Yet again, this country has a new tourism slogan: "It's More Fun in the Philippines!" This came a year after the failed "Pilipinas Kay Ganda" slogan. For some reasons, the Department of Tourism of this administration wants to leave their own touch in the country's tourism slogan, but the new one still does not work for me.
"It's More Fun in the Philippines," as netizens have pointed out, is quite a copy of Switzerland's tourism campaign several years back, even before my mother was born: "It's More Fun in Switzerland." And because this administration hates "copycats" (remember, a member of the Supreme Court was set up for impeachment for failure to make appropriate footnotes on a much-publicized decision), should it not place the appropriate attribution? Such as:
It's More Fun in the Philippines! [See Tourism Campaign of Switzerland in 1951 entitled, "It's More Fun in Switzerland.]
Really, I think the administration should make the proper citations, right? Well, they can always say they have no intention to copy since they did not know it was already used by Switzerland. But, really. Have these officials thought about our own neighbor's special tv programs promoting their tourism? The "Fun Taiwan" (10 seasons now, or more) and its offshoot, the "Fun Taiwan Challenge" (2 seasons) and are shown in TLC and/or Discovery? These shows market tourism in Taiwan, in cooperation and with support from the Taiwan Tourism Bureau. It's not their tourism slogan, which is Taiwan the Heart of Asia (Touch Your Heart?), but it is still their tourism campaign and sadly, it's quite similar to our new slogan. Well, but it's more fun in the Philippines, these administration people will argue.
Intentional copying or not, that is not the more disturbing part. What is quite shocking is the lack of oomph in this slogan. It's like a petulant child's (or a stuck-up tween's) protestation that he/she is cuter than his/her classmate/friend. "It's not like Switzerland's or Taiwan's campaigns because it IS more fun in the Philippines, like ever! Eleventy!" Lol.
I really don't know why the former slogan, "Wow Philippines" had to go. Besides, it is easier to cram on souvenir items having only a few letters unlike the "It's More Fun in the Philippines" slogan. The newest slogan itself is quite long, and I have an issue on the use of the qualifier. If it is more fun in here, then is there a place which is most fun? Also, it's easy to poke fun of the newest slogan. Just think about it. "It's More Fun in the Phillippines..." then place your statement afterwards, like, "...because the traffic is so much worse!" Just saying. Also, I'm not so impressed that the new slogan is activity-centered. It is the Philippines' natural beauty, culture and its heritage that we're supposed to be marketing, not having fun. I mean, what kind of fun?
Well, as I said, Wow Philippines is great and it is very effective and simple. I mean, why change something that works just so you could call something your own? Very, very selfish. Anyway, whatever floats their boat.
Coming up with a slogan is one thing, but marketing the country is another. I hope the administration can come up with a better marketing strategy for tourism. At least, get some infomercials on cable channels such as Discovery, TLC and Nat Geo. Get the message across; don't be stingy on information, okay?
