Asia-Pacific Power List 2023: Susan Coghill, Tourism Australia

Susan Coghill

Chief marketing officer
Tourism Australia
Australia
New member

Susan Coghill is in charge of leading Tourism Australia's worldwide marketing strategy and making sure that the country's tourism marketing initiatives continue to stand out in the competitive international market.

Coghill, who joined Tourism Australia in 2017 as general manager of creative, content and campaigns, oversaw the creative direction for campaigns like Undiscover Australia, Australia Inc., and Dundee. 

Since taking up the mantle as CMO in 2019, Coghill has steered Tourism Australia through its most challenging period in history. The 2019-20 summer bushfires swiftly followed by the pandemic and closure of international borders were a double whammy. 

The pivot to domestic travel during the pandemic was most urgent, and Coghill and her team launched an award-winning campaign in the form of 'Holiday Here This Year' that focused on how to get domestic travellers to travel like international travellers do when they visit. For the home market, it was excellently suited. In fact, that campaign was the only one to win an Effie in the travel and tourism category in two years.

Last year Tourism Australia launched its first global campaign in six years. The $125 million campaign centred around a 60-second TVC ‘Come and say G’day’, that unveils a new brand ambassador, Ruby, a souvenir kangaroo brought to life using computer-generated imagery and who is distinctly Australian. The multi-market, mass awareness campaign was an attempt to lure travellers back to local shores. It proved overwhelmingly positive across Tourism Australia's key markets.

In her role as CMO, Coghill has succeeded in helping Australia to stay top of mind amongst international travellers despite some of the biggest challenges of the past few years. During this time she also had the foresight to introduce a new brand ambassador in the form of Ruby, the kangaroo, and with that launch tourism Australia's biggest and, arguably, its most important campaign ever.