MANILA, Philippines - Close to $1.5 million or P63 million will be spent by the Aquino administration to support the Department of Tourism's current advertising effort on CNN.
DOT assistant secretary for tourism planning and promotions Domingo Ramon Enerio III, said “many agencies participated in the funding requirement” for the TV ads currently running on CNN.
He declined to reveal the total budget outlay for the TV commercials, but said the ads "will run [on CNN] all the way up to August in the USA, Asia Pacific, and Europe/Middle East. But the concentration will be for this week in time with the ADB meeting and up to next week."
Informed government sources told InterAksyon.com, however, that each agency has yet to be informed of the exact amount they will have cough up. But they were told the total budget is "around $1-1.5 million."
Said advertising amount still pales in comparison with the budgets spent by the country's neighbors in Asia. Malaysia for instance, is spending $74.3 million on advertising alone, while Thailand’s total tourism budget for 2012 is over $270 million. Last November, Indonesia announced it was aiming to spend $1 billion this year to boost its arrivals.
In previous interviews, DOT Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr., has always politely declined to reveal the government’s total tourism promotions budget. “Nakakahiya sa sobrang liit,” he once intimated to InterAksyon. The agency’s annual budget alone is P2 billion.
On Monday, the DOT launched its first TV commercials on CNN, in time for the latter's special coverage of the Philippines, and the 45th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank of governors from May 2-5.
The 30-second ad uses the various takes by the public on the "It's more fun in the Philippines" slogan launched by the agency in January, and set to the popular disco song "Barbra Streisand" by Duck Sauce. The ad also features apl.de.ap of the Black Eyed Peas, rapping "It's more fun in the Philippines".
According to a source in the DOT, "the agency secured the rights to the song for worldwide use." But he said actual payment to Sony Music Entertainment, who produced Duck Sauce's song, has yet to be made –“Nakikipagtawaran pa.”
In a separate text message from Dubai, DOT spokesman Benito Bengzon Jr. told InterAksyon.com: “We are still negotiating on the price but we already have the clearance to use [the song].”
Another ad, this time just 15 seconds, also aired this afternoon, featuring a tarsier – famous for its large eyes – looking back at the camera, and ending with the slogan "Staring contests. More fun in the Philippines."
The DOT said the various memes used in the ads were donated by several local photographers including George Tapan and Gutsy Tuason. (The others who donated their memes were: Joey Rico, Abby Yao, La Venta 2012, Henson Wongaiham, Company of Ateneo Dancers, Darwin Dumaraos, and Bottle School.)
The ads were produced by advertising giant BBDO Guerrero | Proximity Philippines, which bested seven other agencies last year in a bid for a P5.6-million brand awareness campaign for the Philippines.
According to Enerio, the ads will have “different feeds and frequencies. For this week, Europe has 81 spots, Asia-Pacific 305, and North America, 153.”
Independent research showed a 30-second CNN ad costs at least $25 per thousand viewers. This changes depending on the market where the ads are to be aired, the frequency, and the client’s budget. The international news network is seen in more than 280 million households around the world.
It is currently airing a series of interviews and in-depth reports for its “Eye on the Philippines” programming which officially runs from April 30 to May 6. These includes live reports on “World Report” Business and “World Business Today”, interviews on “Talk Asia” with President Aquino and the Zobel brothers – Jaime Augusto and Fernando, plus the special half-hour “Eye on the Philippines” report.
The country hopes to attract 10 million visitors by 2016, when President Aquino steps down from office. With close to 4 million tourist arrivals in 2011, the country still ranks way behind its Southeast Asian neighbors - Malaysia (25 million), Thailand (19M), Singapore (13.2M), Indonesia (7.6M), and Vietnam (6M).
By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo, Special to InterAksyon
