Adieu, DDB

The recent controversy surrounding the Department of Tourism’s “Love the Philippines” campaign has left the nation dumbfounded at the sheer ineptitude displayed by DDB Philippines, the advertising agency contracted by the DoT to promote the country.

It seems that DDB Philippines, in its infinite wisdom, believed that showcasing the Philippines as a premier travel destination necessitated the use of foreign video footage.

Yes, you read that correctly. DDB Philippines thought it fitting to incorporate sand dunes in the United Arab Emirates, fishermen from Thailand, airport runways in Switzerland, unidentified jumping dolphins, and rice terraces in Indonesia into our campaign.

One can’t help but wonder if the ad company doubted the existence of our own natural wonders and felt compelled to borrow from our neighbors instead. How audacious! Such a display of a lack of common sense and foresight is truly astounding.

But fear not, for DDB Philippines has issued a profuse apology for its use of “non-original/stock footage,” conceding that it was not only “highly inappropriate” but also an “unfortunate oversight.”

Well, bravo! It’s truly reassuring to know that the ad agency responsible for representing our nation understands the concept of appropriateness. Perhaps in their next campaign, we can expect to see the Eiffel Tower gracing an advertisement for the Great Wall of China.

In what can only be a desperate attempt to salvage its tattered reputation, DDB Philippines has claimed that the film was initially released as a “mood video to excite internal stakeholders.”

Apparently, as far as DDB sees it, nothing excites stakeholders more than a “mood video” featuring foreign locations in a campaign supposedly meant to showcase the beauty of our own country. It’s no wonder that disbelief and disillusionment are the prevailing sentiments among the public.

But the saga doesn’t end there. DDB Philippines has also faced criticism for glaring omissions in its promotional audio-visual presentation. Lawmakers from Albay and Tagaytay City have expressed their disappointment at the exclusion of their respective hometowns from the campaign.

From where we sit, it seems that DDB Philippines possesses an uncanny ability to ignore the treasures in our own backyard, further highlighting its complete disconnect with the essence of promoting our nation.

Even Juan Ponce Enrile, the President’s legal counsel, couldn’t resist pointing out the irony of it all. He suggested that “enjoy” would have been a more fitting tagline for the Philippines, rather than “love.”

Oh, how right Manong Johnny is! DDB Philippines has inadvertently provided us with a master class on how not to execute a tourism campaign.

It is only, thus, proper that the Department of Tourism decided to terminate DDB Philippines’ contract due to its egregious use of foreign content. This decision should serve as a stark reminder to the DoT of the importance of conducting thorough research and vetting contracted work.

Still, the DoT needs to go beyond rescinding DDB’s contract; it should blacklist the company from ever doing any work for the department. Let us hope that, once the dust settles, the DoT will reflect on this experience and use it as a catalyst for change. Our nation deserves a promotional campaign that showcases the true beauty and uniqueness of the Philippines.

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Credit belongs to : tribune.net.ph