New DOT slogan to cost P650M

Davao City— The creation of the new 2017 slogan for the Department of Tourism (DOT) will cost about P650 million, Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo disclosed Saturday.

Teo said that the new slogan would be handled by global advertising agency, McCann Erickson, which won the bid to come up with the slogan during the previous administration under then-Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr.

“McCann is the one handling (the slogan). P650-million submitted by the previous administration,” Teo told reporters in a press conference in Davao City.

The P650 million was leftover budget from the previous administration that was supposed to be for promotions but Teo later decided to use it to change the slogan.

Teo admitted that the “It’s More Fun” slogan was a hit, but believed that it needed to be “upscaled.”

“When I was in Madrid, UNWTO (World Tourism Organization) told me ‘“It’s More Fun” is a good slogan why change it?’ So I said, let’s upscale it. Why is it more fun? We might consider keeping it but adding more to it,” she said.

Previously, Teo said that she would be keeping the current slogan “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” until the new slogan is launched during the Miss Universe pageant coronation night on Jan. 30, 2017.

Tourism Undersecretary for Media Affairs Kat de Castro said the amount would cover TV, and all media placements all over the world, including commercial, billboards, radio jingles and the like.

She said that the deal between the DOT and McCann was signed a few weeks ago; the bidding took place during the previous administration. Azer N. Parrocha, PNA