Suddenly, it's Mario

MANILA, Philippines - Penshoppe’s new endorser electrifies at fan conference.

MANILA, Philippines - Last Friday, Oct. 28, was the first time I had ever laid my eyes on Mario Maurer. Before Penshoppe’s Fan Conference for the Thai model and actor, I had never even heard his name. But as I drove up to the PICC grounds, I was awakened to the fame of the baby-faced star by throngs of fans patiently waiting outside the complex, forming lines that spilled out of the PICC gates. Who is this guy? I thought. Well, for better or worse, I was about to find out.

The Thai of German descent had his big break in the 2007 film, The Love of Siam. His portrayal of a homosexual teen garnered him several awards, including the Best Actor Award in the Southeast Asian film category at the 10th Cinemanila International Film Festival. It is his more recent work in First Love (A Little Thing Called Love) that has propelled the young actor-slash-model into fame and heartthrob status across Asia, ultimately catching the attention of Penshoppe.

Before and after: Mario Maurer in his breakout role as a gay teen in the 2007 film, The Love of Siam and at the fan conference last week.

As early as the first of August, Penshoppe began promotions for the one-of-a-kind fan conference for their newest endorser. Fans were given a stamp card which could be exchanged for a pass to the conference once they had completed ten stamps. A minimum purchase of P500 entitles the cardholder to one stamp.

Mario Maurer’s fans had filled PICC wall-to-wall. When the lights dimmed for Mario’s entrance, cheers and camera flashes were non-stop. And when the spotlight was finally put on Mario, I could have sworn I heard a girl a few rows behind me burst into tears and sob for joy.

The days following the fan conference, the Penshoppe jacket he wore during the conference was sold out at all branches. I’d call that a pretty good omen for Penshoppe and Mario Maurer.