Gordon to DOT: Why not retain ‘Wow Philippines’?

Sen. Richard Gordon (File photo by JOSEPH VIDAL / Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

Thailand has “Amazing Thailand” and Malaysia has “Malaysia Truly Asia.” Why can’t this country retain “Wow Philippines”?

Sen. Richard Gordon posed this question to the Department of Tourism (DOT) after it came under fire for allegedly copying another campaign advertisement.

Gordon, a former DOT secretary, who conceptualized the famous tagline in 2002, said the DOT should stop creating unoriginal promotion ads and save money by retaining its old tourism branding.

Gordon said he would be willing to lend DOT the “Wow Philippines” even without royalty fee.

“Bakit ba tayo palit ng palit? Amazing Thailand has been there for a long time. Malaysia Truly Asia. Sinabi ko na sa kanila (DOT) ’yan hindi naman nakikinig eh,” Gordon told reporters in an ambush interview on Tuesday.

Gordon then noted several instances when the DOT was criticized for copying campaign ads of other countries.

In 2010, the DOT launched the “Pilipinas Kay Ganda” logo which was said to be a copycat of Poland’s tourism ad.

Two years after, the DOT again drew flak for its 2012 tagline “It’s more fun in the Philippines” as it was similar to Switzerland’s 1951 campaign ad “It’s more fun in Switzerland.”

The most recent blunder of the DOT was its “Sights” ad, which resembled the 2014 tourism commercial of South Africa.

“’Wag naman tayong mangopya. Magaling naman tayong mga Pilipino eh,” Gordon said.

During his time as DOT secretary, Gordon said he never spent money to commission any advertising agency to produce campaign materials for the DOT.

“Ginagastusan natin ng pera. Ang laki ng pera. Tanungin niyo nga ako kung anong ginastos ko sa advertising nung panahon ko? Wala akong ginastos. Hindi ako nagbayad ng advertising agency,” he said. /atm