548. Soft as a Pillow: SCOTTISSUE Toilet Paper, Ads 1960s-80s

Soft, Gentle SCOTTISUE Print Ad, 1967

SCOTT PAPER CO. was the first to put toilet paper on a roll, devised by 2 brothers, Clarence and E. Irvin Scott in 1890. The product outsold Gayetty’s medicated sheets, and the brothers—upon seeing the success of their toilet paper—cast aside their initial shame about the nature of their business—and began branding their toilet tissue with their name in 1913. 

Good as your Imagination, SCOTTISSUE Print Ad, 1974

By 1925, Scott Paper Co. became the leading toilet paper company in the world. In the 1960s, it operated in the Philippines and marketed the SCOTTISSUE brand. Kimberly-Clark Corporation acquired the company in 1995.

Pillow Softness, SCOTTISSUE Print Ad, 1980

513. POND'S: "Secrets of a Beautiful Face" Campaign, 1975-1976

RIO DIAZ, Sister of Miss Universe Gloria Diaz. Showbiz personality.

The 1975-76 "Secrets of a Beautiful Face" ad campaign for Chesebrough POND's was conceived and executed  by its local agency, J. Walter Thompson Phils. It brought together a diverse group of women who shared their personal secrets on how they achieved their flawless complexions--which included the use of POND's for their everyday facial care. 

CHARITO SOLIS, 1967 Asia's Best Actress for "Dahil sa Isang Bulaklak"

EVA REYES. Beauty queen. Miss Philippines 1972, Miss World Semifinalist.

JACKIE LOU BLANCO, Teen showbiz talent, daughter of Pilita Corrales.

CZARINA ZARAGOZA, Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 1968. Musical artist.

410. Brand Stories: DR. WEST’S TOOTHBRUSH, Philippine Ads 1929-1961

AN EARLY 1929 DR. WEST'S TOOTHBRUSH Print Ad, Graphic Magazine

DR. WEST’S –a name that originated from West Products Company--became a byword in dental hygiene when, in 1938, the company introduced the world’s first nylon toothbrush—the DR. WEST’S Miracle Tuft Tootbrush. But the globally popular brand was already in existence since 1921,  when the Chicago-based company, launched its DR. WEST’S Toothbrush with the health curve, that follows the curved angles of the mouth for better cleaning. These toothbrushes and their subsequent variants were known and sold  as WESCO Products.

1924 DR. WEST'S with Health Curve

Less than a decade after its introduction, DR. WEST’S Toothbrush brands were being sold in the Philippines, available at local druggists. These early toothbrushes were still being made with ”choice, carefully-selected bristles” from animal hair, like boars and pigs.

1929 DR. WEST'S TOOTHBRUSH Philippine Ad

The West Products Company changed all that in 1938, when it launched the orange coloured, medium size, Dr. WEST’S Miracle Tuft Toothbrush. Originally released in February 1938, this toothbrush was the first successful commercial application of nylon, marketed as the DuPont 'Exton' bristle.

DR. WEST'S GERM-FIGHTER AD, 1959

In October 1938, the West Products Company, Chicago rolled out  an intensive national advertising campaign for its new toothbrush with the Dupont-made synthetic bristles. The ads communicated 4 benefits:  ‘No bristle shedding, 100 percent waterproofed, longer life, greater cleaning power.’ The value of oral hygiene was underscored when DR. WEST’S Toothbrushes were included in the personal kits of soliders  who served during World War II.

DR. WEST'S Color Ad, 1961

When WECO's exclusive franchise with Dupont  on the use of the bristles expired in 1940, other manufacturers began to make nylon bristled toothbrushes. By the 1950s, almost 80% of all toothbrushes had synthetic bristles. DR. WEST’s Tootbrushes were advertised until the 1960s in Philippine magazines.  The 1961 colored ad played up on the different color handles available to make brushing with the germ-fighting DR. WEST’S Toothbrush more fun and appealing.

There is no information available about the closure of the West Products Co. business,  Today, there are Dr. West (not West’s) toothbrushes being made in China and Oman, but these are not in any way, connected with the original DR. WEST’S Toothbrush of West Products Co.

SOURCES:

1924 Dr. West’s print Ad, ebay.com

Dr. West’s ad,  Life Magazine ,Nov. 21, 1938 issue.

History of the Modern Toothbrush, by White Dental Studio | Oct 12, 2015 |, https://mywhitedental.com/toothbrush-history/

237. Brand Stories: MODESS® Sanitary Napkin of Johnson & Johnson, 1962-1969

MODESS SANITARY NAPKINS, Intro Ad, 1963.

MODESS Sanitary Napkins was the result of a joint project of Johnson & Johnson Phils. and Metro Drug Corp., an alliance that aimed to produce a viable, attractively priced sanitary protection pads. The company they formed was called Philippine Medical Products (PMP) which manufactured the personal care product, MODESS.

The product concept itself was not conceived locally, but the subsequent improvements and innovations were led and developed by a team from J&J Phils. which enabled MODESS to achieve a high level of success in the Asian region.

But when it was officially launched in 1962, MODESS floundered, due to poor distribution and absence of advertising.  The joint venture ended and PMP was taken over by the local J&J company in 1964.

When MODESS  was finally advertised, its advertising agency, Ace-Compton, created some of the more memorable ads that began in 1969 with the “Dare Wear White” campaign. The campaign dares women to wear white during their period, as a test of the product’s new feature—“Blu Plasti-Shield” to absorb and protect.

 

PROTECTS AS IT ABSORBS, 1964

Parallel campaigns were also undertaken to converting traditional “pasador” (cloth pads) users into modern sanitary pad users. The TVC, which featured Gloria Sevilla and teen daughter Nadja Veloso, pointed out  the many inconveniences of using cloth pasadors versus using MODESS. “Laba..Kula…Plantsa---hassle!”, complains the teener. However, instead of shifting to MODESS, the market  shifted to cheaper pads.

With the business in doldrums, the head office pondered over the possibility of  closing the feminine protection line of J&J. But the local organization persevered and recommended to put up a line of sanitary napkins  made with locally-produced “non-woven” raw materials. 

PROTECTED BY MODESS, 1966 AD.

This proposal was given a go-signal, thus  J&J Phils. became the first affiliate in Asia to produce its own non-woven material requirements (which gave a cooler feeling unlike the “hot” Plasti-Shield of MODESS), which also made pads more affordable.

J&J introduced the product under the STAYFREE brand in 1975. A year later, a locally-developed beltless version of the MODESS was launched. These two products were well-received by the market and eventually became market leaders.

 

DARE WEAR WHITE SERIES, 1969

In a casting coup, J&J got reigning superstar Nora Aunor to appear in a new Beltless MODESS campaign that kept the “dare wear white” execution. In the end shot of the popular TVC, Aunor, resplendent in a white wedding gown, glances at her behind and say “ Sa MODESS ko lang ibibigay ang aking matamis na…OO”.

The Philippine-developed MODESS Beltless Sanitary napkin even went on to being successfully launched in other Asian countries. Today, MODESS has evolved further to offer a range of sanitary protection that caters to specific needs, with a younger target audience in mind.

SOURCE:

TRANSFORMATIONAL IDEAS: https://www.jnj.com.ph/about-jnj/company-history/healthcare-innovation

185. Brand Stories: PARKER QUINK, 1931

PARKER QUINK, Ad, 1957

Before the ballpens took over, fountain pens were standard writing instruments in the Philippines, used in schools, offices, and for signing important documents. Fountain pens were filled up with ink—and one dominant brand that would become a staple import from the 40s through the 60s was Parker QUINK.

The brand name QUINK is a coined term that combines “quick” and “ink”, and was first introduced in March 1931, by the Parker Pen Company. It was developed for the company by chemist  Galen Sayler of Miner Laboratories, in Chicago.

The general-purpose ink was an instant success, as it had superior ink flow, water-resistant, and true to its name, it was quick-drying. Its formula included an exclusive additive known as “Solv-X”, which eliminated clogging. QUINK was supported by massive advertising. And by the time it reached the Philippines in the 1950s, it had become a household name.

QUINK was imported from the U.S., and its Philippine representative, Carbonell & Co. Inc, marketed and distributed the product in the 1950s. Other distributor-manufacturers included Exclusive Distributors Corp .of Makati, and  H. G. Henares & Sons, Inc. in 1961. It was available in Blue, Black, Blue Black. Red, Green, and Turquoise Blue colors.

PARKER QUINK, Ad, 1957

Did a Filipino Invent QUINK?

For many years, it was believed that a certain Francisco Quisumbing, a U.S-educated Filipino botanist, was instrumental in inventing QUINK, and that his name inspired the product brand name (QUIsumbing INK).  Parker records, however, showed that no such person worked with the company.

QUINK New Improved Formula PRINT AD, 1960

But there was indeed a Francisco A. Quisumbing, a 1914 U.P. chemical engineering graduate who also earned a Ph.D. from Columbia Univeristy in 1921.This Quisumbing founded Quisumbing Inc. Products which supplied Philippine government bureaus with ink.There is no concrete evidence nor reliable documentation  that he had something to do with  QUINK. When QUINK was later manufactured in the Philippines under license from Parker, all the bottled products were properly marked with the Parker name.

QUINK, 1965 AD.

The reign of the fountain pen ends.

Fountain pen use waned in the 60s, as ballpens became more convenient alternatives. Prized today for their collectible value and status, they are still being manufactured in by Parker, including reproductions of classic designs—like the Parker 51 which was thought to use only QUINK. After 87 years, QUINK continues to be produced today, an indelible part of the history of written communications the world over.

SOURCES:
wikipedia: Quink Ink
ebay.com

175. Who’s The Fairest of them All? LY-NA vs. SAN-ING (1981-1990)

LY-NA and SAN-ING set the standards for Asian whiteness in the Philippines, 1981, 1990 ads.

Before the glutathiones and metathiones of this world took over the face and body whitening market at the start of the new millennium, there were two products that found favor among Filipinas in the 1980s and 90s and which set standards insofar as superior whitening of complexion was concerned: LY-NA and SAN-ING.

Filipinos have been obsessed with white skin  and the advantage of having fairer complexion became more evident when Caucasians—the Spaniards and Americans—came over.  The mestizo society enjoyed more advantages than brown-skinned Pinoys, as can be gleaned even in the country’s showbiz scene where mestizos and mestizas ruled the silver screen, that is before Nora Aunor burst into the scene in the 60s.

LY-NA Product Line-Up Ad, 1990.

LY-NA was the older of the two brands, introduced in 1980. In fact, a whole line was introduced—LY-NA Medicated Pearl Paste for whitening, Medicated Cream for reducing blemishes and wrinkles, and Nourishing Cream for livelier skin. Woei Meei Hih Chemical Industrial Co. (Wei Mai Li Chemical Mfg. Col. Ltd.in later ads) of Taipei, Taiwan, imported by LY-NA (Philippines) and distributed by Pagoda Philippines.

Chinese of old have always upheld the beauty of white skin, a quality associated with  royalty and elegance. This Oriental kind of whiteness became aspirational for Filipinas when they discovered LY-NA.

LY-NA Ad, 1990

Initially, the LY-NA line promised a generic benefit—the user will be rewarded with a “fresh, petal-smooth complexion”. To the company‘s surprise, Filipinas gravitated to the LY-NA Medicated Pearl Paste for its whitening power, and the promotion thus shifted to this one product which became LY-NA’s flagship brand.

The Oriental whiteness was dimensionalized as “Pearl Skin”, but it was the “Kutis-LY-NA” descriptor that took off. At its peak, LY-NA had a successful contest on the top-rating Channel 7 program, “Eat Bulaga”--“Mag-Inang Kutis LY-NA”, a mother-daughter beauty contest.

SAN-ING featured well-known beauty celebrities likeMonina Tan. 1990

Meanwhile, Summerville General Merchandising And Co belatedly introduced SAN-ING Skin products in 1990. By then, LY-NA’s core skin-whitening market was well-established. Although SAN-ING also had its own SAN-ING Medicated Pearl Cream, the company opted not to fight LY-NA head-on and positioned itself as a a total skincare line—“for stunningly soft, smooth skin”. Perhaps, it was also SAN-ING’s  hope  that like with LY-NA, Pinays will also discover  their own SAN-ING pearl cream and its whitening merits.

Actress-singer CRISTINA GONZALES pushed San-Ing Soap. 1990.

Today, of course, LY-NA and SAN-ING are still in the market but are not as aggressively marketed and promoted.  Advanced whitening technology has spawned newer, more effective whitening and bleaching products in many forms (tablets, capsules, serums ) and for specific body parts (armpits, knees and elbows), manufactured by established major beauty and cosmetics companies.

RITA AVILA, was discovered for the movies thru this San-Ing ad. 1990.

129. KATIALIS AND BALATKINIS: A Tale of Two Ointments and the Brothers that Created Them.

KATIALIS, formulated by Dr. Lorenzo Reyes, B&W print ad, 1946.

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 available in small jars, and was one of the first medicine brands advertised as being Philippine-made. Its whimsical ads showed allegorical figures like angels, biblical characters (the 3 Kings, for instance, bearing KATIALIS jars as gifts) and wild animals (to represent various skin ailments). After over 80 years, KATIALIS is still available in the market today. 

BALATKINIS, formulated by Dr. Manuel C. Reyes, B&W print ad, 1948

After concocting Katialis for 10 years for his brother, Manuel struck it on his own and came up with a copycat brand, BALATKINIS  in 1947. Like KATIALIS, the new BALATKINIS was guaranteed to effectively remove “galis, buni, pigsa, tagihawat, butlig, anan, pekas, alipunga, sugat na maliliit at kagat ng hayop tlad ng lamok, surot, pulgas, atbp.”

BALATKINIS also had its share of print advertising, going as far as capitalizing on the fact that its maker is the same Manuel C. Reyes, ”na sa loob ng 10 taon ay siya rin ang gumawa ng Katialis (pormula ni Dr. L. C. Reyes). Despite following the same marketing formula of the pioneering skin ointment, BALATKINIS did not quite take off, and failed to replicate KATIALIS’ pedigree of success.

127. Brand Names That Became Everyday Pinoy Words #4: CUTEX

CUTEX AD, Detail from a ca. 1960 ad.

In the nail-painting craze of the 60s, the word CUTEX became a generic term for nail polish products. It became such a dominant name in the Philippine nail care market that all nail polishes were called “CUTEX”.  When someone asked, “What’s your Cutex brand?”, he or she  actually meant—“what is your nail polish brand?”.

The beginnings of CUTEX could be traced back to 1911 when the Northam Warren Co, of Connecticut developed its first ever nail care prouct-- a cuticle remover. 

Three years later, it created the first nail tints to color fingernails. Using pigments developed from automobile paints, the product evolved into the CUTEX Liquid Nail Polish. Prior to this, ladies prettified their nails using paste or powder tints. Other nail polish manufacturers would follow suit, and by 1925  virtually all nail polishes came in liquid forms.

 

CUTEX AD, ca. 1960

A major breakthrough happened in 1928 when CUTEX launched a nail polish remover with acetone as base ingredient. The product proved to be such a hit, so it was sold alongside CUTEX nail polishes.

CUTEX products became available in the Philippines in the 1930s, a decade that saw the introduction of new innovations—the gentler, nail conditioning “CUTEX Oily Polish Remover” , and a more opaque, glossier nail polish cream (1934). CUTEX Polish Foundation- the first nail treatment product that resulted in chip-free nails with longer-lasting finish—was introduced in 1938.

 

CUTEX MANICURE SET, pPrint Ad, Graphic magazine, 1936.

It is no wonder that CUTEX became the world’s best-selling nail care brand for many decades. The brand was highly advertised in beauty- conscious Philippines, and print ads regularly came out from the 1930s thru the 1980s. Its heyday was in the 1960s when the company was bought by Chesebrough Pond’s.

 

CHONA RECTO-KASTEN, for CUTEX. 1957

The CUTEX dominance was seriously threatened by a Japanese brand—Caronia, which invested heavily on TV advertising and made gains in the 1970s-80s. Eventually, CUTEX gave way to younger, newer brands. It remained available on store shelves, however, although it was not marketed as aggressively as Caronia and other fast-rising nail care brands, which led to its being viewed as a somewhat passé , with an old image.

 

PEARL CUTEX, 1955

It was only in 2010 that CUTEX marketing was restored and intensified once more,  mostly through digital and online platforms. This was after the product was acquired by Arch Equity Partners, in September 2010. 

CUTEX NAIL POLISH REMOVER AD, 1986.

Despite several transfers of ownerships and the changing landscape of the beauty business, CUTEX Nail Polishes continue to be an indispensable partner of today’s generation of Filipinas who want to nail their look right—from their fingers to their toes!!

125. Casting Coup: POND’S ELITE PRINT AD MODELS (1957-1961)

POND’S, the skincare cream that has been beautifying and protecting women’s complexions in an ever-changing world for over 150 years now was the creation of American pharmacist, Theron Pond. In 1846, he developed the Pond’s Extract, with a unique tea extract from witch hazel that helped restore skin damage below the surface.

POND’S became the world’s first skincare brand during a critical time in the 1940s , when women assumed more  jobs as the men went to war.  

Breakthrough products introduced during this period include POND’S Cold Cream, the world’s first moisturizer not to require refrigeration, and POND’Ss Vanishing Cream, which made women’s skin soft, supple and dewy.

POND’S Company was merged in 1955 with the Chesebrough Manufacturing Co., which already had an extensive line-up of facial care products. 

POND’S Cold Cream and Vanishing Cream were introduced to the Philippine market, to great reception. The imported products were sought after by Filipinas who wanted to try the product “used by world’s loveliest women”.

In an effort to support this aspirational need, POND’S employed the most elite women in high society to appear in its print as—a list that included a former First Lady, a senator’s wife and daughter, a future female senator, a statesman’s daughter and many more. 

It was a casting coup that made waves in the marketing circle at that time, and these vintage print ads show why POND’S advertising was way ahead of its time:

Model: CHONA RECTO KASTEN, Fashion Icon, Daughter of Sen. Claro M. Recto

Maria Priscilla “Chona” Recto Kasten (b. 5 Feb. 1922)  is the youngest daughter of eminent statesman, jurist , poet and nationalist Claro Mayo Recto. Chona became a fashion icon and a sought-after model for her beauty and breeding. She was first married to Johnny Ysmael  with whom she had 4 children, Johnny Jr., Techie, Ramoncito and Louie. Johnny Sr. passed away in 1952, and Chona remarried soon after to American businessman, Hans Kasten, with whom he had a son Hansi.  Chona died in April 4, 1987.

Model: CHUCHAY TUASON, Miss Philippines 1958

Carmen Remedios Tuason was a young debutante when she was crowned Miss Philippines 1958. She failed to go that year’s Miss Universe contest due to her parents’ disapproval. Instead, she attended  the 1958 Brussel’s World’s Fair. A champion bridge player, Tuason has represented the country in many international bridge competitions. Maried to Luciano La Guardia with whom she has a son, Antonguillo.

Model: EVA ESTRADA-KALAW, Stateswoman, 2-Term Senator of the Philippines

Evangelina Estrada Kalaw (b. June 16, 1920) of Murcia,  Tarlac, was a UP Education graduate who had dabbled in theater arts as a student. She  first entered politics in 1953 when she campaigned for Nacionalista presidential candidate  Ramon Magsaysay, who won against incumbent president Elpidio Quirino.  She was elected as a Senator and served two terms under Ferdinand Marcos (1965-72) . Eva Estrada married Teodoro Kalaw, Jr., in 1944, and had four children: 3 sons and a daughter, Chingbee. Kalaw passed away at age 96 on May 25, 2017.

MARIA EVA “CHING BEE” KALAW, who appears with her in this Pond’s ad, is a commerce graduate of Assumption College.  Married first to Dini Manotoc, and later to Bobby Cuenca, she has 4 sons. She heads Rite Management and Financial Corporation is also a member of the  Management Association of  the Philippines’ committee of agribusiness and countryside development.

 Model: LUZ BANZON-MAGSAYSAY. Seventh First Lady of the Philippines
The wife of Philippine president Ramon Magsaysay was born Luz Rosauro Banzon on June 25, 1915 in Balanga, Bataan. She had 3 children with the president: Teresita, Mila and Ramon Jr. With the death of Magsaysay in a plane crash in 1957, she became a widow at age 41 years old when President Magsaysay died in an aeroplane crash in 1957, three years. She led a quiet life, and dedicated herself to the preservation of her husband's memory and legacy. She died on August 17, 2004 and is considered one of the most respected First Ladies the country every had.

Model: LILY DE LAS ALAS-PADILLA, Wife of Sen. Ambrosio Padilla

Considered as one of the most stylish beauties if her time, Lily de las Alas was  the daughter of Senator Antonio De Las Alas of Taal, Batangas. She married Ambrosio “Paddy” Padilla, a former basketball Olympian who was elected to the Senate  from 1957 -1972. The De Las Alas-Padilla couple have 10 children: 6 boys and 4 girls, one of whom—Josine—appeared with her in a POND’s ad.

JOSIE PADILLA, the beautiful Padilla daughter, was a popular campus figure and teen society figure in the late 50s. She married Harvard-educated Ernest Rufino, a scion of one of the country’s old rich families, in 1963. Their children are: Lyra, Joysie, Lui, Ysabel, Ernie and Victor Rufino.

VIRGINIA LLAMAS ROMULO, of Pagsanjan was a student of the progressive Philippine Women's College when she was named Queen of the Manila Carnival 1922. At her Grecian-themed coronation, she was escorted by a young editor and U.P. graduate, Carlos P. Romulo. The two eventually became husband and wife.  Romulo, went on to become a well-respected diplomat, a Pulitzer prize winning author, first Asian President of the United Nations General Assembly, and Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Virginia passed away at age 67 on 22 January 1968. In life, as in death, she was recognized as one of the greatest Filipino women of modern times.

SOURCE:

PONDkipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pond%27s

various issue of Sunday Times Magazine 1957-1961