Of Italian Food, Uratex, and Matteo Guidicelli

Last July 22, 2018, I was one of the lucky few who were given the opportunity to meet Cebuano-Italian actor and triathlete Matteo Guidicelli. The event was a preparatory meet and greet (and Q&A) with the media as he was to be introduced as Uratex’s first celebrity endorser later that afternoon.

Italian Food

We arrived at Trattoria da Gianni (“a small restaurant by Gianni”) just in time for lunch. The restaurant, owned by Matteo and his family, is a cozy Italian dining place at Crossroads Mall, Cebu City. It may seem small, but it packs a big crowd, especially during peak hours.

While waiting for the Q&A to start, we savored the feast prepared for us. I’ve always loved cold cuts, so that was the first thing that I feasted on. I also tried their Bruschette (3 varieties in one order). I loved their pasta the most, especially the pesto pasta. If I wasn’t too full from our breakfast buffet, I would have easily devoured one whole plate of it!

Uratex and Matteo

After a few minutes, we were treated to a special preview of the first Uratex TV commercial featuring a celebrity endorser. The campaign, aptly called “The One”, is about the importance of sleep and choosing the right pillow and mattress. It’s also about Matteo, who has found the perfect sleep partner in Uratex.

According to Peachy Medina, Uratex managing director, Matteo is like Uratex because, “He strives for excellence. He tries everything. He’s good at any role or any field he chooses. He’s not afraid to try new things – that’s innovation. He’s a good representative of the youth of today – smart, confident, and athletic. He values health and fitness.” Medina also believes that being a caring and good son, brother, friend, and boyfriend; being a trustworthy person makes the actor the perfect “The One” for Uratex.

I saw all these the minute Matteo came into the room. So simple yet charming; and his smile was so genuine. He greeted everyone in Cebuano, of course. There was no sense of entitlement, no “hey, I’m a star!” aura. He was like a breath of fresh air in a world full of young people trying to outdo and outsmart each other.

During the Q&A, most of the questions fielded were in relation to his Uratex endorsement. But there were also fun questions like “what can we find on your bedside?” (his answer: mga santos given by his grandmother). He also enumerated his favorite Uratex products. All the Bisaya in the group laughed out loud when he said, “Tanday! Unsa gani ang Tagalog sa Tanday?!?” (I had to think twice, too, because I honestly did not know the answer!)

Matteo likes the comfort he gets from the Uratex Classic Mattresses. One of these is the Classic Airlite Breeze, which has comfort layers that consist of Uratex foam as a base. This responds to the movements of the body so that the pressure is distributed evenly and body strains are minimized.

According to Matteo, who is also a triathlete and karting driver, “When you get home, you just want to lie down in your most precious mattress, in your most precious bed. You have to be the most comfortable when you want to recharge.” He also said that, “People underestimate what a mattress can do. These mattresses are very interesting. They are a very good investment because you’re not only buying a durable project that you can use for a long time, but you are also investing on good quality sleep.”

When asked about how he prepares for an Ironman event, Matteo reiterated the importance of sleep. “I really have to sleep properly before an Ironman event. At least two or three nights before an event, I have to regulate my eight hours of sleep, or at most, a whole week before that. Sleep is very important. It recovers the body. Example, if I train for an Ironman event and I train two times a day, I have to make siesta one or two times in the afternoon to recover the body.”

For Matteo, sleeping for one or two hours to make up for a week-long loss of sleep is not right. He values the importance of deep, restful sleep. This is why he likes the comfort provided by his mattress from Uratex, a brand he and his family has trusted and used for years.

After the Q&A, we all proceeded to SM Cebu for the official launching program that would introduce Matteo as the first celebrity endorser of Uratex. It was a day well spent; a day that brought me up close and personal with one of the hottest celebrities in the country.

In my opinion, yes, Matteo Guidicelli is definitely “The One”. He’s charming, humble, simple, talented, respectful, and he works hard to get what he wants and needs.

(With excerpts from official Uratex press releases)