Philippines gets new brand

The new brand campaign, launched last night in Manila, highlights the hospitality of the Filipino people, which tourists often cite as one of the most impressive elements of the destination.

The Department of Tourism will initially invest US$7 million to roll out the brand internationally, said undersecretary Vicente Romano. TV commercials on international cable channels will kick off the brand's international debut in February. Around US$2 million of the promotional budget will be spent on new media campaigns.

Romano said: "It will not be a one-size-fits-all approach, although we will have an omnibus campaign to promote the country. Down the line, we will have market-driven campaigns."

He added that the Philippines had taken a leaf from the books of destinations such as Spain and Poland that use the vernacular in their branding, even if this puts the country in stark contrast with the English brands and campaigns of its Asian neighbours.

"If you want to rise above the clutter then you must do something radically different, especially if you have a limited promotional budget," he said.

(Sources: Ollie Quiniquini, Singapore, TTGAsia)