The smart strategy behind Tourism Australia’s ‘Croc Dundee’ Super Bowl pitch to the Americans
The University of Melbourne’s John Sinclair looks back at the colourful history of advertising Australia to the Americans in this crossposting from The Conversation.
Tourism Australia has resurrected Crocodile Dundee in a new superbowl commercial that has already reached hundreds of millions on the day and through social media. Some may have cringed at ad reinforcing stereotypes about Australians as hospitable bush-dwellers, but this is actually a good strategy.
Previous Tourism Australia campaigns have attempted to change Australia’s image, with results ranging from the lack-lustre to the disastrous.
Unlike recent campaigns, the Super Bowl ad reflects international perceptions of Australia. Icons like Paul Hogan and Steve Irwin enjoy good recognition in countries like the United States, so leaning into this image of Australia is a smart move.
Australia has built up strong brand recognition in the US, albeit within the bounds of expectations largely cultivated by the advertising of the past, centred on beaches, bush and other all-too-familiar popular signifiers of Australia. Straying outside of these concepts hasn’t proven successful.
Smart creative idea
Not so smart spending $36m and forgetting to spend a cent on SEM
Seeing that US tourists bring 3.5 billion dollars into the Australian economy. I don’t think it was too much money.