黑料社

Citing what she has learned from her parents, actors Fernando Poe Jr. and Susan Roces, about serving other people, Team PNoy senatorial candidate Grace Poe discusses what she鈥檚 going to do in the Senate if she gets elected on May 13. Video by Ryan Leagogo/黑料社

Recall is the name of the game.

This measure of advertising effectiveness seems to be working for senatorial candidate Grace Poe, who is a leading contender from the administration coalition Team PNoy senatorial slate.

Poe has found a following among the young with her 鈥淭ao Po鈥� television ad, a 30-second simple yet cleverly scripted video that used her surname in place of po and opo, the traditional Filipino words that denote respect for the elderly.

鈥淚鈥檝e gotten so much negative comments on the Internet because the ad was full of 鈥楶oe鈥� for name recall. But then when I go out, the kids are like [calling me] 鈥楪race Poe!鈥欌�� said the candidate, who took on her father鈥檚 name in place of her married name, Llamanzares, to boost her campaign.

鈥淚 said if only these kids could vote, I鈥檓 already a winner. And I will tell them, 鈥楾ell your mother and father to vote for me, OK?鈥欌�� said Poe, laughing at her recollection during a recent interview with Inquirer editors and reporters.

Whether it鈥檚 annoying or amusing, the ad, which shows the candidate in a house visit with two enthusiastic and very polite supporters (Grace Poe? Tuloy Poe!), has seemed to make 鈥淭he (Action) King鈥檚鈥� daughter a household name all her own.

Her Poe pun has even made its way into text messaging, where some would use Poe instead of the regular po and opo, sounding very much like the cyberdialect jejemon.

She said the idea behind the ad came from the same advertising man who made her father鈥檚 beer advertisements decades ago (she refused to name the originator on record).

The ad has even spawned a parody on the online video-sharing site YouTube, featuring the character 鈥淕race Poehh鈥� in a similar house visit scene.