DMB&B Los Angeles has launched its first campaign for the Australian Tourist Commission (ATC) since winning its global account in 1996. In the U.S., that includes nine new spots that broke Jan. 18, as well as a redesigned Web site (www. australia.com) and banner ads tied to the TV campaign. The spots were created in close collaboration with DMB&B Pure Creative, Sydney.
The entire campaign, entitled "Meet the Locals," uses a light, tongue-in-cheek approach to suggest the Aussie people’s free-spirited, fun-loving attitude toward life. "Our goal was to reflect the personality of Australia and the Australian people in a highly entertaining and memorable way," explained Lyndel Gray, ATC regional director for the Americas. It is also designed to get potential visitors to act now, rather than delay their travel until upcoming events, such as the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
The strategy was developed based on research conducted by the ATC and DMB&B that indicated U.S. consumers view Australians as having an easygoing, welcoming, sometimes irreverent nature. This was cited as a key reason for wanting to visit the continent. Research also suggested that target visitors want to experience the local culture and the "non-touristy attractions."
The results of the research are U.S. spots entitled "Clothing Optional," "In the Dreamtime," "The Wild Life," "Dining Al Fresco," "Outback Cuisine," "Safari," "Riveting View," "Four’s a Crowd" and "Traveling Gourmet." Each spot features visitors enjoying a specific activity, including camel treks and nude sunbathing, dining in the Outback, teeing off amidst a kangaroo-filled golf course and climbing to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Each spot ends with a graphic of the ATC logo and Web address. The tagline is: "Australia. Come and Say G’day."
Krouse explained that through this research, the team also learned that most potential visitors are experienced travelers who "are online and are research-hungry." She said the research revealed these travelers "wanted to start with a base of knowledge before calling their travel agents." The Web site was therefore redesigned by DMB&B and Sydney-based Pure Interactive and packed with information. DMB&B’s New York-based interactive agency Blue Marble created banner ads.
The spot campaign was shot on location in Australia in the Northern Territory and the states of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia. It was directed by Matt Humphrey of Sydney-based production company Film Graphics. Simon Duggan served as DP and Jenny Selby produced. Post was completed in Sydney at Digital Pictures.
Krouse said the creatives opted for Humphrey because they "wanted someone familiar with the territory … who could capture the people." Humphrey, she said, best fit the bill. The director actually completed more than 40 spots designed to reach different cultures around the world. The global campaign is expected to remain in rotation during the next three years.
"This is a leadership campaign," said Arthur Selkowitz, president/CEO of DMB&B. "We believe it effectively captures the uniqueness and spirit of the Australian people and gives potential visitors an exciting preview of the Australian vacation experience."
Gray added, "Unlike traditional travelogue tourism advertising, we’ve created a campaign that really connects people emotionally with one of the primary pleasures of an Aussie holiday-a sense of freedom."
"Tourists want to live the experience. … The people give that conduit to a genuine Australian experience," commented DMB&B, Los Angeles, managing director Diane Krouse.
The ATC campaign creative team at DMB&B, Los Angeles, is rounded out by: Tobi Coughlin, VP/management supervisor; John Armistead, managing partner/chief creative officer; Steve Tobenkin, VP/director of broadcast production; and Jeff Weekley, VP/group creative director. DMB&B’s Sydney-based creatives on the project were: Chris Clarke, managing director; Boyd Hicklin, creative director; Allan Morris, copywriter; and Nigel Kenneally, producer.
