Email

Baz Luhrmann's Tourism Australia ad

Watch the first advertisement from film director Baz Luhrmann's $40 million campaign for Tourism Australia, featuring actress Sybilla Budd with an American twang.

Tags: arts-and-entertainment, feature-films, human-interest, people, information-and-communication, advertising, australia

Comments (19)

Comments for this story are closed. No new comments can be added. If you would like to have your say on this issue, you can do so via the Emails section of our Opinion pages.

• Peter D:

  08 Oct 2008 12:14:51pm

  Is this aimed at the Americans??? Nice.....show them what a lovely place this is to come to and disappear while diving on the barrier reef.

  Agree (0) Alert moderator

  • michael:

    08 Oct 2008 3:32:41pm

    The barrier reef is polluted enough already thanks.

    Agree (0) Alert moderator

  • Rio:

    08 Oct 2008 4:20:41pm

    But for a slight change in the words it could have been aimed at the AIG Execs who went on a US$440,000- holiday in California after they just got bailed out.
    
    " Somtimes you've got to get lost and not find yourself"

    Agree (0) Alert moderator

• kathy:

  08 Oct 2008 12:16:22pm

  I like it... you can see the differences between the places. I hope it works :)

  Agree (0) Alert moderator

• dragon:

  08 Oct 2008 12:43:44pm

  Meh !
  It's so obvious it is aimed at the US greenback !
  I don't think anyone's got it right since Hoges .............. Another shrimp on the barby ? :)

  Agree (0) Alert moderator

• Lynette :

  08 Oct 2008 12:46:48pm

  An awful cliched use of Aboriginal culture, hideous.

  Agree (0) Alert moderator

• Eilleen:

  08 Oct 2008 12:58:04pm

  Well its making *me* want to go walkabout! The appeal to "finding one's true self in the Outback" is compelling.

  Agree (0) Alert moderator

• Mum:

  08 Oct 2008 12:59:41pm

  Certainly more tasteful than 'where the bloody hell are you?' isn't it. If any criticism, it's that it spends quite a long time in the grey, rainy city before it gets to the outback, and it could have spent more time dwelling on our vistas n virtues. But I think overall, it's not a bad ad.

  Agree (0) Alert moderator

• Az:

  08 Oct 2008 1:15:04pm

  Why bother? They don't have enough cash to get on the rickety Qantas jet.

  Agree (0) Alert moderator

• DeepFritz:

  08 Oct 2008 1:17:39pm

  Why don't they just show footage from the Determined to be different ad (the one from the which bank)? It contains every stereotype that you would ever need ;)

  Agree (0) Alert moderator

• Joe Average:

  08 Oct 2008 1:19:14pm

  I think it's stunning, beautifully filmed. I like the way it promotes travel as a means of renewal.

  Agree (0) Alert moderator

• Karen F:

  08 Oct 2008 1:19:53pm

  Oh! Oh! Oh! Who saw the "Beautiful Place to hide a Body" ad on "The Gruen Transfer"??? (aimed at getting tourists to stay away from Oz) This totally reminds me of that. Please, please, please ABC, show the two side-by-side - it would be brilliant.

  Agree (0) Alert moderator

• Neil M:

  08 Oct 2008 1:33:21pm

  Finally, a thoughtful, sophisticated advertisement about and for Australia that mocks no-one, but understands everyone's need for what we offer in this Great South Land: peace and room to move. Perfectly targetted for the people and times in which we live.

  Agree (0) Alert moderator

• beetnix:

  08 Oct 2008 1:39:26pm

  Its true, except now that ive been there I dont know how to live without it, any suggestions?

  Agree (0) Alert moderator

• waryofitall:

  08 Oct 2008 1:54:04pm

  I love it, its the most tasteful advertising I've seen for Australia yet.

  Agree (0) Alert moderator

  • Malcolm X:

    08 Oct 2008 3:02:05pm

    It works for me. Hey, I'm not the same man my wife fell in love with either. I just lost $20,000 in super. What the heck. It's glum but gets better.
    
    I think it would work just as well in the UK. The weathers right.

    Agree (0) Alert moderator

• lola:

  08 Oct 2008 3:07:35pm

  i like it, its classy. its one of the few Australian tourism ads that doesn't show Ayers rock.

  Agree (0) Alert moderator

• CJ:

  08 Oct 2008 3:53:00pm

  Love it. I hope there are additional promos on similar theme showcasing more fantastic places to visit around this magnificent country of ours. And agree, it is certainly a lot better thought out than 'Where the bloody hell are you?' campaign. This is classy and polished. Well done.

  Agree (0) Alert moderator

• CH:

  08 Oct 2008 4:25:24pm

  Finally, an ad for Australia that is stirring, artistic, doesn't suffer from clich or the cultural cringe. We've waited decades for something like this. Brilliant!

  Agree (0) Alert moderator