Three decades ago, Purefoods, the hotdog brand, was feeling the stiff competition in the market as Swift was also making its presence felt.
Yet, time and again, Purefoods was able to keep its hold as the leading hotdog brand in the country, while keeping its image that was associated to its young audience.
Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codinera and Jojo Lastimosa each had their own participation in the commercial as management came up with different storylines, making them more endearing to the fans.
Since entering the PBA two years earlier, the “kolehiyalas” were frequent visitors of their practices. Girls from Maryknoll would pack the Blue Eagle gym for the team’s practices. And even when they transferred to Aquinas School and Reyes Gym, every session will be filled with onlookers — from casual workers nearby who would sneak in from their offices, tricycle drivers and avid fans.
“Kung nagpa-ticket kami nu’n, baka kumita pa ‘yung team,” recalled Codinera, attesting the bankability of their appeal to the fans.
Codinera may have a point as not long after, he and Patrimonio, and another fellow young cager and former national team teammate Bong Alvarez would have their own film — Last Two Minutes produced by Mother Lily Monteverde. Believe it or not, it became the biggest hit in the Manila Film Festival during that time.
These Purefoods stars had cemented their place in the hearts of the young fans while the brand kept its foothold in the hotdog wars.
But while they were no.1 in these areas, Purefoods, the basketball team, was like a king without a crown.
Several times, they would end up as bridesmaids. In just its first season, the team nearly made a Cinderella Finish, moving a win away from becoming the first expansion team to win a PBA title.
But with David Thirdkill, then the reigning Best Import, held to just 16 points in the seventh and deciding game and was completely outplayed by Norman Black in the last two games of the series, there was no way the Hotdogs could beat the powerhouse San Miguel Beermen.
Purefoods would once again make its way back to the finals in the All-Filipino conference and was favored to beat the Robert Jaworski-mentored Anejo Rhum 65ers, but a controversy involving Mon Fernandez hurt the Hotdogs’ chances and lost to the league’s most popular team.
The following season, the Hotdogs would get another shot of winning the title only to be denied again. In the All-Filipino, they were beaten by the much experienced Beermen and in the Third Conference, they were abandoned by head case import Dexter Shouse on the eve of their knockout game for the finals.
Finally in 1990, they would win their first title, but prior to capturing their first crown, another setback happened when the heavily favored Hotdogs lost the All-Filipino to the Allan Caidic-less Presto Tivoli.
The moment for greatness finally came for Purefoods in the 1990 Third Conference when Al Solis hit a dagger trey that bailed the team out of trouble and gave the franchise its first title.
It was a make — and break moment — as by the end of the season, players were shipped to other squads.
Lastimosa was traded to Alaska for Boy Cabahug. Solis and the late Jack Tanuan went to Purefoods’ corporate rival RFM and the veterans like Bernie Fabiosa, Bai Cristobal and Naning Valenciano were gone, too.
It wouldn’t take long before the late great Baby Dalupan would desert the squad as well. He had his run-ins with the young players and the management and differences in philosophies somehow triggered this make and break moment for the squad.
But it turned out that this make and break moment turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the key members. Patrimonio won four MVPs on top of six titles. Codinera bagged five. Lastimosa won a grand slam with Alaska and Capacio and Solis would flourish playing their new roles for their respective squads.
