Place Branding Mishap in the Philippines

In this highly commercialized world, products compete for attention online and on-shelf.

Ever since the industrial revolution, products have become more and more distinct, focused, targeted, and specialized, demanding that they be treated specially all through their life, from production to consumption.

Marketing itself has become dynamic, and ever-evolving as the world produces more and more products for the different markets to consume. We have become largely, if not entirely, a marketing-based society. The development of marketing has always had to do with the availability and emergence of new media for communication. And in this sense, so has branding. As a process, branding is the articulation of a generic product into an entity that is recognizable apart from others in the same product category.

In this process, the product decides on at least five aspects on which to distinctly build its character. These are brand marks, color palette, typography, imagery, and other graphic elements. The long-term effect of the engagement with these elements is why we easily recognize the swoosh as a Nike brand mark, or green as a Starbucks color, or the bee as the Jollibee symbol.

So, I have been bothered for a while now, as a marketing ( branding ) professional, that the Philippines, in almost all its towns, provinces, and small institutions, like schools and resorts, have used the I ♥️ Philippines, ( substitute the Philippines with names of these towns, etc.)

This trend may have started with the popular CamSur campaign some years back that used the I ♥️ Camsur ( which probably used tropical colors and symbols, I can't find a sample though ) to promote it as a surfing destination in the Philippines. So we would hear town officials and resort owners relate proudly how they have used branding for their towns and places by copying the CamSur campaign. Mostly today though, the black/white typography and red heart are used in most of the applications in the Philippines.

But where did this concept come from?

The I ♥️ ( name ) is owned by the New York State of Economic Development, initially as a slogan for tourism, New York having come out of a past of racism, uncleanliness, and general darkness. Wanting to revitalize its image, it hired the marketing firm Wells, Rich, and Greene. The slogan/symbol was designed by Milton Glaser, then a prominent graphic designer who worked for the firm. He has since become an iconic figure in graphic design who has created more than 300 recognizable designs throughout his career. His I ♥️ NY design has become more than a slogan. Today the New York state government has repeatedly attempted to uphold its trademark. In 2005, the state had filed nearly 3,000 objections against imitators, and 100 "trademark objections and cease-and-desist letters" were filed in 2012 alone.

Therefore, I come to bear bad news to cities, towns, and provinces, that if they have used this symbol to “brand” the places, then they have done the ultimate opposite. You cannot be a branded entity if your visual identity is the same as almost everyone else's. As you travel through the Philippines, there is an endless parade of built-up I ♥️ signages where the tourist could take pictures from. A country that boasts of creativity, intellect, and distinction has succumbed to the worldwide trend of copying and using the I ♥️ symbol instead of creating unique representations of their beautiful towns and provinces. I am hoping for a future of a branded Philippines still full of heart, without, necessarily, the actual red heart symbol.