The Best Job In The World
Encyclopedia
In 2009, Tourism Queensland
promoted the Great Barrier Reef
as a global tourism destination with a website encouraging people worldwide to apply for The Best Job In The World, to be a "Caretaker of the Islands" to "house-sit" the islands of the Great Barrier Reef for half a year, based on Hamilton Island.
to be submitted, available publicly for consideration for the position. The job duties listed were primarily publicity-related with web videos, blog
ging, and photo diaries
. The submission web site crashed two days following the launch of the campaign, from excessive visits and application video uploading.
in Florida
. The police report said that he "wanted to capture a video
of himself jumping off the bridge, to gain attention of the recruiter
s" for this job. He quickly received a summons
for breach of the peace
/ disorderly conduct
. More marketing-savvy applicants created blogs and established Facebook
groups to create buzz about themselves. Two hoaxes also fueled interest. "The biggest winner, though, is Tourism Queensland, which reckons that for US$1m, it generated US$70m of global publicity" just one month after the campaign's launch.
, the film was broadcast on 2 July, 2009 on BBC1 at 9pm, achieving the highest viewing figures for the whole week.
. Although lethal cases are known, he made a full recovery.
Southhall is now a Ambassador of Queensland Tourism and takes residency in Queensland after the six month period on the island has ended.
Black Pencil Awards.
Tourism Queensland
Tourism Queensland is the state government agency responsible for the marketing of Queensland tourism destinations and the development of the tourist industry in the state. The agency was established in 1979 as the Queensland Tourist and Travel Corporation. Tourism Queensland was once part of the...
promoted the Great Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world'slargest reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately...
as a global tourism destination with a website encouraging people worldwide to apply for The Best Job In The World, to be a "Caretaker of the Islands" to "house-sit" the islands of the Great Barrier Reef for half a year, based on Hamilton Island.
Benefits
Job benefits included a large salary, free lodging in a multi-million dollar villa, and transportation there and around the islands. The application process required a web videoVideo clip
Video clips are short clips of video, usually part of a longer recording. The term is also more loosely used to mean any short video less than the length of a traditional television program.- On the Internet :...
to be submitted, available publicly for consideration for the position. The job duties listed were primarily publicity-related with web videos, blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
ging, and photo diaries
Photoblog
A photoblog is a form of photo sharing and publishing in the format of a blog. It differs from a blog through the predominant use of and focus on photographs rather than text...
. The submission web site crashed two days following the launch of the campaign, from excessive visits and application video uploading.
Public Interest
Interest continued for months. On 11 February, 2009, Christopher Grima jumped off the South Causeway Bridge in Fort PierceFort Pierce, Florida
Fort Pierce, also spelled Ft. Pierce, is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, USA. It is known as The Sunrise City. The population was 37,959 at the 2004 census. As of 2008, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 41,000. It is the county seat of St. Lucie County.Fort Pierce is part...
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The police report said that he "wanted to capture a video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
of himself jumping off the bridge, to gain attention of the recruiter
Recruiter
A recruiter is someone engaging in recruitment, or the solicitation of individuals to fill jobs or positions within a corporation, nonprofit organization, sports team, the military, etc. Recruiters may work within an organization's human resources department or on an outsourced basis...
s" for this job. He quickly received a summons
Summons
Legally, a summons is a legal document issued by a court or by an administrative agency of government for various purposes.-Judicial summons:...
for breach of the peace
Breach of the peace
Breach of the peace is a legal term used in constitutional law in English-speaking countries, and in a wider public order sense in Britain.-Constitutional law:...
/ disorderly conduct
Disorderly conduct
Disorderly conduct is a criminal charge in most jurisdictions in the United States. Typically, disorderly conduct makes it a crime to be drunk in public, to "disturb the peace", or to loiter in certain areas. Many types of unruly conduct may fit the definition of disorderly conduct, as such...
. More marketing-savvy applicants created blogs and established Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
groups to create buzz about themselves. Two hoaxes also fueled interest. "The biggest winner, though, is Tourism Queensland, which reckons that for US$1m, it generated US$70m of global publicity" just one month after the campaign's launch.
Applicants
Over 34,000 applications were received from over 200 countries, and whittled down to 16 finalists (including one chosen by an on-line vote). Finalists came from Australia (two), United States (two), United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand, Taiwan, India, China, Japan, France and South Korea. Ten were male and their ages ranged from 20 to 39. The candidates were interviewed on the island starting 3 May, 2009. The United Kingdom finalist Ben Southall, 34, a charity fundraiser and ostrich-rider from Petersfield, Hampshire, UK, was appointed as the new caretaker of the island on 6 May, 2009.Publicity
By the campaign's end, it has generated more than $200 million in global publicity value for Tourism Queensland. Brisbane advertising agency CumminsNitro http://cumminsnitro.com was awarded three top awards at the Cannes International Advertising Festival. The campaign was acknowledged as very successful. BBC Television made a one hour documentary about the final stages of the campaign which was directed by Agnieszka Piotrowska. Narrated by Toby StephensToby Stephens
Toby Stephens is an English stage, television and film actor who has appeared in films in both Hollywood and Bollywood. He is best known for playing megavillain Gustav Graves in the James Bond film Die Another Day , Edward Fairfax Rochester in the BBC television adaptation of Jane Eyre and Philip...
, the film was broadcast on 2 July, 2009 on BBC1 at 9pm, achieving the highest viewing figures for the whole week.
Winner
The winner was Ben Southall, from the United Kingdom. In the last week of his paradise job, he was stung by an Irukandji jellyfishIrukandji jellyfish
Irukandji jellyfish are tiny and extremely venomous jellyfish that inhabit marine waters of Australia and which are able to fire their stingers into their victim, causing symptoms collectively known as Irukandji syndrome. Its size is roughly no larger than a cubic centimetre...
. Although lethal cases are known, he made a full recovery.
Southhall is now a Ambassador of Queensland Tourism and takes residency in Queensland after the six month period on the island has ended.
Advertising Awards
In 2010 the advertising campaign was awarded two prestigious D&ADD&AD
Design and Art Direction is a British educational charity which exists to promote excellence in design and advertising...
Black Pencil Awards.