Tourism Australia hops to it with first global campaign in six years via M&C Saatchi
Tourism Australia has launched the full 60-second TVC for its new $125 million global campaign, ‘Come and say G’day’, featuring Rose Byrne and Will Arnett, via M&C Saatchi and UM in an attempt to lure travellers back to local shores.
This is the first global campaign in six years and is set to go live in international markets tomorrow as part of the wider ‘There’s nothing like Australia’ brand platform
The campaign features a CGI souvenir Kangaroo, Ruby (voiced by Rose Byrne) as well as a toy unicorn, Louie (voiced by Will Arnett) tour some of Australia’s most iconic locations, displaying the various holiday destinations international tourists can visit.
Chief marketing officer of Tourism Australia, Susan Coghill told Mumbrella that following international tourism competition heating up “we just need to continue to innovate and be more and more creative to get cut through with consumers”. a
“And then also so that our really important trade partners around the world also keep Australia top of mind, and as a priority for them to be promoting to customers.”
After the teaser last week received some criticism domestically, Coghill defended the strategy of introducing Ruby and Louie as the new brand ambassadors.
“We know that our consumers in market are engaging with this. We know that things like animals and believe it or not, animated characters actually do pull through as very strong devices. We know the interaction between the two characters is working really well, and they come back saying the potential for turning them into longer-term brand characters is really high.”
“As much as I know that in Australia we have 25 million stakeholders with an opinion, the best thing I could do really is also to focus on our international high-yielding travelers who we need to get to come to Australia and ultimately spend, because that is what helps our tourism industry, which helps the economies around them and our national economy.”
The combination of the animated characters in eastern markets are complimented by the use of the well-known actor, Arnett in the ‘must-win’ markets of the US and Canada, Coghill added.
The minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Don Farrell said the new campaign is a critical step to rebuilding our visitor economy and supporting our tourism industry, “which has been through the most challenging period in recent years”.
“Come and Say G’day is an iconic Australian welcome, and the use of some of the most recognisable and stunning scenery will remind the world why Australia is the best place to take a holiday.”
Tourism Australia managing director, Phillipa Harrison said: “Come and Say G’day is unashamedly and unmistakably Australian through the use of a globally recognisable icon in Ruby the kangaroo who goes on an adventure across the country to show all that Australia has to offer.”
“After a challenging time around the world, our uplifting and joyful campaign will stand out in what is a highly competitive international tourism market.”
“Another hero of the campaign is the remake of the Australian classic song Down Under by up-and-coming Australian band King Stingray, who sing in both English and Yolŋu Matha, an indigenous language from Northeast Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory,” Harrison added.
The remake has since been released as a single by the band, which is also set to play at the global launch event in New York tomorrow.
Cam Blackley, chief creative officer at M&C Sydney said: “Campaigns of this scale and importance rarely come around and we feel blessed to have been entrusted with the creation of another epic that will help rejuvenate the tourism industry. This campaign is purpose built to work for audiences from east to west, above and below the equator and easily flex for cultural nuisances and sensitivities.”
TA said the ‘Come and Say G’day’ campaign includes new broadcast advertisements (in 60, 30 and 15 second versions), print and high impact Out of Home advertising placements, as well as social, digital, and content marketing initiatives, which include appearances on several Late Night television shows in the US. The global campaign value is $125 million, according to Tourism Australia.
A longer short-film, ‘G’day’ will also debut at the global launch event Coghill added, directed by Michael Gracey, aiming to create an emotional connection to Ruby the kangaroo, by establishing her backstory and setting her up to be a long-term Brand Ambassador for Tourism Australia.
To aid the launch, there will be brand activity in 15 key markets globally, as well as media spend in nine markets. The initial brand launch will run for eight weeks.
CREDITS
– Client – Tourism Australia
– Film Director – Michael Gracey
– Creative – M&C Saatchi Sydney
– Production Company, Film and TVC – FINCH
– Animation Company – Platige
– TVC Music Score – King Stingray / Level Two Music
– Film Music Score – Jonathan Dreyfus and Amy Andersen, including William Barton, Frank
Yamma, the Marliya Gondwana Indigenous Girls Choir and Iwiri Choir.
– Media – UM (Global team)
– Digital – Digitas
– Public Relations – Poem (Global agency) / Ogilvy PR
– Social – Apparent
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Calum Jaspan was news editor at Mumbrella, based in Melbourne. He was also the producer and host of the Mumbrellacast. He left Mumbrella in May 2023.
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If this is the best that our industry can do with 2 years to work on a creative and strategy to boost our economy and remind the international market that Australia exists and is worth the long and expensive flight – let’s all give up and go home.
Random ‘celebrities’ tokenistic cultural references, and a soul-less animated kangaroo. There’s no spark here.
I will be astonished if this does the job.
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