www.insideretailing.com.au reports that an international chain of Aussie-themed stores called This Way Up should be opened to promote Australian tourism and products, according to a top creative agency.
The proposal follows Tourism Australia’s call for agencies to pitch for its next advertising contract.
Jonathan Kneebone, of The Glue Society, said his group would create a global, main-street retail chain called This Way Up to export the best of Down Under to major cities in Europe, the US and Asia.
“Imagine walking down the street and you see a shop that’s as symbolic of Australia as Ikea is of Sweden or McDonald’s is of America,” he said.
But the stores would not stock Victoria Bitter or Vegemite. “The idea is for Australia to put its best retail foot forward, so people can go in there to buy a really nice bottle of chardonnay or a specially designed bikini range by Zimmerman or lingerie by Elle Macpherson.”
“You would inspire people to say ‘I’ve bought the T-shirt, now I’m going to visit the country’.”
A Report by the Mole from www.insideretailing.com.au
