Manny in major TV ad

Finally, someone let the cat out of the bag. It took a lot of convincing for the source to disclose precious information on Manny Pacquiao’s recent shoot for a major Nike TV ad at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles. Too bad he couldn’t reveal all the details because he wasn’t privy to the entire proceedings.

The story began with Pacquiao leaving for LA with lawyer Franklin (Jeng) Gacal and business manager Eric Pineda with his wife Macy last Nov. 23. The trip was postponed at least twice because of tweaks in Pacquiao’s hectic schedule. His wife Jinkee was supposed to join but cancelled at the last minute because the trip would be for just one night!

Pacquiao arrived in LA on the night his brother Bobby battled Fernando Trejo in a 10-rounder in Cabazon. Manny wasn’t able to watch the fight at ringside but monitored developments closely on his cell. He was elated when he learned that Bobby won by a fourth round technical knockout.

Early the morning after, Pacquiao was at Everett Park in east Los Angeles. Nike arranged to close the streets leading to the park so the filming could be done in private. Cameramen had a field day shooting Pacquiao running up and down the park. The filming started at about 7 and the crew packed up two hours later.

Next stop was the Wild Card Gym which owner Freddie Roach closed for the day. Just a handful of Pacquiao’s close friends and Nike bigwigs were allowed to watch the shoot. Flying in from Nike’s Manila office were country marketing director Melissa Crucillo and marketing services manager Tony Atayde.

The source said Pacquiao felt right at home behind the cameras. “He’s a natural,” said the source. Obviously, the exposure in movies and on TV has done wonders in transforming Pacquiao into a media-friendly icon.

As the cameras whirred, Pacquiao sparred with David Rodela, worked the heavy bag, did calisthenics and spun the speedball. Those who watched Pacquiao for the first time in the gym marveled at his speed, stamina and work ethic. At least 50 selected individuals from Nike’s headquarters in Beaverton were around. Directing the shoot was a hand-picked expert imported from England.

The contract that Pacquiao signed was for just one TV ad to be shown in the Asia-Pacific region with an option to go global. It is still to be decided if Pacquiao will be the only athlete featured in the ad or he will be part of a larger campaign to include stars like Maria Sharapova and Kobe Bryant.

The shoot went from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a lunch break of about an hour. Nike brought along chefs to cook a gourmet lunch for Pacquiao in a mobile kitchen. Pacquiao was given first-class treatment all the way.

If Pacquiao stayed longer in the US, he would’ve gone to Beaverton and visited the famed Nike “campus.” The invitation to visit Beaverton is open at Pacquiao’s convenience. By the way, Pacquiao’s contract with Nike expires next year.

Roach appeared in some sequences but it’s not certain if the footage will wind up in the final cut.

That night, Pacquiao was on a plane headed back to Manila. Gacal and the Pinedas stayed behind. Accompanying Pacquiao on the return flight were brother Bobby and wife Lorelei.

How much Pacquiao was paid for the TV ad is a mystery. Nobody’s talking. There is apparently a confidentiality clause in the contract. But the speculation is it must have been quite a sum for Pacquiao to fly to the US for just one night.

The airing of the ad is scheduled in the first quarter of the coming year, likely in March - before Pacquiao battles Juan Manuel Marquez for the WBC superfeatherweight title in Las Vegas on March 15.

Pacquiao hasn’t lost a fight since wearing Nike gear, demolishing Erik Morales in their rubber match, stopping Jorge Solis and badly outpointing Marco Antonio Barrera. Although Nike provides Pacquiao with a made-to-order pair of shoes for every fight, the Filipino hero chose to wear the boots he wore in the Morales bout for the Barrera rematch. Someone in Pacquiao’s camp said he feels lucky with those shoes.

No Filipino athlete has ever appeared in an international TV ad so when Pacquiao’s campaign breaks, he will once again write history. Pacquiao makes every Filipino proud to be Filipino.