenting a humongous phallic-looking pickle sticking out of a jar in her direction, creates an uncomfortably, suggestive image that is kitschy and crass at the same time.  “The Tastiest…The Crispiest…”, so the ad proclaims. Might as well add “Trashy” to the adjectives. What was the Art Director thinking? And the Creative Director? And the Client who approved it?

Anyway, this was the only RAINBOW PICKLES ad I could find, manufactured by Ycasas Food Products. If this came out today, it would win--hands and pants down--the worst ad of the year. Or it would have been banned by the AdBoard.

304. Advertising Premium: PLAZA LUNCH ADVERTISING MIRROR

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Celluloid pocket mirrors were favorite advertising giveaways of establishments like Plaza Lunch, a Manila restaurant established in 1914, touted as "The Only Place In The Orient"--whatever that means. 

Though popular in its time, I have not uncovered much information about Plaza Lunch, but a lot can be told about its manager-founder, American Fred M. Harden. Harden married Filipina Esperanza Perez in 1917, and together they started several successful businesses, acquiring prime real estate and valuable property. 

In 1938, they stopped living together. In connivance with another Filipino, Fred spirited away cash and assets from his wife, thus committing fraud in the administration of their conjugal ownership of properties. Sued by his wife in a case that reached the Supreme Court, Harden was subsequently jailed at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.

299. THE CHRISTMAS TREE IN PHILIPPINE ADS, 1935-1978