73. Brand Icon: Alaska Milk’s ALASKA BOY (MICHAEL UYTENGSU)

MICHAEL UYTENGSU, was widely believed to be the model of the "Alaska Boy" on the paper label
of the popular Alaska Milk, introduced in the early 1970s,by Holland Milk International, a company established by Michael's father, Wilfredo Uytengsu Sr.

In the early 70s, the Holland Milk Products Inc., a partnership between General Milling Corp. and the Dutch-based Holland Canned Milk International, was established by business magnate Wilfredo Uytengsu Sr. The first product the new company manufactured was a canned filled milk brand called ALASKA MILK.

ALASKA MILK came in tin cans and featured an illustrated close-up picture of a smiling, fair-haired boy in a blue turtle neck on the paper label. The face of the so-called ‘Alaska Boy” would soon become a familiar brand icon, his pleasant looks ingrained in the national consciousness,  helping transform the newbie brand into a formidable player in the Philippine milk market.

WATCH THE ALASKA MILK "CISCO OLIVER"

TVC 30s here:

The success of the brand was propelled by an aggressive advertising campaign bannered by the slogan “Wala pa ring tatalo sa ALASKA!” and an unforgettable 1974 TV commercial featuring the 1970 NBA draft Israel “Cisco” Oliver who played in the very first season of  the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) . The 6’6” cager was challenged by a young, Alaska Milk-drinking kid, Michael Uytengsu, the son of  Wilfredo Sr., in a “One on One” basketball challenge.

SOO, SON OF OWNER, MICHAEL UYTENGSU in the "One-on-One"
Alaska TVC with Cisco Oliver. 1974.

Michael Uytengsu was also featured prominently in ALASKA MILK print ads, alongside milk cans of both filled milk and condensed milk variants.  People began noticing the striking similarities between the boy on the label and Michael, giving rise to a widely believed story that he is the same “Alaska Boy” on the product label.

ALASKA MILK PRINT AD. Woman's Home Companion. 1975.

Of course, they were two different “people”.  Alaska Milk  Corp., in its website, would clarify the story: “The Alaska boy on the label of some of the Alaska Milk products is an artist’s rendition of a fictional character with brown/ blond hair and blue eyes. This trademark device came with the purchase of the Alaska milk brand from Holland Milk Products Inc (Netherlands). All trademark owners of the Alaska brand use an Alaska boy on their label though the rendition may differ depending on the country”.

THE ALASKA MILK BOY MODEL IS ALSO THE DAISY MILK BOY.
 A tetra-packed flavored milk product produced by his father's company.

ALASKA MILK was not the only milk brand that Michael Uytengsu endorsed, he also did print ads for Daisy Milk, a read-to-drink milk brand also from Holland Milk, that came in tetra packs. Eventually, her sister Candice, became the solo model in Daisy Milk’s TV ads.

Michael briefly became the real face of another product--Alaska Quick Cooking White Oats. The product, however was short-lived.

MICHAEL UYTENGSU, today, is a U.S. resident and has a thrivinng
luxury wine business.

In the end, it was only the  “One-on-One” ALASKA MILK commercial of Michael Uytengsu that would attain national fame, now considered a classic in Philippine advertising history.

Sources:

http://www.alaskamilk.com/v2/about-alaska/faqs/

https://news.usc.edu/62091/michael-uytengsu-gift-supports-usc-marshall-students-facilities/

http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php/Wilfred_Steven_Uytengsu,_Sr.

youtube video: Uploaded by Josh Howard, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3F-20ld720,

69. LILET, IN COKE’S “TOMORROW’S PEOPLE” TVC (1987)

LILET, AND HER MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM COCA COLA. Print ad. 1987

In 1986, Coca-Cola launched a new international advertising campaign—“Tomorrow’s People”, which put the spotlight on young people as the “hope of the world”. Several countries were picked to have their own local version—like Peru, Colombia, Brazil, China, Korea, Japanese, Germany, Argentina, Portugal--and of course, the Philippines. When Coca-Cola embarked on a worldwide search for the lead singer of each country, Lilet’s voice tape was recommended for approval by the local Coke agency, McCann-Erickson Philippines.

LILET'S COKE TVC, English version, 1987

The rising teen star, a mainstay of the popular TV variety show, “That’s Entertainment”, was chosen to go to Liverpool, England to shoot the Philippine version of the popular Coke commercial. “Tomorrow’s People”, was shot in Liverpool over a period of 3 days.

Each country talent—in this case, Lilet-- started off the commercial, by singing the first few lines of the ‘anthem’—“I am the future of the world, I am the hope of my nation, I am tomorrow’s people, I am the new inspiration..”. Lilet was then joined by about a thousand young kids who were paid 96 pounds and given all the Coke they could drink.

LILET'S COKE TVC, Pilipino version

When the local version was aired in 1987, Lilet’s popularity soared. McCann-Erickson had to hurriedly shoot a second all-Filipino version of “Tomorrow’s People”, with the jingle translated in Pilipino. Hundreds of Filipino kids were assembled in an outdoor location to join Lilet, replicating the original English version.

 The idea of an international shooting for a local version of a campaign was something new and unexpected then. It used to be that the local agency just shot its own version, following the global ad, frame by frame. So Lilet’s commercial was met with much excitement and national pride.

TOMORROW HAS COME FOR LILET. Then, and Now.

Of course, rival Pepsi Cola followed suit with its “The Choice of the New Generation Campaign”, that followed the same formula, but this one, even better. In Pepsi’s case, an international star was assigned to perform with a local artist. For the Philippine version, rocker Gino Padilla was handpicked to sing with the legendary Tina Turner. But nobody can deny that Coca Cola’s “Tomorrow’s People” had more heart, with a sincere message delivered simply and memorably by the voices of the world’s youth, led by a Filipina teen, Lilet.

 Sources: 
youtube:
Coke Classic Filipino Ad, uploaded by ADman1909
Lilet and That Coke Advertisement, uploaded by Oliver Damian 

http://www.geocities.ws/muse_of_opm/Marielle_bluemuse.html

 Photos: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44530129

19. Relax Lang, Basta MARVEL!

Marvel is a detergent powder brand developed by Philippine Detergent Products, introduced sometime in 1967. Its claim to fame is that Marvel “cleans like magic”, allowing the housewife more time to relax.

 

MARVEL ‘RELAX LANG’. Nida Blanca and Elizabeth Ramsey
in a crowd pleaser spoofing Marvel’s introductory campaign theme.

The introductory campaign was created around the slogan “Relax Lang, Basta Marvel”, in a TVC starring the late comedienne Elizabeth Ramsey and Nida  Blanca.

From “Relax Lang” to “Ay, Mali!” –Marvel advertising keeps adding colorful phrases to the language of the man on the street. The “Ay, Mali” slogan has been directly responsible for the birth of a new television sitcom.

 

1972 MARVEL AD.

Another catchy, jingle-based TV was launched in the early 70s with “Basta Marvel, damit ay Marvelin!”, starring Moody Diaz, who portrayed Aling Otik in the popular sitcom, Tisoy.

CREDITS:

AGENCY: Atlas Marketing Promotions & Marketing Corp.

ADVERTISER: Philippine Detergent Products

16. Where Are They Now? That RTO Boy "Joey": RJ LEDESMA Jr.

One of the most popular characters ever to have emerged from 1980s soda advertising was the irrepressible “Joey”, a prepubescent boy on the threshold of discovering puppy love, peer pressure and juvenile angst.

Charming, quick-thinking and with the ability to get out of potential teen troubles, Joey  was the main character in the very successful  Royal Tru-Orange campaign that ran from 1987-1989. The campaign included a series of acclaimed TVCs featuring developed under the theme—“Ganito Talaga Ang Buhay” (That’s How Life Really Is)---that struck a chord among young people who related to Joey’s issue-management style—from handling his pushy barkadas, attracting the attention of his crush (Jenny) and other rites-of-passage challenges.

youtube credits: RJ Ledesma channel

Joey was ably played by Rene “RJ” Ledesma Jr., eldest son of real estate entrepreneur Rene Locsin Ledesma and Fortune Aleta, honorary consul of Monaco. The animated RJ was cast by Amy Salona of McCann who found his naturally bubbly personality perfect for the RTO campaign (after all, the tagline was—“Ikaw at Ako...Natural!”). The launch commercial, "Kuya" was directed by no less than Lino Brocka, and it would be followed by many other Joey episodes including "Teacher's Pet" and "Truth or Consequence". 

youtube credit: manilabackintheday's channel

However,his performance in  the “Mantika” TVC version,  was what endeared RJ to the young softdrink audience—and at the 1988 Creative Ad of the Year Awards, he was named as one of the Top Ten Best Commercial Models of the Year. The Radio version of "Mantika" was named Radio Ad of the Year. 

RJ LEDESMA AS AN ENTREPRENEUR,
EVENTS HOST, COLUMNIST, BOOK AUTHOR.
Source: http://philippineweddingscenes.com/743/rj-ledesma/

After his commercial modeling days were over, RJ finished his schooling and was employed briefly at Procter and Gamble Philippines as a brand manager. He left that job to work on events management, and became a sought-after host. He never  actually left the limelight as he also flirted with acting on TV and in the movies (Lastikman, Habang May Buhay, Magkaribal, Bride for Rent) and hosted educational and lifestyle shows such as Math-tinik, Tahanang Pinoy, The Men’s Room, Best Men.

RJ LEDESMA AS A BOOK AUTHOR.
To date, Ledesma has 5 published books based on his newspaper column on The Philippine Star.
Source: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8300/7970809792_175e97072e.jpg 

RJ finished his Masters of Science in Real Estate Development at the Maasachussets Institute of Technology and sit as the EVP of their family business, Ledesco Development Corporation.

He is also a well-known Philippine STAR columnist since 2006 (his column “Parallel Universe”,has become the basis of 5 best-selling books), magazine editor , events host and entrepreneur.

THE LEDESMA FAMILY.
Source: http://rjledesma.com/about-rj/

With his wife Vanessa Pastor-Ledesma, RJ founded the successful Mercato Centrale food market at The Fort and Soderno in Alabang. RJ and Vanessa have two children: Fortune, 3, and Rene III.

RJ Ledesma may be all these, but for teens growing up in the tumultuous ‘80s, he will be forever the young and cool Joey, who brought us along his RTO escapades and who remained on top and in control—kahit ganito talaga ang buhay!

CREDITS: ROYAL TRU-ORANGE

‘Ganito Talaga Ang Buhay”

Agency: McCann-Erickson Philippines

Advertiser: Royal Tru-Orange (Coca Cola Bottling Co.)

youtube credits: RJ Ledesma channel, manilabackintheday's channel

10. 1990s: A SPELL OF MAJOR ADVERTISING AGENCY SHAKE-UPS.

9. 1980s: THE MTV GENERATION AND OTHER CREATIVE COUPS

8. 1970s: THE DAWNING OF A NEW ORDER...NEW SOUNDS...NEW IDEAS!

1. IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD.

In the years before internet, computers, PC games, notebooks and tablets, our entertainment and information sources revolved around 3 mediums—Print, Radio, and much later in the late 50s, the Television.

 Our childhood was shaped not just by printed matter like comic books, Manila Times and magazines like Free Press and Sunday Times, but we were most profoundly affected by an “idiot box” that fed us daily doses of U.S. TV westerns (“Wagon Train”, “Wild, Wild, West”), sitcoms (“My Favorite Martian”, “Flying Nun”, “Gilligan’s Islands”) and even locally produced shows.

We were not just exposed to the antics of Uncle Bob and his Lucky 7 Club, and the hilarious Buhay Artista of Dolphy and Panchito, but we were also bombarded with memorable ads peddling an assortment of products and services, that featured funny characters, catchy jingles and tongue-twisting slogans.

 We had Aling Otik of Marvel, Eric Baines of Colgate, Tita Maggi of Maggi noodles and condiments, Matutina of Tide Detergent, not to mention Mr. Clean, Jollibee, and an animated kid cowboy named Pancho Pantera.

 We mouthed taglines, punchlines and slogans like “Isa pa nga!”, “Chicletin mo, Baby”, “Magapatuka na lang ako sa ahas” , “I can feel it!” and “Sapak ang apak, sa YCO Floorwax” and sang “Labadami, Labango”, “One World of Nescafe”, “Have a Pepsi Day” and “No one throws a Hallmark Card away…’cause no one throws away memories”. 

We repeated headlines from print ads—“It’s the Real Thing” of Coke, “Subok na matibay, subok na matatag” of Banco Filipino, “Pinipili ng mapiling ina” of Dari Creme and “Langhap-sarap” of Jollibee.

On radio, we tuned in to know who was going to be the next “Reyna ng Vicks” while waiting for the “Kolynos Girl” to sing.

 Indeed, these retro Philippine ads have come to define and mold our generation, and they continue to do so—as the unforgettable imagery, the collection of words, and stories, whether told in 30 seconds or on a 7 col. X 45 cm. space—are absorbed and become indelible part of our popular culture.

They reflect prevailing habits, attitudes, fads and fashions, give us snapshots of our social milieu, and provide us glimpses of the history of Philippine commerce.

 This is Philippine advertising the way I remember it. And I am glad to have been a part of it.