History of Advertising

1. History of Advertising Early Origins of Advertising Prior to the birth of Christ, early forms of advertisements
estimated to be 3,000 years old and found in the streets of Papyrus where already discovered in the ruins of
Thebes in Egypt. In the ruins of Babylon, in a thriving mercantile community in 3,000 B.C were found symbols
made by tradesmen to indicate the nature of their business. In Egypt, criers were used to announce the arrival
of ships with fresh merchandise, and ancient Athenians placed signboards outside their shop doors. The
development of advertising had a direct bearing with trade and commerce. In ancient civilizations of China,
Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Rome where trading and selling became recognized callings there were evidences
of written communication, signs, pictorials, which became predecessor of today's trademark. Development of
Advertising in the 15th to 18th Century In succeeding 3 centuries, there appeared an even increasing number
of books, calendars, leaflets, newspapers and many printing movable letters allowed the distribution of an
unlimited number of copies of an item. Development of Advertising in the 19th and Early 20th Century
Advertising began to make a more deliberate use of means of visual communication. The invention of
lithography or chemical printing from stone in 1795 to 1798 greatly widened the scope of reproduction and
printing. It was cheaper than letterpress printing. In 1827, colors lithography appeared. In 1826, Joseph
Nicephore Niece produced a metal plate coated with light sensitive asphaltum and thus invented photography.
In 1903, the
2. newspaper Le Matin printed the first tone block from a photograph. Newspaper. The Manila Bulletin and
Roces Publication was among the first publications to recognize advertising agencies by paying them
commissions. Radio. The first radio station to pay commissions to agencies were KZPI and its sister stations,
KZOK. Television. TV arrived in 1950, though the first actual Science, industry, process engraving, and
advertising soon found that photographic films became an indispensible medium of information. Development
of Advertising in the Philippines Advertising in the Philippines was pronounced after World War II. The earliest
Filipino traders, who were engaged in barter used advertising to its crudest forms broadcast took place in
1953. Television has been described by industry leaders as the most important development affecting
advertising in the 20th century. It has also became the most powerful medium for political and commercial
advertising all over the world. How advertising works? Advertising works when the force that makes people
react towards product or service give more interests to themselves and their immediate families. This is the
reason why advertising concentrates to appetite, comfort, love and self-interest. The persuasion to the people
to buy the product appeals to awaken the dormant desire in the mind of the individual and to set into action the
behavior mechanisms which will lead to the satisfaction. Thus, the advertiser must give emphasis on the
various needs and desires of the people that motivate them aside from a thorough understanding of the
product or service.10 Memorable Classic Characters From Local Ads

Do you remember these old-school brand ambassadors?

(SPOT.ph) There's been a lot of buzz over local commercials lately, from ads designed to make you want to
head out to get some finger lickin' good chicken, or make you give in to hugot while waiting for your burger. But
back in the day, it wasn't all about memorable lines or shareable videos on Facebook—brands relied on one
standout character that would stick to viewers and have some sort of impact on their buying habits. Here are
some of the most famous brand personalities that were once seen in households all over the country.
Kolynos Girl from Kolynos Toothpaste
By the 1930s, radio was a rising mass-market medium and companies had started using it extensively for
product promotions. Kolynos Dental Cream, a toothpaste brand, held auditions for singers over KZRM to find
its Kolynos Girl, a singing product presenter of sorts. A 13-year-old Cavite high schooler, Presentacion
Bataclan, was picked to headline the program The Kolynos Hour. Dubbed as “Priscilla, the Kolynos Girl,” she
would later become the number-one radio personality of the Commonwealth Era. The Kolynos Girl became a
household name, receiving over 200 fan letters a week and requests for autographs. She was paid P7.50 for
the 15-minute daily show, which was a hefty salary at the time. The Kolynos Hour lasted for a good three
years. The Kolynos Girl was the toothpaste Belle of radio at her likable best, her toothsome smile and 14-karat
crooning voice popularizing songs like "Stardust," "I’m in the Mood for Love," "My Reverie," and "All the Things
You Are."
Nurse Cafi from Cafiaspirina
Cafiaspirina was the pain-relief brand that rivaled best-selling Cortal in the 1950s. It was produced by Bayer,
which gave the world aspirin. The name Cafiaspirina was derived from caffeine and aspirin, two ingredients in
the tablets, which grew to become a popular pain medication brand in Latin American countries. To promote
Cafiaspirina, an illustrated cartoon figure of a Filipina nurse began appearing in its print ads, most of which
were drawn as comic strips. Nurse Cafi joined the league of comic characters like Kenkoy and Captain Cortal
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as brand figures to push products in the marketplace. The illustration of Nurse Cafi, finished in 1948 but only
used in 1951 ads, shows her in a typical white uniform holding a giant Cafiaspirina tablet foil pack. She
appeared not only in print ads but also on botica merchandising signs with the battle cry "Stop Pain! Feel Fine
Again!"
The Englishman from Fibisco Biscuits
Filipinas Biscuit Corporation, more commonly known as Fibisco, was established on January 23, 1959. The
following year, Fibisco started producing biscuit brands that would become household favorites—like Choco-
Mallows, Marie, Hi-Ro, Jolly, Butter Crunch, and Ginger Snaps. These were collectively marketed as “English
Quality Biscuits” as they were produced using English-made machinery, set up by English consultants in the
Fibisco Mandaluyong factory. The initial operations were even supervised by an English plant manager. As
biscuits of fine quality were associated with the English, an “Englishman” character was introduced to drive
home that point. The white-moustachioed Englishman, wearing a smart blue suit and a bowler hat, and
wielding a cane, was featured in print and TV advertising.The Englishman breezed through the screen as its
memorable jingle played: “Ho, ho, did you know? The Englishman makes Fibisco Biscuits. Ho, ho, did you
know? We've got the Englishman here!” The Englishman, once a familiar figure to Filipino children, may be
long gone, but his Fibisco biscuits are still around.
Little Miss Shellane from Shellane Cooking Gas
In 1966, Shellane Cooking Gas was introduced by the international fuel company, Shell, to the Philippines. A
Shellane mascot was designed for the brand, depicted by an impish girl with her trademark hair sweeping
upwards like a tongue of flame. The year afterward, Shellane launched the Search for Little Miss Shellane
aimed at creating goodwill among Filipino mothers. Girls between four to six years old had to mirror the look of
the Shellane mascot and had to be photographed wearing an official blue Shellane polka-dotted dress. From
thousands of entries was chosen the first Little Miss Shellane, Joy Paguirigan. The contest drew a lot of buzz
and led to a second edition in 1969. Arlene Arrieta emerged as Little Miss Shellane in 1969.
One pert and pretty finalist was Tessa Prieto (now Valdes). After a hiatus of 44 years, the contest—now known
as the search for Little Miss Solane—was revived in 2013 with the re-branding of Shellane as Solane.

Maya from Liberty Flour Mills

One of the most successful flour brands from Liberty Flour Mills was the Maya brand of flour mixes. It was
introduced in 1962, beginning with the hotcake mix which was met with much success. It was soon
manufacturing cake mixes of all kinds, thus making home baking possible even for those who didn't own
ovens. The name Maya was inspired by the former national bird—the Philippine maya, otherwise known as
the black-headed munia. A small, chirpy looking brown maya bird was a constant fluttering presence in the
brand’s advertisements (in reality the local maya is born with brown feathers, which turn reddish-brown upon
maturity). In 1995, it lost its title when the Philippine eagle was declared as the country’s official national bird.
The Maya line continues to thrive with its many product and flavor innovations.
Papa Piccolino from Republic Flour Mills
In 1964, the country was introduced to Papa Piccolino, 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. 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. The name Papa Piccolino was reworked from the title of a 1953
hit song, “Poppa Piccolino." The brand was active throughout the rest of the '60s, its line expanding to include
soups and pizzas. Papa Piccolino appeared practically in all print materials, but the novelty wore off as the '70s
rolled in. Papa Piccolino was replaced with a real endorser, host-singer Pepe Pimentel, who more or less
exuded the same chirpy, friendly vibe as the cartoon character.
Tita Maggi from Maggi Food Products, Nestlé
In the late '70s, the Ace-Compton ad agency created an amiable tita character for the Nestlé client which was
set to launch its new brand of instant noodles—Maggi Rich Mami Noodles. The result was an endearing
kitchen personality in a red and yellow outfit known as Tita Maggi. The young, cheery image differentiated her
completely from other female endorsers at that time who were either old, matronly, or caricatures. Cast in the
role was the beauty-and-brains Maryknoll graduate, Carmencita “Menchu” Genato, who had been named one
of the most Outstanding Coeds of the Philippines. The Tita Maggi campaign was well-received and in time, Tita
Maggi began appearing in different ads for Maggi seasonings, mixes, bouillons, and flavored sauces. In her
heyday, Tita Maggi was one of the most recognizable faces on TV, mobbed by hundreds of adoring kids and

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mothers wherever she went. There was a Tita Maggi Homemakers Club, and even a Tita Maggi doll to
complement the long-running campaign.
Miss Magnolia from SMC-Magnolia Dairy Products
One of the earliest searches for a “brand ambassador”—even before that marketing term was coined, was
Miss Magnolia. It was a beauty-personality pageant conceived by San Miguel Corporation’s PR arm to find a
product endorser, spokesperson, and model for the Magnolia Ice Cream brand. The contest earned a measure
of prestige as it attracted contestants from reputable schools who were as wholesome as the ice cream brand.
The first Miss Magnolia—Vivian Avila—was selected in 1974. Miss Magnolia appeared regularly in Magnolia’s
“Flavor of the Month” print ads and TV commercials, became a recognizable face, and achieved instant
celebrity status. The contest ran for six years, and the last winner, Dindin Lopez, was crowned in 1980. Her
runner-up, Dina Bonnevie, became a well-known TV and movie actress.
Susy and Geno from Sustagen
The adorable duo that drove Filipino kids to pester their mothers to buy cans and cans of Sustagen came to life
in 1985. Susy and Geno were the marketing brainchild of Mead Johnson, the company behind the nutrition
supplement, Sustagen. The Susy and Geno tandem, both embodiments of happy, healthy children, made
Sustagen the number-one selling milk in the '80s. Susy and Geno not only appeared in countless TV ads, but
also went on school and supermarket tours to perform, dance, sing, and promote the health benefits of the
brand. They were the stars of their own Sustagen’s Kiddie Club, which had over 45,000 members at its peak.
The high cost of mounting these activities forced their temporary retirement, but by late 1990s, Susy and Geno
staged a comeback. In 2013, Susy and Geno were seen again as adult mascots, leading separate lives and
careers. This generated some interest on Facebook, where the drama of their reunion played out.
Tita Frita from Tita Frita Banana Catsup
As Nestlé’s Tita Maggi was winding down her reign, another tita appeared on the ad scene as the brand name
for a condiments line by Zest-O Corporation. The Tita Frita line included bottled tomato and banana ketchup,
and hot sauce. To launch the new products, the company created a brand character in the mold of Tita
Maggi—wearing a chef’s hat and an apron over a colored shirt. They found the image of Tita Frita in Rita Avila,
then a 24-year-old actress with two years of showbiz experience under her belt. She had dabbled in
commercial modeling in her teen years. Surprisingly, the Tita Frita character took off when the ads aired, and
so did Avila’s career. Today, Tita Frita is no longer as extensively advertised, but Rita Avila, a.k.a
Tita Frita, continues to enjoy her showbiz career.
BONUS:
Goldilocks from Goldilocks Bakeshop
Once upon a time in 1966, sisters Milagros Leelin Yee and Clarita Leelin Go, with sister-in-law Doris, decided
to open a small bakeshop along Pasong Tamo in Makati. A third sister, Maria Flor, suggested that they name
the enterprise "Goldilocks," after the fairy tale character. The intention was to make it easier for children and
their mothers to remember the bakeshop's name, and also because it suggested luck and prosperity. A
Goldilocks image was created in the mid-1980s with the help of the store’s ad agency—a standing figure of a
girl with golden locks. In the mid-1990s, an industrial design agency streamlined the character, using just
Goldilocks' face and a unique script specially created for the Goldilocks brand name.

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