Star-Studded “Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home” Revealed to Be Elaborate Tourism Commercial for Australia
During the US Super Bowl game on Sunday, viewers learned that the much talked about sequel of a 1980s movie, “Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home“, is not a sequel at all. It is actually an elaborate, star studded advertising campaign aimed at attracting more travellers to visit Australia.
Tourism Australia, the government agency responsible for attracting international visitors to Australia, has revealed it is behind the major US marketing campaign.
Over the past two weeks, excitement for the new Crocodile Dundee movie has been steadily building. Imitating a traditional studio promotional campaign—using PR, social, digital, OOH and the release of four teaser films—anticipation for the new film was widely reported in People, Buzzfeed, Daily Mail, Good Morning America, and the Hollywood Reporter, among others.
Starring Danny McBride and Chris Hemsworth, with a cameo from Paul “Crocodile Dundee” Hogan himself, the 60 second commercial that aired during the second quarter of the game revealed the joke to viewers.
What begins as a typical movie trailer slowly and comically unravels, becoming a flagrant excuse to highlight Australia’s dazzling locations and fine array of food and wine.
The all-Australian supporting cast has an impressive roll call of Hollywood heavyweights and homegrown talent, including Hugh Jackman, Margot Robbie, Russell Crowe, Ruby Rose, Liam Hemsworth, Isla Fisher, Luke Bracey and Jessica Mauboy.
The teasers led viewers to believe that Mick “Crocodile” Dundee was lost in the outback, and only the American son no one knew he had would be able to find him. Cue Brian Dundee returning to the Australian outback to find his father. The teaser films and promotional campaign encouraged fans to tune in to see the “official movie trailer” during the game, where the Tourism Australia campaign was ultimately revealed.
Part of its global “There’s Nothing Like Australia” masterbrand campaign, “Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home” represents the biggest campaign Tourism Australia has run in the US since Paul Hogan’s “Come and Say G’Day” campaign in 1984—as well as the largest investment ever made by Australia into a single overseas tourism market.
The new US $27 million/£19.4 million campaign is aimed at supercharging interest, bookings and spending by American travellers, with the goal of making Australia the most desired destination to visit among US travellers by 2020.
The campaign is also supported by Qantas and Wine Australia.
