As part of the 'culture jamming' theme that we have been exploring recently, a group of fellow would-be jammers and I have been wracking our brains for a good jam that will get noticed by mainstream audiences... and preferably not result in jail time!
Early discussions included Meter Maids, the Q1, and various other Gold Coast icons which are not, in fact, strictly Australian in terms of ownership, design, or culture . From these discussions we decided that as Gold Coast citizens, we are not completely satisfied with the 'prostitution' and commodification of Gold Coast culture, especially considering the cultural losses incurred by Gold Coasters over the last few decades.
In order to achieve this, we have decided to parody the rather forgettable and now defunct Very Gold Coast, Very GC Gold Coast Tourism campaign (2008) that met with 'confused responses from Gold Coast locals as well as the tourist market (Gold Coast Business News, 2009). In fact, the majority of people that I spoke to about being involved in jamming this campaign either had not heard of it or did not remember it until their memories were jogged with video clips of the television advertisements that were supposed to reinvigorate the Gold Coast tourism industry and rejuvenate the face of the Gold Coast itself (Gold Coast Tourism, 2010). This lack of familiarity and enthusiasm (and occassionally an outright disgust) for Very Gold Coast, Very GC suggests that Gold Coast locals did not feel a sense of reality or connection reflected in the campaign.
By meeting with and interviewing well-known locals and iconic fixtures in the community (such as Captain Fat of Surfers Paradise); gathering film footage and original photos of the less marketable features of the Gold Coast (various run-down buildings, untended scrubland, litter-covered parks, et cetera) and some groups and icons interviewed Gold Coast locals perceive as truly reflective of the Gold Coast, we hope to put a new spin on this campaign that might also draw attention to community issues in need of attention.
One of the key issues we would like to address is the research that suggests that the Gold Coast has the highest rates of homelessness in Queensland. According to 2006 census data, Queensland is ranked second in terms of homelessness (69 homeless per 10 000 people), with over half of all homeless Queenslanders under 25 years of age (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008). These statistics are reflective of Australia-wide findings.
By reworking the original Very GC campaign videos, and rebranding the campaign as Very Gold Cost, we hope to place a greater emphasis on this issue and appeal against the diversion of taxpayers dollars away from issues that require scrutiny, and towards one fruitless media campaign after another.
Reference List
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2008). 2050.0 Australian Census Analytic Program: Counting the Homeless, 2006 [Electronic version]. Retrieved September 8, 2010, from http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/subscriber.nsf/0/57393A13387C425DCA2574B900162DF0/$File/20500-2008Reissue.pdf
Gold Coast Business News. (2009). Very Gold Coast campaign canned as GCT gets serious [Electronic version]. Retrieved September 10, 2010, from http://www.ausstats.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/subscriber.nsf/0/57393A13387C425DCA2574B900162DF0/$File/20500-2008Reissue.pdf
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