Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 5) — The Department of Tourism (DOT) has indicated it will stand by its latest slogan “Love the Philippines” despite the recent controversy with its campaign video.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco was asked by reporters on Wednesday if the DOT will still use the slogan. Although she did not give a categorical reply, she said: \”I think that was evident kanina (earlier).\”
Frasco was interviewed after delivering a speech during a tourism industry event at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City, where a big tarpaulin greeted guests with the campaign slogan \”Love the Philippines.\”
The same words adorned the stage and other areas of the venue. Frasco also repeated the slogan several times during her talk — her first public engagement since the controversy broke out.
\”Philippine tourism is well on the road to recovery. The Philippines is back, the Philippines is open and ready to tell the world the Filipino story, because there are just so many reasons to love the Philippines,\” she said.
The government unveiled the country’s new tourism slogan on June 27, with Frasco later telling CNN Philippines that the whole campaign was worth ₱49 million.
Just a few days after the new campaign was launched, however, netizens pointed out that stock footage of locations abroad were used in the video.
DBB Philippines, the advertising agency hired by the DOT for the campaign, apologized for the \”highly inappropriate\” use of foreign stock footage. But it gave assurance that no public funds were used to produce the \”mood video.\”
For Senate Committee on Tourism chairperson Nancy Binay, it is a bad move for the DOT to continue using the slogan.
“Kung meron pang ilalabas na TVC ang DOT, it is not wise to gamble dahil inaabangan na ng netizens ang susunod na ‘Love’ iterations para gawan ng spoof,” she said in a statement. “Ang recommendation is to revert to the tried-and-tested campaign, and from there gumawa na lang ng tactical marketing plan para maiwasan ang window na isabotahe.”
[Translation: It is not wise for the DOT to release a TVC because netizens would just wait for the next ‘Love’ iterations to be spoofed. The recommendation is to revert to the tried-and-tested campaign, and from there a marketing plan should be crafted to avoid any possible window for sabotage.]
“Let us all move on and just bring back the FUN to the Philippines,” the senator added.
