Ad Standards Council condemns viral 'Gil Tulog' street signs
MANILA, Philippines — The Ad Standards Council (ASC) released a statement regarding the viral "Gil Tulog" street signs.
The ASC is a self-regulating, independent, non-profit organization promoting responsible advertising.
In their social media account, the council said that the ad material was not cleared with them.
"We stand with the public in expressing our deep concern over the recent desecration of the street name 'Gil Puyat.' This act has undoubtedly harmed the memory of an esteemed Filipino and Senator, and we join in the collective outcry," it said.
"Unfortunately, the material in question was not cleared with the ASC, as our jurisdiction does not extend to street signs that do not contain any brand," it added.
The ASC also apologized to the Puyat family.
"Despite this, the ASC has strongly advised the involved ad agency not to use 'Gil Tulog' in any of its advertising content," it said.
"On behalf of our industry, we sincerely apologize to the family of Senator Gil Puyat for any distress this incident may have caused.
"We are also in discussions with the relevant organizations to which the ad agency belongs, ensuring that appropriate actions are taken to prevent such occurrences in the future."
Supplement brand Wellspring already apologized to the family for using the viral 'Gil Tulog' ad, saying that it never intended to offend anyone.
“It was never our intention to offend anyone in our marketing execution which used wordplay to draw attention to the importance of sleep and how it contributes to one’s overall health,” the statement read.
“We deeply apologize to the family of the late senator Gil Puyat for the harm and offense that the campaign has caused them. Rest assured that there was no intent to besmirch and disrespect his legacy,” it added.
