A total of 10 creative agencies were shortlisted to pitch their ideas for an enhanced international tourism campaign to replace the old “Love the Philippines” brand.
Tourism Assistant Secretary for Branding Armand Lorenze V. Sapitan said 11 advertising agencies expressed interest at bidding for the creative interpretations of a new slogan.
Those allowed to make their pitches include BBDO Guerrero, TBWA/SMP, Ogilvy Philippines, Propel Manila, and IdeasXMachina Advertising Inc.
He added that, of the eight media agencies which signaled their desire to participate in the bid for media placements work, the shortlisted companies were: AdSpark Inc., Ogilvy, IdeasXMachina, Touch XDA Inc., and ODV Creative Media Inc.
BBDO Guerrero and Touch XDA had each won the right to develop/refresh and roll out the ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’ advertising and media campaign worldwide in 2012 and 2019.
“The presentation of the shortlisted agencies’ pitches will be this October. We’re looking forward to awarding the winning bidders in late November to early December,” said Sapitan, who is also a veteran of the original “fun” campaign launched by the DOT in 2012.
He added that representatives of DOT’s attached agencies, such as its marketing arm, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), will be invited to the agencies’ presentations.
In late August, the DOT listed a request for consulting services that will undertake a refreshed campaign to be rolled out internationally: one lot is for the creative campaign strategy, with a budget of some P149.75 million; and the second lot is for the global media rollout, with a budget of some P247.94 million.
Sapitan said 19 agencies submitted their responses to DOT’s request for proposals. “This indicates renewed trust and interest from the private sector with the DOT, and the Secretary (Ma. Bernadita Angara-Mathay) was happy with the result.”
Even DDB Group Philippines (now GGC Group Asia), which had won the first advertising contract for the initial campaign under former Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco, also submitted its intent to participate in the bidding. It, however, failed to make the short list for this year’s branding effort.
Earlier, DDB was sacked by DOT and not paid its P49-million contract after netizens found its rider video used for its first public presentation included foreign scenes to represent local tourist sites.
