News Article:
A recent tourism video meant to showcase the beauty of the Philippines and encourage travel to the country has come under fire for its use of stock footage from other countries. The video, which was part of a $900,000 campaign called Love The Philippines, featured scenes from Bali, Indonesia, Dubai, and Brazil, among others. The advertising agency responsible for the video, DDB Philippines, has since apologized for the mistake.
The issue was first raised by Filipino blogger Sass Rogando Sasot, who pointed out on her Facebook page that at least five clips in the video were actually from foreign destinations. She compiled these scenes into a comparison video, identifying the original sources as clips available on stock footage websites. The scenes included rice terraces in Bali, a fisherman throwing a net into the water in Thailand, and a person driving over sand dunes in Dubai.
Further investigation by the news outlet AFP confirmed Sasot’s findings. The video’s use of foreign stock footage was an oversight by DDB Philippines, according to a statement from the company. They explained that while the use of stock footage is standard practice in the industry, they failed to properly screen and approve the footage used in this particular video.
The video was intended to serve as a mood video to excite internal stakeholders about the campaign, and the agency emphasized that no public funds were used for its creation. However, the tourism video has now been taken down from YouTube.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) of the Philippines released a statement on Facebook, expressing their disappointment in the situation. They claimed to have repeatedly sought confirmation from DDB regarding the originality and ownership of all materials in the video and were assured that everything was in order. DOT is currently conducting an investigation to gather all the facts surrounding the allegations.
The release of this misleading tourism video has sparked a debate about the responsibility of advertising agencies and the need for proper oversight in such campaigns. Critics argue that the use of stock footage from other countries undermines the credibility of the promotion and may mislead potential tourists about the actual attractions and experiences available in the Philippines.
It remains to be seen how the investigation by the DOT will unfold and what actions, if any, will be taken against those responsible for the oversight. This incident serves as a reminder to the tourism industry to prioritize authenticity and accuracy in their promotional materials to maintain trust and transparency with potential visitors.
