Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Apparently, There's Nothing Like Australia

We seem to have a great deal of difficulty promoting our country to the world. First there was Paul Hogan telling you to "Chuck a shrimp on the barbie . . ." then "Where the Bloody Hell Are You" which was banned or watered down around the globe for the utterance of such profanity and now THIS:

 


OK most of you don't live here or have never visited, does this make you want to come? Pelease, it's time we asked foreigners what would make them want to holiday in a country where everything wants to kill you. What would entice you to travel half way around the world?

32 comments:

Isabella Golightly said...

I personally don't see why they don't just show pictures of our amazing scenery, flora & fauna (leaving the spiders & snakes out of this, of course), interspersed with shots of food & wine, and some nice music. Which definitely does't include out of tune bogans. Sad, so sad. Pathetic, actually.

laughingwolf said...

holy shit... that would make me cringe and NEVER want to visit... OZ-TRAY-LEE-AH... land of, i-wanna-be-a-bloody-yank, promotions! :(

Alan Burnett said...

I beg to differ : I have wanted to travel to Australia for years and this advert does nothing to dampen the desire. When the Good Lady Wife retires next year I will not foot to the antipodes in order to sample all that opera, beer, kangaroo jumping and what ever.

http://howtobecomeacatladywithoutthecats.blogspot.com said...

Why, the chance to meet you, Baino... obviously! Australia is definitely on my bucket list.

Roy said...

Actually, this is pretty good compared to an awful lot of the tourism promotional videos I've seen.

00dozo said...

LOL! I was expecting something a little more low-key. I've always wanted to visit Australia and this ad does not deter my desire, but it may for some.

nick said...

Having been to Oz twice, I have to say that is one of the most sick-making, phoney, idiotic adverts I've ever seen. Unless you actually believe that all the Aussies do is hang around tourist spots singing jolly songs. Personally what attracts me is the scenery, the art, the relaxed pace of life (mostly) and just the unique flavour of the place. But how do you put THAT across in an ad?

Carolina said...

Bloody Hell! Although with the sound off, it doesn't seem too bad a place to go ;-)
Your Sour Cream Potato Bake would make me travel towards you immediately.

California Girl said...

You, Baino. You make me want to travel halfway round the world.

That commercial does suck though. hahahaha!

Janice said...

Having been to Australia only once, I would love to return; and this ad, while a little on the dopey side, does nothing to change my mind. That song, however, has got to go!

Sandy Kessler said...

looks pretty good to me no ignoramus president giving away the country- no oil spills. pretty darn good to me

Don't Bug Me! said...

I would come in a second - but then I have been several times before, so the ad just brings back great memories and makes me want to go there again.

Jay said...

I'd like to visit Australia, but OH has been once and saw a spider 'as big as my hand' and it's put him off going ever again. LOL!

I don't think that ad would make him change his mind. I don't see what's wrong with actually showing a bit of what makes the country unique in a way that gives you time to actually notice it.

kj said...

OMG hells! it's kind of awful!!

i want to come for several reasons: the faces of at least four fantastic women being the most compelling of all.

the word verf is sistric. is that what we are, hells, sistrics?

hee hee, i don't mind...

love love

kj

Ronda Laveen said...

I, too, have always wanted to visit Australia. Not that this would deter me, but something a bit more positive would help.

Tom said...

this ad makes Aus. look just like any other place, only different...whatever...Is it possible to see all these places in one visit? Isn't Australia this huge honking continent? That's like saying see America and showing pictures of the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon and the Florida Everglades...thousands of miles apart...what a trip!
I still would love to see australia, before it sinks.

JeffScape said...

Actually, who WOULDN'T want to visit a country apparently inhabited by a bunch of singing and dancing retards???

Count me in!

Baino said...

Well you're all being incredibly polite. I think it's cheesy, the jingle sounds like the Mickey Mouse theme and you could be forgiven for thinking we're a bunch of friggin idiots because we don't know what a kangaroo looks like! I hate it. Just hate it. New Zealand has a campaign that even makes me want to go and visit a country full of sheep shaggers! This? Well this makes me want to move abroad.

Kris McCracken said...

It needs far more of Tasmania!

I agree that the ad is rubbish. Then again, we've generally been terrible at marketing ourselves to the world, we're far too insecure.

Brian Miller said...

oh i'm on hte next plane, dont you know...lol.

RLM Cooper said...

OMG! I've been to Australia (and my favorite part - Tasmania) - but I can honestly tell you that if I ever saw a spider as big as my hand I would have flown home immediately - and wouldn't even have needed an airplane! :)

Mim said...

It's a terrible ad - really awful. and I want to visit!! Imagine if I was on the fence about it.

Jayne said...

EEK!
I shall scrub my eyes and pretend that 1.30 never, ever happened...

kj said...

i wasn't polite. but you want more?

okay: it totally sucks

Susan at Stony River said...

Yikes.

But Nick's got a point - what DO you say about Australia? Maybe they realize that most of us already want to go anyhow, so it doesn't matter how crappy the ad is?

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

best wishes!

River said...

What is it with the tourism industry that they can't decently promote us overseas? Do they not study advertisements from other countries and say to themselves "oh yes, that would certainly make me want to visit Japan, Canada, Ireland etc." They should take notes on what attracted them about the ad, then go forth and film similar bits of Australia to attract the tourists. Or something. Gimmicks don't work.

Anonymous said...

Idiotic song; total turn-off. What plonker thought that would entice?
Your little comment about everything wanting to kill has more honest enticement attached than any part of that video crap.

Anonymous said...

I agree with what someone said about it being O.K. without the sound, though why is everyone rushing up the opera house steps, free vouchers for proper SAFE roof insulation and free rainwater tanks??...and you're right about the Mickey Mouse song. AUS, TRA, eL..eye.. A!

Anonymous said...

The country and people look great. Don't fancy the song much, but it wouldn't put me off. Looks well worth a visit.

lettuce said...

hahahahaha

this made me larf

but i really really want to come and hope this time next year to be planning my packing....

Anonymous said...

Well, you should rather show Mark Webber's Canberra Milk Kid advertisement. It has more influence on me. By the way, they were such assholes with Vettel last weekend. I almost cried.

This advertisements implies that Australia is full of blondes, dumbs and perverts and believe me you can find all of them in Hungary and it is free for me.