Tourism to touch the heart

I caught the launch of the new tourism campaign during the Miss Universe pageant. It’s an emotional segue from the past campaign of “It’s More Fun in the Philippines.” As a matter of fact, the tag “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” is retained, which makes more lucid the new campaign’s connection to the past one.

I like the commercial’s simplicity and the end message that is retained by the viewer, “When You’re with Filipinos, You’re with Family.” Raul M. Castro, McCann WorldGroup Philippines chairman and CCO, revealed that included in the directive of the Department of Tourism (DoT) was to stress family orientation as part of our country’s core strength.

I like this directive, which will lend itself to more heartwarming stories of how we are, by nature, open to welcoming and accepting veritable strangers to our own homes and, indeed, to our own families. Sydney Samodio, executive creative director of McCann, said the DoT’s research materials, as well as McCann’s, fully supported this.

As though to provide more substantiations to the new strategy, I remember meeting American Scotty Ewart who described families from Palawan, Cebu, Iloilo, Cagayan, and Banawe “who all made his ‘fun in the Philippines’ more memorable because of a litany of family niceness.”

The Enchanted River in Surigao was a great location choice for shooting the commercial. It is not the usual tourist spot but is growing in popularity. Syd described it as totally different from all the beautiful rivers he has been exposed to. He said the river changes colors from the morning to afternoon, beginning with crystal blue, with shades of greens and yellows. He explained that it is a river that comes from underneath a mountain and forms a very deep hole that by the afternoon turns opaque.

Director Franco Marinelli, flying to the Philippines to direct the commercial, was fully enraptured by it and expanded the opening shots of the 60-seconder to show a gaspable aerial view of the islands nearby. Then we are escorted into the heart of the commercial.

Our blonde tourist had descended to the area of the river and is now ready to climb back up with his tourist guide. A local mother and her children are happily eating merienda (having snacks) as they pass by.

The mother notices the tourist is tired from his climb, promptly gives him part of their native kakanin (snacks). To coax him to eat, she points at the fish feeding below and says he too should eat.

The tourist accepts the kakanin, thanks her and bids her goodbye. Her goodbye ends with her calling him “anak.” The tourist asks his guide the meaning of what the woman said. “What is anak?” he asks. The tourist guide answers, “My child.” Internalizing that the woman had just called him “my child,” he obviously is touched, looking back at her with a parting smile.

The creative team was able to show not only what kind of fun the tourist can have in the Philippines, McCann deliberately zeroes in on our people personally helping the tourist have fun. Call it a slice of familial intimacy that’s endearing and unique to the Filipino.

Take a bow, Department of Tourism and McCann. Good collaboration all around.

Credits. Advertising agency, McCann Global: Raul M. Castro, chairman & CCO; Bong Pacia, COO; Gerald Gonzalez, VP/managing partner; Gino Borromeo, VP/chief strategy officer; Tom Tolibas, associate planning director; Sydney Samodio, executive creative director; Bianong Labiano, creative director/copywriter; Flemynne Anonuevo; Leona Bedonia, associate business group director; Vanessa Banks, account manager. Production: Franco Marinelli, director; Aaron Farrugia, director of photography; Abracadabra, production house; Chona Bustamante, Leslie Perez, producers; Ross Misa and Eileen Remoroza, executive producers. Post production, The Post Bangkok, Underground Logic. Audio Post Production; Soundesign Manila. Eboy Refuerzo, music arranger.