Regional Australia's Home of Outdoor Advertising
(03) 5409 2655
Regional Australia's Home of Outdoor Advertising
(03) 5409 2655
Imagine this: our Gawk Outdoor team, all caffeinated and full of crazy ideas, sitting around the office ping-pong table, otherwise known as our board room. The energy level was electric as we started brainstorming ways to make waves leading up to the world’s biggest sporting event of 2024.
We’re talking BIG. We’re talking BOLD. And we’re talking unapologetically UNFORGETTABLE.
As we volleyed ideas across the room —ping pong balls flying through the air almost as fast as our creativity—the conversation turned audacious.
How could we celebrate the global sporting spirit with a twist? Then, in a profound ‘lightbulb’ moment, it hit us: what if our digital billboards became a stage for Aussies who share names with famous athletes?
Imagine the random hilarity, fun and, well…the sheer cheek of it all!
And so, just like that, “The Real Aussie Legends” campaign was born.
We saw a campaign that would make you double-take, laugh out loud, and cheer from the sidelines. Our billboards would turn from ad space into a celebration of “almost famous” namesakes, giving a cheeky nod to the athletes with whom they share their names.
Laughter, cheer, and a hint of ‘what in the world’ in our newest brainchild—a campaign called “The Real Aussie Legends.” Ditch the fanfare associated with global sporting—our digital billboards are in for a hilarious makeover that puts Aussies with names nearly matching those of our sporting superstars front and centre. Yep, you read that right!
We do, however, have a plot twist … you ready?
We’ve picked up a real-life Gold Medallist to get in on the action! Gawkers, meet Matthew Mitcham, the legendary diving and trampolining master. We mix gold medals with cheeky grins to turn this campaign into the talk of the town!
Put simply, our fearless General Manager, Mr Peter Upton sums it up best: “We wanted to turn up the fun dial and give everybody a good laugh with these ‘almost’ famous names. Landing Matthew Mitcham for this campaign was like hitting the jackpot and scoring the final goal all at once!”
Q: Where is the weirdest place you’ve been recognised?
Matthew: On the tube in London… the weird part is it was fourteen years after Beijing!
Q: Did you have a pre-dive song/soundtrack you listen to? Any backstory behind this?
Matthew: Ride On Time by Black Box is showing my age, but this song was used for the training montage in The Cutting Edge which was my favourite movie growing up. So either that or Sia’s album We Are Born which has to be one of the greatest (indie) pop albums of all time. Literally every song is a banger.
Q: As a world-class diver, do you ever get the urge to do a perfect dive into a swimming pool at a party, or do you just cannonball like the rest of us?
Matthew: I do The Coffin for maximum water displacement!
Q: What’s the most ridiculous fact you know that you’re secretly proud of?
Matthew: Giraffes are super gay. Google it.
Q: If you had to be a superhero who would you be and why?
Matthew: Super Neurotransmitter-Regulation Guy, because I feel like that would help the most people, including my anxious ADHD brain lol
You might be wondering who these legends are and how we managed to get them “onboard.” Great question! Here’s the scoop: We scoured the internet for folks with names that sound like famous athletes—think Ian Thorp instead of Ian Thorpe. We then picked up the blower and had a good old yarn.
After a few laughs and a bit of convincing, our legends signed up for the campaign, excited for the ultimate pub story and a $200 Woolies voucher to sweeten the deal. We caught up with them, and let’s just say their stories are way more entertaining than a surprise party for your boss with Nickelback on repeat. 😉
Presenting to you the first sneak peek interview with Ian Thorp, not Ian Thorpe, the five-time Gold Medalist.
Q: Do you ever get mistaken for the famous Ian Thorpe? Any perks or awkward moments?
OUR Ian Thorp: After the Sydney Games I used to receive fan mail regularly. Apparently, Ian Thorpe is very popular in Japan; despite replying that I wasn’t that Ian Thorpe, they’d quite often get pretty irate that I was refusing to send signed photos.
I am regularly asked whether we are related. I generally reply that we are brothers, and we have very unimaginative parents when it comes to names.
Q: Be honest. Have you ever used your name to get into exclusive events or parties?
OUR Ian Thorp: I’ve never actually pretended to be him but I’ve had lots of cases of mistaken identity. I used to be good for booking tables in restaurants and regularly found myself with the best table with very disappointed owners when I turned up.
I once asked Roy and HG for advice and they suggested as a way to make money I open an ‘Ian Thorpe Bed and Breakfast’ and advertise it all over the world.
Q: What’s the most ridiculous fact you know that you’re secretly proud of?
OUR Ian Thorp: As someone who didn’t grow up in Melbourne, I was amazed and disappointed that it was nearly called Batmania. It’s always the first thing I tell visiting friends and family.
Q: If you had to be a superhero, who would you be and why?
Our Ian Thorp: It would have to be either Batman or Ironman as they get all the best technology and prove that unlike say Spiderman with enough money anyone could be a superhero.
Here’s Kathryn Freeman’s (not Cathy Freeman the former Australian Gold Medalist sprinter) interview😉
Q: Do you ever get mistaken for the famous Cathy Freeman? Any perks or awkward moments?
Our Kathy Freeman: Sure do. When people see me running, they think woah, that must be the real Cathy Freeman.
Q: Be honest, have you ever used your name to get into exclusive events or parties?
Our Kathy Freeman: Zero times. My name wasn’t put on a door list once because it was me, Paula Keating and David Bowan. 3 almost famous names, and they thought it was a hoax.
Q: What’s the most ridiculous fact you know that you’re secretly proud of?
Our Kathy Freeman: The Napisan man once came to my house. Fact.
Q: If you had to be a superhero who would you be and why?
Our Kathy Freeman: My mum, obviously. She’s a legend. She also gave me my name. And my dad too of course.
Keep your eyes peeled all around regional Victoria for our “Real Aussie Legends” campaign. Yes, it’s a cheeky, hilarious homage to everything sporting and fun.
Take a selfie with our billboard featuring your sporting legend in the background, tag us, and share your favourite sporting moment with us. Nominate a legendary charity for a chance to get them featured on a digital billboard in your hometown for one whole week, free of charge!
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