The Philippines tourism department has launched an investigation after a video to advertise the holiday destination showed pictures from other countries, it was reported.
The Department of Tourism of the archipelago nation removed the promotional video shortly after uploading it on Facebook after a Filipino blogger pointed out the faux pas.
The tourism video was part of the tourism ministry’s “Love the Philippines” campaign worth $900,000 (£7,08,298), launched on 27 June.
In a statement, advertising agency DDB “profusely” apologised to the Department of Tourism, acknowledging that it was an “unfortunate oversight” on their part.
“While the use of stock footage in mood videos is standard practice in the industry, the use of foreign stock footage was an unfortunate oversight on our agency’s part,” DDB Philippines said, adding the agency should have adhered to proper screening and approval processes.
“The use of foreign stock footage in a campaign promoting the Philippines is highly inappropriate and contradictory to the DOT’s objectives,” it added.
The advertisement agency said that no public funds were used for the video as it was DDB’s initiative.
Department of Tourism said “alleged use of non-original shots” is under investigation and added that it was assured by the agency of the originality of the video.
“As one of the many other forthcoming components of the launch of the enhanced tourism campaign, the DOT’s contracted agency, DDB Philippines, prepared and published an audiovisual presentation which has recently been the subject of scrutiny on the alleged use of non-original shots in certain parts of the AVP,” the DOT said in a statement.
“The DOT is currently conducting an exhaustive investigation to determine the veracity of, and to gather the full faculty of facts on, these allegations,” it added.
A Filipino blogger Sass Rogando Sasot said in a Facebook post that stock images of a lake in Thailand were used besides other images from Bali and Dubai.
The video also showed aerial shots of sand dunes from Cumbuco in northeastern Brazil and a man driving a buggy over sand dunes in the United Arab Emirates.
The ministry has been promoting its new slogan “Love The Philippines”, replacing the previous “It’s More Fun in the Philippines”.
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