BRANDY: WHAT IT FEELS TO TASTE A 15-YEAR-OLD

In 2004, the maker of 15-year-old brandy, Napoleon Brandy desired to entice the people
to enjoy and attest their 15-year authenticity of making the said beverage. Thus, their strategy of
running an ad campaign brought them to face dilemma due to their controversial and disturbing
tag line posted publicly through billboards stating, “Nakatikim ka na ba ng Kinse Anyos?” along
with the image of the Brandy itself hugely held on the right side. It practiced no malice or
nastiness when in terms of the graphic photo used, but the statement alone gives incentives to
formulate different meaning which created a noise and generated different reactions from the
netizens.
The Advertisement of the Napoleon Brandy only emphasizes that they are already in their
15 years of service. The tag line straight-forwardly stated how a 15-year brandy tastes like,
nothing more nothing less. And if it was viewed on the perception of either non-literate people or
children, it won’t have any problem as it (tag line) stands and defines the drink itself. Also, they
do not manifest an image of a sexy actress or indelicate images that could stimulate the booming
of the brand.
Although the brand is pertaining to the success of the company’s 15-year journey, reaching on
wine-lovers’ fondness for older wine. It happened to perceive different meanings and turned out
to be offensive. Advertisements tend to attract their markets. They aim to sell but sometimes
there are some that may seem inappropriate, just like the phrase, “Nakatikim ka na ba ng Kinse
anyos?” would probably be a teasing question but on the counterpart implies a malicious and
corrupting knowledge for others though referring to the beverage. Hence, there would be
instances that readers will have double thoughts whenever they’ve read this and will generate
other meaning for this, which subjects to a sexual relationship to an under-age.
In the printed advertisement subjected to a kind of liquor, the image that was used is
appropriate to what it is advertising which can be easily determined that it is referring to a liquor
because of its image as well as its brand name “Napoleon Brandy” and almost everyone will be
able to comprehend that the product is a drinking liquor. While the counterpart of this, is the
phrases encrypted beside the brand image, “Nakatikim ka na ba ng kinse anyos?” (Have you
tasted a 15-years old?) which becomes negative, malicious, and mischievous for others,
especially to women and child activists. As a result, it happened to draw a humorous yet
malevolent meaning behind the phrase relating it of having sexual contact to a child who is under
age, that is forbidden and enforceable by law.
In which, in the same year (2004), there is a radio station having a drama series which tackles
about a married couple who fights about her husband’s consecutive late-night outs and
suspecting that there might be a third party who is “menor de edad”, and the advertisement’s
famous “Quince Anyos” became the excuse that it was just the brandy which she is referring.
This provocative advertisement had call several attentions, such as Lawyer Katrina
Legarda, activist Maria Isabel Ongpin and three other child rights advocates tend to bring the
issue to court against the Destilleria Limtuaco. After which the process succeeded, the billboard
was effectively pulled out by the Destilleria Limtuaco Incorporation and militant women’s group
declared victory after which, and the said Incorporation published new redesigned advertisement.
However, If I were to change and create a new design for this, I would make the tag line catchy
by restating it as, “Cheers for 15 years!”. And since it is known as a drink for men, I will recreate
it with considerations showing how is it really to distinguish a boy from a man. I would involve
group of middle-aged men enacting a happy reunion showing elegance of being successful
professionals and presenting the real essence of becoming a real Man – to become a father of a
family. What my redesign advertisement may imply would be the viewpoint about the fathers of
the family depicting strong camaraderie up until reaching 15 years of friendship with a glass of
“Napoleon Brandy” in their hands, showing that the said brandy is suited for men who are the
head of the family which can also have diversion at times. (Pater Familia)