The Philippines' tourism launch video showed off other countries' scenery

In July 2023, the Philippine Department of Tourism unveiled 'Love The Philippines,' a new tourism brand built on a ₱49-million ($900,000) contract with the agency DDB Philippines. The launch video, meant to showcase the country's natural beauty, was quickly found to contain footage that was not the Philippines at all: rice terraces from Indonesia, sand dunes from the UAE and Brazil, an airport runway from Switzerland, and a fisherman silhouette traced to Thailand.

DDB Philippines apologised the next day, calling the use of foreign stock footage 'highly inappropriate' and an 'unfortunate oversight' caused by a breakdown in its own screening and approval process. The agency said the video had been intended for internal reference only and that it had not been paid, and would not seek payment, for that cut.

The Department of Tourism responded within a day by terminating its contract with DDB Philippines outright, saying it felt 'outrage and extreme disappointment,' and reserved the right to forfeit the agency's performance bond and pursue further action. The government confirmed no public funds had actually been disbursed for the flawed video.