COLGATE DENTAL CREAM’a most visible advertising campaign first aired in 1981 featured the “ New 2-Fluoride System” story, which promised double
protection to teeth. This Colgate dental breakthrough was in response to the
launch of Crest Toothpaste in the Philippines, another formidable product of
Procter and Gamble.
Delivering the story is a character named ERIC BAINES, an
authority figure who credibly showed the superiority of the 2-fluoride system
through a “chalk demo”, as seen in this commercial:
WATCH COLGATE'S 'ERIC BAINES' TVC HERE
Eric Baines was a constant figure in Colgate’s advertising,
appearing in several spots that made him recognizable to many Filipino
viewers—what with his trademark white hair, moustache and business suit. His
presence—whether driven by a car or entering a conference room—was always
announced with excited squeals from the audience—“Si Eric Baines! Eric
Baines!”.
Just who is Eric Baines?
Well, Baines is neither a dentist, a doctor or a figure
created by an ad agency executive. He is actually a real-life
professional—Colgate’s Worldwide Director for Research & Development based
in Piscataway, New Jersey. He remained with Colgate until the 1990s, often
working in the Asian region, until his retirement.
Baines, himself, could not believe his popularity here, and
even after the 2-fluoirde campaign came to an end (it trounced Crest, by the
way), his name still crops up in consumer research every now and then. Whether
he likes it or not, Eric Baines has become part of Philippine pop culture.
7 UP was introduced in the mid 50s in the Philippine by
Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Philippines. The
name, they say, was derived from its “7 natural flavors blendedinto a savory, flavory drink with a real wallop.” Predictably, 7 UP was advertised as a
pick-upper, with crisp lemon-lime flavor that refreshes and lifts spirits up.
It targetted the active family and came up with the 1952 slogan “The Fresh Up Family Drink”, to replace the earlier “You Like It, It Likes
You”. Later variations were also used like
“Fresh Up with 7 UP”,”Nothing Does it Like 7 UP”. Advertising for 7 UP began in
the Philippines in 1955, with print ads that simply copied the original U.S.
version.
7 UP was drank by older people because they believe it was
less gassy than cola drinks, and therefore less stomach-upsetting. This
‘medicinal’ image was considered uncool by the younger set. Not even the teen
campaign the product launched in the sixties—and which was adapted in the
Philippines-- could make its image more contemporary.
Then in 1967, its advertising agency, J. Walter Thompson conceived
of a campaign that celebrated the uniqueness of 7 UP against cola-based drinks.
7 UP 'UNCOLA' LOCAL PRINT AD, 1970
The UNCOLA Campaign sought to promote the idea of the fact that the product is
not made from cola nuts, a differentiating angle that resonated with young
people at the threshold of the so-called
“Me decade”, which described a new
attitude of Americans towards individualism.
The UNCOLA Campaign was rolled out in 1968 and ran through
the 70s in the U.S. with many memorable ads for TV and print. The campaign
doubled sales for the product and by 1972, 7 UP ranked as the third largest
soda marketer behind Coke and Pepsi.
THE UNCOLA, drawn in psychedelic style, 1970
The UNCOLA Campaign was adapted in many countries, including
the Philippines. The local print ads which first came out in 1970 were similar
to those produced in the U.S. which started running them a year earlier.
UNCOLA Print Series, 1970
The eye-popping executions capitalized on the psychedelia
craze, with fantastic, graphic illustrations rendered in bright, vibrant
colors-- an artistic style popularized by the artist Peter Max.
7 UP UNCOLA-SPONSORED DANCE EVENT, 1972.
There were pop art poster giveaways, UNCOLA upside down glasses, and psychedelic dance
parties that magnified the campaign in the stores and on-ground.
Suddenly, 7 UP was a
hip, with-it brand again. The UNCOLA TV commercials aired here included two
versions, one of which became a global hit, and made a star out of its
presenter. The JWT-produced TV commercial--which was aired on Philippine TV in 1972-- starred actor, director and choreographer Geoffrey
Holder as a Caribbean planter explaining the difference between cola nuts and
7 UP's "uncola nuts," lemon and lime.
WATCH 7 UP's 'UNCOLA" TVC HERE:
Holder’s performance was so well-remembered that he was
signed on to do more versions of the same campaign.
Another UNCOLA Ad was a product-the-hero ad scored with a
jingle noted for its sheer lyrical strength. The jingle wasn’t just selling fizzy beverages twelve ounces at
a time, it was singing praises to a way of life that challenged all
conventions.
The 7 UP UNCOLA Campaign had a good run, but the succeeding
initiatives—including its Fido Dido “Cool to be Clear” ad, did not do much to
stop the increase of the share of its primary competitor—Sprite—throughout the
‘90s. By 1998, the 7 UP bottle underwent a design face-lift, which dropped the term
"Uncola" from the soda's packaging.
And there goes a piece of advertising history.
SOURCES: From Uncool to Uncola: The Fabulous Psychedelic 7 UP Ads 1969-1973. http://flashbak.com/when-7up-was-cool-the-uncola-ad-campaign-1969-1973-27578/ The Uncola's Unclever Ad Campaign: http://archive.fortune.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1998/12/07/252125/index.htm Uncola: The Video History of a 7 UP Breakthrough Ad http://adage.com/article/news/uncola-video-history-a-7up-breakthrough-ad/116484/ youtube, 7UP "THE UNCOLA", uploaded by videoblast, 26 November 2008.
GLORIA ROMERO, at the peak of her career, with a copy of her Camay Print Ad, 1955.
One of the busiest commercial models in the early to mid
1950s was the beautiful GLORIA ROMERO (born Gloria Galla. 16 Dec. 1933, in
Denver, Colorado to Filipino Pedro Galla and American Mary Borrego). She was
only four when she returned to the Philippines, settling in Mabini,Pangasinan—her
father’s hometown. The war caught up with the family, so the Gallas decided to
stay here.
GLORIA ROMERO, for CAMAY BEAUTY SOAP, 1955
She tried her luck in showbiz in 1950 playing bit roles for
several production outfits, but it was Sampaguita Pictures that noticed her and
who gave her the screen name ‘Gloria Romero’ (after Eddie Romero, who directed
her in her early 1951 movie,”Kasintahan sa Pangarap”.
INSTANT SANKA COFFEE, Print Ad, 1957
Romero was cast in
Monghita (1952), her first lead role, but it was her appearance in Dalagang
Ilocana (1954) that gave her a FAMAS Best Actress—and a place in the top list
of Philippine film superstars.
SWANS DOWN CAKE FLOUR, Print Ad, 1957
The young ingénue was not only kept occupied filming
pictures, but also had her hands full doing pictorial for a variety of
products. She was the perfect endorser as she had a spotless image (she even
won the role of the Virgin Mary in ‘Martir sa Golgotha”, a 1954 Lenten movie),
her deportment and work ethics, of the highest standards. After all, Romero was
trained by the Sampaguita bosses themselves—taking her on trips abroad, providing
her wardrobe and giving her lessons in social etiquette.
CALUMET BAKING POWDER, Print Ad. 1953.
Her early endorsements include leading beauty and personal
products as well as consumer goods. Most of her output were Print Ads, as
Television was still at its infancy stage at that time. Romero was especially known for being a Camay Girl and a Coca Cola presenter.
JOHNSON'S MEDICATED TALCUM POWDER, Print Ad, 1961
In the 70s, she was cast in “King and I” TVC commercial for
Superwheel, a popular ad series based on parodies of historical characters. At
the 1988 Creative Guild Ad of the Year Awards, she romped off with the Best
Actress trophy for her “Manang Biday” Superwheel TV Commercial.
COCA COLA, Print Ad. 1956
Romero’s career spans over 60 years and she continues to be
active in movies and TV today. She has appeared in sitcoms like Palibhasa
Lalaki, "Richard Loves Lucy"
and in countless drama anthologies for GMA 7.Currently, Romero appears in “Juan
Happy Love Story”.
COCA COLA,Print Ad. 1956.
For her achievements, she received the first 2009 Lifetime
Achievement Award from MTRCB (Movies and Television Review and Classification
Board) Award, Huwarang Bituin Award from the 57th FAMAS Awards, and
named as one of the 13 "Movie Icons of Our Time".
VILMA SANTOS--THE STAR FOR ALL SEASONS-- INCLUDING THE RAINY SEASON--as Glad Rainwear endorser, 1971.
The rainy season is upon us once more, and the wet weather
brings to mind a few of the products that people wore to protect themselves
from the elements in the 60s and 70s. Between then and now, the rainy weather
basics have not changed: umbrellas, wore boots and raincoats. A few companies
though, thought of new ways to make these drab and often heavy rain gear more
appealing.
In 1970, for example, Union Carbide Philippines Inc., a
company primarily known for car batteries and industrial products ventured into
the manufacturing of polyvinyl chloride materials. This paved the way for the
launch of a revolutionary personal raincoat perfect for the unpredictable rainy
season—GLAD RAINWEAR.
It was different from existing bulky plastic raincoats
then—GLAD was very light, flexible and can be folded and tucked away in a handy
pocket packs. What’s more, the raincoat came in different, fashionable colors.
The company employed no less than 70s teen star Vilma Santos
to endorse the products. She appearedin several colored and black and white
print ads that showed her exposed to the elements while at work. There was also a non-celebrity version of the ads, featuring
people from all walks of life, protected by GLAD RAINWEAR while under the rain.
Needless to say, the handy raincoat enjoyed a measure of
success for its anytime-anywhere convenience, its softness and affordability.
In a special way, GLAD RAINWEAR made wearing raincoats cool and fashionable.
It was the same tact that PVC Inc. of Malabon adapted even years earlier, when it launched
its NOVUS Rainmates boots for ladies in 1963. Where before, rain boots were
made of heavy rubber and were available only in black, PVC manufactured boots
that were advertised for their “high style”—smart, casual and comfortable.
Novus boots for ladies were also available in 5 colors.
GLAD RAINWEAR and NOVUS RAINMATES have long disappeared from
the market, and the companies that made them have also undergone major changes.
Union Carbide suffered irreparable damages due to the Bhopal disaster in India
in which toxic chemicals were accidentally released from their plant and killed thousands. The company continues
to engage in chemical manufacturing. PVC Inc., still operates in Malabon,
making fire and safety equipment.
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.
The most famous local
shoe brand of the Commonwealth era—ANG TIBAY—was started by the successful
Filipino industrialist, Teodoro Toribio (b,1887/d.1965) back in 1910. His
‘rags-to-riches’ story began when the impoverished Teodoro left school to work
in a cigar factory for 80 centavos a week.
The ambitious boy, however, had other ideas. At age 20, he learned slipper-making in a
Calle Juan Luna shop and after 3 years of working, he had saved enough to start
his own hole-in-the-wall slipper business along Rizal Avenue which he named
“Ang Tibay”.
The business flourished
and soon, Toribio was exporting to Hawaii. His chain of slipper shops
included 15 Manila and 2 provincial branches.
From slippers, Toribio began making shoes after acquiring a second-hand
shoe machine.
His business boomed even more, and he became known as the “King of Slippers and Shoes”. His large,
art deco-style factory in Caloocan, near
the Bonifacio Monument, produced shoes and slippers by the hundreds of
thousands, and worn by everyone—from the man on the street to high society
people.
A believer in modern advertising, Teodoro even had a slogan
for Ang Tibay—"The Wear That Lasts". His best endorsers were the people who wore
his shoes, and many of these were men and women of influence whom he hobnobbed
with, as his stature as a respected industrialist grew. His high profile
clients included top executives, ranking government officials, educators, and even at least two presidents!
They willingly allowed their likenesses to be used in small
ads that appeared in the leading magazines in their day, particularly Graphic
Magazine.
Ang Tibay became the premier shoe factory in Asia, a
testament to the modern industrial development in the Philippines. Teodoro
became a millionaire many times over, allowing him to go on trips around the
world. He was named as one off the “Big
4” of the Philippines—based on his wealth and success.
At its height, there was practically a pair of “Ang Tibay” shoes in every Filipino home. His
product line included basic shoes, customized-made-to-order shoes for the
elite, and even combat boots, which were worn by thousands of Filipino
soldiers who went to war.
Teodoro’s “Ang Tibay” business survived the post-war years,
but by the end of the 60s decade, it started to feel the effects of
international competition as Japan and
China overtook the Philippines in industrializing their industries. The
situation was exacerbated by corruption, political instability and the changing
taste of the market.
True, “Ang Tibay” was a heritage brand, but it was also
looked at as old and passé. The descendants of Toribio continued with
shoemaking using different brand names.
“Ang Tibay” may have come and gone, but for sure, it has its
place in history, shodding the feet of several generations of Filipinos—from
every Juan to the highest executive of the land. It is not only the wear that
lasts, but also the legacy of one Toribio Teodoro.
NOTES ON THE PRINT AD ‘MODELS’:
PRES. MANUEL L. QUEZON (b.19 Aug. 1878/d. 1 Aug. 1944) was a Filipino statesman, soldier, and politician who served as president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines 1935-1944
SEC. ELPIDIO QUIRINO (b. 16 Nov. 1890/d. 29 Feb. 1956) was a Filipino politician of who served as Quezon’s Secretary of Interior and Finance , and who became the sixth President of the Philippines, 1948 -53.
DR. CAMILO OSIAS (b. 23 Mar. 1889/d. 20 May 1976 ) was a Filipino politician, twice for a short time President of the Senate of the Philippines.
DR. FRANCISCO BENITEZ (b. 4 Jun. 1887/30 June 1951) was an outstanding educator, author, editor, and the first dean of the School of Education of the University of the Philippines.
SEC. EULOGIO RODRIGUEZ (b. 21 Jan. 1883/d. 9 Dec.1964) was a Filipino politician and a long-serving Senate President after Quezon.
DON RAMON FERNANDEZ (b. 12 Apr.1878/ 10 Nov. 1964) was a prominent businessman, who became Manila mayor (1920-23), and later, a senator.
DON RAFAEL PALMA (b 24 Oct. 1874 /24 May 1939) was a Filipino politician, Rizalian, writer, educator and a famous Freemason. He became the fourth President of the University of the Philippines.
DON GONZALO PUYAT (b. 20 Sep. 1878/d. 5 Feb. 1968) was an industrialist who started the "House of Puyat" that became well-known as a premiere maker of furniture, billiard tables, bowling alleys and steel mill products.
DR. JOSE REYES (b. 5 Dec. 1899/d.1973) was the youngest Dean of the University of the Philippines Junior College, Cebu.
HON FELIPE BUENCAMINO JR., was an assemblyman, from Nueva Ecija
DON PRUDENCIO REMIGIO was a prominent Manila attorney and former member of the Philippine legislature.
MR.FELIX BAUTISTA was an assistant solicitor general of Department of Justice
ASSOC. JUSTICE ANTONIO VILLA-REAL (b. 17 Jan. 1880/ 12 Feb. 1945) was a Filipino jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
USEC LEON GUINTO (b. 28 Jun 1896/d.10 Jul. 1962) was a distinguished public servant from the Commonwealth period up to the post-war era, best known as the war-time Mayor of the City of Manila in the Philippines.
ARCH. TOMAS MAPUA (b. 21 Dec. 1888/ 22 Dec. 1965) was the founder and first president of the Mapúa Institute of Technology (MIT) , established in 1925. He was the first registered architect of the Philippines.
GEN. VICENTE LIM (b. 24 Feb. 1888/ d. 31 Dec. 1944) was a brigadier general and World War II hero, the first Filipino graduate of West Point (Class of 1914).
1984 Creative Guild of the Philippines Best TVC, MAGNOLIA 60 FLAVORFUL YEARS
MAGNOLIA 60 Flavorful Years is an Ace-Compton masterpiece which took all of 6 months to plan, execute and produce.
It won the Creative Guild of the Month for January 1985, and emerged as the top TVC of the year for 1984. The commercial shows how Magnolia, the finest name in dairy products, lends its flavorful presence to Philippine life at its merriest.
“Magnolia—fills life with flavor!”…so the jingle goes, and at once, Filipino festivities past and present spring to life as if straight from an old picture album. These period scenes, also reproduced on the commemorative calendar, were painstakingly recreated and shot in a dozen locations, involving a cast of hundreds.
Indeed, everybody involved in the making of the commercial have enough memories to fill their diaries and journals.
For one thing, this was the last commercial directed by the late Ed Claudio, who passed away in the middle of shooting the Magnolia ad. And, it is in this commercial that composer Jose Mari Chan makes a rare comeback to compose the jingle melody, beautifully sang by Pat Castillo.
JIMMY F. SANTIAGO, Creative Director
This is the first ad I ever did which had 8 pre-production meetings. The storyboards kept changing at the rate of 5 frames a day! And we never had so much studies for a jingle! For the fireworks display, we had to shoot in Bulacan, only to have that scene replaced by the one done in Japan! But I knew right from the start that the final storyboard had all the qualities of a truly outstanding commercial. And the creative awards it had won, proved it.
JONJIE DE LOS REYES, Account Supervisor
One day, I just suddenly found myself being named as the account supervisor for a special Magnolia project daw! Next thing I knew, hayun—nasa pressure cooker na ako. In the course of the project, my A.E. Sandra Puno gae birth. Then I got pregnant! Haayyy! But when Client’s hapy I’m happy. Now, every time I see this commercial, I see it as a “labor” of love.
ALEX R. CASTRO, Writer
I wrote the jingle lyrics in one evening. Next day, present kaagad. Approved on the spot, without revisions. Aba, OK! Kasi, pag pina-revise pa, I was ready to change the line to—Magnolia, fills life with labor!. That approval made my day!
MARIO SARMIENTO, Casting Director
Subukan nga ninyong mag-cast ng 100 talents to portray family members of 3 generations? Nakaka-loka!
LISTEN TO THE JINGLE OF
MAGNOLIA 60 FLAVORFUL YEARS HERE:
60 FLAVORFUL YEARS OF MAGNOLIA
What gives this world its many colors
Love, a special fervor
What makes moments so much sweeter
What fills life, our lives with flavor?
Through the years, what brings the laughter
In all kinds of weather
What makes minutes last forever
What fills life, our lives with flavor?
Magnolia, fills life with flavor
Magnolia,fills life with flavor
For 60 flavorful years…it’s Magnolia.
Magnolia, fills life with flavor
Magnolia, fills life with flavor
For 60 flavorful years, it’s Magnolia
For 60 delighful, wonderful, flavorful years
..it’s Magnolia!
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
1. Unfortunately, no print exists of this Creative Guild TV Ad of the Year 1985. Only the jingle survived, and it is included in the CD of commercial jingles done by award-winning composer, Jose Mari Chan. In the finals, the Magnolia commercial edged out San Miguel Beer’s “Tuloy ang Pasko”
2. The Radio counterpart of this commercial won the 1985 Radio of the Month for January.
3. The end shot featuring fireworks writing the name ‘Magnolia’ cost Php 35,000 per set up, a tidy sum then.
CREDITS ADVERTISER: SMC-Magnolia Corporation AGENCY: Ace-Compton Advertising, Inc. CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Jimmy F. Santiago / Cid Reyes ART DIRECTOR: Kits Yamsuan / COPYWRITER: Alex R. Castro TVC PRODUCER: Jack Dumaup / RADIO PRODUCER: Pops Nael CASTER: Mario Sarmiento PRODUCTION HOUSE: TVC Productions, UNITEL
DIRECTORS: Ed Claudio, Boldy Tapales CINEMATOGRAPHER: Carding Baltazar PHOTOGRAPHER: Behing Huang COMPOSER: Jose Mari Chan / ARRANGER: Louie Ocampo SINGER: Pat Castillo JINGLE PRODUCTION HOUSE: Empire Studio Source: Article originally appeared on PATALASTAS, newsletter of the 4 A's of the Philippines. 1984.
