It's been a long time since I last set foot on my blog. Why? Well, I've been busy moving in to our new house, in a new city, busy taking care of myself for in a couple of days I'd pop out baby number two and of course, busy preparing my baby number one for big school.
So, I have had lots of free time watching local channels and I noticed how f*cked up our advertisements are now a days.
Being a wife of a professional who happens to love spending time with his friends, a mother of a 4 year old boy, a and a soon-to-be mother of a baby girl, I couldn't help but react negatively to what some privately owned companies had been advertising as of late.
There are two brands that particularly irritates me to my core. Their main products are liquors and their advertisements is to me, just way out of line.
Disclaimer: In case I'd be mentioning the brand name here, let it be known that I have no affiliation with them, nor any connection with their competitors. I am writing this blog because I feel like I need to shout it out there to let people know that advertisement should not just be utilized to promote a product but to get a message across.
A couple of months ago, I really loved the advertisement of a huge fast food chain. It's entitled: "LOVE NAMIN KAYO."
It tells me that our children will not forever be a child, that we need to spend more time with them and instead of losing patience, appreciate their "kakulitan" (stubborn) for they will be young just once. Thus the famous Filipino song: "Handog" by Florante.
"Parang kailan lang
Ang mga pangarap koý kay hirap abutin
Dahil sa inyo
Napunta ako sa aking nais marating
Nais ko kayong pasalamatan
Kahit man lamang sa isang awitin
Tatanda at lilipas din ako
Ngunit mayro'ng awiting
Iiwanan sa inyong ala-ala
Dahil minsan tayoý nagkasama"
I'll try (my very best) to paraphrase the lyrics in English for my non-Filipino readers:
"It seems to be only yesterday
When all my dreams are so hard to reach/attain
But because of you
I was able to get to where I am going
I would like to thank you
Even with just a song
I will grow old and pass away
But I will leave this song
For you to remember
Because once, we were together"
When I saw this ad, having a four year old son, who sometimes really bugs me with his antics, I had some realizations. My son won't forever be begging for my attention, there will come a time when he won't even spare a few seconds of his time for me. This ad moved me in a way that I just had to slow down a little and actually be with him. Enjoy having him around. Enjoy laughing at small things he does. This ad inspired me as a mother.
There's another ad that I particularly loved. Hash tag Moms Never Give Up. I'll let you watch the video and hopefully you get what I mean.
These are the kind of advertisements I don't mind watching every now and then. It somehow touches something deep inside me and reminds me that I'm human and that I need to be sensitive to those that surrounds me. It makes me feel less selfish. It harnesses the roots that I was born into. It makes me a better person. (Some of you might say that an ad made me feel all that complicated things. Well yeah, to me, that is a mark of an effective advertisement.)
So, anyway, I was watching this noon time show one Saturday when my son started singing along with this liquor ad. Okay, good that my son was able to retain the sound and the lyrics, but when I saw him gesturing what the model was doing in the advertisement, I started feeling my ears heating up.
So, I have had lots of free time watching local channels and I noticed how f*cked up our advertisements are now a days.
Being a wife of a professional who happens to love spending time with his friends, a mother of a 4 year old boy, a and a soon-to-be mother of a baby girl, I couldn't help but react negatively to what some privately owned companies had been advertising as of late.
There are two brands that particularly irritates me to my core. Their main products are liquors and their advertisements is to me, just way out of line.
Disclaimer: In case I'd be mentioning the brand name here, let it be known that I have no affiliation with them, nor any connection with their competitors. I am writing this blog because I feel like I need to shout it out there to let people know that advertisement should not just be utilized to promote a product but to get a message across.
A couple of months ago, I really loved the advertisement of a huge fast food chain. It's entitled: "LOVE NAMIN KAYO."
(Video not mine, owned by McDonald's Philippines)
It tells me that our children will not forever be a child, that we need to spend more time with them and instead of losing patience, appreciate their "kakulitan" (stubborn) for they will be young just once. Thus the famous Filipino song: "Handog" by Florante.
"Parang kailan lang
Ang mga pangarap koý kay hirap abutin
Dahil sa inyo
Napunta ako sa aking nais marating
Nais ko kayong pasalamatan
Kahit man lamang sa isang awitin
Tatanda at lilipas din ako
Ngunit mayro'ng awiting
Iiwanan sa inyong ala-ala
Dahil minsan tayoý nagkasama"
I'll try (my very best) to paraphrase the lyrics in English for my non-Filipino readers:
"It seems to be only yesterday
When all my dreams are so hard to reach/attain
But because of you
I was able to get to where I am going
I would like to thank you
Even with just a song
I will grow old and pass away
But I will leave this song
For you to remember
Because once, we were together"
When I saw this ad, having a four year old son, who sometimes really bugs me with his antics, I had some realizations. My son won't forever be begging for my attention, there will come a time when he won't even spare a few seconds of his time for me. This ad moved me in a way that I just had to slow down a little and actually be with him. Enjoy having him around. Enjoy laughing at small things he does. This ad inspired me as a mother.
There's another ad that I particularly loved. Hash tag Moms Never Give Up. I'll let you watch the video and hopefully you get what I mean.
(Video not mine: Owned by Nestle Philippines)
These are the kind of advertisements I don't mind watching every now and then. It somehow touches something deep inside me and reminds me that I'm human and that I need to be sensitive to those that surrounds me. It makes me feel less selfish. It harnesses the roots that I was born into. It makes me a better person. (Some of you might say that an ad made me feel all that complicated things. Well yeah, to me, that is a mark of an effective advertisement.)
So, anyway, I was watching this noon time show one Saturday when my son started singing along with this liquor ad. Okay, good that my son was able to retain the sound and the lyrics, but when I saw him gesturing what the model was doing in the advertisement, I started feeling my ears heating up.
(Video not mine: Owned by Emperador Distillers Phils)
Oh how I hate this ad. It teaches viewers or young people (aspirants) that they can achieve anything they wanted so long as they won't forget to celebrate it -- with liquors. Can't they celebrate it first with their families? Do they really have to go running to their friends and swirl a glass of brandy for being able to build townhouses?
I also drink and I know what alcohol does to your body, so before someone out there judge me, I'd just like to point out that I am like this because I am a parent. I do not wish to see my kids associating happiness, achievements and milestones with liquors. Why? Simple. I'd rather have my son come home and build more houses and become more successful that see him lying on an aluminum bed, cold and lifeless because he somehow got drunk and got into an accident somewhere.
It also bothers me that this country promotes advertisements that go against family values that we promote in school or in our church.
Example: All ads for mothers or women are geared into taking care of their husbands, children and their homes. But all ads for men are geared towards drinking and having great time with friends. Have you seen an ad where men are enjoying weekends with his wife or his family?
Okay, some would say that this is the culture we grew up in, yes, I agree, but is this the culture we still want to be especially during these moments where our children starts getting into violence, prostitution, sex, drugs?
I mean, tv, internet, social media and all sorts of platforms right now greatly affects our youth and I really think that advertisers should have this social responsibility to be aware of not just their brand but also how people would react to what they are promoting.
Life is difficult as it is and I really think that being responsible even with advertisements would have a great impact on how our children would turn out to be. Of course, as parents, we would need to play out part.
Anyway, let me know what's going on inside your head. Do you have the same dilemma wherever part of the world you might be at? I want to know. Perhaps I'm being overly sensitive?
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