The Dundee campaign has reached more than nine billion people so far, Tourism Australia says
Tourism Australia has completed a triumvirate of Hemsworths with the launch of the next phase of its $36 million Dundee campaign.
Tourism Australia’s first instalment was a trailer for a new Dundee sequel featuring celebrities, Chris and Liam Hemsworth, among others, shown during the Superbowl in the US in February to over 100 million American TV viewers. Since its launch, the Dundee campaign has reached more than nine billion people and has generated nearly 14,500 news articles with an equivalent advertising value of over $85 million.
This just-launched second phase of activity, Visit the Set of Dundee: Son of a Legend, builds on the momentum of the Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home campaign.
The new instalment stars actor, Luke Hemsworth, and takes US travellers on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Dundee movie backlot, inviting Americans to book a trip Down Under and visit the ‘set’ of the movie.
Tourism Australia also ramped up awareness of its ‘An Australian Adventure’ campaign through a new partnership using Expedia’s technology platform in April.
“The Dundee campaign was the start of a bigger push for us into the US market over a few years. The intent of that campaign was obviously to get our high value travellers in the US market to plan and book a trip to Australia,” Tourism Australia CMO Lisa Ronson told CMO.
The new $8 million creative offers a tongue in cheek spin on the campaign with Luke, the ‘original’ Hemsworth and older brother to Chris and Liam, taking Americans on a backlot tour of Australia which is portrayed as a giant set, purpose built for the Dundee movie.
Australia’s Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Simon Birmingham, said this next phase of Tourism Australia’s award-winning campaign would ensure that Australia remains front of mind for US travellers.
“The US is one of Australia’s largest and most valuable tourism markets with over 780,000 American visitors spending $3.8 billion per year in Australia,” Minister Birmingham said.
“While Americans love Australia the challenge for us is to convert interest into action and get potential visitors on a plane headed down under.
“With the traditional summer booking season just around the corner, coupled with a favourable exchange rate, increased aviation capacity and attractive airfares, now is the perfect time for this next phase of activity in the US.”
Tourism Australia managing director, John O’Sullivan, said continued focus on the US was part of the agency’s renewed marketing approach of fewer, bigger, bolder and more impactful campaigns.
“The Dundee campaign has already been well received by the tourism industry and our partners in market, so it is crucial that we maintain the momentum it generated and continue to capture the attention of high value American travellers,” he said.
“This next chapter gives a fun, new take on the narrative by going behind the scenes of Dundee to share a richer and deeper showcase of the experiences that can be enjoyed in Australia.”
The second phase of the Dundee campaign features destinations from each of Australia’s States and Territories, and is supported by Qantas, Expedia, state and territory marketing organisations, and nine key distribution partners in the US market.
Activity will run from October to December to coincide with the peak travel booking season for the US market and is earmarked for roll out in additional international markets including the UK.
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