The brewing of a TV commercial
Warmth has always been a matter of heart and mind.
When the pre-historic caveman placed his hands near the fire on a cold night, warmth felt so mysteriously good. The cavewoman discovered a more beautiful kind of warmth. One misty moonlit night, she snuggled close to the caveman and felt a warmth not only in the body but also in her heart. Our need for warmth goes back to our primordial past.
Coffee is all about warmth and our need for it.
Many a sustenance on earth has served as a metaphor for the joys of human existence. Grains are for energy, meats are for strength, fruits are for beauty, vegetables are for digestion and milk is life-giving. Coffee is for warmth.
Coffee perfectly fits the role of warmth-giver. It has been around since the dawn of history somewhere in lush and cool zones of the African continent. Discovered as a dried bean, when roasted over a fire then crushed and boiled with water, a palate-pleasing brew came about. The brew caught fire all over the world, acquiring fame and fortune (for merchants and shippers) during the Middle Ages. The brew caught the fancy of kings and their subjects, popes and their monks, barbarians and scholars, men and women of all races, creeds and colors, becoming a part of everyday life.
For us Filipinos, the primary source of everyday warmth is a cup of Nescafé.
Ask anybody what warms them up for the day — from your next-door neighbor to your officemate to the local taho vendor — and you’d most likely get “Nescafé” as the reply. Its warmth as it goes down lingers at the back of your throat like liquid honey. Then it spreads inside, engulfing you like a comforting, cozy embrace.
On mornings upon waking up, a cup of Nescafé comes like an angel to warm you up from head to toe and perhaps give you soothing moments to think of yourself before taking on a new day.
For the past 70 years, Nescafé commercials have been giving us unforgettable images that concretize the otherwise abstract concept of warmth.
What immediately comes to mind are the ones that feature a roster of today’s talented young stars — Kim Chiu and Gerard Anderson, John Lloyd Cruz, Toni Gonzaga and Sam Milby.
With the pouring rain serving as backdrop, their TVCs capture simultaneously the emotional and physical need for warmth. It seems to say, “Let the rains fall … let’s keep the cold outside … because right here, with this cup of coffee, it sure is warm.”
Even the ones that did not really feature a well-known personality delved into the whole essence of warmth. There are many levels upon which it is communicated and enfleshed.
The warmth of camaraderie has been strongly explored since Day 1 for Nescafé: “Let’s sit and talk awhile,” as a popular Nescafé jingle once crooned. The hot cups, so ubiquitous in Nescafé TVCs, are held and caressed to feel that suspenseful slow burn; its aroma, satisfyingly heady, is allowed to hit the nose for the pleasure of it. There is no hurry. Because really, when you’re cocooned in the warm embrace of friends, you wouldn’t want to go anywhere.
There’s also the warmth of love. The kind one experiences when sharing a cup of Nescafé with that special someone. Remember the Kim and Gerard commercial? It is perhaps the only commercial in recent memory to really up the kilig ante.
People here are happy. And look quite contented. The overall vibe is light and fun. Girls giggle and share rumors. Boys banter and gladly display their silly sides. A clear affirmation that coffee — Nescafé, that is — does not have any biases or prejudices. It thrives best on empathy, friendship and laughter. And we hope that universe transcends to ours each time we drink Nescafé.
Is coffee a liquid dessert to cap a meal? Or an after-dinner formal drink? It’s both. And it’s meant for lingering. To somehow prolong the warmth we bask in when among good friends. It is a silent way of saying thank you for the excellent company. As soon as coffee settles down serenely inside, everyone is happy to call it a night.
