Couple of weeks ago, Ms. Diyco featured another campaign made by the creatives here at Harrison Communications. Here's her review about the Neozep "Neozerye" TV campaign:
Romancing the mighty colds cure
ADS AND ENDS, Nanette A Franco-Diyco
BUSINESS WORLD Vol. XX, No. 139, Friday-Saturday, February 9-10, 2007 http://www.bworldonline.com/Weekender020907/main.php?id=marketing_diyco
The four television commercials that serialize the life of pretty housemaid Luwalhati, culminating in a storybook wedding to her once-upon-a-time señorito from the imposing mansion belong to an ad campaign awards class all its own. There have been other spoofs of soap operas selling other brand categories in the past. But for several reasons put together, the Neozep series of commercials that began with honest-to-goodness ad teasers that looked and sounded like teasers for true-blue soap operas proved ultra entertaining and more importantly, "reinforced Neozep’s leadership and further strengthened brand equity."
Harrison Communications, take a bow. This spoof treatment was pleasantly surprising, delightfully veering away from being slapstick. It carried near-realism to an appreciable length, until the well-timed entry of Neozep. And I simply enjoyed the Neozep cartoon character, Ilong Ranger, adopting and continuing the exaggerated emotions contained in the specific version of the series. The Neozep brand icon changes with each version, up to his ringing the church bells at the very end, hanging from the bell tower’s rope no less. Mind you, Harrison Communications allowed him to be revealed always at the tail end of the commercials. And always, his part spelled the magic moment — where you indeed burst out laughing. Great buildup in all commercials.
The commercials got better and better as the series progressed. The first material of the Neozep commercial series dealt with the mother in impoverished surroundings apparently drinking away her sorrows. Daughter Luwalhati enters and immediately presumes that her mother is drinking again. She slaps the glass of what looks like gin away from her mother’s hand. The viewer takes it all in as real soap opera. And before it turns overly exaggerated, HC brings in the revelation, that she’s drinking plain water for her colds. Enter the product sell. And while you’re still laughing, you imbibe the precious message that Neozep is great in effectively addressing all cold symptoms.
Director Erik Matti himself described the whole series as a good collaboration among the production house, the creative agency and client. Marry excellent scriptwriting with the director’s impeccable timing for drama — and you’ll get an unforgettable campaign such as this. I only wish the media weights approved by Unilab were much heavier! The cast is very well chosen. Acting is good — deliberately exaggerated, as required for a good spoof.
The characters of Miguelito and his mother immediately identify the soap opera’s typical "rich man-poor girl-mother of rich man vehemently objects" theme. The treatment, the music, the lighting, everything goes smoothly as is expected of a good soap opera. I must secure Director Erik’s formula for his quick switch of pacing just before the viewer gets restless. Director Erik is able to bring in Ilong Ranger just in the nick of time and the commercial goes through another peak of interest. You’re never allowed to be bored in the process.
There is remarkable empathy felt for Miguelito when he leaves his mother and their mansion to be with his beloved Luwalhati in one of the many shanties in a cheap neighborhood. And of course, there is this tremendous applause of victory for the underdog when Miguelito is summoned back by his mother at her bedside during her illness — all never-die story lines which are tweaked magnificently by the creative team of Harrison Communication. As managing partner Maricel Pangilinan Arenas said, "The cold, being highly contagious, aside from causing personal discomfort and inconvenience, also affects others and puts them ’in harm’s way’ — and there are social responsibility issues related to cold management." I absolutely agree with tracking studies and consumer buzz that the campaign fully maximized the creative possibilities of this aspect.
Credits. Client-company, Unilab Consumer Health Care: Aina Ilagan, Nap Langas, Joey Romana, Jun Vivar. Advertising agency, Harrison Communications. Creative: Darwin Bamba, Elvin Julian, Rommel Joson, Isabel Gamboa, Emily Abrera. Accounts: Abby Nicolas, Yvonne Salcedo, Sinta Rosales, Lou Bognot. Planning: Marite Irvine. Production: Chito Garra, Just Add Water — Chona Bustamante, Netnet Valencia. Production team: Reality Entertainment, production house. Erik Matti, director; Jay Tadena, DOP; Marie Vee, executive producer; Richard Somes, production designer; Dennis Padilla, Ilong Ranger voice; Ilong Ranger CG, Holy Cow; Vince del Rosario, CG director. Post house, Larger Than Life. Edda Galoy, caster.
Below are pictures of the team at the set and with the characters of the "Neozerye":
And here's a pic of the team having too much fun with Lualhati and Miguelito:
All pictures were taken from Abby's Flickr
Romancing the mighty colds cure
ADS AND ENDS, Nanette A Franco-Diyco
BUSINESS WORLD Vol. XX, No. 139, Friday-Saturday, February 9-10, 2007 http://www.bworldonline.com/Weekender020907/main.php?id=marketing_diyco
The four television commercials that serialize the life of pretty housemaid Luwalhati, culminating in a storybook wedding to her once-upon-a-time señorito from the imposing mansion belong to an ad campaign awards class all its own. There have been other spoofs of soap operas selling other brand categories in the past. But for several reasons put together, the Neozep series of commercials that began with honest-to-goodness ad teasers that looked and sounded like teasers for true-blue soap operas proved ultra entertaining and more importantly, "reinforced Neozep’s leadership and further strengthened brand equity."
Harrison Communications, take a bow. This spoof treatment was pleasantly surprising, delightfully veering away from being slapstick. It carried near-realism to an appreciable length, until the well-timed entry of Neozep. And I simply enjoyed the Neozep cartoon character, Ilong Ranger, adopting and continuing the exaggerated emotions contained in the specific version of the series. The Neozep brand icon changes with each version, up to his ringing the church bells at the very end, hanging from the bell tower’s rope no less. Mind you, Harrison Communications allowed him to be revealed always at the tail end of the commercials. And always, his part spelled the magic moment — where you indeed burst out laughing. Great buildup in all commercials.
The commercials got better and better as the series progressed. The first material of the Neozep commercial series dealt with the mother in impoverished surroundings apparently drinking away her sorrows. Daughter Luwalhati enters and immediately presumes that her mother is drinking again. She slaps the glass of what looks like gin away from her mother’s hand. The viewer takes it all in as real soap opera. And before it turns overly exaggerated, HC brings in the revelation, that she’s drinking plain water for her colds. Enter the product sell. And while you’re still laughing, you imbibe the precious message that Neozep is great in effectively addressing all cold symptoms.
Director Erik Matti himself described the whole series as a good collaboration among the production house, the creative agency and client. Marry excellent scriptwriting with the director’s impeccable timing for drama — and you’ll get an unforgettable campaign such as this. I only wish the media weights approved by Unilab were much heavier! The cast is very well chosen. Acting is good — deliberately exaggerated, as required for a good spoof.
The characters of Miguelito and his mother immediately identify the soap opera’s typical "rich man-poor girl-mother of rich man vehemently objects" theme. The treatment, the music, the lighting, everything goes smoothly as is expected of a good soap opera. I must secure Director Erik’s formula for his quick switch of pacing just before the viewer gets restless. Director Erik is able to bring in Ilong Ranger just in the nick of time and the commercial goes through another peak of interest. You’re never allowed to be bored in the process.
There is remarkable empathy felt for Miguelito when he leaves his mother and their mansion to be with his beloved Luwalhati in one of the many shanties in a cheap neighborhood. And of course, there is this tremendous applause of victory for the underdog when Miguelito is summoned back by his mother at her bedside during her illness — all never-die story lines which are tweaked magnificently by the creative team of Harrison Communication. As managing partner Maricel Pangilinan Arenas said, "The cold, being highly contagious, aside from causing personal discomfort and inconvenience, also affects others and puts them ’in harm’s way’ — and there are social responsibility issues related to cold management." I absolutely agree with tracking studies and consumer buzz that the campaign fully maximized the creative possibilities of this aspect.
Credits. Client-company, Unilab Consumer Health Care: Aina Ilagan, Nap Langas, Joey Romana, Jun Vivar. Advertising agency, Harrison Communications. Creative: Darwin Bamba, Elvin Julian, Rommel Joson, Isabel Gamboa, Emily Abrera. Accounts: Abby Nicolas, Yvonne Salcedo, Sinta Rosales, Lou Bognot. Planning: Marite Irvine. Production: Chito Garra, Just Add Water — Chona Bustamante, Netnet Valencia. Production team: Reality Entertainment, production house. Erik Matti, director; Jay Tadena, DOP; Marie Vee, executive producer; Richard Somes, production designer; Dennis Padilla, Ilong Ranger voice; Ilong Ranger CG, Holy Cow; Vince del Rosario, CG director. Post house, Larger Than Life. Edda Galoy, caster.
Below are pictures of the team at the set and with the characters of the "Neozerye":
And here's a pic of the team having too much fun with Lualhati and Miguelito:
All pictures were taken from Abby's Flickr