Nestlé centennial in shortfilm anthology

MANILA, Philippines - Nestlé celebrates 100 years in the Philippines with many exciting offerings. The first is the centennial tv ad Kasambuhay, Habambuhay or Companion in Life, For Life. According to Nestlé chairman and CEO John Miller, “The centennial TV commercial is inspired by love for the family, a cultural trait which unites Filipinos. We are grateful because through the years, Nestlé products have become very much a part of the Filipino families’ way of life, from generation to generation, in various stages of their lives. This is what led us to our centennial theme, Kasambuhay, Habambuhay.”

The centennial tv ad is just one of the many stories of how Nestlé has been a kasambuhay of the Filipino family. Through the years, television has been the medium for such stories, limited to 30, 60 or sometimes 90 seconds. So much stories to be told but so little time? Not at all because part of the celebration is a 100-minute anthology of 10 short, entertaining and creative films directed by a select roster of commercial directors who have helmed Nestlé TV commercials.

The directors pitched stories of various genres for brands Bear Brand Powdered Milk Drink, Nescafé, Milo, Nestea, Mido, Coffee-Mate, Maggi, Bear Brand Sterilized, Nestlé Ice Cream, Koko Krunch, Nestlé Fruit Selection Yogurt and Nestlé Fitnesse. The exercise yielded a spectrum of stories — but there could only be one story per brand. After a difficult process of selection, 10 stories were selected which vary from drama, romantic comedy, musical, fantasy, satire, family comedy, suspense, adventure, mock-umentary and a Shakespearean parody.

“We envisage the films as an opportunity to look to the future and our mission to continue providing Filipinos with tasty and high-quality products that promote nutrition, health and wellness,” Miller said. “Creativity plays a central role in this mission and these excellent films display the very best of Filipino creative talent in the realm of filmmaking.”

Nestlé Philippines Creative Services head Leslie Go-Alcantara added, “We are excited about the films which we are working on with the Publicis team headed by Matec Villanueva and Jayel Ladioray. We hope the films will be a meaningful way to engage consumers, because the centennial celebration is really all about them.”

“Through this film series, we would like to thank and honor the generations of Filipino consumers and families who have put their trust in Nestlé and its brands, and have made them a part of their everyday lives,” Nestlé Communications director Sandra Puno said.

The films will be premiered on June 10 at SM Megamall. June 11 and 12 will be the Free Movie Weekend, so viewers get to watch the movie for free at selected SM cinemas nationwide (Megamall Cinema 3, Southmall Cinema 6, Rosales Cinema 1, Davao Cinema 1 and Cebu Cinema 7). Screening starts at 11 a.m. Five lucky viewers (one per cinema) will get a chance to win P10,000 per area just by voting for their favorite short film or story at the end of the film showing.