Coffeemate pours your heart into it

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Nanette Franco-Diyco

THE DIGITAL TEASER asked: “F�������Բ� mo ba walang forever? (Do you feel there’s no forever?) Watch this video and believe that there is.”

I caught the 60-second commercial on TV last week, and once again, I felt that every second of the material underscored the reality of lasting love. This is the new Coffeemate TV commercial entitled “Tamang Timpla” (The Right Blend) produced for Nestlé by creative agency McCann Worldgroup Philippines.

Director Joel Limchoc precisely described the spot as a metaphor for what makes relationships last. Using the TVC’s title “Tamang Timpla,” he said: “By highlighting the ‘right blend’ of factors, we gain insight to what is needed to enrich the bond between man and woman.” Tough order for a 60-seconder. And lo and behold, might I say, the order was so beautifully delivered.

McCann Executive Creative Director Joe Dy simply described it as a poignant father-daughter conversation about making relationships last through “tamang timpla” on the very day of the daughter’s wedding. “We felt that when it comes to talking about relationship goals, nothing beats the voice of experience. By having a father impart this wisdom to a daughter on her wedding day, we could tell a meaningful story of how the lessons of a long and happy marriage are shared with a woman who is about to embark on her journey.”

Mr. Limchoc revealed: “We chose to show the different time periods of a relationship, from the sweet and cute moments of the getting-to-know-you stage to the more adult concerns of the married stage, leading to the more comfortable older stage.”

And indeed, he was able to show that “in all these stages, in spite of the different challenges, being faithful to the commitment is shaped by the experiences — both happy and sad — of the couple.”

Describing the enduring relationship with his wife, the father says, “Kuha namin ’yong timpla ng bawat isa… wala ’yan sa tagal lang, nasa tamang timpla. (We found the right blend for each other… It’s not in the length of the relationship alone; it’s in the right blend.)”

Creatively applying flashbacks, Mr. Limchoc once again proved his meticulous eye, creating the look and feel of each decade “as organic.” Great production design. “Cinematography worked hand in hand with this, making sure that the palette and color temperature of the visuals matched the time and emotion of each frame.”

As father and daughter were poised to have their final coffee time together, before the bride would actually don her gown, dad demonstrated how his wife would perfectly prepare his coffee. As he slowly stirred the coffee with Coffeemate, the mixture in the cup fades to a flashback. Nice device.

As ECD Joe Dy pointed out, this pre-wedding conversation gave the agency an opportunity “to seamlessly demonstrate the analogy between the product and the insight.” The script and the choice and flow of the visuals were so good that the whole commercial struck me as memorably heartwarming. The soft entry of each product plug easily and realistically became part of the romantic story.

I loved the long shot of Dad pushing Mom in her wheelchair at sunset on the grounds of what looks like a coconut hacienda marking the culmination of the flashback. Then, the viewer is brought back to the cup of coffee being stirred, and the story is stitched back to the present.

The director’s use of lots of telephoto lenses captured so beautifully the intimacy of each moment that highlighted and made most interesting the different time periods. I also applaud the talent caster for the entire cast — especially the young mom and dad as they act out growing in love and being in love, down to their maturing years. Good acting here.

Kristine Salumbides, consumer marketing manager of Coffeemate, added: “In a world where there is more effort needed to retain a relationship, we want to encourage people to take time to make a cup of coffee for their partner.”

I’m sure Ms. Salumbides was tickled pink over the TVC’s final frame, creatively highlighting her brand using the logo of Nestlé’s Coffeemate in the middle of a white heart over the mixture of coffee, and in small letters over the still brown part of the mixture: “Pour your heart into it.”

Yes, indeed, this material can merit your pouring your heart into it. Take a bow, McCann Worldgroup Philippines, Nestlé Philippines, and Film Pabrika.

Credits. Client-company, Nestlé Philippines: Jacques Reber, CEO; and Don Howat/Dennis Austriaco, 3CBU business executive manager.

Creative agency, McCann Worldgroup Philippines: Raul Castro, chairman and CEO; Mon Garcia, managing partner; Bambi Reyes, Butch Lorenzo, Sherie Abby Lim, and Viel Aznar, accounts team; Joe Dy, executive creative director; Reggie Taganahan and Jason Confesor, art directors; Marlon Borreo, Jopy Arnaldo, and NJ Mijares, copywriters; Eileen Borromeo, Earl Javier, Peach Natividad, and Rachelle Valera, strategy team; and Kay Lagman, JB De Joya, Hans Christian, JC Javellana, Ron Roman, Karen Francisco, Erwin de Leon, Josh Lunzaga, Mafee Martinez, Joshua Espinase, and Bea Cruz, digital and social team.

Production house, Film Pabrika: Joel Limchoc, director, and Datu Gallaga and Julia Templo, producers. Sound and music, LoudBox. Post-production, Central Digital.

Nanette Franco-Diyco ended her 15^th year advertising career as Vice-President of JWT, segueing into the world of academe, currently teaching communications at the Ateneo de Manila University.

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