Sen. Nancy Binay wants the Department of Tourism (DOT) to penalize advertising and creative agencies producing “unoriginal works,” saying criticism of advertising only adds to the negative image of the country.
Binay, who chairs the Senate Committee on Tourism, issued the statement on Wednesday, a few days after the DOT’s latest campaign ad, “Sights,” came under fire for allegedly being a copycat of a South Africa tourism ad released about two years ago.
“We should start penalizing ad agencies for giving our departments, especially the DOT, ripped-off creative handles or not-so-original work,” Binay said. “It compromises the integrity of the government agency, as well as the ad agency itself.”
“Mukhang hindi pa po tayo natututo sa nangyari sa mga nakaraang pagkakataon na hindi original ang logo, slogan o design,” she added.
The senator noted that it was not the first time that the DOT and its agencies became controversial.
In 2010, she pointed out, there was the controversy that also hounded the “Pilipinas Kay Ganda” logo, which was said to be lifted from Poland’s tourism logo. And in 2012, there was the “It’s more fun in the Philippines” slogan, which was said to have been taken from the “It’s more fun in Switzerland” slogan in 1951.
Binay said advertising contracts between the DOT, including its attached agencies, and the promo / ad / media / marketing agencies should have a legal clause or a disclaimer which stipulates that the agency handling a particular campaign would either be penalized or not be paid if the ad copy, concept or peg was found to be copied.
“Pera ng taumbayan ang ginagastos ng DOT para bayaran ang mga ad companies,” she said. “Tama lang na maging accountable sila di lamang sa DOT kundi sa taong bayan. Every time the ad is aired, taxpayers’ money is being spent.”
The senator said it should be the responsibility of the advertising agency if the proposed ad, slogan or logo would have similarities to previous campaigns, whether done here or abroad.