The Department of Tourism on Thursday announced that it will pull out the controversial “Sights” tourism video after it was discovered to be strikingly similar to a campaign released by South Africa in 2014.
The government is also ending its partnership with McCann Ericson, the advertising agency responsible for creating the video.
In a statement released by the agency, it said that it was never their intention to copy. “Sights” was based on a true story of a Japanese retiree who decided to stay in the Philippines.
Read: Not a copycat? Agency defends controversial tourism ad
The one-minute video released on Independence Day was called out by Filipinos on social media for allegedly ripping off the South Africa campaign “Rediscover South Africa.”
MEDIA RELEASE: 15 June 2017 pic.twitter.com/2ARGpvLLKP
— Visit Philippines (@TourismPHL) June 15, 2017
“After diligent review, the department of tourism has decided to discontinue its partnership with McCann World Group Philippines,” The DOT said in a statement.
The DOT said they “are expecting a public apology from the negative feedback that the department has been receiving owing to the glaring similarities between McCann’s “sights” ad and South Africa’s ad released in 2014.”
According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, “DOT Assistant Secretary Ricky Alegre made the announcement on Thursday, adding that the department will open the bidding for a new ad agency.”
