Australia Wants to Know “Where the Bloody Hell Are You?”

Australia’s Tourism Minister Fran Bailey is going to launch a new ad campaign in the next few weeks that has upset some of Australia’s more genteel citizens. “Put another shrimp on the barbie” is gone, to be replaced by “Where the bloody hell are you?” Actually, it’s rather appealing.

The A$180 million campaign (US$133 million) centers around an ad which has average Australians saying things like, “We’ve poured you a beer,” “we’ve shampooed the camel,” “we’ve got the ‘roos off the green,” “we’ve got the sharks out of the pool,” and “we’ve saved you a spot on the beach.” And then the question from a bikini clad young lady is “So, where the bloody hell are you?” One can see it on www.wherethebloodyhellareyou.com (not an address one is likely to forget).

The kerfuffle, such as it is, concerns the mild oath “bloody,” which comes as a shock to most Americans who don’t even recognize it as a naughty word. However, it is technically blasphemy as it invokes the “Blood of Christ.” Precious few who speak Commonwealth English get too upset over its use, rather like the word “hell” really. Still, there are always a few eager to show off their delicate sensibilities by fussing about such things.

After watching the ad, though, it is about as effective as can be in showcasing the “typical” touristy things in Australia (although damn few would think of camels). And in competition with places like Mexico, the Caribbean and Hawaii, Australia needs to do something a bit extra to get Americans to fly the extra day (or however long it takes). And what Australia has is . . . Australia.

Part of what sells is the Australian national character. Minister Bailey says “we’re plain-speaking, we’re friendly.” As for “bloody hell,” she stated, “It’s using the vernacular.” Imagine an ad for America’s South that doesn’t have “y’all” in it, or one for Hawaii in which someone doesn’t say “Aloha.” Maybe “bloody hell” isn’t as posh as some would like, but it fits. One of the most appealing things about Australians whom one meets all over the world is they are generally comfortable about their country. Bloody right.

The Danish flag appears here as a protest against the violence being done to the free press of that country and elsewhere by those offended by some cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed, peace be unto him. A perceived insult is not an excuse for intimidation and violence, even in the name of the Creator. One cannot insult God, only small-minded men who falsely claim to speak for Him. © Copyright 2006 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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