Ad agency behind 'Gil Tulog' campaign apologizes to Puyat family
Gigil, the ad agency behind the controversial “Gil Tulog” stunt in Makati, has addressed the issue, noting that they are now putting “stringent measures” in place to prevent the incident from happening again.
"We sincerely apologize to the Puyat family and everyone affected by our campaign," the agency wrote in the caption of their official statement on Tuesday, July 30.
In the statement, they said they "recognize the issues caused by our recent campaign" and that they immediately discontinued the campaign for Wellspring following the backlash.
“Even as all the necessary permits and clearances were secured, our approach had resonated differently and so the campaign was immediately discontinued,” it read.
Gigil added that they reached out to the members of the Puyat family to “convey our regrets and express our respect for former Senate President Gil Puyat’s legacy.”
“Our agency will be putting in place more stringent measures to ensure this does not happen again,” they stressed. “Thank you for your understanding.”
Photos and videos of the new signs in Gil Puyat Avenue made the rounds on social media on Thursday, July 25 which garnered mixed reactions from Internet users.
While some joked about Gil Puyat Avenue finally getting a “much-needed rest,” others found it disrespectful to the late senator who served in the Senate from 1951 to 1973. Some said it could confuse motorists in the area.
The following day, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay released a statement, saying the request to replace the signs in the city did not reach her office and stressed that it would have been easily rejected if it did. She said that the city officials who granted such permission “should have exercised prudence” and “should have been more thorough.” The said officials have been reprimanded "for this glaring oversight.”
Gil Puyat’s son, Victor, also filed a complaint against the ad agency, stating that the firm violated the Code of Ethics of the Ad Standards Council. The document showed that the family is seeking the suspension or banning of the ad agency from the body and is hoping that it will "be given due sanction for disregarding the Code of Ethics and Standards."
As stated in Section 1, Article IV, advertisements "shall not directly or indirectly disparage, ridicule, criticize, or attack any natural or juridical person, group of persons, or any sector of society based on gender, social, cultural or economic status, religion, ethnicity, physical, intellectual and psychological state or appearance, age, race, or nationality."
According to a report by ABS-CBN News, Victor said the marketing gimmick is "foolish and insulting at the same time, but most of all I felt bad people can now do anything in total disrespect for somebody who has served the country so well."