Not that fun?
#ItsMoreFunInThePhilippines #1ForFUN
Of course, people would have tons of reactions on the new tourism slogan. I, for one, am in love with it and that’s why I have to defend it at some level. Here’s my point-by-point response to the criticism:
1. It’s a product of plagiarism.
Agreed, the slogan is exactly the same as the Swiss slogan used in 1951. But “It’s more fun in the Philippines” is not meant to be an original concept. It’s meant to communicate a unified truth about the country and answer the question, “Why should I visit the Philippines?” Besides, every new idea is a derivative of an old one. At some point, Sydney, Australia used the slogan, “There’s no place like it,” which sounds a lot like “There’s no place like Hong Kong.” And are you seriously telling me that “”Hong Kong, Live it. Love it!” “Live it. Visit Scotland” and “Belize. Mother nature’s best kept secret” are original?
2. It’s a weak campaign.
We can’t really judge how successful a campaign will do before it even starts. Comparisons to “Malaysia. Truly Asia” are irrelevant because the Malaysian campaign is a really expensive and comprehensive one. Obviously, we can’t take that route because Malaysia has already practically “owned” Asia. If we did, then that would be an act of copying. So we have to turn to something else. Highlighting specific tourist destinations in the country isn’t the best idea because it risks alienating the other destinations. Not all 7,107 islands have white-sand beaches. Not all provinces have picturesque mountains. Not all towns have five-star accommodations. But all of them can offer fun. More fun, which is exactly what people are looking for when they travel in the first place. Some may want something “truly Asia,” others may want something “incredible” and “amazing,” still others may want to experience the “best place, best taste.” But everyone wants fun. And that’s where the strength of the slogan lies.
3. It’s misleading.
Sure, we, Filipinos, think it’s not that fun in the Philippines. But that’s because we’re looking at it from a “local” point of view. The Philippines does not have the best quality of living, but we do have a lot of fun activities for tourists. As Filipinos, when we travel domestically, don’t we believe that it’s really fun? We have one-peso airfare. Isn’t that more fun? The best beaches in the world are just less than an hour away. Isn’t that more fun? From Manila, we can drive up to Tagaytay just for the natural air-conditioning. Isn’t that more fun? We have one of the New7Wonders of Nature. Isn’t that more fun? We don’t believe it because we focus on the negative things about the country. But we have to realize that marketing slogans are supposed to place a product in the best possible light, not present it negatively.
4. It’s not as good as WOW Philippines.
Actually, it is. And we have to retire the old campaign precisely because it’s old. We have to keep up with new trends, refocus our attention to younger markets and show the world that we are hip and cosmopolitan. The hashtags, the copies on the It’s More Fun… Web site and the social media drive all work toward that. The challenge now is if the product (i.e. the country) can deliver. And we can. You know we can. Because admit it, it is really more fun in the Philippines. (However, we really do have to do something about our airport, but that’s another story.)
(Source: exclamatories)
