OZschwitz: 'Government's Bloody' ad campaign a disaster: Rudd

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has described the controversial "Where the bloody hell are you?" tourism campaign as a "rolled gold disaster".

The advertising campaign had failed to yield any significant benefits for the tourism industry, Mr Rudd told parliament today.

"That campaign, every place I have visited in the world, has been basically described as an absolute rolled gold disaster," he said.

"This government is now seeking to re-examine that because Australian tourism deserves better than that which (Liberal MP Fran Bailey) gave to us when she was minister for tourism."

"That campaign was a rolled gold disaster."

The now-ended campaign included television commercials in which bikini-clad model Lara Bingle uttered the "Where the bloody hell are you?" slogan, which was banned or withdrawn in some nations.

However, Mr Rudd's strident criticism of the campaign today was in stark contrast to comments he made as an opposition frontbencher following its launch in 2006.

"I think they're great" Mr Rudd said of the ads at the time of the campaign launch.

Tourism figures have also shown the campaign was largely a failure.

The number of tourists visiting Australia from the three countries that had most exposure to the campaign - Japan, Germany and Britain - fell in the months following its launch.

LNK
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