247. Champion talaga! CHAMPION CIGARETTES of Fortune Tobacco Corp.

CHAMPION TALAGA! Print Ad, 1971

One of the most successful local brands to be launched at the end of the 1960s is the popular CHAMPION brand, made Fortune Tobacco Corp. (now Philip Morris-Fortune Tobacco Corp. or PMFTC), owned by business magnate, Lucio Tan.

CHAMPION’s early advertising programs were handled by Convey Advertising, which was responsible for creating the "CHAMPION talaga!” abbreviated from the longer “CHAMPION sa lasa, Champion sa halaga, CHAMPION talaga” selling line.

The repetitive line, incorporated in a simple, but unforgettable jingle, raised awareness for CHAMPION to an all-time level that made the brand one of the most well-known in the 70s. 

All the agency needed to do was to refresh the commercial with sub-themes like “The CHAMPION Generation”, “CHAMPION dumiskarte”, “The Brand of Champions”,  but always retaining the “CHAMPION talaga” element.

CHAMPION BROWN, introduced in 1974

CHAMPION Mild Menthols were joined in 1974, with the more fashionable slim, brown versions called CHAMPION Brown.

WATCH A 1974 CHAMPION TVC HERE:

However, since January 1, 2007, when Republic Act 9211 was passed, all cigarette commercials on television, cable television and radio have been prohibited. CHAMPION, which celebrates its 50^th anniversary this year, continues to be produced and has its own following despite the absence of media advertising.

SOURCE;

Champion Philippine Classic TV Ad ( 1974 ), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxHQPuh0Cvk

Posted by: ADman 1909, 12 July 2007

Convey Advertising FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/Convey-Advertising-Inc-249378005075156/

246. Hunt for the Best: HUNT’S PORK & BEANS, 1958-1970 Ads

HUNT'S PORK & BEANS PRINT AD, 1970

HUNT’S, a name associated in the Philippines with Pork and Beans, began as the Hunt Bros. Fruit Packing Co., in Sebastopol, California, founded by brothers Joseph and William Hunt. It originally was a canning company that canned fruit and vegetables from California farms, but by 1941, it was into canned soups, fruits, vegetables and juices.

HUNT'S PORK & BEANS, CATSUP AND FRUIT COCKTAIL Omnibus Ad, 1958

In 1943, Norton Simon's Val Vita Food Products of Fullerton, California merged with the packing company, and the new business was incorporated as Hunt Food and Industries, Inc.  It also streamlined its operation by focusing on canned tomato products.

In fact, the first HUNT’S products that were distributed in the Philippines in the mid 1950s were HUNT’S Tomato Sauce, HUNT’S Tomato Catsup and HUNT’S Pork & Beans. HUNT’S Fruit Cocktail  was the only fruit-based canned product it sold here in the Philippines 1957. The print advertising carried the famous slogan “Hunt-- for the best”, which would be used for many years.

 

HUNT'S PORK & BEANS, PRINT AD, 1960

In 1956, a group of businessmen formed a company known as the Pure Foods Corporation, which manufactured processed meats and food products under the Pure Foods brand name. Ayala Corporation acquired substantial shares in the company in 1965. It also acquired the right to manufacture HUNT’S Pork & Beans, made from high quality Great Northern Beans and real pork bits covered in rich, thick, sweet tomato sauce. It was distributed by Atkins, Kroll & Co. Inc., along with HUNT’S Tomato Sauce and Catsup, but HUNT’S Pork & Beans would remain its best seller and flagship brand.

 

HUNT'S PORK & BANS, 1960

HUNT’S Pork & Beans became a sort of a favorite “emergency food”,  as it was affordable and could be eaten straight from the can. It had very little competition in its time, so it became the country’s largest-selling canned pork and beans for many years.

But the decades that followed saw major changes with the mother company, HUNT’S Food and Industries Inc. In 1960, it merged with Wesson Oil & Snowdrift Co. to become Hunt-Wesson Foods.  A series of mergers happened in through the 80s, until Hunt-Wesson, the company which included the Hunt's brands, was sold in 1990 to ConAgra Foods, a leading packaged food company of North America.

 

HUNT'S PORK & BEANS, 1960

Meanwhile, Pure Foods dropped HUNT’S as it began making its own brand of pork & beans in the early 1980s. Around 1984, Universal Robina Corp, came to an agreement with ConAgra Foods to manufacture and market HUNT’S Pork and Beans  in the Philippines under this 50-50 joint venture.

 

HUNT'S PORK & BEANS, PRINT AD 1969

More recently, in May 2017, Century Pacific Food, Inc., the country’s canned food-producing leader,  acquired the Philippine license  for HUNT’S Pork and Beans, from the URC group. The deal includes the right to manufacture, sell and distribute Hunt’s branded products in the Philippines from Hunt’s-URC. HUNT’S Pork & Beans continue to lord over the ready-to-eat canned beans product category, with a commanding 86% share of the market.

SOURCES:

 Hunt's-Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunt%27s

245. Brand Icon: Republic Flour Mills’ PAPA PICCOLINO

In 1968, the country was introduced to PAPA PACCOLINO a jolly, portly Italian chef with his trademark mustache. He was the brand character for a new line of “Real Italian” boxed pasta products for dishes and soups.

PAPA PICCOLIMO, 1968 AD

 

PAPA PICCOLINO NOODLE AD,1968

 It was by Republic Flour Mills (now RFM Corporation), which ventured into flour manufacturing in 1957, even though wheat wasn't being grown in the Philippines.

LISTEN TO THE SONG THAT INSPIRED

THE BRAND NAME OF PAPA PICCOLINO

The name  PAPA PACCOLINO was reworked from the title of a 1953 hit song, “Poppa Piccolino", sung by Diana Decker The brand was active throughout the rest of the '60s, its line expanding to include soup varities and pizzas.

 

PAPA PICCOLINO SPAGHETTI AD, 1972

PAPA PCCOLINO SPAGHETTI & MACARONI, 1960S, source: Pinterest

Papa Piccolino appeared practically in all print materials, but the novelty wore off as the '70s rolled in. PAPA PACCOLINO was replaced with a real endorser, host-singer Pepe Pimentel, who more or less exuded the same chirpy, friendly vibe as the cartoon character.

PAPA PICCOLINO ENDORSED BY PEPE PIMENTEL, 1973

SOURCES:

DIANA DECKER-POPPA PICCOLINO (1953), uploaded by GoldenOldiesOn45RPM,June 8 2010.

244. THE PLAYBOY CLUB OF MANILA, Silahis International Hotel, 1978

On  August 26, 1978, the doors of the Playboy Club of Manila, swung open at the Siahis International Hotel, joining the sophisticated and uber-exclusive Playboy Clubs around the world. Hugh Hefner built the Playboy empire in Chicago in 1953, with the launch of Playboy Magazine. 

The men’s lifestyle and entertainment magazine is notable for its pictures and centerfolds of near nude and nude women, awakening America’s sexual revolution. Then-unknown Marilyn  Monroe appeared in the very first issue. 

Hefner parlayed the brand’s success by founding the Playboy Club,  which, initially was a chain of nightclubs and resorts. The first club opened in Chicago, Illinois on  February 29, 1960. The clubs were a big hit, and Hefner’s enterprise rolled-out the Playboy Club product internationally.

Businessman Leandro “Biboy” Enriquez, a known Filipino hotelier and considered as one of the pioneers of Manila’s night life, secured a franchise from the Chicago-based Playboy Club International, and began its operations by offering memberships. From 5,000 applications, an initial 3,000 members were approved, that included top Manila executives, diplomats, and male members of rich and prominent families.Members were asked to abide by the rule: “just look, don’t touch”.

That’s because the Playboy Club was manned by “Playboy Bunnies” dressed in revealing cottontail outfits, with trademark bunny ears and cuffs. Of the over 1,000 bunny applicants, only 50 were chosen, trained by the directress of the Playboy Bunny International, Harriet Bassler, who flew over with Playboy bunny mentors, Gabrielle Conklin, Rose Nickerson and Christine Shaw.

The imported Bunnies trained the locals on the finer points of Playboy club stylized service—like doing the “Bunny dip”when serving food and drinks. The training lasted for a month and a half.

The Playboy Club of Manila, located at the Silahis International Hotel along the Roxas Boulevard hotel strip, featured amenities and facilities like the VIP Grill, Living Room with Live Entertainment, Bunny Bar, Playmate Bar, Electronic Games Room, Dining Room, Library, Conference Room and an Open Terrace for private parties for 200 people . The Health Club has a gym, sauna massage room, hot and cold whirlpool bath.

The Playboy Club of Manila had a good run in the 80s  and its live entertainment that featured such discoveries as Gigi Galon and Dale Adriatico, were the talk of the town. But tastes were changing as Makati became the commercial and social hub of the rich and famous. 

The turbulent times in the 80s led to a downtrend in the economy and businesses, including those of Marcos cronies. The Enriquezes, who were a part of that circle, also felt the pinch. Manila’s Playboy Club closed down permanently in 1991. 

These few ads, created by Advertising and Marketing Associates (AMA) are the sole reminders, of the years when the Playboy bunnies came to town.

243. Vanished Landmarks: PINES HOTEL OF BAGUIO, 1934-1975 Ads

Known as “the grand old dame of Baguio”, PINES HOTEL was one of the earliest structures in the city center that were built between 1905-1910. The original hotel was known as “Hotel Pines” that was erected in 1909 on what is now the Gov. Pack Rd. area where the University of the Cordilleras (formerly Baguio College Foundation) now stands. Regarded as the first tourist hotel of Baguio, it was totally destroyed during the War.

The second, more well-known hotel—PINES HOTEL was built on Luneta Hill, which provided the most modern accommodations for Baguio’s wealthiest visitors. Its construction involved the employment of Japanese workers from Nagatomi Construction. 

American managers headed the new hotel, but in 1927, the first Filipino manager, Ciriaco Z. Cuenco of Sta. Rita, Pampanga was installed, replacing the previous head, a certain Mr. Best.

The “premiere resort hotel in the Orient”, surrounded with pine trees and terraced gardens, was the exclusive place to be for weary tourists to be in the 1930s. 

The  cluster of wooden and stone buildings that overlooked Burnham Park was later rebuilt and remodeled post-War, giving way to a modern, concrete building.

In the 1950s, PINES HOTEL boasted of 144 rooms with private bath, and main facilities that include the Ifugao Hall (Main Lobby), Bontoc Bar, Kankanai Tea Room, Kalinga Dining Hall, and Cañao Ball Room. But even with these, the aging hotel struggled keeping afloat given the rise of less expensive lodgings and newer hotels in the city.

The government, which administered PINES HOTEL, later sold it to the Resort Hotel Corporation  in 1968 for Php 6.8 Million. Legal disputes hounded the sale, as the balance was not reportedly settled.

Thus, the new PINES HOTEL, relaunched in 1969 became part of  a chain of hotels of the  Resort Hotels Corporation, along with Taal Vista Lodge, Hyatt Regency, Hotel Intercon, Philippine Village Hotel, among others. By this time, it featured a Gold Dining Room, Sadiwan Cocktail Lounge and Disco, Blue Fountain Coffee Shop and a swimming pool.

On that fateful day of Oct. 23, 1984, a fire razed down the popular mountain resort hotel—which by then had 4 stories and 423 rooms.  

The deadly 6-hour  fire  left 4 people dead, including 2 Americans and 46 others, mostly vacationing World War II veterans who were there on a nostalgia trip. PINES HOTEL was totally gutted, and its destruction marked the passing of an era.

The property at Luneta Hill was subsequently foreclosed and  auctioned off by Development bank of the Philippines, which was won by SM magnate, Henry Sy in 1988. In 2002, the SM City Mall-Baguio was opened amidst controversies.

242. ARMANDO GOYENA for RUM CAÑA by Tabacalera, 1953

Tabacalera (Compañía General de Tabacos de Filipinas) was established as a cigar and tobacco factory by Antonio Lopez y Lopez, the Marquis of Comillas way back in 1881. It was put up right after the end of the tobacco monopoly.

Cigar-smoking then was a time-honored recreation for many Filipinos, and puffers often paired smoking with sipping liquor to heighten their smoking pleasure. 

Hence, Tabacalera branched out into the manufacture of liquor, and by the mid-twentieth century, it had the largest distillery in the Philippines churning out 40,000 liters of alcohol daily.

RUM CAÑA was one such successful product that came from their factory. Rum was a very popular mass drink, as it was very affordable, and Tabacalera’s RUM CAÑA became the choice of the country, and, in the 1950 decade, enjoyed a reputation as the Philippines’ best-selling rum.

RUM CAÑA was advertised during the 50s with famous star Armando Goyena as an endorser.  In real life, he was Jose “Pinggoy” Teodoro Iruyetagoyena Revilla Jr. (b. 7 Dec. 1922 / d. 9 Mar. 2011), who came from a well-off family and was a student of La Salle when he was discovered by Dna. Sisang de Leon for the movies  

He was introduced in “Puting Bantayog” (1948), that would pair him with Tessie Quintana. Goyena would shoot to stardom in 1952 with the superhero film “Kapitan Kidlat”, opposite Evelyn Villar.  His status as a major film star was cemented with “Hawayana”, which also catapulted the Goyena-Quintana love team to showbiz fame.

The film “Hawayana” , a 15^th anniversary offering of LVN Pictures, was shot in color, a rarity in the 50s, and was directed by Manuel Silos. The RUM CAÑA series capitalized on the huge following of Goyena, and the appearance of the print ads were timed to coincide with the movie’s national screening in June 1953. 

In 1958, Goyena married the prominent beauty Paquita Roces, herself a top commercial model known as the first Camay Girl. The couple had 8 children: Maritess, Tina, Johnny, Ces, Pita, Rossi, Malu, and Cita and 29 grandchildren, many of whom also joined showbiz.

He put behind his acting career after his marriage, reappearing only in 1995 as Don Eugenio López in Chito Roño’s “Eskapo”. Roño cast him again in 2001 for “Yamashita: The Tiger's Treasure”, for which he won that year’s FAMAS Best Supporting Actor award. His last appearance was in “Annie B.” in 2004, before his death age 88 in 2011.

As to the product Goyena endorsed, Tabacalera’s products were acquired by La Tondeña beginning in 1955, with Añejo Rum. The liquor giant had earlier bought Ayala Distillery in 1924. RUM CAÑA today, no longer exists, but La Tondeña continues to manufacture and sell a similar rum product with the brand name  “Flor De Caña Anejo Oro Rum”.

241. ANGEL FACE by POND’S, Print Ads 1959-1968

ANGEL FACE SKIN CARE, introduced by POND's in 1946

POND'S' is a world-famous brand of beauty care products, currently owned by Unilever. Its most well-known product was POND’s Vanishing and Cold Cream. By  the 1940s ,  it became the first skincare brand at a critical period when women assumed more  jobs as the men went to war.

EARLY ANGEL FACE ADS, with 1958 Miss Philippines Chuchay Tuason, 1959 ,1961

It was just after the war that POND’s introduced a new cosmetic line with the introduction of ANGEL FACE Compact Powder in 1946.  Before World War I, POND’S had been selling face and body powders, but never promoted them until 1932, when it officially launched its POND’S Powder line. A decade later, it introduced its range of Dreamflower powder products.

ANGEL FACE POWDER, 'BEAUTIFULLY MADE-UP', 1964

ANGEL FACE turned out to be a bigger success when the compact powder hit the market. The first ads proclaimed:  “A sensational new make-up that’s easier to apply—no water, no greasy fingertips. And it stays on longer than powder! A smoothing ‘cling’ ingredient is pressure-fused into Angel Face. Makes it go on evenly—stay on.”

ANGEL FACE POWDER, 'BE EVERYTHING', 1965

The ANGEL FACE Compact Powder was produced in the following shade: Blonde Angel, Ivory Angel, Pink Angel, Tawny Angel, Bronze Angel, Blushing Angel, Gypsy, Golden Angel. In 1950, a mirror case compact was added, a welcome product innovation.

ANGEL FACE POWDER, ELIZABETH KEESEY, 1966

In 1955, POND’S and the Chesebrough Manufacturing Company merged to become Chesebrough-Pond’s. By the end of the 50s decade, ANGEL FACE Compact Powder was introduced in the Philippine market, which was widely received by Filipinas, who loved the idea of a portable foundation powder kit to enhance their beauty.

ANGEL FACE POWDER, MILDRED LOWEINSOHN, 1966

The early ANGEL FACE ads showed Miss Philippines 1958 Chuchay Tuason as its model. She had modeled earlier for POND’S Cream. The new, squarish compact design was introduced in 1961.

LOCAL ANGEL FACE LIPSTICK ADS, adapted from the U.S., 1963

An attempt to diversify the line in 1963 resulted in the introduction of ANGEL FACE Lipstick, but this turned out to be a premature move. The print ads that came out locally were U.S. adaptations.

ANGEL FACE POWDER, ELIZABETH PINEDA, 1966

In 1964, the compact was re-designed to make it more circular. For the next years , ANGEL FACE was actively promoted via full color ads, using a variety of beautiful models and career girls—students, teachers, stewardess and at least, one actress.

ANGEL FACE POWDER, GINA PARRENO, ACTRESS, 1968

Today,  only ANGEL FACE Talc and Face Powder brands are available locally in plastic containers. The pressed powder compact is sold elsewhere like in Spain and parts of Asia.