New $10m SA tourism campaign aims to highlight the state’s ‘simple pleasures’ ahead of Gather Round

The new ad campaign aims to capitalise on interstate visitors during Gather Round to boost SA’s tourism economy.

SA artist James Brown's works are part of the campaign. Picture: Diana Brandt

South Australia’s “simple pleasures”, including local art and culture, will be celebrated in a new tourism campaign set to launch ahead of Gather Round.

The $9.7m campaign, called ‘Simple Pleasures’, will be displayed across television and physical advertising from Monday and will highlight South Australian artists, musicians and chefs.

Developed by SA agency Frame Creative, its aim is to grow the state’s appeal and visitor economy by positioning it as a sanctuary for those who seek to relax, unwind and seek a unique adventure.

South Australian artist James Brown, who created artwork for the campaign, said it was about “finding meaning in the small and simple”.

Artwork by SA visual artist James Brown for the new ‘Simple Pleasures’ tourism campaign. Picture: Supplied

Artwork by SA visual artist James Brown for the new ‘Simple Pleasures’ tourism campaign. Picture: Supplied

His works ‘Mambray to Ikara’ and ‘Footy Park’, “are rooted in memory, place and a nostalgia nugget that feels distinctly South Australian”, he said.

“We stitch meaning into places without even realising,” Mr Brown said.

“To me, creativity is about honouring the everyday – the fire you sit around, the field you play on, the socks you forget to match.”

The state’s hospitality sector will also be a theme, with the first television advertisements highlighting “the simple pleasure of a long, long lunch”, “the simple pleasure of pips to plate” and “harvest eyes”.

South Australian Tourism Commission chief executive Emma Terry said due to the competitiveness of the tourism industry, the campaign decided “to tell that story in a distinctly South Australian way”.

The campaign is timed to coincide with, and be integrated into, AFL Gather Round, when interstate footy fans will flood SA.

With two matches to take place in the Barossa Valley, the area will form a prominent part of the campaign.

Premier Peter Malinauskas said: “South Australia has so much to offer and I’m thrilled that we are now about to tell our story in a way that feels authentic and true to who we are”.

Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison said the campaign was “a defining moment for our state”.

The campaign will first appear across print and outdoor advertising in domestic markets including Victoria, NSW and Queensland before it is rolled out overseas in areas such as New Zealand, China, the UK and North America from mid-2025.

Originally published as New $10m SA tourism campaign aims to highlight the state’s ‘simple pleasures’ ahead of Gather Round