Tourism Australia’s new ad campaign launches with Ruby the kangaroo, Men at Work song reprisal

Actors Rose Byrne and Will Arnett have revealed more details about Australia’s new tourism ad and how they got the call up.

Australia’s new ad campaign to lure tourists back down under has leapt into life in New York.

The red carpet launch for the $125m “Come and Say G’Day” campaign was headlined by Australian actor Rose Byrne, who voices the computer-generated kangaroo named Ruby who has replaced Paul Hogan, Lara Bingle and Chris Hemsworth as our new ambassador.

In an eight-minute short film by The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey, Ruby was introduced to the world as a souvenir toy who breaks free to explore Australia with her sidekick Louie, a toy unicorn voiced by Canadian actor Will Arnett.

“It was a strange sensation to get a call asking if I’d play a tiny unicorn in a film about how beautiful Australia is – and obviously my agent said yes,” Arnett said.

Laura Brown and Brandon Borror-Chappell attend the Tourism Australia “Come and Say G'day: launch event in New York. Picture: Getty Images.

Dan Churchill attends the launch of “Come and Say G’day”, Tourism Australia’s new tourism campaign. Picture: Getty Images

Byrne said she embraced Ruby’s joyful demeanour, which Tourism Australia hopes will cut through overseas in a competitive tourism market recovering from the pandemic.

“It was fun to see Australia through somebody who’s never seen Australia, which is sort of the idea, having that curiosity and looking at it with fresh eyes,” the Bridesmaids star said.

Rose Byrne attends the Tourism Australia “Come and Say G'day” launch. Picture: Getty Images

Will Arnett and Rose Byrne voiced the characters of Australia’s new tourism ad campaign, which launched in New York. Picture: Getty Images

Arnett agreed, saying he was honoured to work with Byrne who brought the character to life.

“Ruby is so optimistic and so upbeat, and Louie is kind of BS-ing his way through,” he said.

Launch events were also held in Paris, London, Singapore, Munich and Tokyo to kickstart what is Tourism Australia’s first global campaign since 2016.

King Stingray performs onstage at the Tourism Australia launch of its new ad campaign “Come and Say G'day” New York City. Picture: Getty Images

Managing director Phillipa Harrison said the “Come and Say G’Day” slogan – made famous by Hogan in 1984 – was “still as relevant today as it was 38 years ago”, with research finding that it was “the warm Aussie welcome that really made the difference” for foreign arrivals.

The ad is backed by a new version of Men at Work’s Down Under by Yolŋu surf rockers King Stingray, who performed at the New York event as the crowd enjoyed celebrity chef Curtis Stone’s take on Australian classics including meat pies and lamingtons.

Curtis Stone and Lindsay Price attend the Tourism Australia “Come and Say G'day” launch event in New York. Picture: Getty Images

Stone, who is based in Los Angeles, said Americans were primed to travel again after the pandemic and that Australia was “on everyone’s bucket list”.

“It’s been a minute since we’ve been able to talk about who we are and where we come from and why you should come and visit us, and this is a really fun and engaging way to do it,” he said.

Ruby will also be hopping into action next month with Qantas, Tourism Australia’s airline partner for the campaign.

MEN AT WORK’S ROLE IN NEW AUSSIE TOURISM AD

Australia is going back to the future in a patriotic bid to bring tourists back to our shores.

A modern take on Men at Work’s “Down Under” is the soundtrack to Tourism Australia’s new global ad campaign, which also reprises the “Come and Say G’Day” line first used in 1984.

But instead of relying on Paul Hogan, Lara Bingle or Chris Hemsworth, Australia will now be sold to the world by Ruby, a computer-generated kangaroo which tourism chiefs hope will jump-start the battered industry.

The ad campaign will be unveiled on Wednesday ahead of a red carpet launch in New York headlined by celebrities including Australian actor Rose Byrne, the voice of Ruby, as well as Yolŋu surf rockers King Stingray performing their version of Down Under.

Australia will now be sold to the world by Ruby, a computer-generated kangaroo which tourism chiefs hope will jump-start the battered industry. Picture: Supplied

The event will also see the premiere of a short film called “G’Day”, by “The Greatest Showman” director Michael Gracey, which sets up Ruby as a long-term ambassador for Australia.

After three years wrecked by fires, floods and the pandemic, Tourism Australia boss Phillipa Harrison said the campaign was “deliberately light and joyful” in what remained an uncertain time.

“We want to remind the world that Australia is the antidote to all that,” she said.

Tourism Australia’s new “Come and say G’Day” campaign features kangaroo Ruby, voiced by Rose Byrne. Picture: Supplied

In the ad, Ruby hops across the country with toy unicorn Louie, voiced by “Arrested Development” star Will Arnett.

They visit the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne’s Degraves Street, the Great Barrier Reef, Canberra, Perth’s Cottesloe Beach, Uluru, Kangaroo Island and Tasmania’s Freycinet National Park.

Ms Harrison said market research backed the computer-generated roo to send an “unmistakably Australian” message to travellers, while Tourism Minister Don Farrell said it was “an iconic Australian welcome”.

“The use of some of the most recognisable and stunning scenery will remind the world why Australia is the best place to take a holiday,” he said.

Tourism Australia is launching a new global ad campaign to bring overseas tourists back down under. Come and Say G'Day announcement in Tokyo, Japan. Picture: Supplied

The campaign will target 15 key markets representing 80 per cent of inbound business to Australia, although China will not initially be included given its ongoing Covid restrictions.

Ms Harrison said inbound travel was back to about 60 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, dominated mostly by overseas arrivals wanting to see family and friends in Australia, and that the campaign was designed to capitalise on travellers who were ready to fly again.

“It’s really important we do get people back to Australia … We’re the number one service export, inbound tourism, and responsible for one in 13 Australia jobs,” she said.

“At the moment, the flights to Australia are full, and there are some structural issues as the industry rebuilds. But we are looking at not only now, but into the future.”

Originally published as Tourism Australia’s new ad campaign launches with Ruby the kangaroo, Men at Work song reprisal