Various brands and businesses painted their social media posts pink after Vice President Leni Robredo formally announced her presidential bid on Thursday.
She filed her certificate of candidacy at the Harbor Garden Tent, Sofitel Manila in Pasay City on the same afternoon she declared her intention to run for president. She reportedly chose to become an independent candidate to show “inclusivity” with other supporters from all fronts.
Robredo’s candidacy announcement was lauded by speechwriters of the past administration and communication professionals who deemed it “refreshing” and “direct.”
Following the vice-president’s speech, businesses in the food industry and other brands backed her bid by uploading posts with a hint of pink. Others wrote captions vocally expressing their support.
Prior to Robredo’s declaration, her supporters sported attires in pink and blue. She also wore a blue blouse with a pink ribbon at that time.
Habitual Coffee
Steak to One
The Frazzled Cook
Blincakes and Pastries
Other businesses like Tipple and Slaw offered promos to their customers.
Beverage brand Cha Tuk Chak used the “emotions” status on Facebook. The milk tea shop cafe wrote that it is “feeling hopeful.”
Some brands like Barbie posted captions with the phrase “powerful in pink.”
Lowbrow Casual Restaurants simply posted a plain pink background photo.
In a press conference on Friday, Robredo explained that pink is her campaign color since it was recently tagged as a color of activism.
“‘Yung pink ngayon ay siya ang lumalabas na global symbol of protest and activism. Hindi namin naplano ‘yung kulay kasi alam niyo naman gaano ka-belated ang aming decision. Ito ‘yung color ng groundswell ng volunteers,” she was quoted as saying.
The vice president also acknowledged the deluge of “pink” posts on social media and said that it appeared as if a “pink revolution” has happened.
“Hindi namin na-realize na ganun kadami… Na parang naghanap lang sila ng makakapitan, ng pag-asa para ma-express nila ang kanilang nararamdaman,” she said.
“Hindi naman kulay ang nagde-define sa tao… We are defined by the choices we make,” Robredo added.
An associate professor from Lynn University in Florida said that pink has become the “color disruptor” last year.
“[Pink is] the color of change for so many around the world,” Andrew Burnstine was quoted as saying in The Guardian.
“To the millions of people who are demanding change in our political system, and to American democracy, the color pink is the new battle-cry,” he added.
Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, also said that pink has been associated with political statements for nearly a century.
“The first use of pink as a political statement occurred in about 1925 when Time magazine coined the term ‘pinko’ for anyone thought to have communist, socialist or ultra liberal-leanings,” she said.
