Baz Luhrmann – director of the globally successful ‘Moulin Rouge’ and Romeo and Juliet’ – is to produce a special international advertising campaign for Tourism Australia.
It marks the first time the acclaimed Australian has worked with a national tourism organisation and will coincide with the worldwide marketing and release of Luhrmann’s major motion picture ‘Australia’.
The advertisements will reflect the key themes of the movie - starring Nicole Kidman (pictured) and Hugh Jackman – but will not actually mention the film, acting as a stand-alone brand campaign for Australia.
The campaign will run from October 2008 in 22 of Tourism Australia’s international markets with two advertisements - one for eastern markets and one for western markets.
It’s hoped that the one-off project will provide Australia with its most powerful marketing push in decades.
Australia’s AU$85 billion (£41 billion) tourism industry is, like many countries, experiencing slower growth because of rising oil prices and tightening economic conditions around the world.
Tourism Australia’s Executive General Manager of Marketing, Nick Baker, said, “We remain one of the world’s most desired tourist destinations, but converting that desire into reality is becoming harder than ever for many travellers.
“The need to create urgency and fashionability around a country’s ‘brand’ is stronger than ever and even Australia, which has long enjoyed an exceptionally high brand reputation, needs to keep its marketing fresh and compelling.
He added, “There is no better way to do that than to secure the help of one of the most creative and innovative talents, Baz Luhrmann, his creative partner Catherine Martin and the entire Bazmark team.
“The themes of romance and adventure, coupled with the power of the Australian land and people to transform, will resonate in the tourism campaign, as it does in the film.”
The campaign will run in cinemas, on television and online. Print executions will be developed by Tourism Australia’s creative agency DDB Worldwide, in consultation with Mr Luhrmann’s production company Bazmark Inq.
See the official trailer for 'Australia' by clicking the video link below.