Jericho Rosales has surfed at the height of a typhoon, rode his motorcycle 800 kilometers from Manila to the San Juanico Bridge between Samar and Leyte and back as a tribute to his late father, and asked his then girlfriend Kim Jones to be his wife on her birthday and before a packed auditorium of Sunday worshippers five years ago.

Directing also ranks up there, next to the most adventurous things he’s ever done. Rosales, brand ambassador of Wrangler’s True Wanderer digital competition for the past three years, recently doubled as director of the official video that announced the nationwide search for a Filipino with a true heart for adventure.

Finalists of Wrangler’s annual campaign will get to explore different parts of the country for three days and upload images and stories of their immersion into the place’s food, culture and way of life. The finalist with the most votes from the public will be declared winner.

Mini-movie

Rosales’ two-minute, 35-second mini-movie features him zipping by on his motorbike from urban jungle to the green open spaces of Batangas. There are images of him diving into a swimming pool and into the sea, admiring the cityscape and Taal Lake, and meeting up with Wrangler’s first female brand ambassador, actress Arci Muñoz.

Aside from directing and editing the video, Rosales created its concept, scouted for locations, and even narrated it, reading from a script written by his pal, TV host and fellow adventurer Paolo Abrera.

Rosales, who had previously directed himself in an unreleased ad for a local restaurant chain he endorses, faced a few challenges in the Wrangler project. There was the drawback of not being able to watch himself from behind the camera whenever he was acting in front of it. “That’s why it was important for me to have director of photography (DOP) Odyssey Flores there,” he says. “He’s an amazing DOP and I trust him.”

Then a typhoon struck, which forced him to scrap a bonfire and beach scene. “The thing about adventure is that you cannot control it. But it’s a process,” he says. “And it was so much fun because I worked with all my friends and my wife, who was also there. Everyone made it easy for me and it definitely taught me a lot about being a director.”

Rosales, in fact, has gone on to direct Muñoz’s ad for Wrangler, a product-driven video for the denim brand’s Shape Keeper jeans, set to be launched this May. “Wrangler really fits my lifestyle. It’s rugged yet refined,” says the actor who owns seven motorcycles and goes on long rides in and out of the city with The Brap Pack, friends and fellow bike enthusiasts Abrera, Flores, Sid Maderazo, Javy Olives, Ryan Agoncillo and Drew Arellano.

The everyday-wear denim brand now includes an InfiCool Line, a stylish array of denims upgraded with built-in wicking technology. Perfect for tropical weather and extreme activities, InfiCool denim ensures breathability, quick moisture absorption, and dry, sweat-free fabric.

Authentic

“It was Jericho or nothing,” says Wrangler Philippines president Daisy Go of her decision to make Rosales the face of the True Wanderer campaign. Well aware of his passion for adventure through motorbikes and surfing, Go explains: “I wanted someone who was authentic and lived the lifestyle, not someone who would pretend to do it.”

Rosales proved a perfect fit. Since representing the campaign, True Wanderer’s entries grew from 397 in 2014 to 5,000 last year—including nonbikers, students, and women. Go is also impressed by the quality of the entries: Two that come to mind are the finalist from Mindanao who used the contest to dispel negative perception about his province, and the finalist who swam with sharks to overcome his fear of the water and the mighty deep sea creature. “It’s very heartening to see young people professing a love for their country through their entries,” says Go.

Ongoing until April 12, Wrangler True Wanderer 2018 offers two ways to join. One: Upload a travel photo of yourself on your Facebook or Instagram account with the hashtags #TrueWandererPH, #Live2Wander and #WranglerPH. Make sure to tag @WranglerPH and set your post to public. Two: Upload your travel photo directly onto the True Wanderer website, www.wranglerap.com/truewanderer.

Select finalists will go on a three-day, all-expenses-paid trip to a part of the Philippines where they will undergo a series of challenges that will be uploaded into the site for the public to vote.

The finalist with the most votes wins P500,000 worth of prizes, inclusive of a three-day, two-night all-expenses-paid trip for four to any Philippine destination, Wrangler gear, a drone camera, and a tablet. —CONTRIBUTED

For more information and updates, visit wrangler-ap.com/ph and follow WranglerPH on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.