Tourism reputation and marketing experts at University of Queensland Business School on Tourism Australia’s Say G’Day campaign

Award-winning tourism reputation and marketing experts at The University of Queensland Business School weigh in on Tourism Australia’s new Say G’Day global campaign, which launched today.

 

Associate Professor Pierre Benckendorff

Specialising in visitor behaviour, technology enhanced learning and tourism + Deputy Dean – Graduate School, The University of Queensland Business School.

• – The campaign takes a cue from the 1984 Paul Hogan campaign Come and say G’day, drawing on old cultural icons and tried and tested international drawcards (i.e. Uluru, the Opera House, indigenous culture, beaches and the reef)
• – Big departure from using celebrities and Hollywood A-listers as brand ambassadors.
• – Use of a CGI brand ambassador is interesting. PhD student Li Xie-Carson has been doing her PhD on virtual influencers (including CGI influencers) and the research suggests that they attract higher engagement on social media so the strategy to ‘cut through’. Virtual influencers are also easier to ‘manage’ and less prone to bad behaviour that may generate negative publicity. Here is L’s 3MT video from last year – https://vimeo.com/596917247.
• – While many Australians will find this campaign cheesy (and even cringeworthy), Australians are not the targets of this campaign and I think the use of traditional tourism drawcards and a cute CGI ambassador will resonate particularly well with the younger Asian (Japan and Singapore) markets that are among the targets for this campaign.
• – Regardless of the campaign, we are in a very competitive market where every country is competing aggressively for the tourist dollar. Inflation pressures around the world means Australia will be expensive – out of reach for many and the trip of a lifetime for most. That is a tough sell when current economic conditions favour cheaper, shorter trips closer to home.

More on Pierre here.

Dr Pi-Hsuan Monica Chien

Senior Lecturer in Tourism +  Chair, BEL LNR Human Ethics Sub-committee at The University of Queensland Business School.

• – Ruby the Roo, as a quintessential Australian animal and icon, immediately resonates with Australia’s key markets such as Japan, as Japanese people are familiar with cities’ and prefectures’ use of mascot as brand ambassador to represent and promote their destinations. It also speaks directly to Japanese’ love for cuteness and animation. Ruby the Roo also manifests the down-to-earth spirit and friendliness associated Australian hospitality. Moving away from using typical Australian slangs also makes the message more globally accessible, consistent, and less likely to be misinterpreted.
• – The integrated marketing communication campaign uses a range of communication functions and presents a consistent brand image across channels. It reinforces Australia’s long-established brand image and unique selling propositions:beautiful nature, laid-back atmosphere, and spaciousness. To our key target markets, nature (including the opportunity to encounter wildlife such as kangaroos and koalas) still represents the main drawcard. This does not mean that other “Australian experiences” such as events and dining are not important; rather, they can be introduced at different phases of the experience journey. The purpose of the campaign is to create awareness, generate interest, and serves as an important reminder at a time when international travel resumes and pick up speed in many nations post-COVID. Additionally, the campaign focuses on Australia as a whole and its hero experiences, and as such, it needs to be “macro”. Following this, each state will have their own marketing campaigns that focuses on state-specific experiences.
• – The timing of the campaign couldn’t be better, as Japan opens up its border on 11 October and people in many countries plan for their end-of-year holidays or a big trip in 2023 (which is considered a more reasonable time to travel internationally as airfare and aviation services stabilise). For Japanese travellers, their long-time favourite – Hawaii – has become too expensive to go given the weak Yen. As such, Australia serves as an attractive and affordable option.
• – Compared to our other competitor such as Europe and America, Australia and its multicultural society is also perceived to be a relatively safe destination. This is reinforced by Australia’s strict border control during COVID and plays in its favour, a critical element for post-COVID destination marketing.
• – While some Australians may criticise the campaign as bland and uninspirational – some even feel that it does not represent the “true Australia”, they are not the target market of this campaign. One thing to keep in mind is that the protracted period of restrictions during COVID, and the crowded living environments in Asia (and even the need to quarantine or isolate in compact accommodations) create a pent-up demand for Australia’s unique features and experiences. Travellers are yearning to get out of big cities and escape from the crowds, and Australia is like an oasis that gives a much needed sense of freedom and rejuvenation. Granted, residents are important stakeholders of the destination and part of tourists’ experience. Moving forward, it would be important to involve residents in participatory destination branding.

More info on Monica here.