New Brisbane tourism advert labelled “sleazy, cheap and nasty”
By ANIMonday, January 18, 2010
MELBOURNE - Brisbane’s new tourism drive aimed at attracting female tourists has been dubbed “sleazy, cheap and nasty”.
According to the Courier Mail, Tourism Queensland’s 600,000-dollar six-month print and online campaign, is slated to kick off on January 31 and seeks to establish Brisbane as Australia’s capital for girls’ weekend holidays.
However, the catchphrase, “Brisbane. What are you up for?” is an expression often used colloquially as a sexual advance.
And some like Splash Consulting Group managing director Amanda Stevens, say the ‘What are you up for?’ tagline is “sleazy, cheap and nasty”.
“It is something some drunk bogan would say to someone at a pub,” News.com.au quoted Stevens as saying.
“I give them 9/10 for strategy, 1/10 for execution.”
QUT cultural studies expert, Professor Axel Bruns, believes the slogan is “risky”.
He said: “Its interpretation could go either way.”
However, Tourism Minister Peter Lawlor defended the slogan saying the idea was “to highlight the adventures and experiences Brisbane offers to women”. (ANI)