(UPDATES) SUPPLEMENT brand Wellspring on Friday night apologized to the family of the late Senate president Gil Puyat over its advertising campaign that saw signs along Gil Puyat Avenue in Makati City changed to “Gil Tulog” Avenue.
In a statement on Friday night, Wellspring said offending anybody in their marketing strategy was not their intention and the wordplay in the campaign was used to “draw attention to the importance of sleep.”
“We deeply apologize to the family of the late Sen. Gil Puyat for the harm and offense that the campaign has caused them,” the brand said. “Rest assured that there was no intent to besmirch and disrespect his legacy.”
They also apologized to Makati Mayor Abby Binay and the people of Makati City for their “misstep.”
Wellspring said they were committed to practicing better sensitivity in their advertising campaigns moving forward.
The brand’s “Gil Tulog” sign change was part of a strategy of their jeepney ride campaign called “Sleepneys,” which offered free rides across Makati City, including a stop along Gil Puyat Avenue — changed to “Gil Tulog” Avenue for the brand’s campaign. “Tulog” means sleep in Filipino, whereas “puyat” means sleeplessness.
On Friday, Mayor Binay took offense to the road sign change, said that her office was not consulted about it and reprimanded city officials for their “glaring oversight.”
Originally named Buendia Avenue (from another late senator, Nicolas Buendia), Gil Puyat Avenue is named after the late senator, who served from 1951 to 1972 and as Senate President in the last five years of his term from 1967 to 1972, through the Batas Pambansa 312 in 1982.
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