The Omnicom agency saw off McCann Erickson, Euro RSCG, Dentsu and local agencies Avellana and J Romero & Associates to claim the business, called via a Government tender by the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation last month.
Media has yet to be assigned, but it is expected to be awarded to Omnicom sibling OMD, which pitched in partnership with BBDO.
“It’s not going to make us rich, but it’s an account we’ve wanted very much,” said David Guerrero, chairman and chief creative office of BBDO Guerrero Ortega.
“If it’s done right, we can have a positive impact on business conditions, on the economy — on the country as a whole.”
The DOT is expected to ask for an umbrella positioning to attract both tourists and investors. This would mean the end of the tourism campaign ‘Wow Philippines — more than the usual’, created in 2001 by BBDO.
A new campaign is expected before the end of the year, and is likely to work in line with objectives set by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to woo the private sector and boost foreign investment.
The Philippines remains one of Asia-Pacific’s less attractive investment destinations. Corruption and trade barriers in a number of sectors (the Philippines is “30 per cent free” in investment freedom terms, according to a survey by the Wall Street Journal) have kept most foreign businesses away.
However, the country’s economy has opened up in recent years and state-owned business privatised.
In a major vote of confidence, semi-conductors conglomerate Texas Instruments announced plans to build a second billion-dollar plant in the Philippines last month.
Tourism numbers in the Philippines are rising steadily. The country attracted two million tourists in 2000, and three million are expected in 2007. But it lags most Southeast Asia rivals — Malaysia (28 million), Thailand (15 million), Singapore (10 million), Indonesia (five million) and Vietnam (four million) are all expected to attract more visitors this year.
