Where the bloody hell are you?

Australia’s all abuzz with the slight controversy over Tourism Australia’s latest marketing campaign, “Where The Bloody Hell Are You?”. A television commercial features ten scenes in which Australians explain to potential overseas tourists that we’re all set up for them to come. Thinking we’re a great country to visit is not enough. These people need to book their flights and get on down under.

The controversy, of course, is the use of the Strine vernacular phrase “Where the Bloody Hell Are You?” John Howard’s gone on record saying that this phrase is an acceptable part of Aussie lingo. There are other words that we shouldn’t be saying.

And then there’s the controversy over which scenes have been included in the TV spot. In today’s Gold Coast Bulletin there’s an element of pique at the omission of our beautiful destination in the promotion. The closest we got was the Great Barrier Reef which is 24 hours drive away.

I’ve written up the television commercial at Duncan’s TV Ad land, including where to see the spot online.

Where the bloody hell are you

5 Replies to “Where the bloody hell are you?”

  1. tourism’s a funny thing

    i love people coming to visit melbourne, i think it’s a very very cool place, but not really for those who love looking at things, more for those who love being somewhere…

    it was nice to have you here last week. we should talk more often.

  2. I like the difference between people wanting to look at things and people who love being somewhere.

    i often think im a crap traveller, perhaps its because id prefer being somewhere than seeing things

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