Britain's ban on the word "bloody" in Australia's new tourism campaign shows the nation is "slightly humourless", federal Health Minister Tony Abbott says.
Britain's Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre has objected to Tourism Australia's $180 million campaign, which features the tag line: "So where the bloody hell are you?".
Mr Abbott said he thought the British should have a laugh.
"I think it is slightly humourless on the part of the poms," he told reporters in Sydney.
"Nevertheless, I can understand how some people of a more fastidious disposition possibly would like a different slogan."
Asked of he liked it personally, Mr Abbott replied: "I am not in the business of advertising".
He said the furore surrounding the campaign made him think of former Prime Minister Billy Hughes' efforts to explain democracy to a group of shearers.
"He was trying to say that democracy is one man, one vote, and the shearers were scratching their heads," Mr Abbott said.
"Eventually Billy exploded with rage and said 'look, look, one bloody man, one bloody vote ... and the shearers said 'why didn't you say in the first place'."
Britain's ban on the word "bloody" in Australia's new tourism campaign will help generate even more publicity, Tourism Minister Fran Bailey says.
Tourism Australia will benefit from controversy surrounding Britain's move, Ms Bailey said.
Ms Bailey said the controversy was actually good publicity for Australia.
"We're getting a great result," she told the Nine Network.
"The ad was meant to cut through. You'd have to say that it's cutting through.
"Now, thanks to the regulator, everyone is hearing about it.
"We were very surprised at the reaction of the regulator and I just think whoever this person is just doesn't have a sense of humour."
The ads were launched two weeks ago and feature natural Australian attractions such as beaches, the Great Barrier Reef, the outback, Sydney Harbour and Uluru.
The ad ends with a girl dressed in a bikini saying "we've saved you a spot on the beach" before posing the colourful question.
Ms Bailey said up to 30,000 people in Britain had downloaded the uncut version of the ad - and that was before the launch of the campaign.
"We tested the ads in all of our markets and it came back of course that the Brits loved it," she said.
"The crazy thing about this is as well is that it can be shown in all the cinemas, online and in all the print media.
"So it will go ahead in the uncut version in all of those."
https://au.news.yahoo.com/060224/2/y0vi.html
Mar 10, 2006 @ 03:19:17
