“Old Mate” from controversial SA tourism advertisement is back
Last month, an advertisement by the South Australian Tourism Committee made quite a few people upset.
The ad, which showed an old man called “Dave” shedding tears of regret at not travelling to Adelaide with his loved ones sooner.
The advertisement was called “appalling”, “depressing” and “shocking”.
However, the campaign is getting results for the South Australian Tourism committee, as it has reached 10.59 million Australians.
Rodney Harrex, SATC chief executive, is thrilled with the results.
“When interstate people experience Adelaide, they become ambassadors for the state. Like a new band or TV show, they feel like they’re the first to discover it and so take a sense of pride in promoting it to their friends,” Mr Harrex told news.com.au.
“This is where Old Mate’s Mates leaps off. He has gone back to Sydney, told his mates about his overwhelming experience, and guess what? They’ve never been to Adelaide either.
“This sequel also provides us with the opportunity to show more of what Adelaide and South Australia has to offer, with experiences such as the d’Arenberg Cube, Sellicks Beach, Adelaide’s city laneways, urban beaches and, of course, South Australians themselves being featured.
“Old Mate really enjoys showing off Adelaide to his mates. But the lesson lives on. Now it is his mates who have the regret of not having come to Adelaide sooner, but they are consoled by seeing Old Mate revelling in his new favourite city.”