Posted on 02/22/2006 7:18:20 PM PST by Aussie Dasher
THE Federal Government is ready to fend off any outcry over its use of the term "bloody hell" in a new international ad campaign targeting foreign visitors.
The $180 million campaign, unveiled today by Tourism Minister Fran Bailey, seeks to lure international travellers Down Under by posing the question: "Where the bloody hell are you?"
The question follows a sequence of footage in which everyday Australians are shown saying: "We've poured you a beer, we've shampooed the camel, we've got the 'roos off the green, we've got the sharks out of the pool and we've saved you a spot on the beach."
The new ads, which follow a series of flawed attempts to sell Australia to the world, will be shown in key tourism markets including China, Japan, the US, UK, India and Germany.
Ms Bailey today hailed the ads as a return to a simple formula, and rejected suggestions the language would offend some potential visitors.
"Not at all," she said. "It's the great Australian adjective. We all use it, it's part of our language.
"This is presenting Australia as we are – we're plain-speaking, we're friendly. It's using the vernacular."
Ms Bailey said the campaign had been tested on focus groups and she had no doubt it would entice visitors to our shores.
She rejected claims the ads were a return to the cultural cringe of the early 1980s, when promotions featuring actor Paul Hogan urged international visitors to "throw a shrimp on the barbie".
"This campaign has a little bit of everything," Ms Bailey said. "We've got to cut through, we've got to make people pay attention, we've got to grab their attention."
The campaign follows less than successful attempts to market Australia internationally.
Less than two years ago, Tourism Australia launched ads featuring singer Delta Goodrem, poet Les Murray, Aboriginal artist Barbara Weir, cricket commentator Richie Benaud and media personality Jonathon Coleman, in a campaign designed to bury the ocker and highlight Australia's sophistication.
Tourism Australia managing director Scott Morrison said the latest ads were simple and would hit their target market.
"Everyone's going to get the message. This is our message and it's compelling," Mr Morrison said.
The tourism industry today backed the ads, describing them as a return to basics.
Australian Tourism Export Council managing director Matthew Hingerty said the tagline "Where the bloody hell are you?" would strike a chord with potential travellers.
"This campaign has the capacity to be the breath of fresh air the industry has needed to drive more overseas visitors to Australia," Mr Hingerty said.
The Tourism and Transport Forum (TTF) said the "cheeky" campaign would be effective.
"You don't need an interpreter to tell you what the ads are about," TTF managing director Christopher Brown said.
"The talent in the advertisements are not known personalities, but the type of people visitors will see and meet during their travels.
"Importantly, the cheeky tag line captures our vernacular well."
The Australian Hotels Association praised the ads as "innovative and practical".
If not, where the bloody hell are you?
I'm not offended, I'm amused. I like the people of Oz. I've yet to meet one who wasn't thoroughly charming.
If Australia really wants to increase tourism, tell Quantas and its airline buddies to stop keeping the airfares there so @#%&*@# high!
United is having a $699.00 RT flight sale to Oz on their e-fares site.
Put a few more 'roos on the barbie for me, will ya, mate?
I'd settle for a few more Barbies on the 'roos. Boredom and all, right? A bit hard on the plastic, of course.
Hey, is there a new novel in the works? L. Frank Baum's successors? ''7 Bills to Oz''?
I have to admit, it's a new one on me.
Then again, I'd never heard of putting a shrimp on the barbie either...must be a Sydney thing.
I've heard the ad three times now and never realized the GAE was used.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.