387. Brand Stories: EVEREADY® BATTERIES, 1929-1983 Philippine Ads

EVEREADY Print Ad, with Model Dawn Colvin.1970,

The EVEREADY Battery Company was founded back in the 1890s by Conrad Hubert , the inventor of the first electric hand torch—or the flashlight. With a rough brass reflector inside a paper tube, the contraption was powered by dry cell batteries. 

EVEREADY, FLASHLIGHTS & BATTERIES, 1929

The flashlight proved to be a successful product, but the batteries were also much in demand, and by the 1920s the production of the EVEREADY® battery brand begins to expand across the globe over the next three decades. By 1929, EVEREADY flashlights and batteries were available in the Philippines, imported all the way from the U.S., advertised in leading magazines and dailies.

EVEREADY FLASHLIGHTS & BATTERIES, 1929

The now familiar “Cat & 9” EVEREADY® icon was launched in the 1930s, and the brand character became one of the most identifiable marks of EVEREADY. By the 1950s, the “battery with 9 lives” was an established brand, distributed by Pacific Merchandising Corp., along with EVEREADY-branded flashlights, radio batteries and dry cells.  

EVEREADY, SILENT NIGHT, 1955

The National Carbon Philippines, Inc. in Mandaluyong  began producing EVEREADY batteries to serve the growing needs of the Philippine market. The fledgling company would grow to become the Union Carbide Philippines in the late 1960s, part of the Union Carbide Corporation, the world’s largest producer of ethylene glycol and the a leading manufacturer of the world’s most widely used plastic, polyethylene. 

THANKS TO EVEREADY, 1957

EVEREADY, BUY FRESH, 1958

The marketing of EVEREADY took a more sophisticated turn, with communication and media strategies planned by its appointed ad agency, McCann-Erickson Phils.  In 1968, “The Fresh Ones” campaign was launched, harping on the freshness of EVEREADY Batteries as as for the first time, they were manufactured locally in the Mandaue plant in Cebu.

EVEREADY, THE FRESH ONES, "Fruits", 1968

EVEREADY, THE FRESH ONES, "Vegetables", 1968

One of the most memorable EVEREADY campaigns that was launched on Philippine TV ca. 1983, carried the theme “EVEREADY—may lakas sa loob na tumatagal”, that shows how the batteries came to save the day  for a husband and wife about to have their baby. The delivery was hampered by a brownout, but an EVEREADY-powered flashlight ensured a smooth delivery. The ad was the brainchild of the legendary McCann-Erickson creative director Bill Y. Ibañez. 

WATCH THE EVEREADY "LAKAS SA LOOB" TVC HERE:

uploaded by ADman 1909, July 5, 2007

In 1986, Union Carbide sold its Battery Products Division to Ralston Purina Company for $1.4 billion.  In 2000, Ralston spun off Eveready, and it was listed on the New York Stock Exchange as a holding company, Energizer Holdings, Inc. with EVEREADY Battery Company, Inc continuing as its most important daughter company.

The Union Carbide plant in Cebu was renamed as  Energizer Philippines, and continued to produce batteries until its closure in May 2011. The company is still represented in the country as Energizer Philippines and continues to make EVEREADY and Energizer batteries available. 

 SOURCES:

Eveready website: https://www.eveready.com/

Goodbye-Union Carbide, The Philippine Star, 27 April 2011. https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2011/04/27/679662/editorial-goodbye-union-carbide

Union Carbide Corp., https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences-and-law/economics-business-and-labor/businesses-and-occupations/union-carbide-corp

Video: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1192253240694

386. PRE-WAR ADS OF SAN MIGUEL BEER, 1940

A NEW EAGLE TRADEMARK FOR SAN MIGUEL, 1940

World War II was a global conflict from 1939-1945 that involved principal members of the Axis powers—Germany, Italy, and Japan—and the Allies—France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and China. 

SAN MIGUEL SUPPORTS THE U.S. NAVY, 1940

The war broke out in Europe in September 1939, and while President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared that the United States would remain neutral in law, he could “not ask that every American remain neutral in thought as well.” The stirrings of the war were felt in 1940 in the Philippines—an American-occupied territory—hence the loyalty of the Filipinos were with the Americans.

SMB AD FEATURES A SOLDIER, 1940

SAN MIGUEL BREWERY was one of the companies that showed overt support for America, through its marketing of its flagship product, SAN MIGUEL BEER. In 1940, it introduced a new trademark, showing an eagle clutching sheafs of barley and wheat, echoing the national symbol of America—the bald eagle with an olive branch and arrows in its talons. 

FILIPINO IN SALAKOT, an SMB ad with nationalistic undertones, 1940

The eagle trademark was used prominently by SAN MIGUEL BEER in its advertisements during this uneasy pre-war period, until the bombing of Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, signaling the entry of the United States to the global war. 

SAN MIGUEL BEER AD with a drinker looking suspiciously like Pres. Manuel L. Quezon , 1940

On this page are representative sample of the 1940 ads that featured not only overt messages of support via text and visuals, but also alluded to the country’s past fight for freedom. 

THE EAGLE TRADEMARK bears a striking similarity to the
national symbol of America.1940 Ad

THE SMB EAGLE appears prominently in 1940 ads.

The 40,000,000–50,000,000 deaths incurred in World War II make it the bloodiest conflict, as well as the largest war, in history. After the war ended, the SAN MIGUEL BEER eagle trademark was dropped, replaced by the now familiar escudo that is based on the original Spanish-era coat of arms of Manila.

385. CHARMIS BODY SPRAY, Colgate-Palmolive 1987

The brand name CHARMIS was registered by Colgate-Palmolive Peet Company as early as the 1950s, and it was the same name that they use for a new, distinctive product that combined cologne and deodorant: CHARMIS BODY SPRAY.

 In 1987, CHARMIS BODY SPRAY was launched in the Philippines with much fanfare. Initially, 3 variants were produced: Innocence (yellow spray bottle), Romance (pink) and Sporty (green). The intro commercial featured the beauty queen Sabrina Artadi (Bb. Pilipinas International 1985) and her chance encounter with a handsome man in a party, thanks in part to the irresistible scent of CHARMIS. “Fragrance all over…Freshness all day, everyday”—so went the selling line, which successfully induced Filipino ladies to try the new brand, in the hopes of becoming as irresistible as Sabrina.

 WATCH CHARMIS 1987 LAUNCH TV AD HERE:

(Source: Charmis Phils. uploaded Oct. 26. 2020)

CHARMIS BODY SPRAY proved to be a big hit, and had its heyday in the late 80s thru the 1990s. New variants were added to attract a growing market: Frenzy (orange), Bebe (baby pink), Preppy (violet/purple), Kiss (red) and Pizzazz (blue).

 A powder cologne line was developed in 1988. In 1991, a commercial directed at teens, starring then rising actress-singer Janet Arnaiz was produced , which spawned a memorable “Hello, Goodbye” jingle. That same year, a portable CHARMIS in a Pentad bottle was produced, aimed at the young, mobile teen segment.

 WATCH CHARMIS 'Can't Resist' (1991) TVC HERE:

uploaded by Charmis Phils. Oct. 26, 2020 

CHARMIS had a good run, but it seems that the parent company was not keen on the product as by 3 November 1992, the CHARMIS trademark expired and was not renewed. In June 2017, ITC of India (formerly the Imperial Tobacco Company of India, Ltd.) acquired the CHARMIS brand, as it attempted to expand its non-cigarette profitability. Today, CHARMIS is the brand name for its line of face washes and applications such as tan removal, day cream, anti-ageing and moisturizing lotions.

SOURCES:

USPTO Report: https://uspto.report/TM/71603768

“ITC betting on Charmis to gain skincare space:, the Economic Times, https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/fashion-/-cosmetics-/-jewellery/itc-betting-on-charmis-to-gain-skincare-space/articleshow/61474056.cms

Charmis TVC 30s 1980s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztk8-912Imk, Charmis Philippines , Oct. 26, 2020.

Charmis Powder Cologne "Pow Wow" 15s - 1988, Philippines, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgTWZ11XMhw, uploaded by vibesey, Oct. 27, 2017

Charmis Body Spray with Janet Arnaiz "Can't Resist" TVC 50's 1990-1991, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15AEWE3hJN4, by Charmis Philippines, 26 Oct. 2020

384. Before Peerless Products Mfg. Corp. had their Champion, there was GLOW, (1965)

Peerless Products Manufacturing Corp. began in 1963, when stakeholders  invested in a laundry detergent technology that led to the creation of its very first brand, GLOW—in 1965--which works with “micro-clean action”. The revolutionary powder detergent guarantees deep-down cleaning of stubborn dirt in clothes, penetrating dirty spots, as active suds take over. No more scrubbing pains—GLOW ads touted.

 That time, the detergent market was saturated with dominant powder brands Tide, and Breeze, and traditional bars Ajax and Wheel. New introductions like Daz and Fab, tried vainly to penetrate the market. Unfortunately, GLOW suffered the same fate, as it could not sustain the kind of push that the multinational companies like P&G PMC and PRC  put behind their brands.

 

It would take 14 years for Peerless to finally come up with a winning laundry brand aptly called Champion, launched in 1977. It would become the primary laundry care banner brand for the company,  paving the way for the launch of detergent powders in the 2000s, and the expansion to dishwashing liquid, fabric conditioners (Calla), and shampoo (Hana). Today, after more than 50 years, Peerless Products Mfg. Corp.  continues to recognize that Filipino consumers only deserve genuine product quality, a promise fulfilled by their products.

 SOURCES:

Peerless background info: https://www.linkedin.com/company/peerless-products-mfg.-corp.

Photos of Champion, Calla, Hana: FB Page.

383. CAMAY: Cheek-to-Cheek Softness Campaign, 1964

NEW CAMAY, for cheek-to-cheek softness! 1964

In 1964, CAMAY was relaunched to address the needs of a particular market segment—young, married women. A new, reformulated CAMAY was offered to them, promising only the softest, loveliest complexion—with an exclusive cold cream to soften skin.

To dimensionalize the softness promise, a child was included with the mother models—drawing parallels between their complexion. The first ads show skin-to-skin contact via a kiss---describing a supple and lovely complexion as “soft as a child’s kiss”. 

New CAMAY, soft as a child's kiss. 1964

Succeeding ads show a mother  and child snuggling together cheek-to-cheek, visualizing the “cheek-to-cheek softness” of the Mother’s skin washed with CAMAY.

The intimate portraits were a sharp departure from the CAMAY regular ads that showed young, beautiful ladies, and made their full-page appearances in weekly magazines. 

For the softest. loveliest complexion--new CAMAY, 1964

The new CAMAY campaign effectively demonstrated the functional benefits of the beauty soap, making it more relevant to a more mature market who are concerned with staying beautiful even with aging skin. The new CAMAY campaign lasted for over a year, until another total relaunch was mounted in 1967, which signalled the much awaited return of the young , modern CAMAY Girl.

382. PANCHO PANTERA Instant Chocomilk, 1965

PANCHO PANTERA is an instant chocomilk powder drink that was widely popular in Mexico, introduced in the Philippines in 1965. Its product label claimed it is U.S. made and that the vitamins-and-minerals-fortified product was repacked in the Philippines by Garrick Enterprises Inc., owned and operated by Ricardo Quintos (father of Paul and Michael who were murdered by hired killers of his political opponent in Mindoro).

WATCH A MEXICAN TV AD OF PANCHO PANTERA CA. 1967

But PANCHO PANTERA is a heritage brand from Mexico, sold and enjoyed for over  90 years, before folding up in 2021. Along the way, the brand  was bought by a succession of blue-chip companies, from Procter & Gamble to Mead Johnson,

 PANCHO PANTERA had a brief shining moment in Philippine marketing, advertised in full color ads in magazines, and  TV, with an animated cartoon commercial featuring a cowboy mascot and a catchy jingle.

PANCHO PANTERA MASCOT, updated

In less than 2 years, PANCHO PANTERA would disappear from the local market, but Filipino children growing up in the 60s still vaguely remember the cowboy kid that ran through te TV screen, a picture of a healthier, stronger, taller kid, brought up with chocomilk that is PANCHO PANTERA!

SOURCE:

Choco Milk y Pancho Pantera en 1967, uploaded by Telenostalgia Nov. 20, 2011. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAgUdUPJINA

381. MONDRAGON AND TRIUMPH INTERNATIONAL (PHILS.), 1987-1989 Ads

TRIUMPH INTERNATIONAL, 1987 COLLECTION

TRIUMPH INTERNATIONAL began in a German factory tha manufactured corsets, and would grow into one of the world’s leading manufacturers of lingerie and underwear—and a most successful global brand at that! It underwent a series of worldwide expansion, beginning in Europe from 1953-1959, and in the 1970s, forayed into the South American, Australian, African and the Asian market, beginning in Hong Kong.

MONDRAGON, on the other hand, began in 1969, distributing Tupperware, educational books and toys, skincare products  (Naturelle), feminine hygience products (Uni-charm, Confidence and Lady Fresh sanitary napkins), Nike sports, among others.

By the 1980s, it became an exclusive distributor of TRIUMPH INTERNATIONAL, which it also marketed and promoted via advertising. The company was led by Jose chief executive Antonio “Tony” Gonzalez, who later became the tourism secretary under Cory Aquino’s administration. 

TRIUMPH INTERNATIONAL, 1989 MIAMI BEACH COLLECTION

The TRIUMPH ads revolutionized female underwear advertising by going beyond the functional benefits, positioning them as premiere fashion brands. New lines were presented as “annual collection” much like a fashion collection---and the print ads were done with a very classy look—from the well-chosen models who were mostly Caucasians, to the slick photography and tasteful lay-outs that seemed to have come straight from Madison avenue.

The TRIUMPH International brand was further elevated when it forged an alliance with a national beauty pageant to form a “Mondragon Triumph Court of Fashion”, actually a group corporate award for contestants, who later on, were featured in ads and events.

In 1989, TRIUMPH INTERNATIONAL (PHILS.) was put up in the Philippines, which manufactured intimate apparels for the world. The product portfolio became diverse and expanded into a range of lingerie, silk lingerie, nightwear, swimwear and sportswear for females, and underwear, swimwear and casual wear for males.

TRIUMPH INTERNATIONAL, 1989 FASHION STYLES

In later years, MONDRAGON INTERNATIONAL PHILS. was beset with financial issues—unpaid loans--leading to several high profile cases filed by banks. The Mondragon building in Makati City, which served as the company's headquarters, was foreclosed by bank creditors.  The once profitable Mondragon Group of Companies with over 2,500 employees, was  reduced to a one-man organization by 2000, composed of Gonzalez as chairman of the board and chief executive officer.

TRIUMPH INTERNATIONAL (PHILS.) was also plagued with labor problems, and in June 2009, the company announced that it will cease manufacturing and distribution center operations in the Philippines, effective August 28. TRIUMPH fashions are still available  in the local market today, via official TRIUMPH stores and online sites like Zalora, LazMall and Shopee.