THE PHILIPPINES, SEPTEMBER 7, 2011: What was meant to be a witty segue into the Philippines’ journey along the “daang matuwid” (correct path), Pres. Aquino’s quip about his love life has stirred the war between Coca-Cola and Pepsi anew.
P-Noy’s joking description of his affairs of the heart drew applause from the Filipino community in China, a light-hearted aside for a speech about economics and national development, delivered during a get-together at the China World Hotel in Beijing. The president, a known Coke drinker, used the cola’s different variants in reference to his romantic status, which he said has taken a turn from being “regular” to “light” and finally down to “zero”. He then continued to describe the different problems that Filipinos face in other parts of the world, dismissing his love woes as almost insignificant.
In an apparent response to this indirect presidential endorsement, Pepsi Cola promptly released a full-page ad with the tagline “Love Life? Go from Zero to Max,” referring to both brands’ low-calorie, sugar-free variants and telling those who “love life” to make the switch.
The ad by BBDO Guerrero/Proximity Philippines, which also featured Pepsi Max’s black can that promises it is “max masarap, no sugar”*, appeared in the Philippine Star on Saturday, September 3, three days after the president gave the comment about his love life, or an apparent lack thereof.
*Roughly translated "tastes better, no sugar"–"max" can be taken for a play on "mas"(more)
