Now the Aussie PM slams “Bloody†tourism campaign
CANBERRA – Aussie Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has described the controversial “Where the bloody hell are you?” tourism campaign as a “rolled gold disaster”.
The advertising campaign had failed to yield any significant benefits for the tourism industry, the PM told parliament .
“That campaign, every place I have visited in the world, has been basically described as an absolute rolled gold disaster,” he said.
“This government is now seeking to re-examine that because Australian tourism deserves better than that which (Liberal MP Fran Bailey) gave to us when she was minister for tourism.
“That campaign was a rolled gold disaster.”
The soon-to-be replaced campaign included television commercials in which bikini-clad model Lara Bingle uttered the
“Where the bloody hell are you?” slogan, which was banned or withdrawn in some nations.
AAP reported that Rudd’s strident criticism of the campaign was in stark contrast to comments he made as an opposition frontbencher following its launch in 2006.
“I think they’re great,” he said of the ads in a television appearance.
Tourism figures have also shown the campaign was largely a failure with visitor numbers to Australia remaining stagnant.
Tourism Australia is launching a new campaign to coincide with the release of the movie blockbuster, “Australia†later this year.
Ian
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