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DOT unveils new tourism slogan Love the Philippines and Pinoys arent loving it

June 28, 2023 0

To be loved is to be changed.

We are saying goodbye to the iconic colorful ‘banig’ and the slogan that pioneered the simple truth of the country; ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines.’ And the change has not been as welcomed as expected.

The Department of Tourism introduced tourism beyond fun on its 50th anniversary celebration as it unveiled a new slogan.

Launched on Tuesday, June 27 at the Manila Hotel, ‘Love the Philippines’ reveals the current administration’s intent to showcase the Filipino brand but not as a mere campaign, rather, a call to action to recognize the country’s valuable assets and to honor the past and future armed with the virtues and values of a Filipino. 

Why the change?

Brand and strategic planner Marie Adriano of DBB Group Philippines looked into the preferences of travelers who visit the country and found that tourists value meaningful experiences more than fun or leisure. In a social listening conducted by the group with travelers, mentions of “love” were strongly associated with the Philippines in globally high volumes. 

The pandemic also prompted this reframing, catalyzed by “revenge travels” and consumers who wish to curate their own experiences as they visit other countries. Ostensibly, fun is less expected from tourists. With their expansion of priorities and opportunities, it must be sustained by changes to the campaign. 

“Brand enhancement is imperative to stay competitive and relevant,” Adriano said. 

DOT Secretary Christina Frasco expressed hope that the new slogan gives a spotlight to places that are not typically highlighted in their branding campaigns. ‘Love the Philippines’ does not necessarily diminish the fun, as Frasco stated that they also aim to articulate much more than the country has to offer in addition to fun. 

In an effort to boost the tourism sector, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who attended the event, addressed the entire Filipino nation to become the country’s tourism ambassadors, promoters, advocates, and influencers. 

Not loving the love

And though it is about time to move on from the 11-year-old ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’ slogan, Pinoys aren’t ready to let go of it yet. And different reactions have sparked all over the Internet on what they feel about it.

The rebranding gained some support on social media, amplifying it as a simple but straightforward message, effectively drawing attention to the country’s wonders. Still, people can’t help but criticize the tagline, conveying that spending millions for a newly-enhanced slogan does little to the country’s tourism. 

“We should focus less on re-hashing our tourism slogan every admin and more on fixing our airports and state of commute, you know, the things that actually help tourists.” a user posted on Twitter.

Filipinos also lamented the “downgrade” of the tourism slogan. 

“‘It’s more fun in the Philippines’ has too much cultural relevance to be replaced by boring ass generic slogan.”

While we can agree to disagree, others offered to add minimal changes to the slogan. Filipino broadcaster Howie Severino gave his two cents by offering a suggestion.

“How about a comma? ‘Love, the Philippines.’ A simple comma would change the tone from a blunt command to a gentle declaration of affection from us to the rest of the world. It’s a slight but meaningful revision that would cause no one to lose face imho,” he wrote on Facebook.

Other users on Twitter echoed Severino’s sentiments.

Unveiling new changes to a well-loved campaign can be brutal, but Senators are hopeful that once ‘Love the Philippines’ grabs the chance, it will effectively reach its target globally.

“While the saying goes, ‘if it ain’t broke, why fix it?’ I believe in giving it a chance,” Senator Chiz Escudero tells critics, reiterating that a lot of thinking was given into this campaign and Filipinos should not be bickering about the tagline on international front lines.

On the other hand, Senator Nancy Binay, who acknowledges the efforts of the department, questioned the timing of financing a rebrand since there are other matters to prioritize before sustaining a new campaign. Nevertheless, Binay reinforced Escudero’s statement to embrace the slogan with hopes that it will work out. 

Are you loving ‘Love the Philippines’?

The post <b>DOT unveils new tourism slogan ‘Love the Philippines’ and Pinoys aren’t loving it</b> appeared first on WE THE PVBLIC.


Source: we the pvblic
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