Organised random thoughts, which will hopefully provoke discussion or another way of thinking

Great to see Oprah supporting the right team!

Although she’s only been here a week, it feels like the Big O has been in Auu-straaayy-llya for a month, such has been the media circus that has followed the talk show queen.

To say it hasn’t been worth the $3-5 million it cost Tourism Australia  to   bring Oprah and 502 of her closest friends (including production staff) to the land downunder would be downright irresponsible.

It’s the House’s view that the visit has done as much for domestic tourism as what it will do to attract internationals to Australia:

• There will be people in Perth who didn’t realise you could start the day by skimming the Hunter Valley Vineyards in a hot air balloon.
• There are people in Melbourne that do not consider Uluru to be one of the most sacred, spiritual sites in the world (a key message that Oprah has been delivering).
• A gourmet barbecue wedding on the beach at Hamilton Island would now be on the ‘possibles’ list for hundreds of Australian women.

Her trip has already paid for itself in the exposure generated internally – not to mention the four programs that are due to air next month. The fact Harpo has doubled its commitment to four one hour programs from the Australian trip speaks for itself.

Once the four programs air overseas, it will be interesting to see how Australia can capitalise on the exposure and what impact it will have on inbound tourism. Potentially, arrivals from America may not provide the biggest return – remember the US unemployment rate is around 10 percent and rising – and the economy continues to ail.

What is undoubtable though, as Winfrey herself said in the press conference at the Sydney ‘Oprah’ House this morning “…the impact of a four hour love festival about your country, broadcast into 145 countries around the world is immeasurable.”

Tourism Australia officials in the press conference outlined some of the research statistics surrounding the visit:

• 98% of Australians have awareness of the Oprah brand
• 86% of Australians “get” the Oprah tour and its objectives and (most importantly) are supportive of it
• 54% of Australians watch or have watched the Oprah Winfrey show

To have that impact statistically, is huge. I doubt the failed 2022 World Cup bid – which cost the tax payer no less than 15 times more than Winfrey’s visit, bear in mind, would have a) that awareness or b) acceptance.

TEN’S OWN GOAL

Speaking football, it could be argued the big loser in all of this has been Winfrey’s host network in Australia, Network TEN. Whilst it will broadcast a special this evening and will air the programs next month, they’ve missed the boat on the live leadup – which Nine and particularly Seven have done especially well.

TEN’s special tonight will rate well, so will the ‘Oprah does Australia’ programs, but one can’t help feeling it’s like watching a sporting event on delay, the ‘wow factor’ captured so perfectly by the breakfast television programs, is gone.

To have Oprah’s ‘gal pal’ Gayle King summons Grant Denyer to her vehicle and both King and Winfrey gushing about watching Sunrise whilst they ‘pounded the treadmill’ – delivered a knockout blow to TEN when the network could least afford it – right on the eve of the switch to a heavy news and current affairs focus.

PR-wise, it’s been a disaster for TEN, especially since it didn’t protect it’s turf and let the other networks rain on what should have been it’s parade.

Given Oprah is a key part of TEN’s daily offering and the interest of the visit, a minimum, no less should have seen TEN broadcasting live from the Opera House this morning tracking every move of Oprah – and definitely avoiding the ambush where she was filmed wearing a Sunrise cap.

Instead, Today, Sunrise and Sky News (who’ve been running an ‘Oprah’ option on the red button menu all day) have taken ownership of the visit and effectively smothered the host broadcaster out of it.

Overall, the visit has been a spectacular success. Oprah’s proved to be as flamboyant, over the top and as “American” as expected.

Critically though, her ability as a smart businesswoman and PR machine has radiated loud and clear.

She hasn’t missed a key message or an opportunity to plug “brand Australia”. Tourism Australia has done an outstanding job on the PR exercise – and as a PR person, I can’t help but feeling a just a tad jealous of those who were charged with facilitating such an intense, broad communications program!

It’s going to be tough to top, that’s for sure.

On a personal note, I hope after spending the day with Russell Crowe wearing a South Sydney Rabbitohs cap, ‘the Oprah Effect’ rubs off on my footy team for next year!