After 11 years of using the slogan “It’s more fun in the Philippines”, it was time to refresh the tourism slogan and rebrand the image of the Philippines . The pandemic is over and people are ready to travel again. The new creative campaign was launched with the best intentions but it turned out to be an absolute fiasco – an embarrassment for all!
The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) unveiled its new tourism campaign – “Love the Philippines” in grand style, last 27 June at Manila Hotel. The creative campaign was commissioned to DDB Philippines Advertising Agency to the tune of a AUD1.33 million (PHP 49 million) budget and creatives included a new logo and a video that circled cyberspace.
Netizens did not warm to the new slogan and were quick to express their disgust for the new slogan. Some felt the statement “Love the Philippines” was more a command and some came up with sarcastic and humorous memes. Although the creative was generic, some complained that their most notable provincial landmarks were omitted from the video. Some felt the “More fun” and Wow Philippines!” were better ad campaigns.
Debate as much as you want but no sooner was it launched – five days after to be exact, something more serious was discovered! The video doing the rounds included stock shots of other countries and not the Philippines! There were the rice terraces of Indonesia, the fishing shot of Thailand and the sand dunes of Dubai. So much for promoting the Philippines! And it took an outsider to notice it.
DDB Chairman and CEO, Gil Chua was quick to apologise for the use of foreign stock footage and claimed that the video was “an unfortunate oversight” and “highly inappropriate” to promote the Philippines. He further stated that the video was not meant for public release. It was intended as a preview for stakeholders to give them a feel of what was to come. If it was only a preview. then when did they intend to shoot the actual scenes? Why was it released at the launch?
DOT Secretary Christina Frasco issued a statement that the matter would be investigated. She also stressed that the video was done at DDB’s expense and no one dipped into public funds. What were they going to investigate? Whose heads will roll? Surely, DOT would have been just as responsible. Didn’t they notice the shots were not taken in the Philippines?
Both Frasco and Chua’s statements are rather flimsy, if not unacceptable. There is a long and tedious process to making commercials. DOT would have had to have briefed the agency and would have (should have) told the agency what tourism hot spots would be included. There would have been a lot of backwards and forwards between client and agency for progress updates. And then, there would have been the final presentation to client for final approval before it was shown at the launch – no less at Manila Hotel. Somebody had to make the decision to use stock footage as it would have been a time and dollar saver. They simply had to know!
Meantime, the other campaign hatched even prior to the “Love” campaign – “Bisita, Be My Guest” continues on and encourages people to invite visitors to the Philippines with promises of prizes to be won. However, it is simply recycled from the old campaign “Bring Home a Friend” in the nineties. And most annoying is that it doesn’t ring right! It is repetitive – ‘bisita” na – ‘guest’ pa – which is one and the same thing. Obviously, it is contrived by sycophants to get the BBM acronym. May I suggest to DOT – “Bisita, Balik Muli!” (copyright) That would be a more appropriate acronym.
Anyway, the video has since been taken down but who knows you may still catch it somewhere in cyberspace. Maybe, they can come up with a “Lost Horizons.” Campaign.
