DOT to terminate contract with DDB

CEBU, Philippines — After drawing flak for using stock footage in other countries in the promotional video of the new tourism campaign “Love the Philippines,” the Department of Tourism (DOT) said it could terminate its contract with advertising firm Doyle, Dane and Bernbach Philippines (DDB).

While DOT noted the ad agency’s public apology and admission last Sunday, it asserted that it could start the contract termination process.

“As DDB Philippines has publicly apologized, taken full responsibility, and admitted in no uncertain terms, that non-original materials were used in their AVP, reflecting an abject failure to comply with their obligation/s under the contract and a direct contravention with the DOT’s objectives for the enhanced tourism branding, the DOT hereby exercises its right to proceed with termination proceedings against its contract with DDB,” DOT Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco said in a statement yesterday.

The DOT maintained it has not paid DDB yet under the contract for the tourism campaign rebranding. Previously, Frasco said the tourism department has spent P49-million to come up with the “Love the Philippines” campaign.

“The DOT shall exercise its right to forfeit performance security as a result of default in obligations under the contract, as well to review standards of performance or lack thereof vis-a-vis any claims for payment and/or any other engagement,” it said.

According to Frasco, the DOT is one with the public in “expressing our outrage and extreme disappointment at the use of non-original/stock footage purporting to be scenes from the Philippines in the audio visual presentation (AVP) prepared, produced, and published by DDB Philippines as a component of the launch of the enhanced tourism branding campaign for the country.”

Parts of the almost two-minute video for the “Love the Philippines” campaign prepared by DDB showed places in Brazil, Indonesia, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates, grabbed from stock image and footage websites, according to the fact-checking platform of Agence France Presse.

DDB admitted the use of stock footage, which it said was “standard practice in the industry,” and added the video it created and uploaded on social media was “intended to be a mood video to excite internal stakeholders about the campaign.”

Plagiarism?

Meanwhile, a lawmaker from a progressive group slammed the DOT for allegedly copying the new tourism slogan “Love the Philippines” from the one from Mediterranean country Cyprus.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said the “Love the Philippines” slogan could have been copied from the “Love Cyprus” slogan launched by the country’s Deputy Ministry of Tourism in 2021.

“It is unacceptable for the Marcos government to resort to plagiarizing campaign slogans from other countries,” she said.

Some netizens also pointed out the new slogan was similar to “Love Barbados,” referring to the country in the Caribbean as indicated in an article on the website of Travel + Leisure.

Despite numerous requests for clarification and additional questions from the media, the DOT deferred to their statement yesterday.

Foreign news agencies like British media companies British Broadcasting Corporation or the BBC and the Guardian, as well as Hong Kong-based English newspaper South China Morning Post also reported the mess created by the issue.

Support from Cebu

Despite the controversy, however, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, president of the League of Cities of the Philippines, and the Cebu Provincial Board have expressed their full support to the DOT’s new tourism slogan.

A resolution sponsored by Board Member Andrei Duterte, chairperson of the PB committee on tourism, supporting the “Love the Philippines” tourism campaign was unanimous approved yesterday.

Duterte said the initiative of DOT and of the national government is a testament to the promise of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to propel the Philippines to greater heights through tourism.

“The entire Province of Cebu finds it imperative to fully support this initiative, as it also resonates with the province’s efforts to fully utilize the benefits of tourism for economic recovery, economic growth and countryside development,” read the resolution.

It added that “the entire Province of Cebu is also in full support of one of its own, Cebuana Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco for her hard work and dedication in spearheading this entire initiative.”

In his privilege speech, Duterte said that it is normal that this initiative, much like others in the past, was met with both praises and criticisms.

“What was disturbing was a peculiar incident in various online accounts where the new campaign was questioned,” he said.

Duterte believes the controversy is a systematic attack not only directed to DOT but on the integrity of the Cebuana official.

“Mr. Chair, members of this august body, these recent events are dubious and deplorable, to say the least. This is a demolition job with a sole purpose to spur controversy and to undermine the integrity of the DOT and the secretary,” Duterte said.

“As the chairman of the committee on tourism and as some-one who witnessed first-hand how hardworking our Cebuana secretary is, I cannot just let this issue pass. Questioning the integrity of Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco is tantamount to questioning the integrity of the Cebuanos and the entire Cebuano tourism industry,” he added.

Rama also said the new slogan is very appropriate because it is what every Filipino is ought to do.

“That is what we need, we must love our country…Love the Philippines,” Rama said.

Frasco previously declared the “Love the Philippines” campaign aims to reintroduce the Philippines to the world “beyond fun” amid relaxed travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, and at the same time to present the country’s rich culture and heritage which tourists could immerse themselves in. — Gregg M. Rubio , Caecent No-ot Magsumbol