MAD MEN QUOTE

UPUAN

                                                                                                 Pinagtagpo tayo ng Cinemalaya

                                                                                                 Tatlong pelikula ang sabay nating pinanood

                                                                                                 pero hindi tayo magkasama.

                                                                                                 Nasa likod mo lang ako,

                                                                                                 minamasdan ka habang pinapanood

                                                                                                 natin ang Mga Dayo, Ang Nawawala at Sta. Nina.

                                                                                                 Pagkatapos ng Linggo,

                                                                                                 kakalimutan na kita.

                                                                                                 Ngunit ang lunal mo at scarf mong fuschia

                                                                                                 nakatatak na sa aking alaala.

                                  

30secondTHOUGHTS: BENCHINGKO FILMS

Local clothing brand Bench turns silver this year. To highlight the 25 years the clothing giant has become part of everyday Filipino fashion and lifestyle, Bench presents a series of short films, aptly called "Benchingko Films." To explain the concept behind the films, the clothing brand's founder, Ben Chan, stars in the first released short film, 25Bens:

Ad Title: BENCHINGKO FILMS: 25 BENS
Ad Agency: TBWA \ Santiago Mangada Puno
Client: Bench

Benchingko Films will star a roster of local Bench endorsers. Leading man Piolo Pascual plays circus captive in Perya (directed by Topel Lee) while teleserye actor Coco martin is a noble jeepney driver in Horse Power (Borgy Torre). On the other hand, primetime actress Lovi Poe headlines a three-part musical in Kama (Borgy Torre) while celebrity-turned-politician Lucy Torres-Gomez showcases her hometown Ormoc, Leyte in Star Teacher (Marla Ancheta). Finally, prima contrabida Bella Torres teaches us the rules of the villainess trade in Kontrabida 101 (Jose Javier Reyes).

The Benchingko Films are officially released through the clothing brand's website and Youtube channel.

Ad Title: BENCHINGKO FILMS TRAILER
Ad Agency: TBWA \ Santiago Mangada Puno
Client: Bench

REBYU: STA. NINA (EMMANUEL PALO ), KALAYAAN (ADOLFO ALIX JR )

STA. NINA (EMMANUEL PALO)
Tweetnopsis:
Ninanais ni Pol at Madel na gawing santa ang anak na pagkatapos matabunan ng lahar ay buo pa din ang bangkay. Himala! sigaw ng mag-asawa.
Afterthoughts:
Sta. Nina delves around the Filipino's fascination (and fanaticism) with things religious and miraculous - as an entire community embraces and declares the sainthood of Marikit Mungcal, the deceased two-year old daughter of Pol (Coco Martin), whose body remained undecayed following her death a decade ago. The film likewise tackles a dark secret, revealed piece-by-piece as the storyline progresses, which causes a personal conflict between Pol and his immediate family - Madel (Alessandra de Rossi), Josefa (Angel Aquino), his grandmother (Anita Linda), among others.
The film is a modern outtake of Ishmael Bernal's "Himala" but without being a direct copycat. Sta. Nina is a movie of comtemplation as it tries to challenge the viewer on the boundaries of his personal faith - on whether his belief is anchored in the unusual and supposedly miraculous remains or whether his faith goes beyond such physical manifestation.
Favorites:
The crucifixion scene, how Pol's sacrifice on Good Friday seeks inspiration from the scenes of the Stations of the Cross.
Review Hashtag:
#MayHimala 

KALAYAAN (ADOLFO ALIX JR)
Tweetnopsis:
Ang Spratlys. Pinag-aagawan man, isla pa din - maliit,malungkot,nakakabalisa. At ang mga sundalong nagbabantay nito, parang isla na din.  
Afterthoughts:
Kalayaan is a film of loneliness, doldrums, and the battle to keep the mind sane. Such emotions are depicted as the film is rather visual-heavy than script-heavy, devoid of much script and filled with picturesque clips of vast and silent landscape disrupted only by animal sounds and seldom human conversations. The film is ala Survivor save for the tribal council and immunity challenges - although it is made perfectly clear that the marooned soldiers would rather want to be the first eliminated castaways in able to escape the seclusion, the silence, and the hallucinations of mermaids and secret oil reserves.
Favorites:
Zanjoe Marudo as an unexpected comedic relief. Postcard-worthy images.
Review Hashtag:
#TapatMalawakAngPag-Iisip #KalayaanNgaBa

30secondTHOUGHTS: OLYMPIC ADS SHOWREEL

To commemorate the official opening of the London Olympics, 30secondTHOUGHTS presents a showreel of Olympic-themed advertisements - from the heart-warming to the comedic, from the ordinary athlete to the extraordinary spectator, from the stories of success to the tales of perseverance. #GoForGold

Ad Title: BEST JOB
Ad Agency: Wieden + Kennedy
Client: Procter & Gamble

Ad Title: KIDS
Ad Agency: Wieden + Kennedy
Client: Procter & Gamble

Ad Title: FIND YOUR GREATNESS
Ad Agency: Wieden + Kennedy
Client: Nike

Ad Title: VOICES
Ad Agency: Wieden + Kennedy
Client: Nike

Ad Title: WE ALL MAKE THE GAMES
Ad Agency: Leo Burnett London
Client: McDonalds

Ad Title: WARMING UP
Ad Agency: BBDO New York
Client: AT&T

Ad Title: STAYING UP
Ad Agency: DDB New Zealand
Client: McDonald's

Ad Title: I WILL LIVE FOREVER
Ad Agency: Wieden + Kennedy
Client: Old Spice

Ad Title: WHAT WILL YOU TAKE
Ad Agency: in-house
Client: Adidas

Ad Title: THE DIFFERENCE
Ad Agency: TBWA\Chiat\Day
Client: Visa




Credits: Adweek

REBYU: APARISYON(VINCENT SANDOVAL), ANG DAYO(JULIUS CENA), BWAKAW(JUN LANA)

APARISYON (Vincent Sandoval)
Tweetnopsis: Sister Lourdes.Pre-martial law.Sis Remy's brother abducted.Convent deaf of the outside world. Nuns pray, the world around them, violent.
Afterthoughts:
However, the film is not mainly about the Martial Law - though the issues surrounding that historical period was embedded in how Sister Remy (Mylene Dizon) and her family coped with the disappearance of her brother. The film is about the rapture of Sister Lourdes (Jodi Sta. Maria), her untimely pregnancy, and how the nuns, cloaked in confinement inside their convent, deal with the controversy.
In that, the events could have happened in the current setting although the Martial Law period may have been chosen as the backdrop for historical appeal. And I did not necessarily comprehend how the film ended, on whether it was a deliberate cliffhanger or not.
Favorite:
The scenes were confined only to the vicinity of the convent and the concrete jungle where the convent is located. It restricts the audience from taking a glimpse of the "outside world" and allows them to view that world within the confines of a distant convent.
Review Hashtag:
#WalangHimala

MGA DAYO (Julius Cena)
Tweetnopsis:Resident card. Green card. Ano-ano ang kwento ng mga pasaporteng ito? Mga susi palabas ng bansa, mga pinto sa pinangakong lupa.
Afterthoughts:

I personally chose this movie because the thought of migrating to a foreign land has been bugging my mind lately. And I hoped that the movie would provide me with answers to my personal questions. However, I left the theater with the same questions at hand, unanswered. 

"Mga Dayo" tries to portray a day-in-a-life storyline of three Filipino immigrants and their struggles to obtain their respective green cards. However, the narratives of the three female leads were underdeveloped. The audience cannot fully understand the immigration stories in one complete grasp. Kulang ang pagkatagpi-tagpi ng istorya. 

Favorite:

The postponed wedding.

Review Hashtag:

#OkayLang

BWAKAW (Jun Lana )
Tweetnopsis:Rene,75,came out out of the closet five years ago.When his dog Bwakaw falls ill,he unexpectedly meets Sol and finds joy in his old gay life.
Afterthoughts:
My initial thoughts on how the film will interpret the life of Rene (Eddie Garcia), a gay man in his seventees, centered on the melancholic portrayal. However, "Bwakaw" narrates Rene's life in a rather unexpected light-hearted manner, with humor placed to twist the sad and inevitable circumstances the lead character has to face everyday - the lonely bed shared with a supposedly miraculous religious image, a lack of companionship  save for his dog and some neighborhood acquaintances, and the constant changes Rene makes with his informal last will and testament.
The film is recommended for all single people - both man and woman, gay and straight. It is a movie of reflection that allows the community to contemplate the personal choices we make in our single lives and in our search for long-term companionship - that the golden years are a product of the decisions we make today. 
Favorite:
The house as a representation of Rene - old, grumpy but hidden with colorful secrets.
Review Hashtag:
#AyawNaNaminMagingSingle #MalungkotPeroMasaya

ISSUE: adobo magazine

One of the advertising giants I admire, PublicisJimenezBasic founder and current Department of Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez graces the cover of adobo magazine.

Grab your copies now!

REBYU: ANG KATIWALA (ALOY ADLAWAN)

Tweetnopsis:
Ruben leaves small town to work as a caretaker for a house owned by a historical figure. He learns about the man. He becomes obsessed. 

Afterthoughts:
Ruben (Dennis Trillo) is assigned as the sole caretaker of the ancestral house of former President Manuel L. Quezon. He discovers similarities between his life and that of the historical figure's, which eventually leads him to become a self-proclaimed fan of President Quezon - as seen in Ruben's manner of speech, his hairstyle, and even with his admiration towards the twenty-peso bill and Quezon-related landmarks.


But the film is more than an ordinary man's fascination with a once influential person; "Ang Katiwala" is a depiction of the current social irony placed in three different settings - the empty antiquated house of the former president, the rural abode of Ruben in Quezon Province, and the squatters area where the lead takes temporary residence upon arriving in Manila. These settings portray the contrast between the dream and the reality of President Manuel L. Quezon's "Message to the People":


"My fellow citizens: there is one thought I want you always to bear in mind. And that is: that you are Filipinos. That the Philippines are your country, and the only country God has given you. That you must keep it for yourselves, for your children, and for your children's children, until the world is no more. You must live for it, and die for it, if necessary."

The two-hour film introduces insights - historical, political, social - without being preachy and boring. These insights are embedded within the narratives of Ruben and the people around him, which makes the film rather engaging and enlightening at the same time.

Favorites:

(1) Ronnie Lazaro's entertaining portrayal of Gimo, the nightshift security guard who regularly exchange conversations with Ruben.

(2) Less is more. The attention to detail - the minute elements of visual framing and the choice to use minimal sound effects - reminds the viewer that Ruben is but a small figure in a gargantuan yet empty mansion.

Hashtag:

#OneHundredMillionPesos  

30secondTHOUGHTS: "GECKO" "SPIDER"

Brothers of the Mohawk Society, Behold!

Salutations be given to those who acknowledge our identity as among the chosen few who dare risk and shave their hair as a symbol of self-expression and personal freedom - such crowning glory!

Ad Title: "GECKO", "SPIDER"
Ad Agency: TBWA / Santiago Mangada Puno
Client: Bench

Bench Fix Professional's Rock Steady Sculpting Bond has been my personal choice of use. It is extremely tough and provides a sensational shine, giving this Professor Mohawk a rockstar everyday look!

REBYU: ANG NAWAWALA (MARIE JAMORA)

Tweetnopsis:
Gibson returns to MNL for Xmas after 3 years, a decade after twin bro's death. He struggles about the past, memories and the Xmas cheers. 

Afterthoughts:
Speechless.
The one-word afterthought is not merely a pun to the main lead Gibson (Dominic Roco), who chose to stop talking after witnessing his twin brother's death a decade prior to the film's current period setting, but also to the whole cinematic experience while watching Marie Jamora's "Ang Nawawala."
Gibson searches to find his "nawawala", his lost identity shrouded after the death of his twin brother, Jaime (Felix Roco). Accordingly, Gibson's family is still coping with the struggle and lost, as evident in their choice of clothing and the rather depreciated ambiance of their house - still reminiscent of the decade when Jaime died. 
Gibson eventually finds comfort in his conversations with his Jaime's soul, in his similarities with Enid (Annicka Dolonius), his love interest, and in the many live band gigs Enid,Gibson, and their peers attend.

Favorites:
(1) The car scene, the exchange of choice music between Gibson and Enid. The sharing was an intercourse between two different musical genres connected by the characters' affection for music and for each other. 
(2) The cemetery scene, the sharing of smoke between Gibson and his twin Jaime. There was depth in their conversation and the silent tears held back by Gibson. 
(3) The music, all scenes considered. The brilliant play of selected playlist from various musical genres was an auditory feast; the songs were a necessary element that likewise narrated the stories behind Gibson's speechless persona - they become Gibson's voice.  
(4) The cast, brilliant acting. The director, excellent storyteller in both visual and auditory sense; Jamora's expertise as a local music director clearly placed into good use.

Review Hastag:
#ButiNaLangIPurchasedTwoTickets #HailMarieJamora

REMEMBERING

It's been a year, our dear Amy. Yet your memory, your sweet music continue to play deep in our hearts. You will always be loved, sincerely.

Amy Winehouse (September 14, 1983 - July 23, 2011)

THE POISON GAS: A SHOWREEL OF CONTROVERSIAL ADS

Written by Jerico de Dios, Arielle Poblete and yours truly for the July issue of The LaSallian.

For legendary ad man George Lois, advertising is poison gas.

Some gases are meant to be inhaled – these advertisements evoke product benefits, nostalgia, an emotional bond with customers. Other forms are rather toxic, with implications toward both individual self-esteem and  society as a whole – trumping the promise of the brand, or sparking thought-provoking questions from more critical ‘target audiences’.

Inhale. Exhale. Advertising in. Advertising out.

Execution completed. Message delivered.

Stir created. Controversy received.

The following are six recently released – or banned –print and television advertisements deemed either too controversial for their racial and sexual overtones, or praised for their frank boldness.

“Tibet”, Crispin Porter + Bogusky for Groupon

The Crispin Porter +Bogusky “Tibet” spot for Groupon during the Super Bowl XLV began with noble intentions. As actor Timothy Hutton spoke of the perils faced by the rich Tibetan culture, postcard-worthy images of Tibet and its people provided the appropriate mood for this seemingly worthy endeavor. However, everything changed when the frame shifts to a Tibetan man moving towards the camera – the Tibetan was actually a restaurant waiter serving Hutton his ordered fish curry. “And since 200 of us bought on Groupon.com,” the actor revealed, “we’re getting $30 worth of Tibetan food for just $15.”

Groupon CEO Andrew Mason, in Alan Farnham’s “Groupon’s Controversial TV Commercial”, defended that the company “[took] the suffering of Tibet seriously and intend[ed] to raise money for the Tibetan people [through The Tibet Fund and SaveTheMoney.org].”

Though the ads were supposedly for a charitable cause, the public took offense and labelled the ad as racist. In Sandra Fish’ “Groupon’s Tibet Ad: When Edgy Goes Overhead”, Friend of Tibet – San Francisco Chapter President exclaimed that “[the advertisement] wasn’t funny. It felt like it was something degrading for the Tibet cause.”

A similar Groupon “Save the Money” ad, this time involving actor Cuba Gooding Jr. and whale conservation, received an equal amount of public attention.

“KKK vs Afro”, McCann Lowe Brussels for Luxor Hot Tubs & Saunas

Advertising giant McCann Lowe Belgium shocked the world with their “KKK vs Afro” print ad for Luxor Hot Tubs and Saunas. Released in August 2009, the print ad perhaps depicted the most unlikely hot bath buddies of all time.

An all-afroed up black man shares the same bath space with a member of the notorious, all-lynching white supremacist group the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). They lean back, side by side, in perfect comfort – with no trace of any tension from either.

Thousands have criticized the ad as downright unrealistic.  But what makes this ad so popular is its boldness to portray mortal enemies smiling and sharing personal space together.

Be it going too far or just being playful, Lowe Belgium surely had done its job well. Luxor Hot Tubs are so comfortable, it seems, that not even racial disputes or sitting beside a racist sociopath become enough to stop anyone from relaxing in a bubbly paradise.

“Unhate”, Fabric Treviso for United Colors of Benetton

A nun and a priest sharing a passionate kiss, a deathbed of a man dying because of AIDS, and a newly-born and bloodied infant still connected with its umbilical cord. These are but a small sampling of print ads released by French-based clothing brand United Colors of Benetton (UCB).

And last 2011, new sets of print were added to the controversial ads family for  UCB’S Unhate Foundation, a group that aims to create a uniting force that will stifle the global “culture of hatred” for good.

The ad campaign features the digitally-altered lip-locking moments of powerful world and religious leaders.  Some prominent tandems included in the campaign are: US President Barack Obama and leader of the People’s Republic of China Hu Jintao, President Obama and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, North Korean and South Korean leaders Kum Jung Il and Lee Myung Bak, and the most controversial one, Pope Benedict XVI kissing the Egyptian leader, Ahmed Mohamed el-Tayeb.

The portrait of the Pope and the Imam was eventually removed by the Benetton group due to a torrent of opposition from Catholics, and an order from the Vatican itself.

“What’s your mix?”, Bayo

The subject of controversial advertisements has been on the hot seat these past few months in the Philippines: Bayo’s latest ad campaign, What’s Your Mix.

The first phase of the What’s Your Mix ad series features a collection of beautiful mixed-race models whose pictures are boldly captioned with their ethnicity percentage. Model Jasmine Curtis’ mix, for example, is “50% Australian and 50% Filipino.”

A manifesto escorting the models’ portraits stated that the ad “is all about MIXING and MATCHING. Nationalities, moods, personalities and of course your fashion pieces. Call it biased, but the mixing and matching of different nationalities with Filipino blood is almost a sure formula for someone beautiful and world class.”

The wordy manifesto was clearly misunderstood by the public.  Days after the prints’ release, the public  roared with tweets, blogspots, and status updates expressing disapproval toward the ads.  Some Netizens depicted it as a degradation of Filipino blood, and that “beauty” was only for those who are “gifted” with foreign blood. On the contrary, some more positive individuals thought that the ads simply celebrated the beauty that Filipino blood naturally brings to a person.

In an effort to extinguish the fire, Bayo, through a public apology, stated that the true and initial target of the ad was to take pride of being Filipino and that being one will always make one beautiful. The public apology expressed Bayo’s sincere regret and apology “for those who had been offended or discriminated against.”

The What’s Your Mix campaign, according to Vice President of Bayo Lyn Agustin, “was meant to be a three-part series rolled out over the next few months with the intent of celebrating nationality, heritage and personality mix.” A week after the release of phase 1, the second and third phases were publicly released. Jasmine Ann Curtis’ version is 50% Tagalog and 50% Ilongga” and “50% Nice and 50% Naughty,” respectively.

“Come as you are”, BET Euro RSCG for McDonald’s

Perhaps one of the most controversial ads ever produced for the fast food leader McDonald’s by advertising agency BET Euro RSCG was released in 2010. The “Come As You Are” ad became the first McDonald’s commercials directly targeting gay people as a market.

The ad features a teenager and his dad dining in McDonald’s. While his dad orders food, the male teenager is shown gazing at his gay lover in a class photo. The teenager then phones his lover and tells him that he misses him.

The father then returns with a tray laden with food and asks the teenager if he may look at the class photo. While looking at the photo, the father then remarks, in French, that “It’s a shame you’re in an all-boys college. You would have had all the girls chasing you.” His son just smirks and acts as if he knows something that his father does not.

Though the ad’s release was limited only in France, videos of the ad were uploaded in popular video-sharing site YouTube and quickly garnered a massive number of views due to its controversial content. Viewers as far as the United States soon criticized and pondered the real meaning of the ad through blogs and video comments.

Whatever anyone might say about the ad, McDonald’s stressed its sole intention was to show how the fast food chain welcomed people from all walks of life.

“Sorry Thailand”, JEH United for Positive Network

The year 2010 was a time of political unrest for Thailand in the “Battle for Bangkok”, which pit the ‘red-shirts’ (from the Union Front for Democracy against Dictatorship and Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship) against the yellow-shirt People’s Alliance for Democracy. A military crackdown after months of demonstrations resulted in the deaths and injuries of thousands of protesters from both sides.

However, after the turmoil, the nation once again turned silent. Perhaps in a bid to reignite the ‘soul of the nation’, Positive Network, a group of Thai communications experts, spearheaded an advertisement campaign that drew on scenes from the recent battles.

Created by JEH United Ltd and directed by the award-winning Thanonchai Sornsriwichai, “Kor Thod Pra Thet Thai” (Sorry Thailand) shows graphic footage of burning buildings, raging politicians, unruly protestors, and a torn flag. With “Auld Lang Syne” playing in the background, a voice-over narration encourages the viewers to contemplate on their choices and seek forgiveness from their beloved Thailand.

“If we want to blame, we’re all guilty together,” the voice-over declares. “Thailand, we apologize.”

The noble announcement was aired only once. The Thai Censorship Committee declared that “Sorry Thailand” had sensitive and violent content, enough grounds for the advertisement to be banned. The message, however, spread. The controversial ad and news of the ban hit the headlines and went viral online.

REBYU: INTOY SYOKOY (LEMUEL LORCA)

Tweetnopsis:
Sumisisid si Intoy sa dagat para sa tahong. Si Doray na babaeng hamog sinisisid ng mga lalakeng uhaw sa laman.Sumisisid sila para mabuhay.

Afterthoughts:
Ordinaryo. Gamit na ang tema ng pelikula - istorya ng mahihirap na kabataang namumuhay sa isang kalyeng dating pinamumuguran ng mga marinong Amerikano. Wala masyadong bagong anggulo, maliban na lang siguro sa paghabi ng kwento ni Doray (LJ Reyes) na kabarkada at love interest ni Intoy (JM de Guzman). Si Doray, isang out-of-school youth, ay napilitang maging isang babaeng hamog upang masuportahan ang pag-aaral ng dalawang nakababatang kapatid. Sa gabi, tinitinda niya ang sariling laman sa mga mangingisda kapalit ng ilang kilong isda na binibenta niya kaumagahan.


Favorites:
Ang pagganap ni LJ Reyes bilang Doray.

Review Hastag:
#LJReyesforBestActress

REBYU: THE ANIMALS (GINO SANTOS)

Tweetnopsis:
Dude, anyare? Partey? You think our lives are like so mababaw ha?! No, pare. Think again. We have problems too. #ConyoProblems

Afterthoughts:
Gino Santos' "The Animals" provides an insight into the lives of the young, rich, and wasted. After viewing the film, one should have a deeper understanding of the so-called "conyo kid problem" - that if one takes his time to analyze this new breed of the affluent and strip them off from their comfort zones - cash, privileges, and social status - one can definitely realize that these kids have vulnerabilities and needs similar to our own, that like social animals, they have a desire for fraternity, for acceptance, and a complicated teenage dream.


Favorites:
The final scene reverts back to the title and ends with an aerial view of a lush green canopy followed by a close-up shot of a decaying bird feasted by a troop of ants, the latter being a visual metaphor to the last scene. It ended where I wanted it to end, a fitting finale for these conyo kids with a wild side.

Review Hastag:
#ButiNaLangIPurchasedAnotherTicket

LABING-ISANG PELIKULA

It's official! The Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival starts today!
Out of fifteen New Breed and Directors Showcase entries, I have chosen to watch eleven independent films.
First off, Gino Santos' The Animals.

30secondTHOUGHTS: FOR PERSISTENT HEADACHES

BBDO Guerrero's "Persistent Headaches" first set of print ad campaign for Saridon is a personal favorite. The big idea is simple and straightforward - that Saridon provides relief against persistent headaches that uncomfortably hit the head like a regular working Filipino class' everyday tools - a butcher's knife, a carpenter's hammer, or a laundrywoman's bat perhaps. The execution has been praised by the international advertising community, including a Silver Outdoor Lion at last year's Cannes International Festival of Creativity.

The first series of the campaign was further extended with another set of print ads and television commercials bearing the same idea. This time, the new set of press illustrated a witch doctor, a repairman, and a regular employee experiencing their share of headaches.

Continuing the wit and charm of the print ads, the 30-second television spots breathed life into the print campaigns. The executions included the interpretations of the carpenter, office employee, and laundrywoman print sets.

Ad Series: FOR PERSISTENT HEADACHES
Ad Agency: BBDO Guerrero Philippines
Client: Saridon, Bayer Philippines

Nothing beats headache than a brilliant idea. Saridon. For Persistent Headaches.

EVENTS: THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

ECONORG and ENGLICOM present:
"THE DARK KNIGHT RISES"

Mall of Asia Center Stage- July 19, 2012 (Thursday)
7:00 PM- Registration
7:55 PM- Showing time

Greenbelt 3 Cinema 1- July 20, 2012 (Friday)
9:30PM- Registration
10:00PM-Showing time

Tickets: P300 | group of 5 P280

Contact Details:
Email: event.dkms@gmail.com
Mobile: 09228965613 (Derrence), 09228271229 (Kimberly) 

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DarkKnightRisesMovieScreening

30secondTHOUGHTS: PHOTOSHOP DISASTER

Ad Title: PHOTOSHOP DISASTER

Ad Agency: Y & R Brazil

Client: Colgate Total Dental Floss

SMILE,

or better yet

Floss, then smile.

For you were so distracted with that smile, you did not even notice what's wrong with the picture. 

And so the copy reads (from top print to bottom): (1)  Not even that six-fingered hand gets more attention than mouth without care. (2)  Not even that extra hand gets more attention than mouth without care. (3)  Not even that missing ear gets more attention than mouth without care.

Brilliant art direction, isn't it? First, the eye is lead to the distracting morsel in the male model's mouth. Then, the eye is lead to the main copy written inside the arrow pointing to the Colgate Dental Floss. And the mind searches for the incorrect photoshopped error. Finally, the mind muses and pauses in awe.  

Smile.

30secondTHOUGHTS: ROADTRIP & FOOTBALL

When you are hungry, you turn into another being, a famished monster.

You are in the middle of a roadtrip with your college buddies, you become hungry and nag like a demanding diva, Aretha Franklin or Liza Minnelli perhaps.

Ad Title: ROADTRIP
Ad Agency: BBDO New York
Client: Snickers

You are playing football but you're energy is drained. You turn slow-paced like the golden girl Betty White.

Ad Title: FOOTBALL
Ad Agency: BBDO New York
Client: Snickers

And just in time, Snickers brings you back to your former self.

30secondTHOUGHTS: ANNE

Ad Title: Anne
Ad Agency: Ogilvy & Mather Philippines
Client: Carefree

No, it's not the latest catfood commercial nor another viral video from an obsessed cat lover. It's for a sanitary napkin - yes, a napkin commercial showing a lovable cat, er, pussy. With the gentle breeze caressing the Persian cat, the unexpected pun demonstrates "the feeling the Carefree gives the user."

A PUHR-fect disruption from the saturated "Girl, I'm going to dance all day even when I have a period" sanitary napkin market. Hopefully, this ad won't get the unnecessary attention from the conservatives.

Credits: adobo magazine

30secondTHOUGHTS: THE FORCE & THE DOG STRIKES BACK

I love that it is not about the flashy things, the superior technology nor the high-speed racing chase. It's about magic, the simple everyday joy a little push of the button can give or that drive that motivates our very best friend.

Ad Title: THE FORCE, THE DOG STRIKES BACK
Ad Agency: Deutsch USA
Client: Volkswagen

These are two of the most-viewed and well-loved Superbowl commercials. No further explanations needed.

30secondTHOUGHTS: HUMOR IN THAI

I told my students that if ever they will be given a brief to create an advertisement with humor as the main mood for the commercial, they should search for Thai advertisements as inspiration. Thai ads are wonderful - they are witty, well-produced, "replay-worthy." Like what I said in the 30secondTHOUGHTS: UNITY post, Thailand shares a similar culture with our country and their commercials are reflective of that comparison.

Here are three commercials from Thailand - the first two from the award-winning JEH United Ltd.; the last ad by Creative Juice Thailand. "Bad Boy " narrates how a break-up can be made easier and fresher with the help of menthol candy My Mint Black Mint while a new hair color courtesy of Lolan Aroma Color Cream breaks the monotonous cycle of a girl's routine life in "Change." Finally, the D7 Coffee series demonstrates how coffee can help "stimulate not only the body but also the morality of the person."

Ad Title: BAD BOY

Ad Agency: JEH United Ltd.

Client: My Mint Black Mint

Ad Title: CHANGE
Ad Agency: JEH United Ltd.
Client: Lolan Aroma Color Cream

Ad Title: POLITICIAN, PUBLIC SERVICE OFFICE, BILL, QUEUE

Ad Agency: Creative Juice Thailand
Client: D7 Coffee

DEAR STUDENTS

Students, Congratulations! You have accomplished your midterm exams - half of the hurdle is over. It is now my turn to check your papers. What comes after checking them is your midterm grade - either you have a loss or an investment, the latter being preferred.

Next week, you will be tracking a tougher road. Be renewed in spirit and hopeful in will. Nothing is impossible for the faithful. Impossible is nothing for the determined.

Amen.

30secondTHOUGHTS: ANONG PLANO MO?

Goosebumps. To narrate stories in a span of thirty seconds and capture raw emotions, the pure sentiments and struggles of true Filipino living, that in the end ,the ordinary Juan de la Cruz - the hopeful teachers, the bankrupt widow, the doting overseas mother, the industrious entrepreneur - emerges better and victorious. That the product is introduced as a catalyst for that change, purely embedded within the thoughts without the disruption, without the hard sell.

Ad Title: ANONG PLANO MO?
Ad Agency: DDB Philippines
Clinet: PhilAm Life Insurance

Such is the storytelling of "Anong Plano Mo?", a series of two commercials by DDB Philippines for PhilAm Life Insurance. It is poignant and honest. Bamboo's themed music "Basta't May Plano, Kaya Mo Yan" and the visual craft of director Paulo Villaluna provide the necessaries for the message to be universal. The audience relates with the characters and search for similar experiences of trial and triumph.

Simple yet effective, memorable.

Song: BASTA'T MAY PLANO, KAYA MO YAN

Artist: Bamboo

30secondTHOUGHTS: UNITY

Thailand is represented by a bus loaded with apathetic passengers. When the bus traverses a steep uphill, the passengers continue with their personal businesses, not minding the sole conductor who has exhausted all his effort to push the vehicle forward. Then the passengers start panicking as they realize that the bus is going downhill and resort to things but too late to stop their impending situation.

Ad Title: UNITY
Ad Agency: Monday Bangkok
Client: Royal Thai Army

I love the metaphor placed in this advertisement by Monday Bangkok for Royal Thai Army. It is subtle in its execution but the message is rather riveting - it allows you to pause and to contemplate. The message is strangely applicable to our Filipino setting - Saka pa ba tayo magkakaisa at aaksyon kung huli na ang lahat, kung wala na tayong patutunguhan kung hindi pailalim?


The culture portrayed and characterized in Thailand commercials and the similarities of Thai culture per se with our Filipino culture is a reason why Thai ads are a personal favorite. I will always say this - it is strangely Filipino.

DEKADA: MANG KEVIN KOSME

For the child of the 90s, you will always be our Mang Kevin Kosme, the doting father whose sense of life and banter made living within the means bearable, a portrayal of the typical Filipino padre de familia - resilient, cheerful, optimistic although struggling. 

Tito Dolphy, masasabi man nating natapos na ang iyong paglalakbay dito sa ating pansamantalang mundo, ang mga nagkasanga-sangang riles ng kaligayahan, ng tawanan, at ng maliligayang alaala ay mananatili sa aming mga puso. Mula sa mga bata ng dekada nobenta, taus-pusong pasasalamat sa pagbibigay kulay sa aming kabataan.

Hindi ka namin malilimutan. Maligayang paglalakbay sa iyong susunod na destinasyon.