“Selling Australia”
In browsing the SMH website last night, I found that Terri Irwin has been appointed as Australia’s “tourism ambassador”. I was a bit skeptical of this decision at first, but I think it’s actually a pretty good idea. Even though she isn’t a hot 18-year-old model (Lara Bingle, as seen in the “Where the bloody hell are you?” Australia commercials) or a cute 8-year-old kid (her daughter, Bindi, was rumored to be replacing Bingle), I think she’ll work. Plus, Bindi really didn’t need to be appointed to a position like that at the age of 8 years old. People claim she is overworked and shouldn’t be doing such a heavy press tour of America so soon after her father’s death (even though she had planned to take this trip with her father), but she has been in front of the cameras from the minute she was born, and that’s where she is most comfortable. Yes, it’s a bit disconcerting that she has always seemed so composed even though her beloved father just died, but I think Terri is the one that can judge what is best for her own daughter. When I went to Australia Zoo in early 2005, they were selling Bindi t-shirts and action figures, so it’s not like it’s something new that she’s been thrust into since her father’s death. However, I didn’t think it was a good idea to put it on her to sell Australia. That is not something she was doing before her dad died and put a lot more spotlight on her than is good for her–unless people want her to turn into another Mary-Kate Olsen or something like that.
Even though I find it funny that Terri is American and has been chosen to represent Australia, it’s a good choice. As the article says, she came to Australia first as a tourist, then “met a hunky bloke” and moved there. Even though she doesn’t have the fun accent that Americans love (as noted when my boyfriend, James, came over last year and was promptly asked to say words like “dingo”), she first saw the country through the eyes of an American abroad and can market it in that way. It doesn’t hurt that Americans loved her husband like Crocodile Dundee either.
Unfortunately, I can’t see her saying a “bad” word like “bloody,” which got the last campaign a lot of coverage when Britain banned and then unbanned the commercial. But, she’ll be able to pull out a koala or wombat and make the collective masses go “awwwwww….” instead. God knows that’s the first thing everyone asked me when I came home–”Did you hold a koala? Did you see kangaroos? Did you get bitten by anything poisonous?” Throw in any of the beautiful scenery that Australia is awash in and she’ll be all set.
Tags: Australia, Tag Index