Park Seo Joon is newest Bench endorser

MANILA – Park Seo Joon is the newest celebrity to join the roster of ambassadors of a popular local clothing brand in the Philippines.

On Instagram, Bench's big boss Ben Chan posted photos of the South Korean heartthrob in what appears to be his photo shoot for the brand.

In the caption, Chan confirmed that the actor has been picked to become the latest Global Bench Setter.

Park is popular for his roles in the television series “What's Wrong with Secretary Kim” and the film “Midnight Runners.”

As early as now, his Filipino fans are already giddy about his possible visit to the Philippines now that he is a Bench endorser.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Isabelle Daza, 'World's Hottest Math Teacher' play 'Bato Bato Strip'

One would be hard-pressed to find a hotter video today than this one of actress Isabelle Daza and "World's Hottest Math Teacher" Pietro Boselli playing "Bato Bato Strip," a sexier version of rock-paper-scissors where one will be required to remove clothes whenever they lose.

We don't want to spoil who won but let's just say that it went down to the wire. "My last thing on is a Bench nipple tape," admitted Daza at one point, as seen in the clip she posted on Instagram.

The video appears to be part of a series of promotional clips featuring Boselli, who is in the country after signing an endorsement deal with local clothing brand Bench.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Bench speaks up on 'defaced' pro-LGBT billboard

MANILA – Homegrown lifestyle brand Bench broke its silence on Tuesday regarding its controversial billboard of a gay couple with their hands blackened, which gave rise to a social media campaign last week.

In a statement sent to the fashion website Style Bible, Bench made it clear that the billboard along EDSA-Guadalupe showing creative director Vince Uy and boyfriend Niño Gaddi holding hands was not defaced as initially observed by netizens.

Quoting advertising and promotions manager Jojo Liamzon, Style Bible reported that the gay couple's hands have been blackened by Bench as the brand's way of complying with the material it submitted to the Ad Standards Council (ASC).

The image approved by ASC had the couple's hands blurred.

“When billboard images for Bench’s ‘Love All Kinds of Love’ campaign were submitted to the governing body (Ad Standards Council), the company received concern over the photo of Vince Uy and his arm around partner Niño Gaddi, hands clasped in a show of affection. Prior, the governing body had rejected photos of the couple looking lovingly at one another, citing ‘traditional Filipino family values’ as a reason,” Liamzon said.

“The approved version with hands obscured is the billboard that Bench had printed and now stands on EDSA. A digital mockup of the EDSA billboard showing the unobscured hands of Uy and Gaddi had been disseminated to press and is what likely led the public to assume the billboard has been defaced.”

Liamzon explained that Bench decided to display the billboard with the blackened hands “because the company believes that its message was still intact.”

The message he was referring to is “that of well-represented diversity, and the message that same-sex relationships are just as substantial and valid as heterosexual romantic love and familial love.”

“While the message has been compromised to an extent, the most important thing is that at least, for the duration that the billboards are up, the voices, lives and loves of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community are unavoidable and undeniable on an avenue Filipinos from all walks of life cross every day,” he said.

Following the controversy, Liamzon said Bench is proposing that the current billboard be replaced with the original image showing the gay couple’s hands.

Last week, Filipino netizens started a social media campaign called #PaintTheirHandsBack as they digitally altered the Bench billboard to make sure that the gay couple’s hands were back where they belong.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

45 days to Christmas: Pink Ribbon sale extended

Planning to do some last-minute shopping? A fund-raising sale by Suyen Corporation, which carries the homegrown brand Bench and international labels such as Cotton On, has been extended until the end of November.

Dubbed the “Pink Ribbon Sale,” the fair at the Bench Tower Basement in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig aims to raise funds for breast cancer patients. It is open to the public daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

All items are discounted up to 80% off during the Pink Ribbon Sale, which includes the following brands: Bench, Kashieca, Human, Aldo, Charles and Keith, Pedro, Call It Spring, The Face Shop, Cotton On, Cotton On Kids, F&X, La Senza, Celio, Vero Moda, Karen Millen, Repetto, Casadei, Naked & Famous, Swear London, Eastland, Alberta Ferreti and Dimensione.

Bench Tower is located at 30th Street corner Rizal Drive in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Taylor Lautner sizzles in Bench shoot

MANILA, Philippines -- Taylor Lautner's upcoming ad campaign for local clothing line Bench will feature the "Twilight" star in a variety of action poses, as seen in a behind-the-scenes reel of his shoot released on Thursday.



In the video released by Bench on its official YouTube page, the 21-year-old American actor is seen performing numerous stunts while wearing items from the brand's collection of men's apparel.

According to the two-minute video's acccompanying description, Lautner's Bench campaign was shot by American film and music video director Anthony Mandler.

He is said to be behind the popular music videos of Rihanna's "Diamonds," Lana De Rey's "Ride," Nicki Minaj's "Starships," Beyonce's "Irreplaceable," and most recently, Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble."

Lautner, who is best known for his role as Jacob Black in the "Twilight" film series, was announced Wednesday as the latest international star to join Bench as its endorser.

As the latest endorser of Bench, Lautner joins several other "GlobalBenchSetters" such as Filipina-Mexican-American singer Jessica Sanchez, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, Hollywood actor Liam Hemsworth, Disney-grown singer Joe Jonas, American TV stars Lucy Hale and Michael Trevino, and South Korean stars Lee Min Ho, Si Won and Dong Hae.

VIDEO

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Bench Universe to make Southeast Asian premiere

MANILA, Philippines – The “Bench Universe 2012” fashion show is set to make its Southeast Asian premiere when it airs on the cable channel StarWorld next month.

A replay of the fashion show, which features some of the Philippines’ biggest stars, will be aired at 9 p.m. on December 8.

Some of the celebrities who walked the runway for this year's Bench Universe are Coco Martin, Paulo Avelino, Kim Chiu, Enchong Dee, Jake Cuenca, Manny Pacquiao and wife Jinkee, Richard Gomez and wife Lucy, Kathryn Bernardo, Julia Montes, Shaina Magdayao, Georgina Wilson and Borgy Manotoc.

Aside from items from Bench, the event, held last September, included collections from top local designers such as Cary Santiago, Rajo Laurel, Randy Ortiz, Furne One, Michael Cinco, Ezra Santos, Joey Samson, Val Taguba and Albert Andrada.

StarWorld will also air behind-the-scenes footage of the production, letting viewers get up close with the Bench endorsers.

Click here for ABS-CBNnews.com’s slideshow of Bench Universe 2012.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

VIDEO I Bench releases ‘Benchingko’ trailer starring Lucy, Coco, Bella, Lovi, Piolo

Fashion retail giant Bench has released a trailer called “Benchingko” on YouTube ahead of its 25th anniversary.

The 28-second trailer, which premiered on Thursday, features Lucy Torres-Gomez, Coco Martin, Bella Flores, Lovi Poe, Piolo Pascual, and Bench founder Ben Chan himself, in glimpses of scenes from what appear to be five different short films.

A different adjective describes each celebrity in the trailer: “Beautiful” for congresswoman Lucy Torres-Gomez, “intense” for Coco Martin, “legendary” for Bella Flores, “sexy” for Lovi Poe, and “hot” for Piolo Pascual.

The trailer could be the the first in a series of five trailers featuring five short films each, one for each year that the leading clothing chain has been in business since 1987.

The description for the video posted by BenchTV reads: “Coming soon: Bench celebrates 25 years of style in films starring the biggest stars in Philippine cinema,” followed by a recommendation to follow the brand’s Facebook and Twitter accounts for updates.

source: interaksyon.com

David Archuleta Endorses PHL Clothing Brand

MANILA, Philippines – “American Idol” Season 7 runner-up David Archuleta remains a busy bee in his remaining days in the country, shooting for the popular clothing brand Bench, which he now endorses.

The 21-year-old singer happily tweeted, “Having fun at the @benchtm photoshoot! Good times with the Bench family haha,” on Feb. 13.

Several minutes before David tweeted, the clothing brand’s proprietor, Ben Chan, posted a teaser also via Twitter—a close-up photo believed to be of the young star, covering his eyes with his left hand, smiling broadly.

“@BCbench Guess who's the next @benchtm endorser ? ?@benchtm instagr.am/p/G79nu2DMn_/,” Ben tweeted.

He later on posted a behind-the-scenes photo of David.

“David in between takes of photo shoot for @benchtm and FIX Hair products. Welcome to the BENCH family,” the businessman said.

Speculations brewed that the Utah native will endorse Bench after he was seen at a dinner party tendered on Feb. 10 for the brand’s recently launched endorser, “Pretty Little Liars” star Lucy Hale. The two even exchanged tweets after their meeting.

“Ok so I met one of the most adorable people ever w/ the most incredible voice @davidarchie seriously...what a talent,” Lucy posted on Feb. 10.

To which David responded, “@lucyyhale Haha, thanks Lucy. Good to see you here. Hope you have a great stay in the Philippines!”

According to Ben, David will be officially launched as endorser on Feb. 17.

David and Lucy join the league of Bench's international endorsers such as Taiwanese singer-actor Jerry Yan, "Vampire Diaries" star Michael Trevino, and Fil-Am singer-songwriter Bruno Mars.

With his several visits to the country in the past, as well as shooting for the TV5 series “Nandito Ako” and recording for his OPM album “Forevermore,” David apparently has grown more comfortable being in the Philippines. In a recent interview with Bulletin Entertainment and other members of the media, he enthused, “The whole Philippines has captured my heart.”

After his commitments here and abroad, David will embark on a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, putting his music career on the back seat.

“So many people say—and for me too—music is one way of serving a mission. But it's not the same thing… Those missionaries changed my mom’s life and changed my life, the way I grew up, the way I was raised, and what is important to me. They've sacrificed so much, they leave their families... and everything that's comfortable and easy and convenient to them to become closer with God and to be closer with other people. Learn how to love the hard way... that's what I feel would be very great to have in my life,” he related.

source: mb.com.ph

Grace Lee Bags Four New Endorsements

MANILA, Philippines — We heard that Grace Lee’s career has been on the upswing since her association with President Noynoy. A source disclosed that aside from receiving invitations for interviews left and right, she has snatched at least three endorsement deals as of this writing – Belo, Bench, and Ever Bilena. Avon, they say is also part of the growing list of would-be endorsements. To top it all, Grace’s hosting fee reportedly jumped up from P80,000 per gig to P140,000. No wonder she has upped the ante without hesitation, by obliging to do interviews left and right, something that no other woman linked to the President has ever done before. For Grace, high profile is the name of the game. Our take: Enjoy it while it lasts. As my wannabe political analyst friend always says, “When the smoke clears in the political arena, so will the smoke shrouding the President’s lovelife.”

source: mb.com.ph