THE PHILIPPINES, JANUARY 6, 2012: The DoT reacted swiftly and with humor cyberspace buzz that its hours-old new tourism campaign‚"It’s More Fun in the Philippines‚"had copied at 1950s tourism ad from Switzerland.
In a series of tweets, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez mounted a vigorous defense of the campaign, which had banked on social media to give it legs worldwide.
No one can own the expression ‚"It’s more fun‚" but it’s very true for the #Philippines so it becomes ours. #ItsMoreFunInThePhilippines
"FUN" is a fusion of place and people. A place is not fun if there is no fun people in it.
"This Switzerland coincidence only makes our line truer. Sun Tanning IS more fun in the Philippines."
"If you look hard enough, you might even find an old ad that says “it’s more fun in Alcatraz!"
The purported Swiss tourism ad shows a couple suntanning and the copy reads: "It’s more fun in Switzerland".
David Guerrero, chairman and chief creative officer of BBDO Guerrero Proximity, DoT’s agency of record, emphatically denied the campaign had copied the Swiss ad. "We did not see the ad. I do not think anyone in the agency was born the time the swiss ad was made," he said.
BBDO also received applause from one rival it outgunned in the pitch.
Lowe’s President and CCO Leigh Reyes posted on Facebook: "You know that feeling you get when you lose a pitch, see the work that comes out and think, "What? THAT won?" That’s not what I’m feeling today. I am feeling something rare, complicated, but ultimately more rewarding: the joy from seeing the better idea shine. Congratulations, David, Tony, Corey, Manny, Brandie, Tin and the rest of the BBDO team! You do us all proud."
Award-winning British author Neil Gaiman has expressed his belief over the new tourism slogan. He tweeted: "#itsmorefuninthephilippines hashtag is a true one. They applaud loudly and hug you a lot."
Gaiman, who wrote the graphic novel Sandman series, has visited the country three times.
