Jimmy Barnes Tourism Australia Commercial

In the early 1990s, Tourism Australia launched a new tourism campaign aimed at the New Zealand market. This 60-second commercial from the campaign used the Jimmy Barnes hit 'Lay Down Your Guns' interspersed with iconic shots of Australian cities and recreation. 

There is an art to getting the message of Australian tourism ads right and this ad pitches effectively to young New Zealanders intent on an exciting adventure overseas. The montage of images with its relentless jump cuts and fast zooms barely gives you time to process what you are seeing before you are visually assaulted by another set of images.

The advertisement aims to show Australia as a destination for high-octane excitement, sport and entertainment and it certainly achieves this. Gone are the usual tropes of koala-cuddling and slow lazy days on endless beaches. The driving beat and energy of Barnes' song makes it a good match for the visuals. The lyrics about a fighting couple are less appropriate, unless taken to mean surrendering to the beauty of Australia or the relentless visuals in the ad.