What’s really going on with that Crocodile Dundee ad?
It started out as whispers: 'Is the trailer for DUNDEE: The Son Of A Legend Returns Home legit?', and now it's something people will be shouting about at the pub this long weekend. So, what is going on with this ad? Mumbrella's Abigail Dawson speaks to Australian creatives and strategists to find out.
Earlier this week two new trailers emerged for what initially looked like another Crocodile Dundee movie starring Australian actor Chris Hemsworth.
But the dots aren’t quite joining up. Why wasn’t anyone aware of this film while production was supposedly taking place? Isn’t it convenient how close this is to Super Bowl advertising season? Isn’t Hemsworth a Tourism Australia ambassador?
Five Australian creative and strategic heavyweights reveal what’s really (probably) going on.
Wellison D’Assuncao, creative director, LOUD, says:
“Definitely a spoof. Did a little bit of digging around and RimFire Films is non-existent. It’s just a holding-page. Very suspect to me. Methinks it’s another Tourism Australia ad.”
Jacinda Fermanis, digital content strategist, BMF, says:
“I bet it’s an ad for Tourism Australia. Chris Hemsworth, Danny McBride in two separate 30-second spots with no other actors around? If it’s really a film, I can only assume Hogan has fallen very behind on his mortgage payments. If it’s a fake, they’ve done a brilliant job in getting the approval of the Australian Government to use the Screen Australia logo as a subtle detail to sell in the joke on the website. Honda did something similar for the Super Bowl, a few years ago, using Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”
Scott Huebscher, executive creative director, Marcel Worldwide, says:
“I think these are hilarious! I am a huge fan of Danny McBride. These are surely a teaser for a Super Bowl ad… if I had to guess which brand, I would hope it would be for Yellow Tail Wine to redeem themselves after the very poor effort they had during last year’s Super Bowl.”
Sarah Parris, senior art director, Leo Burnett Sydney, says:
“I’m not a Dundee connoisseur, nor did I actively watch the trailer when it came up in my news feed but initially I did think it was legit. But with the murmurs of it being a potential Super Bowl ad, I have to say it does seem rather likely. Not only does it showcase Australia’s countryside, its animals and every cliché under the sun, it also features Chris Hemsworth – a known Tourism Australia ambassador. So my guess is it’s an ad for Tourism Australia to get Americans to consider Australia as their next holiday destination.”
Caroline Starecky, head of innovation and strategy, Khemistry, says:
“I would lean towards it being a spoof of some kind given the Super Bowl timing (as opposed to a real movie that surely, we would have heard about the filming beforehand). As a North American, I do love the Super Bowl ad period of the year, there are always big budget ads, great stunts and teasers to look forward to.
“I’m leaning towards a player like Outback Steakhouse, which has over 1,000 locations around the world, being behind this ad because of the American and Aussie outback “flavour” of the ads. No matter whom is behind these ads, they have succeeded in creating a “buzz” and making it viral so hats off to them! But the “unveiling” to follow will be just as important. It will be fun to see how it all unfolds and who is actually behind it #staytuned.”
Abigail Dawson was Mumbrella's senior content journalist covering event content. She left Mumbrella to move into an agency role in 2020.
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topics
BMF
Caroline Starecky
Chris Hemsworth
Crocodile Dundee
Dundee: Son of a legend
Jacinda Fermanis
Khemistry
Leo Burnett Sydney
Loud
Marcel
Sarah Parris
Scott Huebscher
Superbowl
Wellison D'Assuncao
If you know anytbing about Superbowl advertising formula here is the checklist.
Cleebrity. Borrowed interest. Tenuous brand connection. January. Yep. Superbowl. The fact that it could be for TA, Outback Steakhouse or insert any other brand says…yep… Superbowl.
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The Yellowtail ad may have been cringey-as-hell, but the Yanks loved it. Sales skyrocketed. Know your audience, I guess..
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“Did a little bit of digging around and RimFire Films is non-existent.”
Didn’t dig enough … RimFire Films is Paul Hogan and John Cornell’s film production company.
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Five creative heavyweights? Two are strategists…
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Hi Fact check,
That was my addition and my mistake. Thank you for flagging. I have corrected.
Vivienne
Mumbrella
Two cents: not a Proper Movie, but perhaps something closer to a 15-minute short in cahoots with Tourism Australia. Ultimately, this ‘thing’ needs some pay-off content to avoid a backlash (you can’t just randomly get people’s hopes up).
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Droga5 NYC. Superbowl. Tourism Aus.
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Abigail, were you tipped off about this? This doesn’t read well for a journalist . . . “It started out as whispers: ‘Is the trailer for DUNDEE: The Son Of A Legend Returns Home legit?’, and now it’s something people will be shouting about at the pub this long weekend. So, what is going on with this ad? ” Faux hype perhaps?
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Hi Not impressed, it’s a fine line we have to tread in reporting issues relevant to the Australian media and marketing industry while not adding to the free publicity these sort of campaigns want to attract.
On balance, Abigail decided a round up of views from industry figures about the campaign would be the best way to report it fairly and informatively without adding too much to the hype.
We think she did an excellent job of striking that balance.
Hope that helps.
Paul Wallbank
News Editor
Agreed. A primary reason I read Mumbrella is for good examples of marketing and PR and the perspective of practitioners about what makes them work (or not).
The ‘Son of Dundee’ thing is a bit weird but if it creates some mystery and gets people talking it is likely to end up being effective for whatever it is spruiking.
You can call something out for being a PR stunt at the same time as admiring its ingenuity.
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http://www.adnews.com.au/news/.....l%20charge
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