"Hello, Billy" (found Filipino TV commercial series, 2000-2001): Difference between revisions

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In 2000, the telecommunications company PLDT collaborated with Ace Saatchi & Saatchi, a marketing firm to help create Hello, Billy. The advertising campaign was conceived to increase the number of international direct dial (IDD) calls in the Phillippines. The series is about a mother who is concerned about her son, Billy, who lives somewhere far away and is lonely. However, Billy has a girlfriend. The name of Billy's girlfriend is Gracia.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2479&dat=20010310&id=tqU2AAAAIBAJ&sjid=hSUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3162 An archived edition of the Inquirer, a Filipino newspaper.]Retrieved 22 February '22.</ref>
In 2000, the telecommunications company PLDT collaborated with Ace Saatchi & Saatchi, a marketing firm to help create Hello, Billy. The advertising campaign was conceived to increase the number of international direct dial (IDD) calls in the Phillippines. The series is about a mother who is concerned about her son, Billy, who lives somewhere far away and is lonely. However, Billy has a girlfriend. The name of Billy's girlfriend is Gracia.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2479&dat=20010310&id=tqU2AAAAIBAJ&sjid=hSUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3162 An archived edition of the Inquirer, a Filipino newspaper.]Retrieved 22 February '22.</ref>


The advertising campaign was a great success, prompting PLDT to produce more commercials. The commercials doubled how many times subscribers called overseas and increased the amount of minutes by 50%.<ref>[https://www.philstar.com/business/business-as-usual/2001/06/04/83457/pldt-connects A article on the Phillippine Star news website, dated June 4, 2001. Author might not be reliable due to no social media presence on the web except the Phillippine Star.]</ref>
The advertising campaign was a great success, prompting PLDT to produce more commercials. The commercials doubled how many times subscribers called overseas and increased the amount of minutes by 50%.<ref>[https://www.philstar.com/business/business-as-usual/2001/06/04/83457/pldt-connects A article on the Phillippine Star news website, dated June 4, 2001. Author might not be reliable due to no social media presence on the web except the Phillippine Star (as far as I am aware of).]</ref>


However, it sparked controversy over its portrayal of gay people. In one commercial, "Rumors", Billy calls his gay friend Joey about the scandalous rumors surrounding his marriage to Gracia. The commercial then cuts to Joey acting clueless and it's revealed that Joey was the one spreading the rumors. <ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2a479&dat=20011023&id=JqhjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hiUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3356,24888100&hl=en Another edition of the Inquirer, dated at October 23, 2001.]Retrieved 22 February '22.</ref>


However, it sparked controversy over its portrayal of gay people. In one commercial, "Rumors", Billy calls his gay friend Joey about the scandalous rumors surrounding his marriage to Gracia. The commercial then cuts to Joey acting clueless and it's revealed that Joey was the one spreading the rumors. <ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2a479&dat=20011023&id=JqhjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hiUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3356,24888100&hl=en Another edition of the Inquirer, dated at October 23, 2001.]Retrieved 22 February '22.</ref> In protest of this commercial, the Lesbian and Gay Legislative Advocacy Network (Lagablab), boycotted PLDT.<ref>[https://lagablab.wordpress.com/2006/09/04/isagani-cruz-press-freedom-and-media-ethics-and-responsibility The official website of Lagablab.]</ref>


==Videos==
==Videos==

Revision as of 03:53, 22 February 2022

Hello billy joey screenshot.png

A screenshot of Joey talking to the main character, Billy, by using a telephone.

Status: Partially Found

In 2000, the telecommunications company PLDT collaborated with Ace Saatchi & Saatchi, a marketing firm to help create Hello, Billy. The advertising campaign was conceived to increase the number of international direct dial (IDD) calls in the Phillippines. The series is about a mother who is concerned about her son, Billy, who lives somewhere far away and is lonely. However, Billy has a girlfriend. The name of Billy's girlfriend is Gracia.[1]

The advertising campaign was a great success, prompting PLDT to produce more commercials. The commercials doubled how many times subscribers called overseas and increased the amount of minutes by 50%.[2]


However, it sparked controversy over its portrayal of gay people. In one commercial, "Rumors", Billy calls his gay friend Joey about the scandalous rumors surrounding his marriage to Gracia. The commercial then cuts to Joey acting clueless and it's revealed that Joey was the one spreading the rumors. [3] In protest of this commercial, the Lesbian and Gay Legislative Advocacy Network (Lagablab), boycotted PLDT.[4]

Videos

This is the "Rumors" commercial.

Another commercial, this time titled "Best Man".


References