The Ad Standards Council (ASC), a regulatory body of the advertising industry, has issued a public statement expressing deep concern over the “recent desecration of the street name ‘Gil Puyat.'”
This is in reference to an ad agency controversially changing Gil Puyat street signs in Makati to “Gil Tulog.”
“This act has undoubtedly harmed the memory of an esteemed Filipino and Senator, and we join in the collective outcry,” read the statement released by the ASC board of directors and management.
According to the regulatory body, the “material in question was not cleared with the ASC, as our jurisdiction does not extend to street signs that do not contain any brand.”
The ASC has since “strongly advised” the involved ad agency not to use Gil Tulog in any of its advertising content.
“On behalf of our industry, we sincerely apologize to the family of Senator Gil Puyat for any distress this incident may have caused,” the ASC said.
“We are also in discussions with the relevant organizations to which the ad agency belongs, ensuring that appropriate actions are taken to prevent such occurrences in the future,” it added.
The family of Gil Puyat earlier filed a formal complaint with the ASC, requesting the involved ad agency to be “suspended or banned” from the body.
Victor Puyat represented the clan in saying the Gil Tulog marketing campaign violated Article IV Section 1 of the ASC’s Code of Ethics.
The said provision states that “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.”
