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 Industry creative leaders identified several elements that could make a TV commercial register in the minds of the market, among them are such formulas as slices of life and dashes of humor. The humorous approach is quite popular in the Philippines and it ranges from slapstick to subtle, from spoofs to puns. But, to be honest, while we could identify many commercials with high awareness, we couldn’t identify any category leader that consistently used humor. We believe, however, that it is a good approach, and there’s a way of using humor successfully without trivializing a brand. One creative guru warned, however, that “very, very few can write funny commercials that are funny.”
Humor certainly carried the day, not to mention the campaign, for the very first Creative Guild Television Ad of the Year: a 30-second drinking-table argument among friends that was concluded with one of the most memorable advertising one-liners a quarter of a century ago. The client was San Miguel Beer. The campaign was “Ito ang Beer,” which had been launched to confront the first product to challenge the best-selling Pale Pilsen bottle’s leadership in years, Beerhausen.  Since this columnist has been obsessed with interviewing the experts and double-checking my facts, one priceless fact remains: These ideas work! The San Miguel commercial used the favorite Pinoy genre, the anticlimax, in a series of commercials starred in by the brand’s five-man team of well-known endorsers: the late comedian Bert “Tawa” Marcelo, the late boxing great Gabriel “Flash”Elorde, singer Rico J. Puno, billiards champion Amang Parica and racing winner jockey Jesus Eduardo. The commercial progressed at an entertaining pace; after a series of 15-seconders focusing on the accomplishments of each spokesman, invariably ending with the assurance that “Ito ang Beer,” the boys figured in more ads that had them arguing over options, whether it was music to play for the night, or which watering hole to head for. The common element was San Miguel Beer. The message was that, no matter what your taste was and where you were heading, San Miguel was the best companion to have around.
The winning ad, the “Pulutan” TVC, had the protagonists again at odds over the evening’s pica-pica. The ad is a delightful sequence of memorable reaction shots from the different personalities; Elorde’s calm drawl is a perfect foil to Puno’s arrogant demand for crispy pata and Marcelo’s agitated whine for inihaw na pusit. Adding even more spice is the nameless waiter, who is exasperation personified, especially when Elorde settles matters with his ludicrous but now legendary request for isang platitong mani.  In the “Boss” commercial, Marcelo was seen furious on the way to the office of his boss (portrayed by Subas Herrero). But upon meeting Herrero face to face, his courage withered and instead of demanding for his salary increase, he resorted to saying “Boss, mag-beer muna tayo!”
In another TVC, Marcelo was the man who was supposedly irate collecting rent from a boarder. But upon shouting the name of his boarder Bruno, he resorted to blurting “Bruno, mag-beer muna tayo!” after seeing the latter’s intimidating built. Marcelo’s portrayals of different characters in past San Miguel Beer commercials were a hit but his most memorable was the isang platitong mani. This columnist credits the directorial wizardry of this TVC for a huge 50 percent of the commercial’s with-it appeal. Needless to say, Beerhausen’s German-flavored campaign was steam-rolled by the gang’s endearingly Pinoy antics. The dialogue became so popular that isang platitong mani even became a movie title. “Everybody familiar with the San Miguel campaign remembers that ad,” as one topnotch copywriter recalled.  We can say that isang platitong mani is one of our most unforgettable commercials. In this material, we saw how members of the barkada coming from different backgrounds may have different views even on topics as trivial as the pulutan but, at the end of the day, can find harmony in isang platitong mani and San Miguel Pale Pilsen,” furthered San Miguel Pale Pilsen brand manager Joemar Climaco.
True enough, viewers always look forward to the next San Miguel Pale Pilsen commercial, which reflects the Filipino’s penchant for real camaraderie and zest for simple enjoyment. “We notice that Filipinos are fond of celebrating with genuine friends even if there is no occasion at all. Hence, we have reexamined our roots and came up with the tagline ‘Sa tunay na saya, may bagay na beer’ for our soon-to-air commercial as we promote the trademark Filipino values associated with San Miguel Pale Pilsen?” added Climaco. As part of the brand campaign, the SMB marketing team is also bringing the viewers down memory lane by coming up with the “What’s your favorite San Miguel Pale Pilsen?” commercial online promo. Some of the most endearing TV commercials starred by the late Marcelo are now up for viewing at www.sanmiguelpalepilsen.com.ph, www.sanmiguelbeer.com.ph and www.sanmiguelbrewery.com.ph. Check out the web sites now, vote for your favorite San Miguel Pale Pilsen commercial and get a chance to win Manny Pacquiao-signed SMB jackets. Now, what’s your favorite San Miguel commercial? Retaining authenticity Time and competition march on relentlessly. And no company has been buffeted by these two forces more than an ice cream company called Selecta. It made a brilliant move when it introduced the Selecta’s most luxurious offering: a line of extra creamy premium ice cream designed to provide a truly opulent experience. What was called for was a repositioning strategy based on a new concept with a future. Another benefit of the change was that the public’s perception of “luxury” is good value for money and made only from the finest ingredients available, the three flavors that compose the line—Chocolate Truffles, Hazelnut Brownie and Berry Strawberry—were created by no less than three of Manila’s finest chefs: Rolando Laudico of Chef Laudico Bistro Filipino, Sau del Rosario of Chelsea Market and Café and J. Gamboa of Cirkulo, respectively. “Luxury comes not only in using the best ingredients but also in having the refined taste and expertise to create something exceptional,” Selecta’s managing director John Concepcion said. “This is what elevates Selecta Gold Series into a true gourmand’s favorite.” One cannot mass-produce authenticity. Rather, it has to be introduced on an almost person-to-person basis, with individual needs, desires, expectations and interests being fully accounted for. Acording to Conception, working with the three esteemed chefs was crucial in the creation of the Selecta Gold Series. He explained that their years of experience, pristine taste and unparalleled culinary knowledge provided the creative direction needed to conceive each variant. Also, he further acknowledges that the chefs’ involvement contributed greatly in making the line truly luxurious, an unforgettable treat for the contemporary urbanite. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Rolando Laudico took as his inspiration a classic of the French confectionery world to create Chocolate Truffles, a lavish affair featuring the bittersweet chocolate wonders set against a backdrop of rich, creamy milk chocolate base lashed with generous swirls of dark chocolate fudge. Laudico is the genius behind the renowned Bistro Filipino, a chic restaurant at the Fort that’s been known for creatively elegant dishes. Rave reviews certainly place Laudico at the forefront of modern Pinoy cuisine. The New York and French-trained chef uses his signature ingenuity and culinary audacity for Selecta Gold Series’ Chocolate Truffles. To ensure a rich texture and mouth feel, Chef Laudico insisted on importing gourmet chocolates from Belgium. “The secret to making this a truly decadent treat is using the best chocolate available,” he revealed. “Working with Belgian chocolates also makes it possible to give the ice cream a very natural and unadulterated flavor as possible.” Chef Sau del Rosario, meanwhile, invoked his childhood love for brownies to come up with Hazelnut Brownie. A mouthwatering mixture of ground hazelnut paste and rich chocolate ice cream laden with moist fudge brownies, it is essentially based on a traditional Italian specialty called “gianduja.” “Gianduja is a treat from Italy that combines cocoa and hazelnut,” explained chef Sau, a former protégé of numerous Michelin-star chefs such as Jacques Divellec and Christian Plumail. “I wanted to capture its essence and translate it into a fun and modern ice cream flavor.” Del Rosario’s romance with exotic new tastes makes Chelsea Market & Café a delectable discovery for young habitués of Serendra at the Fort who keep coming back for more of its gourmet bread, pastries, desserts, pizza and coffee. His masterful blend of distinct tastes and new world sensibilities truly make Chelsea’s cuisine and his latest confectionary creation for Selecta modern culinary masterpieces. Berry Strawberry, on the other hand, finds Chef J., a third-generation restaurateur/chef and another Culinary Institute of America graduate, taking a more conventional but no less innovative approach. By combining plump, whole, sun-ripened strawberries with quality French vanilla ice cream, he injects a dose of flair and refinement to freshen up an old favorite. “It was all about taking something familiar and updating it,” said Chef J. of his creation. “I concentrated on upping the luxe factor a bit by giving it a creamy smoothness and a very natural taste.” Gamboa surely knows a thing or two about putting a new spin on an old dish. While innovation and freshness are the gastronomic dictum at Cirkulo, Gamboa retains old, familiar favorites in his menu. These along with new inventive new fare make El Cirkulo the top choice among many a connoisseur—most of whom are their loyal patrons already. |
Rejection, according to Bubuwit, is a creative person’s almost daily fare. He gets it from varying stages from many sources. First, there’s his boss, who always demands excellent work. And then there’s the client, who really has the last say, “aye” or “nay,” on any idea, campaign, talent and all ad-related materials. And during speculative pitches for new business, which usually exacts a few sleepless nights of preparation, the creative person’s agency can lose to any of the competitors; and of course, the most cohesive and elusive creative awards.
