There has been some debate about whether the new advertisement for Australia as a tourism destination is offensive or not.
You can view the advertisement by clicking here.
Is it OK for the young woman/the sheila to use the words ‘Where the bloody hell are you?’
Once upon a time there would have been more complaints about her lack of clothing?
And gee the Australian environment looks OK.
How do we reconcile images like this with the description of the Australian environment as ruin in Jared Diamond’s new best seller, ‘Collapse’, or Ian Lowe’s ‘A big fix: radical solutions for Australia’s environmental crisis’?
Jennifer Marohasy BSc PhD has worked in industry and government. She is currently researching a novel technique for long-range weather forecasting funded by the B. Macfie Family Foundation.
Those ads are good, a bit more in-your-face than in the past, the one on New Years Eve in Sydney is just spectacular, you would think that anybody coming out of a Northern winter would be packing their bags.
Sorry – I couldn’t focus on what she said.
With an offer of beer, clean camels, beach space, croc safety, marsupial-free golfing, expansive landscapes and aborigines with cultivated English accents, “wherethebloodyhellareya” has little importance.
Notice that Tourism Australia chose not to include that solitary ecological point on the planet where two World Heritage sites interact? Fair enough that we should tantalise prospective travellers but why not with the full extent of our natural heritage?
Neil, they are trying to attract people who want to go on a holiday not more of the same.
The images are great and the catch phrase will generate discussion overseas. It doesn’t matter if we “like it”. It is a very effective advert and will get people talking about Australia and “that Ad”