M.Y. San & Co, (Mar Yuk San) went into the biscuit and
cracker business to complement his Escolta Ice Cream shop that he put up with
his family in Escolta in 1935. M.Y. San began branding their products starting
with the Lion Brand Soda Crackers (1940). By the 1960s, they had added Fita,
Carousel and SKYFLAKES, which was
launched in 1962---”a completely new kind
of crackers, with a new richer flavor!”.
SKYFLAKES, in an M.Y. San omnibus biscuits ad, 1963
For many years, SKYFLAKES
came in a tin can wrapped with a red-striped paper label with a blue band
carrying the SKYFLAKES brand name
alongside a couple of the crackers seemingly flowing from the mouth of the can.
The first cans had illustrated labels.
SKYFLAKES, "Top hit with the In-crowd", Print Ad, 1969
SKYFLAKES became
best sellers in no time at all—even teens loved them: “Top-hit with the
in-crowd”—as one ad flagged, all because of the tasty, crisp ‘n crunchy creamy
flavor. Marketing pushed SKYFLAKES in
individual ads as their following grew
MALUTONG, KAHIT ANO'NG IPATONG, 1975
In the golden age of TV advertising in the Philippines,
however, SKYFLAKES had all kinds of
thematic messages, but in 1975, it hit the jackpot with a well-remembered
slogan that had a matching television commercial. “Malutong…kahit ano’ng
ipatong!” , the ad proclaimed---and it was a promise well delivered. A version
even had a foreign talent mouthing the slogan with a distinctive American
accent: ”Malu-tong, kahit ano’ng ipay-tong!”—and the TV audience went wild.
SKYFLAKES, "Snack Pack", Print Ad, 1987
There have been many messages after this—“SKY has no limit”, referring to the limitless pairings one can
have with SKYFLAKES. It was
developed in 1989 by its agency, Adformatix. Other themes include” Ang Pambansang
Biscuit”, and in the new millennium: “Buti
Na lang, laging Ready” (2005, Gallardo & Associates), “Break Mo, Kagatin Mo”,
“Ito na ang Break Mo” (2010-2015, Publicis JimenezBasic) , but the 1970s “Malutong,
Kahit Ano’ng Ipatong”, remains a Philippine sloganeering classic.
SKY has No Limit, Print Ad", 1989
SKYFLAKES, "Thousand and One Ways", Print Ad, 1989
Over the years, there have been a few product improvements
and variations, particularly in the 2000 decade, like the launch of SKYFLAKES Fit (with Omega 3, 2015); Flavored SKYFLAKES
(Cheese, Garlic); SKYFLAKES Cracker Sandwich (Mantekilya,
Peanut Butter, Condensada. Chocolate).
"COME TO THE SKY", Print Advertorial, 1989
But the base cracker recipe is still the same: wheat flour,
vegetable shortening, iodized salt, sugar, baking soda & yeast. Even the
iconic packaging has changed very little, it is so recognizable to millions of Filipinos
nationwide. The unwavering loyalty and acceptance of consumers towards this original
M.Y. San brand—now made by Monde M.Y. San--all these 6 decades indicate that SKYFLAKES is here to stay.
MARY PRIETO in her only known endorsement, YUK NO HANA Cream, 1959
MARY PRIETO (b.1
Jan. 1920/d. 11 June 2010), a long and fruitful life, finding fame in many
different worlds: as Yolanda Marquez, she made waves as a pre-war movie star on
the silver screen. As Mary Prieto, she became a celebrated personality in
Philippine high society, becoming a classic icon of style and grace. She became
a model, and later, she a columnist and writer.
The Fil-Mex beauty (her father was Filipino lawyer Generoso
Hernandez, mother was Marina, a Mexican)
grew up in California until age 14, when she opted to come back to the
Philippines to stay in Macabebe, her father’s hometown. It was here that she
met her father’s cousin, the celebrated Miss Pampanga of 1926, Rosario H.
Paganiban. Rosario had been married a few years with director Vicente Salumbides.
She opened doors for the young Yolanda so she could start a career in the
movies. Soon, she was cast in “Milagro ng Nazareno” from Parlatone Films, where
she co-starred with Angel Esmeralda (Nepomuceno). It was an unprecedented
success and Yolanda was on her way.
WHEN MARY WAS YOLANDA, 1930s Fan Photo
Her output over a period of 2 decades was limited to just 9
film appearances, but those were enough to propel her to national fame. The war
however, put her career on hold. In 1944, she met a La Sallian basketball star,
Leo Prieto (later a PBA Commissioner), whom she married and stayed with for 65
years.
She would resurface as MARY PRIETO, and though she had
retired from the movies, she made a very rare appearance as an ad model at age
39. Prieto appeared in an ad for a medicated cream made by Kimura Laboratories
in 1959. The brand, YUKI NO HANA (Snow Flower) was touted as “the miracle cream
of the century” that promises “a pearl-like complexion”.
Prieto gushes about the revolutionary in her endorsement: “YUKI
NO HANA Medicated Cream part of my everyday beauty care. It softens and clears
my complexion. I use it as a make-up base too. I recommend it for complexion
problems.”
Not much is known about this product and its maker. But certainly,
the endorser is quintessential figure in Philippine high society: Mary Prieto.
With her passing, came the end of a gracious era, where good manners and proper
decorum where hallmarks of a good and genteel society.
One of the most popular brands of athletic shoes from the
1960s, the GenuineCONVERSE CHUCK TAYLOR ALL-STAR took Philippines ports by storm, as
it carried the heritage as “America’s Foremost Name in Authentic Footwear”. Charles
Hollis Taylor (b. 24 Jun 1901/ d. 23 June1969) was an American basketball
player and basketball shoe salesman/product marketer who is best known for his
association with the Chuck Taylor All-Stars, which he helped to improve and
promote.
The design of the iconic Chuck Taylor All Star has remained
largely unchanged since its introduction in the early 1920s. Styled for
champions, CONVERSE rubber shoes are
lightweight for great speed and comfort.
They are understitched with web tape
backstay for extra support. “Peg-top” upper gives support without binding the
ankles.
The shoes are equipped with protective toe guard, permanent set
eyelets, and non-marking positive traction outsole.
The first U.S. Olympic basketball team wore Chucks in 1936. At
the height of their popularity,CONVERSE CHUCK TAYOR ALL-STAR were
endorsed by more coaches and worn by more players than any other athletic
shoes.
BRILLIANT MATCH, Converse Chuck Taylor All Star, 1967
As for Chuck Taylor, he was inducted into the Sporting Goods Hall of
Fame in 1958, and after his death, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial
Basketball Hall of Fame.
Cake baking was never a Philippines tradition;homemakers were happy with their kerosene
stoves, and gas ranges were yet to be preferred. Mothers were also contented
with their all-purpose flour. SWANS DOWN
was meant to add more sophistication and variety to a Filipina mother’s
culinary skills.
SWANS DOWN PRINT AD, 1961
The product innovation was developed by Addison
Igleheart,who in 1894, discovered a new
way of milling wheat that made a flour ideal for cake baking. He named it SWANS DOWN, because like the down feather
of birds that were used in pillows, the cakes made from the flour were soft,
light and fluffy. In 1904, SWANS DOWN
confections won Gold medal at the St. Louis World’s Fair.
The Iglehearts joined General Foods Corp. in 1926, and in 1945, the
food company introduced the first cake mix under the SWANS DOWNname. It was such a success that SWANSDOWN became America’s favorite
cake flour brand.
MOVIE STAR GLORIA ROMERO FOR SWANS DOWN, 1957
SWANS DOWN was first
marketed in the Philippines beginning in the mid 1950s, and by 1957 was being
advertised in national media. The first ad featured a black and white
endorsement of 1950s superstar, Gloria Romero, who was also a sought-after
celebrity model.
SWANS DOWN was
one of the first food products to use color and photography in their ads, in a
timewhen even food ads were largely
illustrated in monotone.It SWANS DOWN had less than a decade’s run
in the Philippine market, it laid the foundation for cake baking and pastry
making that led to the rise of cakeshops and bakeshop businesses like Red
Ribbon and Goldilocks.
SWANS DOWN CHRISTMAS AD, 1962
By the early 1970s, marketing by other competitors forced SWANS DOWN Cake Mix out of business
worldwide, but SWANS DOWNCake Flour survived because of the loyal
generations of scratch bakers who refused to bake with anything else. In 1985, the
Wm. B. Reily & Company purchased the Swans Down brand, and it is now manufactured
and marketed by Reily Foods.
SWANS DOWN Cake
Flour is only available in the Philippines through international shopping
stores today.
INSTANT CAFÉ PURO,
the coffee brand produced by Commonwealth Foods Inc., had established its dominance
in the coffee market in the 1950s, and continued to do so in the 60s, even as
other brands like Nescafe and the relatively newer Blend 45 began to step up
their advertising and promotional push in the 1960s.
CAFE PURO ANNIVERSARY CRYSTAL GLASSES, 1966
To maintain interest in the brand, CAFÉ PURO offered many promotions in succession. Beginning in 1966,
it began packaging its coffee in reusable, decorated drinking-glass type jars
that became keepsakes for its customers, long after the coffee had been used
up. The “collective glass” packages, as premiums, provided added value to the
brand.
CAFE PURO SPARKLING CRYSTAL GLASSES, 1966
The CAFÉ PURO
glasses were so popular that for 3 successive years, they were offered as bonus
giveaways. The first of these were the CAFÉ
PURO Crystal Glass Collection, given away on the occasion of CFI’s 5th
Anniversary, Decorated with applied “sparkle’ designs, the large glasses were
also available wit their Café Bueno and Le Café variants.
CAFE PURO ANNIVERSARY CRYSTAL GLASSES, 1966
That collection were quickly followed by their most well
received glass premiums ever—the CAFÉ PURO
Folk Dance Collection, launched in 1967. The series featured glasses native
folk dance illustrations like “Itik-Itik”, “Maglalatik”, “Tahing Baila”, “Pandanggo
sa Ilaw”, and many more. But CAFÉ PURO
went steps further by incorporating the sme folk dance them in giveway pitchers
and shakers as well. The collection was so well received that the promo ran for
2 years.
CAFE PURO FOLK DANCE GLASSES, 1967
Finally, in 1969, CAFÉ
PURO rolled out its products in eye-catching colored glass packaging,
promoted as the CAFÉ PURO Rainbow Glass
Collection. Again, the elegant glass set was snapped up as soon as they
appeared on supermarket shelves. Its competitors quickly recognized the value
of these innovative packaging that pretty soon, its chief rival, Nescafe, began
offering glasses of different designs as well, like the nescafe Diamond Cut
glass, as well as classic glass multi-purpose jars,
But the CAFÉ PURO
glasses were unrivalled for their creative design and durability, so it is no
wonder that they can still be found today still in use in homes, or stored away
in somebody else’s old “platera” or tableware cabinets.
BENCH "SCULLER" PRINT, featuring Richard Gomez, 1990
The biggest male matinee idol of the 1990s and who became
the face of the country’s most popular fashion brand was born on 7Apr.1966, the only child of car racer
Eddie Kelly Gomez and 60s sexy star, Stella
Suarez.
RICHARD GOMEZ
(full name: Richard Frank Icasiano Gomez) was working at a McDonald’s fastfood
when he was spotted by talent manager Douglas Quijano and groomed him for
showbiz at age 17. At 18, he appeared in his first movie, “Hindi Mo Ako Kayang
Tapakan”. He made a few more, and his screen presence was soon being noted not
just by fans, but also by advertising and marketing people.
BENCH, PrinAd, with a very young Richard Gomez, 1990
It was not until his manager introduced him to the executives
of BENCH, then a growing lifestyle
brand, that Richard Gomez’s
popularity would zoom, thanks to his well-followed appearances as a top
commercial model. After snagging a contract with BENCH, he started appearing in their prints ads, store
merchandising, displays, giant billboards, and out-of-home advertising materials.
He became a staple feature in the talk-of-the-town underwear fashions shows of BENCH.
WATCH BENCH "SCULLER" TVC HERE:
(Credit: Trevor Hone Youtube)
In 1990, he starred in BENCH’s
most well-known commercial, a stylish TVC entitled “Sculler”, in which Gomez, a multi-discipline athlete, is shown
sculling in a boat all throughought the commercial, which was directed by the
late Trevor Hone. Hone, an Australian who had come to the Philippines in 1988
to take part in the shooting of
Philippine Airline’s “Shining Through” commercials would stay on to become a
well-respected and admired commercial film director in the Philippines.
BENCH 'SADDLE'. 1990, Credit: Bench, via Preview.ph
The same formula was used in the “Saddle” BENCH TVC, also directed by Hone, this time showing the swashbuckling actor with a buzz cut, on a horse. Gomez thrilled the audience of the 1991 Philippine Advertising Congress when he made his appearance in the awards night in Bacolod. His “Sculler” BENCH TVC won Best in Cinematography.
WATCH BENCH "SADDLE" TVC HERE
(Credit: Trevor Hone youtube)
A 3rd BENCH commercial shows Gomez paired off with model Joanne Zapanta, in an ad entitled “L’Amoreaux’.
WATCH BENCH "L'AMOREUX" TVC 60S HERE:
(Credit: Trevor Hone youtube)
His star shone brightest in the 1990s where his mettle as a screen actor was tested: “He appeared in “Dyesebel” , “Shake, Rattle & Roll II “ (1990), and in his big hit, “Hihintayin Kita sa Langit” (1991) , opposite his love interest, Dawn Zulueta. He went on to do more: “Lumayo Ka Nga sa Akin “, “Ikaw ang Lahat sa “, “Iisa Pa Lamang –“ (1991), “Saan Ka Man Naroroon”(1993), “Wating”, “Bakit Pa Kita Minahal”, “Maalaala Mo Kaya: The Movie”, Kapantay ay Langit”, (1994), “Dahas” (1995), “Eskapo” (1996), “Hanggang Kailan Kita Mamahalin” (1997), and “Ang Babae sa Bintana”.
On TV, he became a star in the long running “Palibhasa, Lalake”, that ran from 1987-1998, “Lagot Ka, Isusumbong Kita” (2003–07) .“Captain Barbell” (2006-07), “Marimar” (2007–08) and hosted “Family Feud”, and “The Biggest Game Show in the World”.
RICHARD GOMEZ, at the peak of his career, and as congressman, now.
In 1998, he married Lucy Torres, whom he had met while filming a LUX Soap TV commercial. Both had their own sitcom, “Richard Loves Lucy” (1998-2001). They have a daughter, Juliana.
An avid athlete, Gomez took up volleyball and fencing, and became a gold medalist in the latter sport at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games. He ventured in to politics, but had a shaky start (he lost in the 2007 senatorial election, and disqualified for the governorship of Bulacan and mayoralty of Ormoc, due to lack of residency. . In 2016, Gomez ran again and won, and was re-elected in May 2019. Since June 2022, Gomez has been a member of the Philippine House of Representatives, representing Leyte’s 4th district.
SOURCES:
Richard Gomez, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Gomez
Established in 1965, Fortune Tobacco Corporation (FTC) was
founded by tai-pans Lucio Tan, Benito
Tan Kee Hiong, Atty. Florencio N. Santos, and Mariano Tanenglian. The company
introduced the most successful local cigarette brands in the Philippines,
including the Fortune, Champion and Hope menthol brands. Prior to the creation
of PMFTC, it held the largest domestic tobacco business in the Philippines.
HOPE, THE LARGEST LUXURY CIGARETTE IN THE COUNTRY, 1987
CHAMPION MENTHOLS, 1971
By the start of the new 1970s decade, Fortune Tobacco
Corporation was riding the wave of success courtesy of its banner brands that
would also come to include More, Winston, Salem and Boss.
WINSTON, 1979 AD
CAMEL, 1984 AD
Other flanker and price brands were also produced to cover
all smoking segments of the country, and the 1980s were a period of robust
growth for the FTC’s product portfolio.
BOSS MENTHOL CIGARETTES, 1971
MORE MENTHOL 100'S, 1979AD
In 1995, Philip Morris Philippines, Inc. (PMPI) was
established to handle all sales and marketing for Marlboro and Philip Morris
brands. Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing, Inc. (PMPMI) was established in
2002 to manage aspects of the Philippine business, including manufacturing
operations.
In Feb. 2010, PMI and
Fortune Tobacco Corporation (FTC) signed an agreement to unite their respective
business activities by transferring some assets and liabilities of both
companies to form a new company named "PMFTC, Inc.", headed by Lucio
Tan. PMFTC enjoys a 70.5-percent market share of the local tobacco market in
2019.
