EQ Diaper TVC deemed "grave insult" to history

The National Historical Commission issued a cease and desist order, dated 19 April, which prompted the Advertising Standards Council (ASC) to recall the commercial.

The 30-second commercial, which was developed by McCann WorldGroup, was aired on national television early this month. It depicted the Battle of Mactan, where it shows Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan offering a box of diapers to Lapu-Lapu and his wife as a gesture of friendship. However, Lapu-Lapu challenges the explorer to a fight after the couple realise that the diapers are of an inferior quality.

Historically, Lapu-Lapu was a ruler of Mactan (an island in the Visayas) in the 1500s, widely known as the first national hero to have resisted the Spanish colonisation. He was also responsible for the death of Magellan in the Battle of Mactan.

The ad spoofs the cause of the battle and makes it appear to be treachery diaper quality. Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza requested that the commercial be pulled, describing it as a “grave insult”.

She was quoted as saying that the distortion is a “lame attempt to promote a product” and demanded a public apology. She also argued that the commercial misled children into believing that it was a true reflection of history.

An online petition was also started to request the authorities to halt the commercial.

Leigh Reyes, president and chief creative officer of Lowe Philippines, said while such a spoof was certainly unusual for the category, it was not unusual for EQ Diapers to mount such a campaign as it has frequently relied on humour in its markerting strategy.

“I do sympathise with the mayor's feelings,” she added. “It looks like this has been a crusade for some time.”

She noted that this was not the first time that a scene from the national history had been infused with humour in advertising. “It does not seem to me to be directly disparaging in any way especially if the commercial is taken for what it is, a spoof.”