Tourism Australia: Aussie News Today
Tourism Australia tasked Clemenger BBDO Sydney with attracting young international travelers to regional Australia to fill seasonal labor shortages. The challenge was to stand out in a digital landscape dominated by negative global headlines. The goal was to increase engagement and bookings among 18 - 30 year olds in key European markets by showcasing Australia's unique personality and lifestyle.
Creative Idea
Created a satirical news network reporting only positive, quirky stories from across Australia.
Tourism Australia launched a satirical news channel dedicated to quirky, positive stories to combat global 'bad news' fatigue, using quintessentially Australian humor to inspire young travelers to visit and work in regional Australia.
Fighting Global Bad News With A Good News Index
A programmatic antidote to gloom
The campaign was built on a custom contextual language engine designed to monitor global sentiment in real - time. When the "good news index" detected negative headlines - such as political turmoil surrounding Brexit or economic stress - it programmatically served quirky Australian stories to counter the "grim" state of the world. This digital - first strategy represented a massive shift for Tourism Australia, moving from traditional TV - led spectacles to a 60/40 digital - led budget split.
The Honey Badger and the mobile newsroom
Fronting the campaign was a trio of "anchors" led by former Wallabies rugby star Nick "The Honey Badger" Cummins, known for his colorful "Aussie - isms." Alongside Teigan Nash and Lincoln Lewis, the team traveled across regional Australia in Jucy campervans that doubled as mobile production hubs. This allowed them to capture real - time content in remote areas like Broome and the Daintree, specifically targeting regional labor shortages by showcasing the lifestyle to young travelers.
Converting quirky content into bookings
The initiative reached over 316 million young people and generated 78 million video views. Beyond engagement, the project was deeply integrated with StudentUniverse, allowing viewers to book travel deals directly from the stories. This seamless path to purchase resulted in 300,000 new bookings and enquiries, driving an 11% increase in youth travel. A partnership with BuzzFeed Mates further amplified the reach, utilizing eight international influencers to produce 200 unique pieces of content in five different languages.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
A vast library of quirky, authentic regional stories and charismatic local personalities.
Category
Tourism ads usually rely on glossy, high - production montages of landmarks and beaches.
Customer
Young travelers felt overwhelmed by a constant stream of negative global political and economic news.
Culture
A global climate of 'bad news' fatigue made people crave lighthearted, escapist content.
Company
A vast library of quirky, authentic regional stories and charismatic local personalities.
Category
Tourism ads usually rely on glossy, high - production montages of landmarks and beaches.
Strategy:
Reframe destination marketing as a positive news alternative to bypass traditional advertising fatigue and drive cultural relevance.
Customer
Young travelers felt overwhelmed by a constant stream of negative global political and economic news.
Culture
A global climate of 'bad news' fatigue made people crave lighthearted, escapist content.
Strategy:
Reframe destination marketing as a positive news alternative to bypass traditional advertising fatigue and drive cultural relevance.
Strategy Technique
Shift the Context
By reframing travel experiences as 'news,' the brand bypassed traditional tourism advertising filters and integrated directly into the social media news feeds where young people were already consuming global updates.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Borrow a Familiar Format
The campaign adopts the visual and narrative tropes of a 24 - hour news broadcast, using anchors, tickers, and field reporters to deliver lighthearted tourism content as 'breaking news.'
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
The campaign's success lies in its pitch-perfect tone and the charismatic performance of Nick Cummins, which grounds the humorous concept in authentic Australian culture.
Nick Cummins' natural charisma and comedic timing are central to the campaign's appeal and authenticity.
The script effectively uses Australian slang and humor to create a relatable and engaging narrative.
