Branding the Philippines:

Championing the Filipino

A White Paper prepared by EON Inc.

January 2011
[Working Draft]

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Overview

Branding the Philippines: Championing the Filipino is a White Paper developed by EON
as part of its advocacy to create a positive and compelling brand for the country.
EON believes there is no other time than today to brand the Philippines. In light of
the optimism that every new beginning brings – a relatively new administration, as
well as the support expressed by several stakeholders—EON is hopeful the advocacy
can soon be presented to the Office of the President, for approval and appropriate
action.

The Philippines: Realities and perceptions

The Philippines suffers from negative perception on the global stage. Its image as a
corrupt, uncompetitive, disorderly, and unsafe third world country remains. It ranks
poorly in global ratings, barely inching its way up the score ladder every year, if not
declining. The country’s place in the world continues to be unfounded. Yet, since
decades ago, the Philippines’ vast potentials and the wonderful things it offers are no
secrets.

It is a land blessed with rich natural resources. Each of its 7,100 islands is a
captivating destination. Its colorful history and diverse culture fascinate many.

It is home to world-class talents like Manny Pacquiao, Charice Pempengco, renowned

marine biologist Lourdes Cruz, among others. Its brilliant and diligent workforce
impresses businessmen and investors. Its sincerity and cheerfulness inspire people of
other nations.

It is ironic that despite this, the country still falls behind most of its Asian neighbors.
People’s amazing encounters with the country and its people ripple but create no
strong impact. World views about the Philippines linger in a negative light. The
positive aspects of the Philippines and perceptions of it are sadly unaligned.

The huge gap is a vacuum created by several factors, critical of which is the
Philippines’ lack of one, singular, powerful identity as a nation. Outsiders have

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no single thing to connect to their positive experiences of the Philippines. Their
memories, and the sights, sounds, feelings, scents, tastes of the Philippines are like
thin fibers unwoven. On its own, each is weak and easily diluted. Unless these are
woven into a common shape, like rose petals tied by a core, it creates no distinctive
picture or image.

Need for a Philippine country brand

As the world becomes more competitive, people, organizations, companies, and

countries become more interconnected than ever. Economies battle to gain a bigger
share of investments, tourism, consumers, trade, and power. A country cannot leave
its reputation to chance. It must endeavor to develop itself into a country brand.
Because when all else is equal, a strong country brand makes the difference.

The Philippines must be able to identify its key competitive advantage and leverage
on it. What differentiates it from the rest of the world? How does it want to be
known? What does it hope to be associated with? What would make its endeavors
recognizable and appreciated?

The answer to these is a positive and compelling brand image for the Philippines,
a country brand that works like a magnet which aligns various messages that every
city or region sends out into the world (Simon Anholt, 2005). The key is coherence.
Messages have to be inter-related, aligned and supportive of the mother brand.

Unfortunately, some recent initiatives of the Philippines in promoting itself for

investments or tourism have failed to recognize the critical need for alignment and
consistency. Observers remarked how members of Philippine contingent during
international conventions or exhibits develop information materials and design booths
as if they are from separate countries. At home, no common design element and
message is present in government agency websites or in the multitude of brochures
were printed about the Philippines.

While some Philippine promotional efforts resulted in isolated successes, it has not
generated a substantial and holistic impact given its sector-independent approach.
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All information and ideas contained in this document and all rights therein are the exclusive property of EON The Stakeholder
Relations Firm unless otherwise stated. This document shall not be shared to or used by any party without the prior consent
of EON unless a client has properly compensated EON to use and own the contents of this document. Only upon proper
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Tourism stakeholders and industry leaders come up with their own colorful logos and
promotional taglines. Exporters strategize their sales roadshows without coordinating
with trade and investment boards. There has been no attempt to consolidate the
initiatives, or at the very least, align each sector’s key messages.

Branding is about everything and anything that can be associated with the country.
It is not about tourism alone, nor is it just about attracting investors. It is not
about a witty tagline or a creatively designed logo. It should go beyond promotion,
advertising, marketing or public relations.

In branding a country, one should look at various components1 including tourism,

quality of people’s life, exports and products, foreign policy, investment, and arts
and heritage. The fusion of this is what makes the country brand - its national
identity and competitive advantage. It is only when these are all considered that the
real country branding happens.

The benefits of country branding

Marketing gurus have underscored the impact of a country’s image on almost

everything that it does and it is associated with. When positive, it adds value to local
products and services. Agricultural products can command greater prices abroad
while iconic crafts can gain preference over premium brands in the markets.

Human resources also benefit. According to Henry Schumacher, executive director

of European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (ECCP), “country branding
will help earn recognition for qualified Filipino professionals and workers.” Filipinos
working overseas can have better pay and demand better working terms and
conditions. When sustained, a strong brand can also help retain qualified manpower
or attract those abroad to come back home.

Branding accelerates growth in key industries like tourism. Small island nation
Mauritius, which topped the list of Futurebrand’s Top 25 Country Brands for
Tourism, successfully leveraged on its beautiful beaches and world-class resorts

1 Reference: Simon Anholt’s Nation Brand Hexagon 4 | Page

© EON, Inc. 2011.
All information and ideas contained in this document and all rights therein are the exclusive property of EON The Stakeholder
Relations Firm unless otherwise stated. This document shall not be shared to or used by any party without the prior consent
of EON unless a client has properly compensated EON to use and own the contents of this document. Only upon proper
compensation, to the satisfaction of EON and the client, will the ownership of the information and ideas contained in this
document be transferred to the client. Images used are Royalty-Free for non-exclusive and perpetual use unless otherwise
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and accommodations, resulting in increased tourist visits and positive publicity as a
premium destination for honeymooners.

Branding encourages local and foreign investments. Confidence in the business

environment will yield an increase in resources allocated in key industries such
as business process outsourcing (BPOs), mining, agribusiness, creative industries,
infrastructure, and manufacturing.

A strong brand improves the country’s credibility, stimulating international/ regional

partnerships. It fosters better performance and stronger competitive spirit. In times
of crisis, it can act as a reputational shield. The Philippines, for lack of a strong
country brand, suffered tremendously in local and international stages as a result of
the tragic Hong Kong tourist bus siege in Manila in 2010.

Beyond rising in competitive ladders, a strongly-branded country enhances nation-

building. One of the best intangible results that branding offers is that it brings
pride in people’s unique identity. It gives unparalleled joy and contentment for the
citizenry to talk about who they are, learn more about their heritage, and educate
younger generations about it. Dr. Federico Macaranas of the Asian Institute of
Management pointed out that “branding can serve as a rallying point and help focus
the energies of all stakeholders towards a common goal. It serves as an anchor that
pulls a nation together and for us Filipinos to see more of the best in us.”

The country branding process

The array of components that define a country brand requires not just consistency
and coherence in the branding process but also patience and persistence. It is not an
initiative that could spell out major results overnight. Brand messages seep slowly,
subconsciously, into the minds and hearts of target audiences. It needs continuous
improvement and feedback given the ever-changing global landscape in which the
audiences are part of.

Country branding is a strategic process with six important steps.

1. Research. Data, information, and insights on the current perception on the

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All information and ideas contained in this document and all rights therein are the exclusive property of EON The Stakeholder
Relations Firm unless otherwise stated. This document shall not be shared to or used by any party without the prior consent
of EON unless a client has properly compensated EON to use and own the contents of this document. Only upon proper
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 Philippines, the quality of relationship of different markets and stakeholders
towards the country, and relevant initiatives of other markets have to be
identified and studied.
2. Positioning. Identify the core identity of the Philippines and its competitive
advantage.
3. Validation. Conduct research and consultations to see if the positioning
resonates with key stakeholders among various sectors.
4. Planning. Develop a national brand road map that will enumerate the specific
strategies, policies, plans, and tactics to develop, promote, and nurture a
strong country brand. An integration framework that will glue all country
initiatives towards the brand has to be agreed upon and institutionalized.
5. Activation. Roll-out/ implement the national brand road map.
6. Monitoring. Check if the key performance indicators and key targets are met.
Evaluate the initiative and gather feedback for improvement.

Filipinos: The country brand. The Philippines’ competitive advantage.

Many European countries’ brands center on a highly competitive industry or

astonishing architecture and world-renowned arts. Egypt positioned itself as
the country where civilization started. Japan is proud to carry leading brands in
electronics while New Zealand has leveraged on the ‘pureness’ of its resources.

What about the Philippines? Would its long stretch of white sand beaches and colorful
marine resources differentiate it from others? How about its harvest – mangoes,
coffee, or bananas? Has it established world-class consumer brands?

In determining the country’s competitive advantage, Filipinos do not need to look

too far. Filipinos are the brand. The Filipino is the Philippines’ best asset which can
compete with any value proposition of other countries.

Time has perfectly molded Filipinos. From the pre-colonization period until the
post World War II era, Filipinos have proven their courage, resilience, faith and
revolutionary character. Filipinos have shown the world the kind of people they
are when they peacefully and successful ly staged People Power in EDSA. This also
happens when they bear the hardships of working in foreign lands for the sake of
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Relations Firm unless otherwise stated. This document shall not be shared to or used by any party without the prior consent
of EON unless a client has properly compensated EON to use and own the contents of this document. Only upon proper
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document be transferred to the client. Images used are Royalty-Free for non-exclusive and perpetual use unless otherwise
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their family, or when they outshine others in competitions be it in sports, arts, music,
science, or even beauty pageants.

Today, Filipinos captivate the world through the simplest things that they do.
Peoples of other nations are amazed at how Filipinos can sincerely care for strangers
in UK hospitals, professionally take the calls of agitated consumers, smile and
welcome tourists with all their hearts, laugh and beam with hope even during the
most difficult times, or share even the simplest triumphs with their families and
friends.

Filipinos and the 4Cs

The Filipinos’ characteristics can be summarized into the fours Cs, which every Juan
Dela Cruz can identify himself with.

● Filipinos are caring. Medical professionals, wherever they are in the world—
teachers in remote public schools, public servants, advocates from NGOs, and
every family member—mirror the caring qualities of Filipinos. They care for
their parents, siblings, relatives, friends, colleagues, neighbors, communities
and sometimes, even strangers. They empathize with others and sincerely
help in any way they can.

● Filipinos are creative. Graphics and 3D creations of animators, masterpieces

of Filipino artists, innovative ideas of Filipino scientists, ingenious products,
Philippine films and literature – these are some of the many proof points of
Filipino creativity.

● Filipinos are collaborative. Events and incidents have shown how collaborative
Filipinos are. At the height of the tragic Ondoy2, the world saw how Filipinos
and communities came together to help one another. Amidst challenges during
economic crises, stakeholders of affected industries worked together and
triumphed. And the miracle of people power led to democratic reforms in the
Philippines.

2 One of the most devastating typhoons in the Philippines which happened in September 2009. 4 | Page
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 ● Filipinos are colorful. No day in the Philippines is dull and boring. There
is color in every endeavor, task, or celebrations. It is made exciting by the
country’s rich biodiversity, indigenous products, flavorful cuisines and wealth
of stories. Colors of joy and cheer adorn Filipino festivals and traditions.
There’s also life and color in every parties, sports, or youth activities.

The Filipino essence

How does one position the Philippines? What can the country brand promise?

To understand a country brand is to know its culture – the country’s true spirit. For
the Philippines, it means a deeper understanding of the Filipino 4Cs. Why are they
caring, creative, collaborative and colorful? It requires a closer look of how Filipinos
live. It means dissecting the Filipinos from within so one can see the truest sense of
the Filipino identity.

Filipinos are relationship-oriented.

Reflecting on Filipino core values utang na loob (returning a favor to show deep
gratitude) pakikipagkapwa-tao (treating and respecting others as persons),
pagmamalasakit, (genuine stewardship), and pakikipagbayanihan (collective effort of
everyone to contribute), one realizes the Filipino DNA.

For Filipinos, their essence is the kind of relationships they have. They live not for
themselves but for others. They are relationship-oriented – whether the kinship is
borne out of blood, law, or friendship. They value relations, no matter how far-
off it may be (i.e., we’re relatives since he is the son of my father’s cousin; they
are kababayans because one is from Sorsogon3 while the other hails from Camarines
Norte; she’s my kinakapatid, we are like sisters).

Filipinos values home.

3 Sorsogon is a province in Bicol Region, located in southernmost end of Luzon. Camarines Norte is also
a province in Bicol but hundreds of kilometers away from Sorsogon.)
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Filipinos’ essence is about having a home. The saying “there’s no place like home”
has never been truer for them. Filipino diaspora shows how Filipinos, no matter
how successful they are abroad, would always long to retire in their homeland.
While Filipino immigrants are naturally adaptable, easily assimilating themselves to
the ways of their receiving countries, they never fail to connect with their roots.
Successes outside the Philippines are not worthwhile if these are not shared with and
appreciated at home.

Filipino diaspora also reveals how the definition of “home” has evolved. Home
for Filipinos is not confined to a house in the Philippines. Beyond being a physical
structure, a home for Filipinos is that which makes them connect to their roots. A
home is where they feel the love of families. A home is where their heart is.

Filipinos are celebratory.

Filipinos love gatherings, socials, festivals, events. They find reason to celebrate
small or big successes. They find time to sit down with friends and families to mark
special milestones in life. It is through these celebrations that they are able to
nurture their relationships and feel the goodness of “home.”

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 THE PHILIPPINE COUNTRY BRAND

Celebrating Life. The Filipino essence.

The Filipino essence is celebrating the true meaning of life. A life made wonderful by
momentous relationships with people. A life that is meaningful because it is lived in
the comfort of homes. The essence of the Filipinos is reflected in its culture through
the 4Cs: caring, creative, collaborative, and colorful.

The strengths and uniqueness of the Filipino as the Philippines’ competitive

advantage can be experienced through six components of a country brand: tourism,
investments, arts and heritage, products, people’s life, and foreign policy.

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Filipinos as brand ambassadors

Unlike a product or an organization, the Philippines is not owned by a single person

or a group of investors. It is a country of more than 90 million Filipinos. Thus, every
Filipino, whether in or outside the Philippines, has a stake in the brand. Each has
a responsibility towards it. This makes branding participatory, consultative, and
inclusive.

Key members of the society must partner and work together in developing the brand
that they desire for the Philippines. Engaging representatives from the government,
private sector, and civil society, including the media, in the branding process cannot
be overemphasized. Keith Dinnie (Nation Branding) remarked “without engagement,
no basis exists for country branding and no resonance for the brand throughout the
wider society.”

Branding must start from within. For it to succeed, internal stakeholders must agree
on and support it. It should resonate within the heart of every Filipino and ignite a
deep sense of pride in their country. Each one must be convinced of the messages
espoused by the brand that they would say, act and live it. A substantial number of
the population, if not everyone, must get behind the brand and mirror it in their daily
dealings.

Filipino diaspora makes a huge difference in building the Philippines’ country-brand.

No one can refute the significant impact of transforming each of the nearly 10 million
Filipinos in more than 180 countries worldwide as ambassadors of their own country.
Beyond advertising and marketing, Filipino brand ambassadors can be the country’s
most valuable tool in the branding endeavor.

Policy Recommendations

1. The Philippine government must establish a body under the Office of the
President whose mandate is to establish a compelling Philippine brand
that will effectively ignite pride among Filipinos and position the country’s
investment and tourism potentials, export capabilities, credit worthiness, and
international diplomacy and relations, and to secure funds for the effort.
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 2. The presidential body will be responsible for laying out a strategy in branding
the Philippines. The strategy will involve the following components:

a. Developing the Philippine brand (and sub-brands);

b. Building the organizational structure that will facilitate, consolidate and
coordinate public messages and all the efforts of the public and private
sectors, including the civil society, in promoting the Philippines;
c. Formulating the national brand road map; and
d. Monitoring, auditing, and reviewing progress in this effort.

3. The body will be established as a tripartite collaboration that is inclusive in

approach to attain optimal advantage. It will be headed by the Secretary for
Communications (Messaging) with membership on the government side from
the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Tourism (DOT),
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and other agencies upon determination
of the Communications Secretary. The private sector and civil society will
participate in the presidential body through the leadership of selected industry
and society groups and organizations, with the approval of the Communications
Secretary.

4. The presidential body will be established through an Executive Order to be

funded by the Office of the President.

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All information and ideas contained in this document and all rights therein are the exclusive property of EON The Stakeholder
Relations Firm unless otherwise stated. This document shall not be shared to or used by any party without the prior consent
of EON unless a client has properly compensated EON to use and own the contents of this document. Only upon proper
compensation, to the satisfaction of EON and the client, will the ownership of the information and ideas contained in this
document be transferred to the client. Images used are Royalty-Free for non-exclusive and perpetual use unless otherwise
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