Thursday, October 14, 2010

Australia - "the dumb blonde"

A British branding expert has told Australians that their country is viewed as "the dumb blonde" of the world - shallow, unintelligent but attractive. Which probably explains why so many NZ men go there.

But assuming his theory has some veracity it raises two questions for me.

Do New Zealanders see Australia in the same way as other nationalities? And, if Australia is the dumb blonde, what is New Zealand? I've only been to Australia a couple of times, and bypassed it on the big OE. It seemed too similar to NZ to hold much excitement. Having said that I still travelled to English speaking countries - the US and my original home, the UK, which is a great base for visiting European destinations. But now I am grown up the sameness, paradoxically, holds more attraction. Like many New Zealanders I imagine my lifestyle could be replicated there if I really got sick of NZ, which hasn't happened and is very unlikely to.

Because of our geographical proximity to Australia I don't think we do see it through the same lens as say Americans or Europeans. And I couldn't presume to speak for Asians. Rather than a dumb blonde Australia seems like a scout mistress maybe. Practical, capable, no nonsense, unable to see how others view her. Or rather uncaring about how others view her. (Having already received a couple of nasty shocks searching for an image of a blonde with an Australian flag I am disinclined to look for a picture of a scout mistress.)

New Zealand on the other hand has none of Australia's confidence and self-certainty. New Zealand is still searching for an identity and ergo, a brand. Trying to find one in the dumb blonde vein shouldn't be confused with trying to describe kiwi women. I think the world does have a handle on girls from NZ but how do they see the country? When people would ask me what is NZ like, sometimes, if they were actually interested in an answer and not something else, I would venture that NZ is to Australia what Canada is to the US. Now I think about it, I have no idea what I was talking about beyond accents. Kiwis and Canadians have milder forms of Australian and US accents. Perhaps milder forms of everything.

So maybe NZ is the dumb blonde's mousey friend. The second best but with a bigger heart and a bigger brain.

6 comments:

Adolf Fiinkensein said...

I have familiarity with both countries.

If Australia is a dumb blond then NZ can only be the retarded offspring of married first cousins - exemplified by our futile clinging to social welfare benefits and left leaning government at all levels.

One cannot choose a better example for comparison than the rabid mass attitude to mining.

Anonymous said...

NZ. 22 silver medal. A country of losers.


I imagine my lifestyle could be replicated there

No, your lifestyle could be replicated there but rather better on 50-100% more after tax income

Australia: pretty much like NZ - but with better weather, more land, and much more money


The difference, of course, is the pernicious socialism that's completely poisoned NZ's culture since WW2.

Anonymous said...

Well done Simon. You have hit the nail right smack bang on the head!! We are shallow. We must be to measure things on 'Gold Medals'. We are dumb!!

pdm said...

When I was in my teens there used to be a saying - `Whaka Blondes'.

That I think is where we sit today - pandering to Maori and beneficiaries and looking enviously at the Dumb Blondes of Australia who are way ahead of NZ.

mike said...

I think Adolf said it best.

Anonymous said...

You know, when a great looking chick gets married and one of the bridesmaids is as homely as hell? Well that is the Oz NZ relationship.
Poms are as jealous as hell of Aussie.