Following the news that the Australian Olympic Committee has suggested it could use imagery of the Sydney Opera House in pre-promotion for the Brisbane games.
This could be when Brisbane is announced at the end of the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
President of the Brisbane Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, Andrew Liveris, said through the Courier Mail that he was planning to promote Australia’s host role by showing off the key iconography of the country, which included the Sydney Opera House.
In response, Tourism and Events Queensland CEO Craig Davidson said “there’s no way” the 2032 Brisbane Olympics should be promoted with anything besides Queensland’s own trademarks.
He said the Brisbane River and local iconic attractions like Moreton Island and Stradbroke Island should be utilised.
“It would be a huge opportunity lost if we were showcasing anything other than Queensland,” he told the Courier Mail.
Committee for Brisbane CEO Jen Williams has apparently also agreed, saying it would be “incredibly disappointing” if organisers showcased interstate landmarks instead of homegrown ones.
Queensland Premier, David Crisafulli, has also put his weight behind showcasing all Queensland icons.
The suggestion to use Sydney icons to promote the Brisbane Games has sent social media into a frenzy, with one social media user saying if they didn’t see Bluey and Robert Irwin in promotions then they would “riot”.
The good news for proud Brisbane residents and Queenslanders is that Andrew Liveris has said that plans for announcing Brisbane at the conclusion of the LA Games is still in its early stages, with organisers yet to recruit talent and creative teams for the promotional campaign.
Once that is done, then discussions about what should and shouldn’t be used will be discussed in greater details.