Australia: Iconic land down under

The nation ‘down under’ has one of the world’s most recognisable nation brands. Australia has used its many unique assets to develop a strong, positive image full of bold cultural references. Australia performs consistently well on a range of nation brand indices, recently scoring 15th place on the Good Country Index, 9th on the Anholt-Roper Nation Brands Index, and 7th on the Bloom Consulting Country Brand Ranking Tourism Edition.

The nation ‘down under’ has one of the world’s most recognisable nation brands. Australia has used its many unique assets to develop a strong, positive image full of bold cultural references. Australia performs consistently well on a range of nation brand indices, recently scoring 15th place on the Good Country Index, 9th on the Anholt-Roper Nation Brands Index, and 7th on the Bloom Consulting Country Brand Ranking Tourism Edition.
Life in Australia has its risks, but that adds to its appeal. The country has a wide range of deadly snakes and spiders, plus unique creatures such as the kangaroo, wombat and koala. Australia also boasts impressive natural assets such as Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef. As far as man-made assets go, the stunning Sydney Opera House has become an indelible symbol of Australia. Ask anyone what they associate with Australia and some of these images are bound to get a mention.
So how exactly has Australia developed such an iconic brand? The country has made great efforts to promote itself through tourism. For example, a recent Instagram campaign by Tourism Australia encouraged local residents to act as brand ambassadors for the country. This approach isn’t new. Australia has been promoting itself as a great tourist destination for many years, with its far-flung location providing an extra air of adventure to the idea of ‘going down under.’
Australia is synonymous with the outdoor, adventurous ‘bush’ lifestyle. Figures both from real-life (Steve Irwin) and fiction (Crocodile Dundee) have helped cement the popular image of the Aussie way of life. In particular, back in the early 1980s, the ‘Shrimp on the Barbie’ TV advertising campaign, fronted by Crocodile Dundee actor Paul Hogan, helped kick-start Australia’s nation branding journey and boost perceptions of the country among American audiences.
Bill Baker, director of Total Destination Marketing, who managed the Australian campaign for seven years, said: “For many Americans [the ad] is still top of mind when you mention Australia.”