Tourism Australia has released a music video featuring pop star Kylie Minogue, designed to attract British television viewers down under to experience Australia’s “philausophy”. The three-minute TV advert, aired immediately before the Queen’s Christmas message on ITV, takes viewers from Sandringham House, Norfolk, to Sandringham Beach, Melbourne, before heading around Australia with a set of cameos by Australians such as Adam Hills (The Last Leg), Ash Barty (Tennis player) and Shane Warne (Australian Cricket). The music video includes a reprise of Kylie’s role as Charlene Robinson, a mechanic in the popular TV show Neighbours (1986 – 1988). The Tourism Australia Matesong campaign will continue to rum across British TV, digital platforms. social channels, cinemas and out-of-home.
Click on the image below to play the full 3-minute Tourism Australia Matesong video.
Go behind the scenes on the Matesong with Kylie Minogue.
Go behind the scenes on the Matesong video set with Andy Saunders, Kevin Kropinyeri, Sean Choolburra and Steph Tisdell from the Aboriginal Comedy Allstars and hear what they love about Australia and the Australian way of life.
Go behind the scenes on the Matesong video set with Darren Robertson (chef and co-owner, Three Blue Ducks) and Magdalena Roze (meteorologist, presenter and journalist) to hear what they love about Australia and the Australian way of life.
Go behind the scenes on the Matesong video set with Ash Barty (Australian professional tennis player), Shane Warne (former Australian cricketer) and Ian Thorpe (former Australian Olympic swimmer) and hear what they love about Australia and the Australian way of life.
Come Live our Philausophy
The Matesong music video is a continuation of the broader Philausophy campaign introduced in October. The campaign’s tagline, “Come live our Philausophy” is based on the idea that Australians embody nine unique approaches to life: mateship, balanced lifestyle, sense of adventure, story-telling, ‘no worries’ attitude, boundless optimism, the Australian flavour, generosity of spirit and love of nature.
Mateship
The UK is Australia’s third largest market for spend and fourth largest for arrivals. A quarter of British people who travel to Australia are high value travellers, who travel further, stay longer and spend more. Visitors from the UK also have a high propensity to disperse throughout regional and rural Australia and have high instances of repeat visitation.
Tourism Australia’s chief marketing officer Susan Coghill said this iteration of the Philausophy campaign is about mateship, and should hit home with the Brits.
“We’ve sought to capture the Australian way of life with a campaign delivered in a big media moment and in a creative way we think will resonate in the UK and entice more of our British mates to visit us Down Under,” she said.
“Our research supports what we in Australia all instinctively know – that the Australian way of life is unique on the world stage and incredibly appealing to people visiting our great country.”
The campaign does reference the difficulties the UK is facing, with Brexit looming and negotiating difficult trade deals, but M&C Saatchi’s chief creative officer Cam Blackley said the campaign brings lightness and brightness to the current political climate.
“The world’s a tricky place right now,” he said. “So it’s a pleasure to deliver a little lightness and brightness through an Aussie icon, extending the hand of mateship on behalf of all Australians. And a couple of quokkas. This is really special because it’s the first time ever one country has created a bespoke piece to directly talk to another country on a personal level.”
Federal tourism minister Simon Birmingham said he hoped the campaign would reignite the UK population’s desire to come to Australia.
“This campaign is about reminding Brits that Australia is a diverse and welcoming destination that still offers all the things that they love about our country, from our white sandy beaches to our native animals and our famous laidback outdoor lifestyle.”
Tourism Australia Matesong Campaign Credits
The Matesong campaign was developed at M&C Saatchi Sydney by chief creative officer Cam Blackley, executive creative directors Mandie van der Merwe and Avish Gordhan, senior copywriters Curt MacDonald and Chris Brailey, senior art director Rosita Rawnsley-Mason, copywriter Rubini Gun, art director Matt Corcoran, songwriter Eddie Perfect, group managing partner Russell Hopson, group head Emma McJury, senior account director Nikki Chapman, account director James Steer, head of broadcast Loren August, lead print producer Greg Hyslop, chief strategy officer Justin Graham, head of strategy Rachael Fraser, senior strategy director Nick Jacobs, design directors Simone Cherry and James Jamias, designer Matt Harrington, finish artists Ian Hartigan and Holly Jones, retouchers Nicko Mueller and Richard Hughes, with M&C Saatchi London creatives Matt Collier and Wayne Robinson, head of strategy Steve Parker, account director Evan O’Driscoll and senior account manager Samantha Lane.
Filming was produced at Revolver, Will O’Rourke and Somesuch & Co. Editing was done at Trim. Grade was done at Framestore. Online visual effects were produced at Fin Design & Effects. Sound and music were produced at Soundtree. Still photography was by Nicole Bentley.
Media was handled at UM (Global)by senior strategy director Jack Graham, senior client director Ashleigh Markou, senior digital partnerships manager Anthony Thomas, digital partnerships manager Anthony Thomas, digital director Sarina Ballauff, and Sydney general manager Sophie Bingham, and UM (UK) by client director Neil Peace, comms director Charlotte Netherwood, performance director Allison McMordie, comms managers Deborah Deborah Widdick and Isabelle Locke, broadcast director Zoe Sylvester, strategy director Lauren Raymond and comms executive Savarna Burrows.
Digital work was done at Digitas by head of production Lizzie Strobel, client partner Oli Cassidy, creative director Simon Brock, account manager Rachel Malone, account director Max Cahill, design lead Oliver Ree, creative Nick Duron, designer Julia Correa, senior AEM developers Rupesh Kumar and Umang Mittal.
Work at Stack Chat was by CEO Marcus Robinson, CTO Mark Szumowski, and senior developments engineer Sam Banks.
Public relations were handled at Hope & Glory (UK) by managing partner Jo Carr, creative director Gavin Lewis, associate directors Natalie Davies and Nicola Burton, account director Joccoaa Hand, senior account executives Dani Hayhurst and Lisa Barlow, account executive Agatha Hyatt, and account assistant Stephanie Talbot.
Communications work was done at OPR by chief strategy officer Kaz Scott, chief creative officer Bridjet Jung, associate director Luke McClelland, account director Ellee Donald, strategy and planning manager Laura Stoll, chief digital officer Daniel Young, senior digital strategist John Harding-Easson, senior account manager Zoe O’Sullivan and senior account executive Madison Scott.
Tourism Australia’s team included Brand Campaigns & Media managing director Phillipa Harrison, chief marketing officer Susan Coghill, general manager Michaela Chan, global campaigns manager (West) Ashleigh Sorensen, campaigns executive (Western Markets) Laura Rankine, global manager Alex Lowes, marketing media manager Rochelle Vinson, studio manager Andrew Still, campaign executive Stephanie Denman, PR, Social & Content general manager Anita Godbeer, PR global manager Emma Sturgiss, advocacy global manager Nicole Foster, broadcast & event partnerships manager Minta Burn, publicist Lauren Caverley, social media global manager Nick Henderson, social media producer Novy Wong, content global manager Joleen Booth, communications and government general manager Leo Seaton, PR affairs manager Kim Moore, senior corporate communications manager Hayley Taylor, and consumer marketing graduate Georgie Johnson, digital strategy general manager Paul Bailey, Digital, Mobile & UX global manager Larissa Nery, chief information officer Shaune Rosser, marketing technology manager Manjit Gill, global digital production manager Rachel Bernauer, UK regional general manager Sally Cope, UK marketing manager Kirsten Webber, UK PR manager Stuart Fyfe, UK partnerships and distribution manager Pete Mills, UK senior PR executive Kate Hodges, UK marketing executive David Olding, digital marketing executive nick Musson, business development manager Benjamin Taprell, digital coordinator (Aussie Specialist Trainer Alison Lee.
Matesong Appearances
Kylie Minogue was joined by Australian comedian, radio and television presenter Adam Hills, Aboriginal Comedy AllStars comedians Andy Saunders, Kevin Kropinyeri and Sean Choolburra, Australian professional tennis player Ash Barty, Three Blue Ducks chef and co-owner Darren Robertson, Three Blue Ducks co-owner Jeff Bennett, former Australian Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe, Australian models Jordan and Zac Stenmark, meteorologist, presenter and journalist Magdalena Roze, Mutitjulu Community indigenous elders Reggie and Cassidy Uluru, and media personality and former Australian cricketer Shane Warne.
Matesong Locations
Locations in the video are Broken Head Beach, Byron Bay, NSW, Cape Byron Lighthouse, Byron Bay, NSW, Coorabell House, Byron Hinterland, NSW, Fingal Head, Tweed, NSW, Northern Hotel, Byron Bay, NSW, Three Blue Ducks, The Farm, Byron Bay, NSW, Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, China Heights Gallery, Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW, North Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club, Sydney, NSW, Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Shark Park, Cronulla, Sydney, NSW, Cronulla Beach, Sydney, NSW, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, NSW, Taronga Zoo, Sydney, NSW, Wylie’s Baths, Sydney, NSW, Field of Light, Uluru-Kata, Tjuta National Park, NT, Kuniya Walk, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, NT, Catseye Beach, Hamilton Island, Whitsundays, QLD, Heart Reef, Whitsundays, QLD, Black Rock Yacht Club, Melbourne, VIC, Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC, Melbourne and Olympic Parks, Melbourne, VIC, Sandringham Beach, Melbourne, VIC, Optus Stadium, Perth, WA, and Rottnest Island, WA.
Matesong Lyrics
This year’s been tough and confusing
But progress is moving…
At glacial pace
But all of Australia loves you
And we’ll never judge you
You just need some space
When you need an end to what ails ya
Call on your friends in Australia
A pal to rely on
A shoulder to cry on
In Australia.
We can turn off the news
You can kick off your shoes
We’ll play backyard cricket
Get ready to lose
So throw in the towel
You can use one of ours
We speak your language
Except for the vowels.
Yes we know you love your fish n’ chips and your curries
But hey, that’s no worries
Good grub’s guaranteed
Negotiating tricky trade deals is a shocker
But look there’s a quokka!
And that’s what you need
A quokka is literally what you need!
Glorious United Kingdom
Lean on your wingmen and women
We’ll clear your head
Have a sausage in bread
We’ll go to the beach
Then we’ll tuck you in bed.
Don’t bite your nails to the cuticles
Hang with impressive marsupials
Helping a mate
Is a national trait
In Australia!
Yes, when everything’s a test
Call your besties across the ocean
Sisters and Brothers
We know you think you’re above us
But deep down you love us
You just repress emotion.
But we’ll put you right
Have another flat white!
Go grab your cosies
You’re Aussies tonight!
Calling all Poms
Keep Calm Carry On
In Austra—-li—-a!
Austra—li—a!
See ya soon then, yeah?