OPACC’s branding campaign project not solely a tourism campaign

By Paul Soriano Secretary, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications

Towards the end of 2022, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications (OPACC) rolled out a country branding campaign aimed at making us proud to be a Filipino, here at home and anywhere everywhere all over the world.

Aptly billed as “We Give the World Our Best— The Philippines,” the campaign spearheads a longterm country branding initiative in line with the heart of the President to uplift the Filipino name and reputation in and around the world.

OPACC informed and briefed various government agencies who will play key parts to make this longterm country branding campaign a success. Among these agencies include the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the Department of Tourism (DOT), and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

OPACC then engaged several respected and well-known creative directors to conceptualize and prepare communication materials to be utilized in implementing the project.

Among the first communication outputs of the project was the bus ad on a London bus. The ad featured Filipina-British nurse May Parsons holding up a syringe, and described her as the nurse who gave the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine. The ad copy reads: A Filipina. WE GIVE THE WORLD OUR BEST. THE PHILIPPINES.”

The ad came out in time for King Charles III’s coronation in London, where a large international crowd was anticipated to attend the historic global event.

Unfortunately, the London ad was misconstrued as part of the country’s tourism promotion campaign. OPACC wants to clear the confusion and clarify that it was not meant, in any way, to promote the country’s tourist destinations.

Video ads featuring true stories of successful Filipinos in different countries were also released within the same period, aired overseas. The first two ads tell the story of Charm, a Filipina caregiver in the UK, and DJ, a barista in Italy.

Similar ads are now being planned, intended for other countries in the world, such as the US and the Middle East, that will likewise focus on OFWs making a name for themselves.

Through this country branding campaign, we want to uplift the spirit of our overseas Filipinos, and honor them particularly for their values that make Filipinos known to do their best at whatever chosen field, wherever they go and whatever it is they do. They truly deserve this.

Please allow me to reiterate that this project is NOT solely a tourism campaign. At its core, the project intends to let the whole world know how good, compassionate and competent Filipinos are. Filipinos bring their “best” through daily actions that touch lives all over the world.

OPACC is now in discussion with the other government agencies, particularly the DOT, to launch their own versions of the “best” branding.