Some entrepreneurs build their edge through technology. Others build it through scale.
But in consumer goods, one of the biggest competitive advantages can come from something far simpler: the right name.
In his memoir “Greencross Saga: My Autobiography,” Gonzalo Co It—founder of Green Cross Rubbing Alcohol—revealed that the alcohol product that inspired his business did not originally carry the Green Cross identity at all. Before his company existed, rubbing alcohol entered the Philippine market through an imported product distributed by Manila Commercial Company, where Gonzalo worked early in his career.
He wrote that Manila Commercial sourced its products from a supplier based in New York:
“Manila Commercial bought its products from Rabin Company of New York, USA. It was owned by an American Jew, Mr. Rabin, who came here with his wife. We met at the Manila Hotel. Rabin Company supplied Manila Commercial with face powder, skin lotion, face cream, other beauty products and isopropyl alcohol, called Gray Cross Rubbing Alcohol. It was the first time we encountered an alcohol product in the Philippine market.”
That paragraph is more than just background. It shows that Gonzalo did not invent the product category. What he did was something harder: he transformed an unfamiliar imported item into a Filipino household staple.
And the transformation began with one strategic branding decision.
Why He Changed “Gray” Into “Green”
When Gonzalo eventually resigned from Manila Commercial and founded his own company in 1952, he launched his business around the product he already understood: rubbing alcohol. But instead of carrying over the old name, he deliberately created a new identity—one that would feel less foreign, more optimistic, and more aligned with Filipino consumers.
In his autobiography, he explained his thinking in unusually direct language. He did not describe the change as a marketing experiment. He described it as something instinctive—something rooted in emotion and meaning.
“Alcohol, the product that I had successfully introduced in the domestic market during my stint at Manila Commercial Company. So I changed the word gray, a color that seemed so dark and foreboding, to green, which to me signified hope and new life. Besides, I was from La Salle, so I was partial to green.”
That single passage reveals the real reason Green Cross became powerful.
It was not simply a brand name.
It was a story.
The name “green” carried symbolism. It suggested renewal. It suggested safety. It suggested cleanliness. It felt friendly, not industrial. It felt like something a mother would keep at home, not something meant only for pharmacies.
More importantly, it reflected Gonzalo’s own emotional state at the time. He was starting over. He was risking everything. He was building a future from uncertainty. For him, “green” was not only a color—it was a declaration of optimism.
In many ways, Green Cross was a personal message that he was giving himself: the future will grow.
Branding Was Not Decoration—It Was Strategy
Many entrepreneurs today treat branding as a design project. They hire someone to create a logo, choose a color palette, and print labels. But Gonzalo’s story shows that branding is not a cosmetic decision. It is a strategic one.
When he described “gray” as dark and foreboding, he was pointing to something most business owners ignore: people do not buy products based only on logic. They buy based on feeling.
If a product feels gloomy, harsh, or unfamiliar, consumers hesitate. But if it feels fresh and trustworthy, it becomes easy to accept.
This is what Gonzalo understood instinctively.
By naming the product Green Cross, he was already positioning it as a product that belonged inside the home. He was not selling alcohol as a chemical substance. He was selling alcohol as a symbol of cleanliness and protection.
In modern marketing language, Gonzalo was building what brands now call “emotional association.” But he did it decades before branding became a science.
The Legal Problem That Almost Killed the Name
But naming a product is only the first step.
The real battle begins when you try to protect it.
In his autobiography, Gonzalo recalled that when he went to register the Green Cross trademark, the government refused him. The name was considered too similar to the internationally recognized Red Cross.
He described the encounter clearly:
“I went to the Bureau of Patents, where trademarks were also being registered, to register the name Green Cross. However, the officer-in-charge of the registry refused to give me a trademark for Green Cross Rubbing Alcohol. The name was too similar to Red Cross, he reasoned.”
For a young entrepreneur building a company from scratch, this kind of rejection could have been fatal. Without legal protection, the brand could be copied. Competitors could use the name. Worse, the founder might be forced to abandon the identity later after the product had already gained traction.
But Gonzalo did not treat the rejection as final.
Instead, he did what practical entrepreneurs often do: he went directly to the person who had the power to override the decision.
In his memoir, he described how he escalated the matter:
“Refusing to be stymied, I approached the head of the bureau, Attorney Federico Agrava, who happened to be a member of the Order of the Knights of Columbus. Since I was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, albeit of a different chapter, he approved my trademark without further questions.”
That moment is striking not only because it saved the Green Cross name, but because it reveals how business realities worked in post-war Manila. Formal systems existed, but relationships still mattered. Shared networks still mattered. Trust still mattered.
Gonzalo ended the story with a detail that makes the episode even more human:
“Later, Mr. Agrava and I became good friends.”
A Name That Outlived the Founder
The irony of Gonzalo’s story is that the naming decision probably seemed small at the time. It was just a word. Just a color. Just a label on a bottle.
But over time, that word became one of the most valuable assets in the business.
Green Cross became more than alcohol. It became a symbol of hygiene. It became part of daily Filipino life. It became a trusted name passed from one generation to another.
And it happened because Gonzalo understood a principle that modern entrepreneurs often overlook:
A brand does not begin when the company becomes famous.
A brand begins the moment the founder chooses what the product should represent.
In his case, he chose “green” because it represented hope and new life.
And that hope became a brand strong enough to endure for decades.
The Lesson for Entrepreneurs Today
Gonzalo Co It’s story offers a lesson that remains relevant for every entrepreneur trying to build a lasting business in the Philippines:
A good product can create sales.
But a meaningful name can create loyalty.
Green Cross succeeded not only because rubbing alcohol was useful, but because the brand identity made the product feel safe, familiar, and trustworthy. Even the story behind the name—switching from gray to green—reflected the founder’s own optimism and belief in his future.
And that is why Green Cross became more than a product.
It became a legacy.
