Just Waiting

picture by Jason Stadtlander

Covid19 put the world on a hold, and nobody knows for how long. If you take ebola spread in Africa, 2017, highly contaminating, which took three years to ease, well, we are doomed. Kidding. Anyway, it interfered in so many ways in peoples lives, that's difficult to pinpoint everything. In my case, probably the most simple, I just wanted to travel a bit, but I refrained from that obviously, and I'm waiting to be reimbursed from all costs.

And this topic makes a bit of sense, considering the amount of stress we are bearing. Travel to near destinations is ok, people notice that, and are going here and there. Going on a trip the way it used to be, it's gonna take a while. What can I do? I'm not in a rush, because there are so many norms and regulations for you to obey that I'm fine just where I am. 

Let this just pass. One year, two years, it's ok for me, I'll save money then. Meeting friends, and family will make things easier for me - although not recommended still. I dont think it's a bad idea, after my own "quarantine," as I was indoors to recover from medical procedure - not related to covid19, lol! 

Considering currency in Brazil devalued a lot more than other countries, yes, this is one reason not to travel internationally for a while. Things have gone awry here, but soon gonna get back to normal. Not so soon, not the way they were in 2019.

It gives me time to plan ahead, to observe, to get to know my surroundings, and to prepare for a new world ahead. It's so funny Hollywood have already "covid movies" in the making. It seems they are ahead of me, oh, they are.

 

100% Pure New Zealand

New Zealand was a good ride. One week and a half of short trips and sightseeing. Before that, I was living in Australia for a long while, and, my apologies to all, I thought both countries would be the same. I mean, there is a sense of community between the two nations, and it caused me to think they were one.

Of course, they are not the same. Different history, different politics, industries… Different mentality. Yes, it does make a difference. Not staying as long there as I did in Australia, I could not say whether there was a huge difference between societies or not. It is too short a time to tell.

What I could see was the sightseeing, and the difference was there. Auckland – the city that I stayed the most – has billboards displaying reasonably good ads. They were quite intelligent and cheeky. There was something inside of me telling 'I kinda knew it'.

Billboard near Halminton, NZ.

What I’m saying is, Australia's advertising industry compared to New Zealand's is creatively poor ( not only New Zealand ). I wanted to stay In Australia for good, but thankfully I did not. My aim was building a career in marketing and advertising. I do not think I would be happy there. On the other hand, I heard about New Zealand’s advertising, and I liked it.

                               Billboards near Beach road,in Auckland,NZ.


It is not only me saying Australia does not make good advertising. The British media coverage website, The Drum, reveals that in 2009, the ASB, the Australian Advertising Standards Bureau, received 4000 complaints in relation to bad ads. In 2008, the same association in the United Kingdom, got 2500 viewers complaints.

Australian tourism campaigns turn out to be known for bad taste, instead of good publicity. This opinion is also shared on the Truth.Travel website. There is also a channel on YouTube on bad Australian ads called Badaussietelly. No need to say anything else perhaps.

New Zealand ads are fun and witty, and this is something Australia is finding hard to be. In this sense, only an alternative Aussie TV program about advertising, The Gruen Transfer, would bring the discussion on prime time, and talk about it. Nonetheless, it pokes its jealous finger on NZ’s ads.