With the launch of its first international marketing campaign since 2016, Tourism Australia hopes travellers will soon be saying “g’day” in the land down under as readily as they were once inclined to “throw another shrimp on the barbie.”
Echoing the iconic (though often misremembered) Paul Hogan (Crocodile Dundee) 1980s slogan (he actually said, “I’ll slip an extra shrimp on the barbie for ya”), the global “Come and Say G’day” campaign features Australian actress Rose Byrne as the country’s newest brand ambassador, along with a digital kangaroo dubbed “Ruby” (voiced by Byrne), with the ‘roo popping up on billboards around the world in the past week and in a short live-action film that can be seen on YouTube.
The multichannel “Come and Say G’day” campaign also includes new broadcast advertisements, print and high impact out of home (OOH) placements, as well as social, digital, and content marketing initiatives. The campaign activity will be further amplified by partnership activity with airlines, State Tourism Organisations, and key distribution partners globally.
“’Come and Say G’day’ is unashamedly and unmistakably Australian,” says Tourism Australia Managing Director, Phillipa Harrison. “After a challenging time around the world, our uplifting and joyful campaign will stand out in what is a highly competitive international tourism market.”
She adds, “Ruby… is joined on her adventure by a toy unicorn, Louie, who is voiced by Will Arnett. As a duo they bring both warmth and humour to the campaign.”
Another element of the campaign is the remake of the classic Aussie 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.”
Tourism Australia Chief Marketing Officer Susan Coghill says the campaign is designed to “capture the world’s imagination and remind them of what is unique and special about Australia.
The nine-minute film “G’day,” which premiered at a global launch event in New York Oct. 19, “aims 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,” said Coghill.
The film follows Ruby and Louie as they “break out” of a gift shop on the Great Barrier Reef and embark on an adventure around Australia, visiting iconic sites including Sydney Harbour, Melbourne’s laneways, and stunning natural landscapes like Uluṟu and Nitmiluk Gorge. Along the way, they explore the magnitude of Australian travel experiences, connect with Australia’s Indigenous cultures, and learn “why every great adventure starts with the unmistakably Aussie greeting, ‘G’day!’”
“Having the opportunity to voice Ruby was such an honour,” says Byrne. “She’s a representative for what it means to be an Aussie – she is warm, welcoming, but also endlessly curious and seeing Australia for the first time. I’m so excited to be able to help welcome travellers to our beautiful country.”