(TAN): Tourism Australia has roped in pop star Kylie Minogue to persuade British tourists to visit the land Down Under as part of a new tourism campaign worth USD 15 million.
The three-minute music video, titled “Matesong”, aired in the United Kingdom before Queen Elizabeth II’s annual Christmas Day address.
Tourism Australia’s website said the advert, a part of its recently launched “Come Alive Our Philausophy” campaign, was the “largest investment” it had made in promoting Australia in the United Kingdom “in more than a decade”.
[ALSO READ: Florida Senator – Visit Florida is essential to uphold state’s positive image]
The “light-hearted musical”, reportedly aimed at convincing Britons to visit Australia in the wake of Brexit, urged them to escape to the land of white-sand beaches where locals not just “speak your language” but also eat fish and chips “and your curries” and play cricket.
Referring to Brexit, it started with the lines “This year’s been tough and confusing, but progress is moving… well at a glacial pace” and went on to say “negotiating tricky trade deals is a shocker”.
The ad stretched out a “symbolic hand of friendship from Australia” at “a time of uncertainty in the UK” to celebrate “the deep and longstanding ties that exist between the two countries”, Tourism Australia said.
[ALSO READ: British Airways trials robots to guide customers through the airport]
Minogue addressed the British people from a beachside suburb of Melbourne, Sandringham, where she was joined by Australian comedian Adam Hills. The video also featured prominent Australian sports people – former cricketer Shane Warne, Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe and tennis player Ash Barty. The other Aussies to make an entry in the advert were koalas and quokkas, marsupials native to the country.
Minogue, who was reportedly born in Melbourne, Australia, but has lived in the United Kingdom lately, said shooting the campaign was “a dream come true”.
“I’ve had the opportunity to see parts of the country I haven’t seen before, as well as to go home and revisit places that I know are beautiful. I’m such a proud Australian that I’ve spent most of my life travelling around the world sharing my stories of Australia with anyone who would listen, so I kind of feel like a walking tourism advert for Australia already,” she was quoted by traveldailymedia as saying.
[ALSO READ: Airbnb and Seville City Hall join forces to promote Sustainable Travel]
The lyrics were reportedly written by Australian comedian and singer-songwriter Eddie Perfect.
Meanwhile, the advert has been criticised by many for its timing as recent images of Australia showed bushfires causing havoc across the country, reports said.
Related posts:
Western Australia’s biggest-ever intrastate tourism campaign urges locals to travel in their home state amid COVID-19
#MyMicrogap campaign inspires youngsters to explore UK
Tourism Australia releases new online interactive map for domestic holidaymakers
Sri Lanka Tourism launches ‘Go on a couch safari’ initiative to live stream wildlife
