Just a few months ago, the Philippine’s Department of Tourism found itself in a PR pickle following its unveiling of the “Love the Philippines” campaign.
To refresh everyone’s memory, in June 2023, in a move intended to revitalize the Philippines’ tourism industry, the DOT launched a new campaign, the aforementioned “Love the Philippines.” A globally recognized advertising agency was tasked with creating the rebrand, complete with a fresh slogan and a visually striking pixelated aesthetic.
However, what was supposed to be a announcement filled with fanfare quickly became a PR nightmare.
The promotional video, the centerpiece of the campaign, turned out to contain stock footage of tourist destinations not found in the Philippines – places like Indonesia and Brazil. Public outcry erupted, and the controversy generated negative international press. The DOT scrambled to contain the damage, publicly announcing they were terminating the contract with the advertising agency and reconsidering the entire campaign. This seemingly decisive action was intended to appease the public and demonstrate accountability.
However, as soon as the initial uproar subsided, the DOT surprised everyone by revealing they would still pursue the “Love the Philippines” rebrand..
The “Love the Philippines” saga serves as a cautionary tale for the importance of PR throughout the rebranding process. I would even argue that in this post Don Draper era of online marketing, it should be PR that should begin leading the strategic campaign initiative. If not, brands could well end up turning to PR again – this time using the dreaded crisis PR – to clean up the mess started by too much reliance on advertising.
This idea as solid legs to stand on. Audiences both here and abroad are not easily swayed on mere attention or awareness that advertising excels at; instead, people look to brands that they trust, or even identify with. According to research by Agile Data Solutions, 57% of Filipino consumers are influenced not by mere awareness, but by trust knowing that brands align with their own values. They have become what we call as “inclusive supporters” – willing to cultivate diversity and reward brands that take a stand on important issues. With the rise of social media and activist voices, conscious consumption is the new norm.
In other words, Filipinos now seek experiences and engagement from brands beyond just transactional relationships.
Given this, PR – at least in the Philippine context – has grown far and wide from its simple root of media relations.
While media relations remain vital, PR’s evolved well beyond its origins as a press release machine. In our digitally-disrupted landscape, the lines between marketing, advertising, and public relations have blurred. Modern PR leverages the power of strategic storytelling to create authentic brand narratives that resonate.
In fact, many experts worldwide describe PR today is equal parts storytelling, integrated marketing strategy, reputation & crisis management, and community building. Emerging and powerful buzzwords—content marketing, social media strategy, influencer campaigns—these are now under PR’s expansive umbrella of services.
The explosion of digital communities across social media has been a game-changer for PR’s rise in the Philippines. These digital communities of passionate Filipino voices crave representation, conversations, and inclusivity from brands in a way traditional advertising simply cannot match. Our agency, Comm&Sense, has been, for instance, recognized by award giving bodies for harnessing influencer advocacy, branded content collaborations, and community management to enable authentic two-way discourse.
To be fair, advertising is still great at rapidly building brand awareness and achieving massive audience reach when done well. However, in today’s increasingly ad-fatigued environment, grabbing attention and driving conversions has become an uphill battle. Filipinos are more likely to ignore or even actively avoid disruptive ads.
To succeed in the long game of marketing, PR should take the lead in this continuing nuanced collaboration between the two complementary disciplines.
PR’s ability to spur genuine movements and build communities of passionate advocates provides the fertile foundation of trust and credibility for brands to thrive. Then, advertising can strategically amplify these resonant narratives to a wider audience through targeted media buys and creative placements, as needed.
This partnership creates a potent one-two punch for Filipino consumers. It marries authenticity and engagement with brand messaging and then delivers it across owned, earned, and paid channels.
Isn’t that the holy grail marketers have been seeking all along?