453. PUREFOODS HAM: The Star of the Noche Buena Feast, Print and TV Ad

THE STAR OF THE NOCHE BUENA FEAST, 1986

The classic PUREFOODS HAM Christmas Print Ad, with a copy that exalts the ham products as the "Stars of the Noche Buena Feast". The flagship Purefoods Fiesta Ham is shown with other PF ham products: Pear-Shaped, Chicken Ham and Chinese Ham. The popular tagline that was used as early as the late 70s, was retained in subsequent holiday ads by the company's agency, Ace-Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising.

WATCH PUREFOODS HAM

 'STAR OF NOCHE BUENA" TV AD from 1979

SOURCES:

Purefoods Fiesta Ham Christmas, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqk-rO9GM_0, uploaed by Golden TV Commercials Group. 13 Nov. 2021

452. A SPREAD OF NOCHE BUENA AND MEDIA NOCHE IDEAS, Various Food Ads, 1965-1987

PUREFOODS HAM, Holiday Highlights, 1965

 Christmas is a time for food manufacturers to go full blast with their advertising moneys by coming out with the all-color layouts showing well-styled food of the most mouth-watering variety. After all, sharing food is the Filipino way to celebrate the holidays. After attending the Misa de Gallo and other religious obligations, whole families come together for their traditional Noche Buena and Media Noche dinners.

The customary NOCHE BUENA (literally, “Good Night” in Spanish) is served each year on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24—and the sit-down meal features the most extravagant dishes ever seen on the family dining table.

 MEDIA NOCHE (Spanish for “Middle of the Night) is a similar grand feast served on midnight, on New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31. It augurs more prosperity for the family in the coming year.

Giant food companies like Purefoods, Kraft, California Manufacturing Corp., and Del Monte advertise heavily on a regular basis, during these holiday months, to capitalize on these great Filipino feasting events. 

ROYAL SPAGHETTI & MACARONI, "Royal Celebration", 1979

NEW ZEALAND CREAMERY: Queensland, Ques-O, Che-Vital, 1987

M.Y. SAN SKYFLAKES & FITA, 1987

DEL MONTE PINEAPPLE "New Eating Fun", 1967

KRAFT CHEDDAR, "Media Noche Cheese Soup", 1967

451. Merry Crispa’s! CRISPA REDMANIZED KNITWEAR, 1962

MERRY CRISPA'S!, Print ad, 1962

The best holiday gift that CRISPA brought to the Philippines in 1948 were its “shrunk-to-fit” shirts and underwear that were soon to become the country’s most popular men’s wear in the 1970s-80s decades. The brand CRISPA was derived from the combined names of founders, Pablo and Crisanta Floro, an enterprising husband-and-wife team who sold their cotton products in their shop, and distributed them to leading department stores nationwide.

MERRY CRISPA'S! 1962 Ad

The CRISPA fabric materials were subjected to a unique “Redmanization” process, which made the cotton stable, and shrink-resistant, even after washing. The early products included T-shirts, both round and V-necked;  briefs, with imported waistband, and rib sando.

With its main retail store in Makati, CRISPA became a byword in the 70s, and gained further fame and reputation when the Floro son, Valeriano “Danny” Floro organized a basketball team in 1956 that first participated in the Business Athletic Association, a minor league. The CRISPA Redmanizers would rise to become a multi-titled Filipino basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) from 1975 to 1984.

REDMANIZED, SHRUNK-TO-FIT, Print Ad, 1963

By the late 80s, the CRISPA business declined, leading the Floros to stop manufacturing CRISPA knitwear and to the disband the basketball team. In 2020, Danny Floro’s grandchildren revived the Crispa brand with the launch of a new T-shirt line, under VNF and Sons, Inc.

SOURCES:

Crispa: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crispa_(clothing_brand)

Crispa Redmanizers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crispa_Redmanizers

450. Brand Stories: EVENFLO Nursers, Print Ads 1960s-70s-80s

BOTTLE WITH EXPERIENCE, Print Ad, 1984

The brand of feeding bottles or nursers that Filipinos have trusted for more that 60 years has actually been around for more than a hundred years. EVENFLO was launched in the 1920s as a maker of baby feeding bottles in Ravenna, Ohio.

BEST BUY FOR BABY, Print Ad 1960

Its flagship division, EVENFLO Feeding, Inc. had its start in 1920 as the Pyramid Rubber Company, initially producing breast pumps, pacifiers,  sippy cups—and its most popular products in the Philippines—feeding bottles. As early as 1935, the company secured patent rights for Evenflo's nurser unit featuring the pioneering SURE SEAL ring, which secured the nipple to the bottle. This led to the introduction of the EVENFLO line of feeding equipment.

THE GREATEST NURSERS EVER MADE! Print Ad, 1960

The first EVENFLO bottles were introduced at the start of the 1960s decade in the Philippines, and they were advertised in weekly magazines as “the greatest nursers ever made”.

 In the next decade, EVENFLO Philippines was initiated in 1972 and, for the first time ever, novelty nurser bottles, molded and painted to depict friendly animals and cartoon characters, were marketed.

EVENFLO. Because you love your baby, Print Ad, 1974

In 1987, EVENFLO introduced clear polycarbonate novelty nursers decorated with Disney favorites like Baby Mickey, Minnie Mouse and Baby Donald Duck, among others. Through a series of mergersand acquisitions, EVENFLO positioned itself as a  single source supplier of baby care products and accessories—from nursing kits, safety pins, sterilizers, bottles, nipples, diaper cases, and toys.

SURE-SEAL NIPPLE Evenflo Ad. 1984

In 2014, EVENFLO Co. Inc.  was acquired by Goodbaby International Holdings Ltd. , a juvenile products company that develops, manufactures, markets and sells strollers, children's car seats, cribs, bicycles and tricycles, and furniture--thus expanding the EVENFLO portfolio even more.

 SOURCES:

Evenflo Company Profile, https://jobs.aami.org/profile/evenflo-company-inc/41796/

Evenflo, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evenflo

Goodbaby International, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodbaby_International

449. Beauty Queens as Ad Models: 1960 Miss Press Photography EDITA VITAL, for PINES CIGARETTES

MISS P-P-P IS A P-P-PINES CIGARETTE FAN, 1960 Ad

“Fresh as a breath of mountain air”---that’s how PINES CIGARETTES was described when it was launched in the Philippines in the late 1950s, a product of the Associated Anglo-American Tobacco Corporation. Established in 1949 in Pasay City, it is one of the oldest cigarette manufacturers in the country. PINES CIGARETTES has an exclusive “air softened”,  snow-white filter, promising a satisfying mild, refreshingly mentholated smoking experience. 

Edita Vital as Miss Philippines, courtesy of Mr. Tony Paat

Newly-elected Miss Press Photography EDITA RESURRECCION VITAL  was recruited to promote the merit of PINES CIGARETTES in this two-color print ad from 1960. The daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Domingo Vital of Quezon City, Vital was a student of the University of Santo Tomas when she was voted by the country’s association of press photographers as their muse.

“My ideal man should be a PINES smoker, because a PINES Smoker knows his own mind”, so what she claims in the print ad. “ He knows what he wants in a cigarette—full-flavor, light menthol coolness, and a mildness that can only be his, with PINES”.

PINES CIGARETTE AD, late 1950s. Courtesy of the Pinoy Kollektor

Later in the year, Vital went on to win the Miss Philippines title and got to represent the country in the 1^st ever Miss International Beauty Pageant in Long Beach, California. She reached the semifinals in the contest won by Colombia’s Stella Marquez. Lured by showbiz upon her return, she made period movies like Noli Me Tangere (1961)  and El Filibusterismo (1962), which earned her a FAMAS nomination. Vital is married to lawyer Angel Castaño, Jr. 

The company that manufactures PINES CIGARETTES continues to be in operation even after 70 years. Currently, it produces American-style cigarettes using a blend of the finest locally sourced and imported tobaccos. Its current brands include: Winnsboro, Casino, Freedom, Dallas, Navy Club, Spotlight, and Asia Boston.

SOURCES:

Associated Anglo-American Tobacco Corporation WEBSITE

Photo of Edita Vital as Miss PH: Tony Paat Collection, Veestarz

Special thanks to Edward delos Reyes of Pinoy Kollektor, for the use of his Pines Cigarette print ad clipping.

448. Beauty Queens as Ad Models: MYRNA PANLILIO, 1st Bb. Pilipinas-Universe for 1964 MISS UNIVERSE

1ST BINIBINI-UNIVERSE 1964, MYRNA PANLILIO IN HER 1ST AD

The honor of becoming the first ever Binibining Pilipinas belongs to then-21 year old Ma. MYRNA SESE PANLILIO of San Fernando, eldest of 4 children of Enrique M. Panlilio and Jaina Sese. Though she graced magazine covers after her victory, the only known ad she modeled in was for a beauty & fashion house called  Chantilly Gowns and Beauty Suite, located in Echague, Quiapo, and owned by Vicky San Diego. Carlos “Carling” Mercado was the lead make-up and hair artist, sought after by high society girls.

MYRNA AND OTHER MISSES. Below Myrna Panlilio is runner-up Elvie Gonzales,

Panlilio was crowned on 5 July 1964 at the Araneta Coliseum. The event was originally scheduled on 3 July, but had to be postponed due to Typhoon Dading. Myrna, a St. Scholastica  and Maryknoll graduate, was already working as a teller for Merchants Bank when she joined and won the crown over 15 candidates, trimmed from an original 28.

PAGEANT NIGHT IN MIAMI

 

Two nights before the binibini finals, she had also participated in the 1964 Maid of Cotton search, won by Bettina Herrero. She had better luck in the pioneer pageant, succeeding Lalaine Bennett, 4th placer to Miss Universe 1963. Myrna’s runners-up included Bb. Waling-waling, Milagros Cataag and Bb. Ilang-ilang, Elvira Gonzales (mother of another future binibini, Charlene Gonzales). One other candidate was Milagros Sumayao, a former Miss Press Photography winner like Elvira, who would later be known in showbiz as Mila Ocampo (mother of Snooky Serna). 

ARRIVAL AT MIAMI, Miss Philippins (rightmost) with other Miss U contestants 

Her prizes included a cash prize of P2,000, gold trophy from the Lions Club, a complete wardrobe from the Philippine Couturiers’ Association, Helene Curtis beauty products and a Regal sewing machine. Panlilio also won the right to represent the country in the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in Miami, Florida with the title going to Miss Greece, corinna Tsopei. Married to Dr. Ramon Borromeo (+), whose mother is Amparo Noel, herself a Carnival beauty winner (Visayan Queen 1912) from Cebu. Children: Ramon Jose, Patricia (+) , Mitzi. Durng Pres. Estrada's term, Panlilio was named Executive Director of Nayong Pilipino. Sadly, Myrna passed away at the age of 65 on 16 July 2009, from a gall bladder disease.

 SOURCES:

Screengrab of Miss U 1964, SMU Jones Film- G. William Jones Film and Video Archives

Alex Castro, Aro Katimyas Da, A Memory Album of Titled Kapampangan beauties 1908-2016.

447. MAGNOLIA CARNIVAL Frozen Creem, 1976

ANYTIME IS CARNIVAL TIME. MAGNOLIA CARNIVAL FROZEN CREEM

By the mid 70s, Magnolia, the dominant name in fine ice cream, found itself vulnerable with the rise of new ice cream brands, most specially from Presto Ice Cream, which even had a copycat “Flavorite of the Month” line, and even earlier, Silver Bell. In 1976, a Magnolia introduced a flanker brand, MAGNOLIA CARNIVAL FROZEN CREEM.The price brand consisted of 8 star flavor attractions: Super Strawberry, Jolly Orange, Merry Mocha, Vanilla Fling, Nangka Fantasy, Mango A-Go-Go, Groovee Ube and Chocolate Fiesta. It came in gallons, half-gallons and cups. 

In the 1980s, Coney Island Scooping Stations were successfully introduced in which one can enjoy even more affordable ice cream scoops in cones, with a merry variety of flavors. Magnolia had to change its position, by introducing its own scooped ice cream flavors thru its new line “Ice Cream Internationale”, to go against Coney Island. The CARNIVAL brand was discontinued, its flavors folded into Magnolia’s new scoop brand.