Advertising Messages and Different Techniques to Convey a Particular Message - Article Example

Name : Course Module : Tutors Name : Date : Evaluation of “There’s Nothing like Australia” Advertising Campaign 1. Introduction Advertising messages can fall in to many categories and can make use of different techniques to convey a particular message. Some advertisements campaigns promote social marketing campaigns while others may promote products, technologies, services, politics etc. It may even be intended to white was particular actions and organisations such as the “green washing” campaigns we see in the TV and press run by major environmental pollution contributors. Among such categories, the advertisements which focus upon the “place” element are meant for capitalizing on the uniqueness of a particular location. These places can be rich with natural beauty, heritage, excitement and opportunities for exploration (Volo, 2009). One such advertisement which is based on place is the new ad campaign “There’s Nothing like Australia” by Tourism Australia launched in 2010 promoting Australia as a unique and exciting tourist destination to the world. 2. Background Over 2 decades, Tourism Australia has worked diligently on the task of promoting Australia to the world and developing its status as one the most successful and desired tourist destinations. During April 2009- April 2010 annum, the country attracted 5.7 million visitors. The new ad campaign aims to highlight the diverse experiences offered by Australia as a tourist destination. The diversity is coupled with the uniqueness of the Aussie culture as depicted in the advertisement message. The main target markets of Australian tourism include the Australian domestic tourists, USA and Canada, and the Asian market which mainly include travellers from Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Korea, Indonesia, and India. The European markets being targeted include United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, Scandinavia, Switzerland and the Netherlands. In addition to these core markets, the rest of the world also brings in enthusiastic tourists who are attracted by the diverse and spectacular locations in Australia (Tourism Australia, 2010). 3. “There’s Nothing like Australia” Ad Campaign The new advertisement campaign consists of television commercial based on a song, and web based advertisements, coupled with print media. The advertisement aims to deliver the brand personality of Australia advertising strategy which highlights the unique culture of Australians as: “High spirited, down to earth, irreverent, welcoming” This is the positioning message which is being conveyed to the rest of the world as the brand personality (tourism.australia.com, 2010). As per the famous advertising guru, David Ogilvy, advertising on a tourist destination should plant a lasting and long standing image in the audience’s mind (Hildreth, 2010). Over a period of time, the Tourism Australia has developed an image of free spirited, adventuresome Aussie culture which is embodied in their destination advertisements. According to the marketers of Tourism Australia, this brand personality is derived from the brand positioning statement which goes as “The people of Australia are friendly and straight talking and open. Their sense of mateship and their no worries attitude make all visitors feel welcome. They make it easy to enjoy adventures beyond imagination. Whether it’s in Australia’s wide-open landscapes, pristine oceans or vibrant cities, a holiday in Australia is an opportunity to experience a vast yet accessible adventure playground. You don’t just visit Australia, you live it.” – Tourism Australia.com, 2010.   Here, the place is marketed, not only with the geography of the location but linked to the distinct human characteristics that the consumer will come in to contact with by visiting Australia. This makes this advertisement is an emotional driven ad campaign which taps on to the experience seeking, adventuresome souls within the target audience. The campaign also highlights the multifaceted nature of Australian tourism opportunities. The beaches, the wild life, mountain terrain etc. are all spotlighted in these advertisements. As per David Ogilvy, tantalizing photographs or locations supported by clear and comprehensive information is the key to successful destination advertising ((Hildreth, 2010). One can see from the “No Place like Australia” ad campaign that this point has been given full consideration, given the high quality, tasteful photography involved. 4. Story of Australia Narrated by the Advertisement Campaign The ad campaign is based on 7 segments of key experiences which are offered to the tourists visiting Australia. As per Tourism Australia.com, these seven experiences are what make Australia distinct and unique from the rest of the world destinations. They are quintessential. The story of Australia is narrated through these seven experiences which includes the following: a. Aboriginal Australia b. Nature in Australia c. Aussie Coastal Lifestyle d. Outback Australia e. Australian Food and Wine f. Australian Major Cities Australian Journe y4.1 Australia Aboriginal Experience This part of the advertising campaign focus on one of the most ancient living cultures of the world, the Aborigine civilization of Australia. Visitors can experience art, storytelling, dance, music and the land itself of these pioneers of the land. The depictions in the ad message show how the aboriginal seniors show ancient traditional practices to the visitors and how learning of such cultural heritage can be an informative and awe inspiring experience. 4.2 Wild, Beautiful Natural Sites Australia as a tourist destination is rich with natural beauty and has much to offer to the visitor’s appreciating such beauty. The sceneries used in the advertising campaign highlight the white beaches, red sand desert, the wilderness and clear and untouched waterways. The country is also home to a number of indigenous animals. 4.3 Aussie Coastal Lifestyle Australia’s beach and surf life is world famous. With its pristine beaches that are uncluttered and unspoilt, the nation can boast of 9 world costal heritage areas. The ad images show the fun and the carefree atmosphere in the beach combined with the place element which highlights not only the natural beauty of the location but the human warmth in the place. 4.4 Australian Outback Experience This part of the narration in the ad focus on the rough and rugged outback targeted at a component of the visitors who are attracted by such experiences. The horse back riding and cow boy style life and sprawling ranches with small communities offer a unique experience. The rugged terrain carries its own appeal in dramatic rock formations, sprawling valleys and acres of heartland. These are captured beautifully in the “No place like Australia” campaign. 4.5 Australian Cuisine Australian cuisine is another part of the Australian story being narrated by the advertisement. Richness and freshness of the Australian wine and cuisine is highlighted in the ad campaign. Wine experience of Australia is promoted as an exhilarating learning experience where visitors can travel in the wine regions, visit cellars and sample and learn of the wines. From simple fine dining to open air barbecues these appealing points are highlighted to bring the warmth, fun and enjoyment of the place in “No place like Australia” ad campaign. 4.6 Australian Major Cities Australian ad campaign also promotes the major cities of the county with its icons such as the Sydney opera house, the exiting and vibrant city night life, fashion and architecture of the country. 4.7 The Australian Journey This is the final component of the 6 prong approach taken in the “Nothing Like Australia” ad campaign where the visitors are enticed with the prospects of free roaming across this vibrant and exciting continent. The ad depicts how journeying through the land can bring you across diversity wrapped in a common Aussie free spirit and love for nature. 5 Analysis of the Ad Campaign 5.1 The Overall Advertising Message It can be said that the ad campaign cleverly combines many offers which Australia as a travel destination can offer to match the diverse needs and tastes of a wide target group. According to the David Ogilvy’s tips on destination advertising, things that are unique to the country concerned should be highlighted and not something people can do at home (Hildreth, 2010). “There’s Nothing like Australia” ad campaign cleverly bundles a host of unique experiences which is offered under the banner of the Australian experience. This helps keep the entire ad campaign from being fragmented and under one perspective. The combination of all the experiences under one positioning strategy of “Australian Experience” helps highlight how versatile the country is as a tourist destination to cater to any type of tourist. 5.2 Target Consumer Profile The target consumer profile being targeted by the campaign is highly flexible and cut across many diverse cultures. In any culture, there are people who are interested in experiencing unique experiences. This is the consumer category which Australia Tourism is pitching the ad campaign towards. The profile of this consumer group is aptly named as “experience seekers” by the marketer. This is a sizable market segment which consists of 30-50% of long haul travellers and they hold unique features such as the need for wanting authentic travel experiences, interest in taking part and living the experience instead of merely observing it (Richards & Wilson,, d.n). To such experience seekers, the experience messages of aboriginal heritage, the wine region experience, outback experience, can all be very appealing. A wide variety of experiences being offered through the “There’s Nothing like Australia” ad campaign, urging them to experience the diversity, fun, care freeness and nature.. and stay longer and spend more.. and travel widely, dispersing the benefits of inbound tourism to all regions of Australia. 5.3 Offer of Adventure and Experience. The campaign is highly effective as it realizes the new trends of adventure seeking needs of the travelers. While in the past, the tourists perceived the traveling to a destination in itself to be a sufficient ‘adventure’, there is a trend now to demand specific adventure experiences that cater to different tastes and needs of the traveler (Richards & Wilson, d.n). The outback experience, the scuba and deep sea diving under the Great Barrier Reef and journeys through Australia are all well targeted to cater to these growing trends of demanding special experiences and adventures. 6. Conclusion It can be said that the destination advertisement campaign by the Tourism Australia as “There’s Nothing Like Australia” is in fact a very effective ad campaign by even the standards set by the positioning and branding guru, Ogilvy’s benchmarking criteria. The combination of experience offers carefully bundled and imaged together to attract the experience seeker category is well executed. The response to the campaign would be the positive increase of inbound travelers to Australia and the long-term image enhancement of this location as one of the top most experience seeker paradise. Reference List “There’s No Place Like Australia” (2010) Tourism Australia. http://www.tourism.australia.com/en-au/ Hildreth, J. (2010) “Ogilvy on tourism advertising” 13 January. Adventures in places, brands and place brands. Retrieved from http://www.jeremyhildreth.com/2010/01/ogilvy-on-tourism-advertising/ Richards, G. & Wilson, J. (d.n.) Youth and adventure tourism. Retrieved from http://www.download-it.org/free_files/filePages%20from%205%20Youth%20and%20adventure%20tourism.pdf Volo, S. (2009) Conceptualizing Experience: A Tourist Based Approach. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 1936-8631, Volume 18, Issue 2, Pages 111 – 126 Read More