Wander down to Murray Bridge and you’ll find the home of the beast.
Look past the tied up river cruiser and peer into the dark sawn-off water tank by the water edge. Inside you’ll find her. Bertha. The Murray Bridge Bunyip.
She’s the world’s biggest animatronic bunyip. Big enough to swallow you whole.
Bertha was born in 1972 as the brainchild of Dennis Newell, a plastic manufacturer with an eye for tourism.
Over the years Bertha faced rain, sun and vandals and always stood her ground. But a life well lived takes its toll on the body. Last year, Bertha took short break to rejuvenate and recharge.
Now, this summer, she’s back with a vengeance and a brand-new paint job.
You can – with the slap of a button – summon her from her murky-water home. But keep your hands ready to your ears. Her roar cuts right across the local park.
Here she is in all her glory.
So how’d she get famous?
Well, let me take you back to just before Christmas.
It was smack-bang at the end of the working week, and I posted this on the Local Government Association’s Facebook page.
As my family settled in for Christmas Eve, I watched as the likes on that post grew and grew. It later capped out at a 1600 likes. Our most popular post for 2023 (not bad for an account that lives in double digits most days!).
The bunyip was a hit. And I was left wondering how this throwaway post at the end of the year did so well. Why was it newsworthy?
Turns out – these factors are well documented.
So, here’s the three newsworthy tricks the bunyip used to become a social media star these holidays.
3 newsworthy tricks you can use today
1. Make it new
Our evolution has marked us with a love to explore and discover. This trait helped our ancient ancestors find food, water and fertile land. This instinct still lives in us and fuels our craving for new things.
When we come across something new, our brains release dopamine. This is a chemical linked to pleasure and reward. This makes us feel good and encourages us to continue.
This story was breaking news. The bunyip was back. It was a new piece of information that made people want to view, like and share it. Desperate to keep in the loop.
If you want your message to stand out make it new. Make it relevant to today. A tagline with breaking news may seem trite, but makes us curious and pushes us to read more.
2. Make it weird
Humans are drawn to the weird. It’s a safety tool.
Imagine you were pacing through the bush 50,000 years ago and saw a face that shouldn’t be there. Those that saw it survived. Those who missed it, safe to say, weren’t able to pass much down the genetic tree.
When you hear strange news, it grabs your attention. And it can triggers big emotions: surprise, awe, or even fear.
A bunyip is strange. The Murray Bridge bunyip in particular, is totally bizarre. It is, by my assessment, the weirdest robot in the country.
To make a bigger impact with your stories – add a touch of the weird. You’ll find it arouses more interest and makes it more memorable. Just what you need to make a big idea stick.
3. Make it personal
We’re social animals at our core. Humans love stories, art, and experiences that connect us with other people.
Our memories and our nostalgia are such strong emotional triggers. They take us back to a time when life was simpler. Where we feel safe and under control.
The bunyip, love it or hate it, is a nostalgic memory for many South Australians. It brings back smiles, laughter, and a sense of shared history.
If you want your story to be shared – people have to care about it. Find the human at the heart of your story. Let people in to your world.
What comes next?
Of course, some of this is luck. The algorithm will do what the algorithm does. But there are strategies to be luckier.
A bunyip robot became a social media star thanks to three key factors: timeliness, embracing the bizarre, and tapping into human emotions.
So, when you’re shaping your next post or story, ask yourself:
- How can I make this new?
- What’s the weird part of this story?
- Why should people care about this?
Like the roar of the bunyip, these will help your message be heard across the country.
