GIGIL Files: Remember Herb & Garlic from the latest Danes Flavored Cheeses commercial? He’s actually one of our copywriters!
To launch the extended line of Danes Flavored Cheeses, CDO again partnered with GIGIL to launch a film this 2021. This new film entitled “Confrontation” builds upon the 2020 viral film “Bacon”’ which is filed under adobo magazine’s Top 10 ads of 2020.
But for the new installment, the now-familiar humanoid Danes cheese mascot receives an expanded lore that introduces his parents “Daddy Cheese” and “Mommy Bacon.” In the same film, “Danes Bacon” also discovers that he has 3 other siblings: “Sweet & Creamy,”’ “Chili Cheese,” and “Herb & Garlic.”
In an interesting turn of events, one of GIGIL’s copywriters was actually cast as Danes ‘Herb & Garlic’ cheese in the Danes team’s latest film. We caught up with Zion dela Peña for an interview for this first story for GIGIL Files.
How did you get cast for the Danes Cheese commercial? What did it feel like and what went on your mind when you first learned about it?
Pina-try sa ‘kin ni Jeano Cruz, our Creative Director, ‘yung Danes Cheese filter sa Zoom. Secretly, nag-screenshot pala siya, then pinakita sa clients noong presentation. Nagustuhan ng client, then nagtuluy-tuloy na from there. Nag-message na ‘yung casting director, humingi ng audition videos. It felt like something I was born to do.
What preparations did you take when you got invited to join the cast?
I internalized the part of a cheese block born from the love of Danes Classic and mama Herb and Garlic. I greeted every morning by saying “cheese the day” to everyone in my house. Tapos, tinulungan din ako ng asawa ko mag-prepare ng VTR kasi may experience siya don, pero nauna pa ‘ko magkaroon ng commercial sa kaniya kahit matagal na siya nag-a-audition.
Do you have an acting background?
I have theater arts credentials in my science high school.
We heard you were from GMA before you joined GIGIL, did that experience help you in your rise to stardom?
No. Stardom is in my genes.
How was the shoot for the commercial? What was the experience of being a humanoid cheese block?
It felt very hot kasi nag-shoot kami sa open parking lot sa ilalim ng araw. Nag-double vision ako sa gitna ng take, tapos after ng take nagkwentuhan kami ng mga kapatid ko, sila rin daw pala.
What was it like being in a GIGIL commercial?
On a serious note, nuks, never siya pumasok sa isip ko. A year ago, gusto ko lang ma-hire sa GIGIL para gumawa ng nakakatawang commercial. Konti lang siguro kaming makakapagsabing within the first year of my advertising career, nagawa kong maging isang taong keso. It’s something that nobody will be able to take away.