503. INSULAR LIFE, 50th Year Anniversary “Amorsolo” Ad Series, 1960

INSULAR LIFE ASSURANCE COMANY LTD. was incorporated and organized on November 25, 1910 as the first Filipino life insurance company, and met instant success. In the 1930s, it had its own building at Plaza Morga, then a premiere business district. Not even the war could stop the company, as it was allowed to operate due to its esteemed reputation. In 1943, it assumed the business written by the Filipinas Life Assurance Company. Insular Life recovered from the war through the government rehabilitation program. It grew even bigger in the 50s when it lowered its premiums and, in one of the largest transactions in the Philippine insurance industry,  assumed the business underwritten by the Occidental Life Insurance Company of California.

In 1960, Insular Life Assurance Co., Ltd. marked its half a century of service by coming out with a series of 6 corporate ads, featuring the works of the celebrated artist, Fernando Amorsolo, which are part of the company’s commissioned art collection. Under the thematic line “Building Our Nation”, three ads are shown here:

EARLY TRADERS FROM ACAPULCO (4^th of a series), featured above, pictures the galleon trade of the Philippines and Mexico. The traders were enterprising pioneers, in much the same way that in 1910 that pioneer businessmen founded Insular Life, which, by 1960, had paid out over 26.5 million pesos to policy owners and their beneficiaries

PRINCESS URDUJA AND HER WARRIOR MAIDENS (5^th of a series) show the legendary princess Urduja, who was known for being fearless and courageous—the same traits that served the founders of Insular Life well when they ventured with fortitude when they put up the company.

THE BARGAIN OF THE GOLDEN SALAKOT(6th  of a series), depict the first colonizing event in the country, when Bornean Datu Puti made a deal with Datu Marikudo, to make a colony on the coastal shores of Panay. Marikudo agreed, and asked for a golden salakot in return. This “first” in history parallels that of Insular Life’s—the country’s fist Filipino-founded insurance company.

SOURCES

Insular Life website, https://www.insularlife.com.ph/about-insular-life

 

495. KATIALIS: A Wish for Health & Beauty, Power & Wealth, Christmas/New Year Ad 1948

The most successful local skin ointment in history was formulated in the 1930s by Dr. Lorenzo C. Reyes (b.?/d. 1985) and mixed by his chemist brother, Manuel, at his Locre Laboratorio in San Lazaro, Manila. The name of  KATIALIS topical ointment was coined from “KATI” (itch) and “ALIS” (go away), and was widely marketed as an effective solution to skin diseases such as “tagihawat, anan, anghit, buni, alipunga, bungang araw, bulutong tubig, balakubak, sunog sa araw, masamang butlig, ulsera, sugat, pekas, galis, pigsa, butlig pagkatapos mag-ahit, sigid ng lamok, surot at iba pang maliit na hayop”.

KATIALIS was also famous for its whimsical ads featuring biblical, mythical and symbolic characters drawn by the best illustrators of the times. One holiday ad in 1948 shows kneeling Filipinos in national costumes bearing gifts of wealth, power (represented by two men offering a crown, scepter and jewelry) on one side. On the oppoiste side, a native maiden presents a giant jar of KATIALIS, for the health and beauty of a lady on a throne, representing the product's customer perhaps--and flanked by pages holding fans. The illustrated tableau is surmounted by the greeting "MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR".  

After 76 years, the message still rings true, so we take time to wish you the same, for this Christmas of 2024, and for the New Year ahead!

494. MANILA GAS CORPORATION, Christmas Print Ad, 1967

Established on 27 September 1912 under Commonwealth Act 2039, the Manila Gas Corporation (MGC) was a gas company tasked to produce, buy, sell, and distribute gas, coke, tar pit, and other residual products in Manila. MGC regularly promoted its services and products via print advertising, especially in the 60s decade. During the holidays, the Manila Gas Corp. sends out its holiday greetings to its patrons via full color Christmas ads, just like this “Manger” ad, from 1967. 

 

481. MILO ENERGY DRINK, 1980 Moscow Olympics Ad

GO MILO! BUT WE'RE NOT GOING! Olympic Ad, 1980

Nestlé’s MILO began wresting the title of “Olympic Energy Drink” from arch rival  OVALTINE in 1968, when the popular chocolate malt beverage began running an ad that proclaimed itself as the “Choice of the ’68 Olympics”. On the other hand, OVALTINE had touted in its 1972 ads that it had been in every Olympics since 1932. It was to be the last time that OVALTINE—an aging brand on a decline--would call itself “the official energy drink of the Olympics since 1932”.

MILO took over that claim that same year, bannering that “modern day athletes need a modern energy drink”, while casting shades on Ovaltine as “old stand-bys are simply not enough”. MILO’s Olympic Energy campaign thus began officially in 1972 (Munich) followed by the next edition in Montreal (1976).

In 1980, the Summer Olympics were scheduled to happen in Moscow, Soviet Union, from Jul. 19-Aug. 3, 1980, the first games to be held in an Eastern bloc country. It was to be one of the most controversial stagings in the history of the Olympics. 

A year before, Soviet had invaded Afghanistan,  causing the United States and other Western countries to boycott the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Sixty six countries boycotted the games entirely, including the Philippines, and only 80 nations converged at the Moscow Games, the smallest number since 1956.

In retaliation, the Soviet Union and other Eastern Bloc countries (except Romania) boycotted the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. An alternative international sporting event, the Goodwill Games, was created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s.

Nevertheless, Filipro Inc., Nestlé’s local manufacturer in the Philippines, came up with their MILO Moscow Olympic Ads in 1980, despite the country’s non-participation. 

The ad was austere in its message, preferring to “salute the Olympic Year”, with the Moscow reference as just as subhead. Perhaps to make up for the lost Olympic momentum, MILO launched a SUPER ATHLETES Promo, with collectible plastic figures of athletes in action in every can. These were to be played using SUPER SPORTS gameboards published in select magazines and newspapers.

MILO SUPER ATHLETES TOY PROMO, 1980

SOURCES:

Moscow Olympics logo: Wikimedia commons

Moscow Olympics 1980: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_Summer_Olympics

Goodwill Games 1986: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodwill_Games

479. So Much A Part of You: CONTINENTAL AIR MICRONESIA, 1984

FEEL IT! CONTINENTAL AIR MICRONESIA Destination Ad, mid-1980s

CONTINENTAL AIR MICRONESIA surprised the Philippine airline industry in the early 1980s when it operated flights to Manila, thus opening travel routes to exotic Pacific island destinations such as Guam, Yap, Palau, Saipan, and other Marianas islands.

The Guamanian company, started as Continental Micronesia Inc. in 1968,  a subsidiary of Continental Airlines.  It operated flights to Honolulu, Hawaii, the West Coast,  as well as to Asia, Micronesia and Australia from its hub at Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport on Guam. In the early 1980s, the airline started service from Guam to Japan, and the airline was renamed CONTINENTAL AIR MICRONESIA.

FEEL IT. Continental Air Micronesia B&W Print Ad, 1984

Shortly after, it included Manila as part of its Asian service, and the airline was heavily promoted on media, with full-blast tri-media campaigns beginning in 1983, using its existing theme, “So Much A Part of You”. The airline company appointed Olbes, Ogilvy and Mather as the local agency to handle its advertising and promotions.

 LISTEN TO THE ORIGINAL JINGLE USED IN THE AIR MICRONESIA PH LAUNCH:

The first thing the OO&M did was to adapt the original jingle and had it arranged to a livelier beat that Filipinos prefer. The result was a catchy, refreshing jingle that became one of the most remembered commercial songs during its run. Destination and corporate print ads were launched, airbrushed artworks that featured prominently the wide-bodied DC-10  planes and the company logo. In such a short time, CONTINENTAL AIR MICRONESIA, despite its long brand name, became a byword in the airline industry—people were singing the jingle while suddenly, Filipino travelers began discovering the Micronesian island experience.

But political changes and increased fuel prices were causing problems to the airline industry. While People Power was happening in the Philippines, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands—which has Saipan as its capital—was broken up. As a result, fewer people needed to travel to Saipan, where the airline was  headquartered, leading to significant decrease in travel.

HONOLULU-WEST COAST AD, 1984

On 12 June 2008, CONTINENTAL AIR MICRONESIA  announced cuts of services, routes and destinations due to high fuel prices.  Terminated was  the Saipan-Manila flights on July 15 which is the last remaining flight for Saipan, the airline's original hub for 40 years. A more plausible reason for the cancellation of the Saipan-Manila route was the fact that NCLEX tests were now available in Manila, so Filipino nurses no longer had to travel to Saipan to take the exams. The OFW of the Philippines had been a major market of the airline, as their flights also served medical referrals from the Northern Mariana Islands to Manila, and non-USA visa alien contract workers who were unable to transit to their final destinations via Guam.

Finally, the airline ceased its operations on 22 December 2010. In 2017, Continental Micronesia was officially folded into United Airlines, under the United Airlines Holdings Co.

 CREDITS:

ADVERTISER: Continental Air Micronesia

AD AGENCY: Olbes, Ogilvy and Mather (OO&M)

CREATIVE DIRECTOR/COPYWRITER: Rene Olbes

ART DIRECTORS: Rene Olbes/ Ariel Dalisay

PRINT PRODUCER: Tony Zamora

 SOURCES:

Continental Micronesia Tribute on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlnSlDlAJ5c

Uploaded by Thomas Delgado

 Continental Micronesia, Wikimedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Micronesia

 De la Torre, Visitacion. Advertising in the Philippines, Tower Book House, Manila, 1989.

473. Canned and Bottled Right on The Farm : RAM FOOD PRODUCTS INC., 1961

RAM FOOD PRODUCTS, INC. is one of the largest consumer food manufacturing and distribution companies in in the country. While 1962 is considered as the founding date of RAM Foods,  the company actually was already operational in 1960 in brgy.  Pulo, Canlubang, Laguna, as a local food processing company. 

Its earliest product were bottled mixed pickles, which became the flagship brand. By 1960, it was also producing Pickled Sweet Ampalaya, Sweet Corn, Papaya Nectar, and Mango Jam. The products were exclusively distributed by Young & Baldwin Inc. with offices in Dasmariñas, Manila. The earliest advertising were black and white ads for the pickled products that saw print that same year. 

In due time, RAM Foods became a recognized brand and became on of the key players in the market along with California Manufacturing Company (maker of the more-established Lady’s Choice food brands), Kraft Foods and Del Monte. Macondray Co. Inc. took over as the major distributor of RAM brands.

In 1966, it expanded its product portfolio to include Tropical Fruit Juice, Fruit Cocktail, Tomato Sauce, Red Pimientos, and even a condiment RAM Worcestershire Sauce. The next year, it added Tomato Juice, Peeled Whole Tomatoes, Pork and Beans, and Hot Sauce,  Later, RAM Foods, Inc.  introduced a sub-brand called Sevilla, which produced canned chick peas and green peas.

Today, after over 6 decades RAM Food Products Inc., continued to do well in the next decades, growing and modernizing its plants to become a state-of-the-art food processing company. With five factories and over 25 distribution centers, RAM products are poised to enter the international market as well.

 Meanwhile, its sister company, Ace Foods Inc.  manages the sales and distribution of its classic brands that have become leaders in their categories, as well as new Spaghetti Sauce and Pasta lines that are now well-established in the marketplace.

 SOURCES:

Ram Food Products, Inc. https://ramfoods.com

Ram Foods FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/RamFoodProducts/

Ram Foods Co. Profile: https://www.dnb.com

405. HAVE A SANYO CHRISTMAS! Corporate Ad, 1975

SANYO CHRISTMAS PRINT AD, 1975

SANYO Electric Co., Ltd., is a Japanese electronics company founded in 1949 by Toshio Iue, who grew it to become a Fortune 500 Japanese Electronics Company. SANYO means “three oceans”- referring to the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans, as it was Iue’s ambition to make his business global.

In 1971, SANYO established international operations in the Philippines , thus SANYO Philippines Inc. came to be. It manufactured home appliances and consumer electronics—from air conditioners, refrigerators, radios, televisions, gas ranges, electric fans, and washing machines, that were marketed worldwide.

SANYO LOGO, 1976. Source: wikimediacommons

SANYO became a very popular brand in the Philippines in the mid 70s thru the 80s, as it was considered more affordable than the established Japanese brands like Toshiba, Panasonic and Mitsubishi, that is until Sharp Phils.came along.

With a booming business in 1975, SANYO greeted its growing legion of customers by putting out ots Christmas corporate ad, wishing them a happier life, that could only happen if one start buying their products now.

In 2011, the Haier Group acquired SANYO Electric Co.’s white goods business (refrigerator, washing machine, and consumer electric appliances) in select Asian markets like  Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. These are what SANYO Philippines Inc. continue to market, promote and advertise  today, online and in-store.

SOURCES:

Sanyo logo: wikimediacommons.

Sanyo website: https://www.sanyo-av.com/us/

Haier  completes acquisition of Sanyo brands in Southeast Asia:  https://www.haier.com/ph/about-haier/news/20190912_105720.shtml

303. CHRISTMAS GREETINGS FROM PEPSI, 1961

1961 HOLIDAY GREETINGS FROM REFRESHMENT OF THE SEASON....

THE REFRESHMENT OF FRIENDSHIP -- PEPSI COLA!

252. MAKATI COMMERCIAL CENTER, Print Ads 1970-1971

The retail commercial zone of Makati was put up in 1960, with the inauguration of the spanking new Rizal Theater. The theater was used as a venue mainly for film showing and live performances, and featured a popular restaurant and coffee shop. Rizal Theater was eventually demolished to give way to Makati Shangri-La Hotel. The MAKATI COMMERCIAL CENTER  was rapidly filled up with business, commercial, and lifestyle shops in the 1970s.

 

MCC - EXCITEMENT, print ad 1970

MCC- CONTENTMENT, print ad 1970

Some iconic establishments include the Quad Theater (designed by Arch. Carlos Arguelles), which had four cinemas, and an amusement center with arcade and video games, a first in the country. An outdoor Glorietta, set amidst a landscaped park designed by National Artist for Architecture, Ildefonso Santos, featured a center stage for all kinds of activities and performances.

 

MCC-FUN, print ad 1971

MCC-SURPRISE, print ad 1971

Also notable was the Rustan’s building with its trademark blue triangle mosaic façade. Landmarks that have now gone include Bricktown, Sulo Retaurant, Alemar’s, Erehwon, the Philippine Education Company, Automat Restaurant, and the Love Bus station at the back of Anson’s Arcade. 

MCC-DISCOVERY, print ad 1970

Between 1998-1991, a number of separate shopping arcades and Greenbelt Park were built in an area that would be developed further to cover over 50 hectares of facilities. Today the shopping complex is known as Ayala Center.

SOURCES:

Makati Commercial Center photo: courtesy of Arch Edward delos Santo, pinoykollektor

239. A NEW CORPORATE LOGO FOR SAN MIGUEL CORPORATION, 1975

SMC CORPORATE PRINT AD launching the new logo, 1975

The giant multinational business conglomerate of the Philippines—SAN MIGUEL CORPORATION—had its beginning in 1889, when prominent Manila businessman, Enrique María Barretto, applied for a royal grant from Spain to establish a brewery in the Philippines that would be known as La Fábrica de Cerveza San Miguel.

In the next century, its San Miguel Beer would be its most famous product, here and all over the world. Its product portfolio would include food, beverage, packaging,  real estate, among others, but San Miguel Beer would always be top-of-mind among its loyal consumers.

The early San Miguel Beer bottles were branded with the letters S over M. The more well-known San Miguel escudo (seal), symbol of the royal grant, was incorporated in the design of the product label, and became a sort of a corporate logo for many years.

 

It was only in 1975 that SAN MIGUEL CORPORATION adopted a new corporate identity logo, as it acknowledged that the “escudo” was strongly associated with their beer product, which has since changed with their diversified ventures.

For this diversity, SMC created a new symbol, keeping the “escudo” for its brewery products. The new symbol symbolized th primal element of  Water, Life, Growth, Food, Abundance and Progress.

A TV commercial used animation to explain the basic concept behind the new corporate logo. This logo was in use until 1999, when SMC reverted back to the use of its “escudo” to stand for the company and its products. In 2012, the “escudo” design was further streamlined, a version that is still in current use. 

SOURCES:

San Miguel Corporation, wikipedia

San Miguel Logo: logopedia.com

226. MARCELO STEEL CORP., Jose Rizal Print Ad Series, 1961

MARCELO STEEL CORP. was one of the businesses of industrialist Jose P. Marcelo, who had started as a successful manufacturer of rubber shoes (Marcelo Rubber Co.). In 1948, he bought the Nail Plant and its equipment of the government-owned National Development Co., for Php100,000. He took over and made a million pesos in his first year of operation.

By the 1950s,  MARCELO STEEL CORP. was one of the leading steel fabrication plants in the country. Its 12^th year of operations coincided with the centennial birthday of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, so it released a series of corporate ads—6 in all-- that communicated his  ideals and insights on various aspects of life , that are shared by the giant steel company in the pursuit of its purpose and business mission/vision. Accompanying these ads were reproduction of panintings done by leading and rising  artists of the 1960s.

Service to Others Before One’s Self. Rizal maintains that “the duty of modern man..is to work for the redemption of humanity…and once man is dignified, there would be less unfortunates and more happiness..” Similarly, the company has “a policy of giving substantially, in cash and in kind, to various civic, charitable and educational institutions.”The painting, by Gregorio Custodio, shows Rizal being put under arrest by Spanish authorities in Barcelona.

Holding High the Brow Serene. This ad refers to Rizal’s reminder that we should “work for a purpose”. This is in synch with the vision of the company “which dreives satisfaction from its role in providing livelihood to thousands of Filipinos, in supplying vital requirements of the construction industry at low cost, and in contributing substantially to a more stable national economy”. The painting, showing Rizal soeaking “Los Indios Bravos”, was painted by Gabriel Custodio for Caltex.

Behavior to Deserve a Friend. “To have a good friend is a great fortune”, Rizal once declared. The corporation has always affirmed that “its foremost aim is to deserve the patronage and goodwill of the Filipino people. Th paining is by Fernando Amorsolo Jr. showing Rizal with friends, Ferdinand Blumentritt and MaximoViola.

The MARCELO enterprise became a large empire that, at its peak, included a rubber plantation, a fertilizer, a small boat manufacturing facility—aside from the shoe plant and the steel fabrication business. Unfortunately, upon the death of the patriarch, the businesses collapsed in the 1990s, brought down by a repressive political regime, liberalization, and most of all—festering family feud. The messages of Rizal, once inscribed in the company’s own ads, apparently have all been forgotten.

200. A FRIENDLY NEW YEAR REMINDER FROM FIRESTONE, 1954

FIRESTONE Tire and Rubber Co., the company that built all sorts of rubber and pneumatic tires from wagons to modern automobiles and motorbikes, has been around since 1900, named after its founder, Harvey Firestone. Firestone started the company in Akron, Ohio, which, incidentally was also home to its major competitor, Goodyear.

As he was a good friend of automobile maker, Henry Ford, he began supplying the Ford Motor Co. with his rubber and tire products. It found a ready market all over the world, including in the Philippines. A subsidiary, FIRESTONE Tire and Rubber Co. P.I. was put up in post-war Philippines to meet the growing needs of the driving public.

Then, as now, motorbikes were a cheaper transportation alternative, and many Filipinos rode them to commute on our national roads. Accidents were bound to happen even then—as our few roads, streets and avenues were beginning to be crowded and clogged with traffic.

Sixty five years ago,  FIRESTONE had this corporate ad published in leading magazines and newspapers, that not only welcomed the New Year but  also served as a public service announcement to the riding public.

“Let’s be extra careful this New Year, folks!” the headline proclaimed, this, ironically, coming from a boy in boots,  astride a motorbike outfitted with FIRESTONE tires---too young even to secure a driving license!

In 1988, the company was sold to the Japanese Bridgestone Corporation. The company in the Philippines was re-organized nearly 20 years later, returning as Philippine Allied Enterprises Corporation (PAEC), has which now distributes Bridgestone tire products.

SOURCES:

http://bridgestonetires.com.ph/corporate/about-firestone

199. A FRIENDLY NEW YEAR REMINDER FROM UNILAB, 1965

Amidst all the holiday feasting, wining and dining, UNILAB extended its wish of good health to Filipinos through this corporate ad from 1965.

United Laboratories Inc. was put up in 1945 by Jose Yao Campos and Mariano K. Tan as United Drug Co. Today,Unilab  is a leading pharmaceutical company, maker of the biggest prescription, consumer healthcare and personal care brands in the Philippines. It actively advertising in the late 1950s, after its state-of-the art headquarters housing its laboratories and research center was established in Mandaluyong.

Whether at Christmas time or at any other time, UNILAB is one with your doctor in fighting disease and illness, so you could have good health and well-being all year round.

147. MISS CALTEX 1962-1970: A Corporate Beauty-Personality Contest of Caltex Philippines

MISS CALTEX was one of the most successful corporate event mounted by Caltex, producing 

winners who were all acclaimed for their beauty, personality and achievements. This 1963 batch 

of finalists include the eventual winner, Elsa Payumo,

One of the most prestigious and successful corporate events of the ‘60s decade is the search for MISS CALTEX PHILIPPINES, the brand ambassador of one of the leading oil and gas companies of the Philippines. It was designed primarily to promote Caltex Philippines and make it more accessible and familiar with the general public, by giving the company a beautiful face, and an amiable, articulate voice.

Running for eight long years, the MISS CALTEX quest was looked at as among the prestigious beauty searches in the country, known for attracting ladies of good standing in society, student achievers, career professionals and daughters of de buena familia.

Eligible to join are single women over 21 years of age,  5’2” or more, Filipino citizens with at least 2 years of college education, and of upstanding character. They should also not be related to any Caltex dealer, and free to travel and participate in all Caltex-sponsored activities.

The premium image of the contest was also due to its array of fabulous prizes, which includes foreign and local trips aboard American President Lines,  and via intrenail airlines like Air France, and Thai Airways. Semi-finalists were flown in free, courtesy of Philippine Airlines.

Cash prizes were much bigger than other pageants, for the winners also received savings accounts from Philippine Banking Corp.  For example, the first MISS CALTEX winner romped off with a cash price of Php 5,000 in 1962, a tidy sum at that time. The finalists were given free wardrobe, a monthly allowance of Php 500, travel insurance, appliances and jewelry pieces.

1965 MISS CALTEX SEARCH AD,

The Coronation Night was televised from the ABS Studios along Dewy Boulevard, and later at Makati’s Rizal Theater was conducted with class,  pageantry and with musical extravaganza. The winner was determined by  public voting through the use of newspaper coupons—which pre-dated today’s audience text voting. The last two editions had a distinguished panel of judges which picked the winner. It was no wonder then that MISS CALTEX rivaled the mainstream pageants of their time, including the premiere Bb. Pilipinas Pageant that began in 1964.

 

FIRST MISS CALTEX 1962, Mila Amunategui,

The very first MISS CALTEX 1962 search yielded 5 finalists: Esther Zuluaga, Mila Amunategui, Tessie Lizaso, Shirley Cuyugan and Maggie dela Riva. First Lady Luz Magsaysay crowned the eventual winner-Mila Amunategui (now Abad, she would have a long career as a top Philippine Airlines executive).

 

1963 MISS CALTEX, Elsa Payumo, center.

Elsa Payumo was crowned MISS CALTEX 1963, singled out from co-finalists Lina Iñigo (now, Winebrenner, former Bayanihan dancer and PR girl), Vicky Trinidad, Amparito Llamas (now Lhuiller) and Henrietta Silos (now Mendez, former MTRCB chair). Payumo would work for many years in the travel industry; she is now involved with a religious/healing ministry.

 

1964 MISS CALTEX, Amelia Reyes.

MISS CALTEX 1964, was U.P. Foreign Service graduate Amelia “Ammy” Reyes, who won over Cecile Espiritu, Leticia Gonzales, Carmen Araneta and Hortencia Cacho.

1965 MISS CALTEX, Susan Suarez, with finalists.

 MISS CALTEX 1965 was Susan Suarez, who polled close to 600 million points, a contest record. Other finalists included Elnora Conanan, Wilhelmina Dulla, Maria Victoria Pamintuan (now Celdran, mother of David and Carlos Celdran)  and Gladys Baban. The finales were held at the posh Rizal Theater in Makati.

 

1966 MISS CALTEX, Cecilia Borja, 3rd from left.

Cagayan de Oro’s Cecilia Borja (now Chiongbian, won the MISS CALTEX 1966 title, ahead of Lourdes Ledesma, Maria Cristina del Gallego, Rosky Balahadia (a Bayanihan dancer soloist) and Marilyn Recio (who would become a successful PR executive).

 

1966 MISS CALTEX FINALISTS, in a Lady's Choice ad.

Barbara Cervantes of faraway Surigao del Norte emerged as MISS CALTEX 1967, outpointing Clavel Asas, Fenny Cantero (now Mrs. Kit Tatad), Mary Lou Kessel and Medalla Macariola.

 

1968 MISS CALTEX, Aurora Patricio

MISS CALTEX 1968 was the statuesque Aurora Patricio, a U.S.T cum laude graduate,  who competed alongside Rosario Cervantes, Elizabeth Dinglasan, Ma. Elena Domingo and Mary Ann Ojeda.

 

1969 MISS CALTEX, Amy Gustilo

For the first time, a jury that included former Miss International Gemma Cruz MISS CALTEX 1969, won by Amy Gustilo (now Lopez,  a Christian music composer).  Other finalists were Mary Ellen Rutherford, Marilyn Tan, Maria Carmen Lopez and Corito Rivera. Gustilo donated all her cash prize and everything she earned from her one-year reign for the education of  poor Ifugao children in Bontoc.

 

THE LAST MISS CALTEX 1970, Zenaida Benedicto, foreground, with Igorot headband.

Zenaida Benedicto (now congresswoman, wife of Harry Angping, former Philippine Sports Commission chair) has the distinction of becoming the last MISS CALTEX 1970. Other finalists were Nina Lim, Yasmin Kiram (a Muslim princess) , Emilie Tiongson and Ma. Luisa Matti (mother of actress Amanda Page.

By then, the novelty of using pageants was wearing off. All sorts of beauty contests—including corporate titles--proliferated, which followed the beauty-cum-personality formula. The cost of mounting the annual promotional events was also staggering. Also, the victories of Gloria Diaz and Aurora Pijuan in international pageantry overshadowed that of MISS CALTEX. The contest was discontinued, but the image that MISS CALTEX left behind—that of being the most prestigious, most highly-regarded pageant based on the quality of contestants alone—remain as its best legacy. 

SOURCES:

AMY GUSTILO PHOTO (Miss Caltex 1969): https://ichoosehappynow.wordpress.com/tag/amy-gustilo-lopez/

Sunday Times Magazine, Nov. 14, 1969

142. BANK OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, “Heritage”, 1983

In 1983, the corporate campaign of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) , which traced the bank’s rich, historic past that includes  the distinction as being the first bank in the Islands—was launched amidst much fanfare, glowing reviews and a sense of pride.

The centerpiece material was an incredible TV commercial, part of an ambitious “Heritage” campaign that brings to focus the impressive 123 year heritage of the country’s first and largest bank. SS&C Lintas Worldwide-Manila, led by creative head Richard Gerardini,  was tasked to do the campaign that took all of 6 months to plan--from Dec. 1981 to June 1982.

 

BPI GIRL NIKKI PRIETO, Now a Tarlac congressman, wife of former 
presidential candidate and former Sec, of Defense, Gilbert Teodoro.

As the commercial included many period scenes, locations were scouted all over the Philippines. The location crew went to Vigan for a look-see, but the old houses were all whitewashed and the roads asphalted, so the search shifted to the south—and thankfully, Nasugbu and Taal—old Batangas towns—were chosen. The streets were dressed up to look like Pasig and Binondo, during the 1900s American period. The featured actors, the supporting cast and the extras were all costumed by leading production designer and wardrobe expert, Laida Lim Perez.

Casting was another major challenge.  Most of the talents were recruited by Mad Gallaga (wife of film director Peque Gallaga) who assembled name stars like Joel Torre (fresh from “Oro, Plata, Mata”) and Ronnie Lazaro, to take part in the ad, along with local townsfolk who portrayed farmers, fishermen and vendors.

The casting of the BPI Girl was another matter—the agency team wanted someone who has not appeared in any magazine cover or commercial, and the client wanted an embodiment of class, chic and timeless mystique. Monica Louise “Nikki” Prieto (now Teodoro, a  Tarlac congressman and wife of Gilbert Teodoro), then an international marketing student from a Swiss university, was the final choice.  But her school schedule allowed her only 10 days of leave—so the shooting of the 60 sec. commercial couldn’t go beyond 2 weeks. Prieto was promptly sent her round-trip tickets so she could come home for the Philippine shooting.

 

ACTORS JOEL TORRE & RONNIE LAZARO, gamely joined the
TV commercial cast.

The multi-awarded Image Films, Inc., one of the most experienced and prestigious production houses in the country was given the blue chip BPI assignment. Gen. Manager Amar Gambol contacted Pio de Castro III for the directorial job.  De Castro, who had been shooting films for10 years, was mentored by National Artist Gerry de Leon. 

DIRECTOR PIO DE CASTRO III (+) . He would be honored by the
Creative Guild of the Ph. with a posthulous Lifetime Achievement Award.

His credentials not only include internationally-awarded ads (PBM Steel “A Nation is Growing”, Kodak “Times of Your Life”) but also mainstream films like “Soltero”, and “Ina, Kasusuklaman Ba Kita?”. Commissioned to compose the jingle music was no less than Jose Mari Chan.

LISTEN TO BPI  HERITAGE TVC 

"Cherished Part of Me" Jingle Here:

The filming took up to 12 days of hard work, and every single day had its own challenge. Billboards and electric wirings had to be taken down or camouflaged with tree branches and cadena de amor vines, and whole rowhouses in Taal had to be whitewashed in Taal to reflect the look of the era. 

WATCH THE BPI 'HERITAGE' TVC HERE:

A town Marian procession with lit carrozas  had to be staged. And even Nikki Prieto’s modern girl gait had to be toned down to reflect the demureness of an early 20^th century Filipina. Where an average 60 sec. ad cost about Php 200,000 to produce in the 1980s, the bill for the BPI ad cost up to several times more.

But everything was worth the wait, and the laborious hours that went into the final crafting the TV ad. When BPI president Xavier Loinaz previewed the film, he instantly fell in love with it. When the “Heritage” TVC aired in early 1983, it was hailed for its epic proportions, Filipino theme, technical and production design excellence,  and a memorable tuneful score. These significant impressions were not lost in the next Philippine Advertising Congress Awards as “Heritage” won a slew of technical and craftsmanship awards.

CREDITS:

AD AGENCY: SSC Lintas: Manila

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Richard Genardini

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Bing Baloy

ART DIRECTOR: Olive Mestidio

PRODUCTION: Image Films, Inc.

DIRECTOR: Pio de Castro III

CASTING: Mady Gallaga

PRODUCTION DESIGN: Laida Lim Perez

JINGLE COMPOSER: Jose Mari Chan

SOURCES:ISLANDS, a publication of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, vol. 1 no. 2, “Heritage: The Making of a Commercial, by Ma. Socorro Naguit, pp. 25-28.  July 1983.