Cashing in on ‘Brand Pope’

Pontiff souvenirs: Street vendors selling T-shirts and calendars with images of Pope Francis in front of a Catholic Church in Manila. — AFP

MANILA: Pope Francis says he has come to the Philippines to help the poor, but the country’s biggest businesses and multinationals are also cashing in with a not-so-subtle hijacking of his image.

The pontiff is the most trusted figure for many in the Philippines, where 80% of the nation’s 100 million people are Catholic, and this week’s trip has generated a marketing frenzy for “Brand Pope”.