Cheers! San Miguel Beer turns 125

SOME of the catchiest jingles for San Miguel featured Jim Paredes, Danny Javier and Boboy Garovillo of the Apo Hiking Society.

Nine of every 10 Filipinos who reach for a bottle of beer to celebrate a happy occasion or drown their sorrows choose San Miguel.

This tradition that has made San Miguel Beer a practically inextricable part of Filipino society traces its beginnings to 1890 with the inauguration of the La Fabrica de Cerveza de San Miguel.

The first product to come out of the brewery was San Miguel Pale Pilsen, the flagship brand of San Miguel Brewery Inc. (SMB), the beer subsidiary of conglomerate San Miguel Corp.

Since then, SMB has expanded its product portfolio as well as its reach, such that San Miguel products including Red Horse Beer, San Mig Light and Cerveza Negra are now available worldwide.

In the first six months of the year, SMB, which operates breweries in the Philippines and four other Asian countries, registered a 10-percent growth in consolidated income on the strength of higher revenues.

Net income rose to P6.9 billion versus year-ago levels of P6.3 billion, while revenues amounted to P39.8 billion, 5 percent better than P37.7 billion in 2014.

MANY of the old San Miguel print ads chronicled the prevailing values and fashion.

In the Philippines, despite having a formidable market share of some 90 percent, SMB continued to implement programs to further strengthen its maket leadership and spur consumption.

That it has been able to maintain its stranglehold on the market can be attributed to having a high quality product line as well as award-winning marketing and advertising campaigns that have left a mark on Filipinos and helped make San Miguel top of mind when it comes to beer.

Through the years, San Miguel’s print, radio and television ads have become mirrors of society, reflecting a slice of everyday life.

These ads have also made even bigger celebrities out of the endorsers, which include Fernando Poe Jr., Bert “Tawa” Marcelo and the Apo Hiking Society.

San Miguel complemented these media campaigns with below-the-line activities such as the San Miguel Oktoberfest to maintain the public’s loyalty, especially with competition coming from not just other beer brands but also other alcoholic beverages.

DEPENDING on the news outlet, the ad copy was sometimes in the vernacular.

To celebrate the 125th year of San Miguel Pale Pilsen this year, SMB is treating beer and music lovers to a grand Oktoberfest today at the MOA Concert Grounds that will gather music legends, brand ambassadors and celebrities.

“[The 125th anniversary] gives San Miguel Brewery Inc. good reason to bring back legendary performers past and present most enjoyed with the best beer brands in the country,” says Menlou B. Bibonia, SMB’s marketing manager.

Scheduled to perform are Hotdog and Red Horse Beer ambassadors Ely Buendia, Pepe Smith, Slapshock, Greyhoundz and Razorback.

The music and beer-packed party will be also be held in Laguna Central, Greenfield City in Santa Rosa City, Laguna on Sept. 26; Cebu IT Park in Apas, Cebu City on Oct. 2; and Limketkai Center in Cagayan de Oro City on Oct. 3.

The continuing success of San Miguel Beer proved prophetic the words of one of the alcaldes who helped organize the opening ceremony of the brewery in 1890.

According to SMB’s archives, the alcalde in his toast said: “I drink to the prosperity of the brewery and I wish that each time the faucets of the beer barrels are opened, doblones (gold doubloons) will flow forth!”