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| Matteo Guidicelli is the first endorser of Mentos in the Philippines |
At the recent launch of new candy flavors, Italian-Filipino actor and athlete Matteo Guidicelli, an eye candy himself, co-hosted the event, entertained the audience, sang and generally charmed the people. It was a testament on how he has grown from a shy boy of 14, fresh out of Cebu, when I first interviewed him 10 years ago at a kart racing track in Bonifacio Global City. He was sort of a celebrity then, making local karting history by winning two titles in a row —Karter of the Year of the Shell Superkarting Series held in Carmona, Cavite, and the champion at the Rotax Max Junior division. Guidicelli was also tapped as endorser and image model of Swatch, Penshoppe, Addict Mobile and Oakley.
Now, he has graduated from karting and is into triathlons. He eventually entered showbiz, appearing in television and doing a couple of movies. He developed an interest in acting and enrolled in an acting workshop at the New York Academy in Los Angeles. He took up musical theater at the Columbia College in Chicago. And these made him more endearing, an athlete with an interest in the arts. There are more to the 24-year-old celebrity and some of it are revealed as he become the first endorser of Mentos in the Philippines.
As the newly-minted ambassador of the candy of Perfetti Van Melle product, the European company that also produces Fruittella, Smint and Chupa Chups, Guidicelli stars in a three-part promotional mini-movie called “Mentos Strawberry Mix Thrillogy,” shown on television but mostly on social networks. The videos promote the new Mentos Strawberry Mix, three candy flavors are packed in one roll or bag — the sour strawberry, vanilla strawberry and classic strawberry. They also present three facets of Guidicelli, who stars in the videos together with two strawberry-headed sidekicks, the quirky Mentos Strawberry Hitmen.
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| Matteo Guidicelli as the action star |
The first video is called “The Thrill of the Chase” and presents Guidicelli as the action star. Embodying the sour strawberry flavor, the video puts Guidicelli in a video game world where he runs, swims and does stunts, harking to his athlete persona. Aside from being a racer and a triathlete in real life, he bikes, runs and generally committed to an active and healthy lifestyle. Guidicelli got his first taste of kart racing when he was 11 years old while vacationing in Italy, and was instantly hooked. He pursued it when he returned home in Cebu and eventually won many races. He was passionate about racing that he almost cried when he got in the seat of Marlon Stockinger’s racecar because he did not get to fulfill his dream of being the first Filipino Formula One racer. But he is now very much into triathlon. He revealed though he experienced a harrowing incident when he joined his first triathlon in 2011 in Cebu. He almost drowned out in the sea and thought he would die. He survived it and it did not stop him from pursuing triathlon.
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| Matteo Guidicelli as the Italian lover |
For the sweet vanilla strawberry flavor, the second video, “The Thrill of Declaring Your Love,” depicts Guidicelli as the lover boy who, through ardent wooing, makes even the painting of Mona Lisa smile. Guidicelli succinctly put it that he is both Italian and Filipino, claimed to make passionate and romantic lovers. In the matters of romance though, he proves to be terse. People are talking about his relationship with singer Sarah Geronimo, but he remains reticent or vague about it. Defining love, he resorts to sports metaphors: Love is not a sprint but a marathon.
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| Matteo Guidicelli as the boy next door |
The third video is “the real me,” Guidicelli said. “The Thrill of Being Real,” for the classic strawberry flavor, shows him as the boy next door, down-to-earth and generally uncomplicated, pursuing passions, having fun and relishing the joy of doing ordinary things. Even without the frills, Guidicelli still exudes with charisma and wholesome appeal.
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| The Strawberry Hitmen |
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| A little phallic to me |
For more of Guidicelli, watch the “Mentos Strawberry Mix Thrillogy” on www.facebook.com/MentosPhilippines.
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