This isn't directly about M&F and yet.
I've often written that DK use Mary a lot in promoting Danish products, not least to Australia.
However, it goes the other way. There is no doubt whatsoever that Danish/Australian interaction in all sorts of ways, has increased very considerably within the past ten years.
I'm not only talking about trade. The Danish export to Australia has certainly gone up! And to a lesser degree the other way around. (I haven't got the figures, but they are available on the Net).
It is difficult not to contribute at least of large part of that noticable increase in Australian-Danish relations, in comparison to other European countries (UK excluded of course), to the increased mutual awareness that resulted from the M&F wedding.
Here are two typical examples:
Zoos kæmper for tasmanske djævle uden klamme kræftsvulster | Videnskab.dk
The first is from Copenhagen Zoo. You may recalled that the zoo recieved Tasmanian Devils as a wedding present to M&F. They died and were replaced by other who have now had offspring, which has delighted the Australian counterpart, because there is an ongoing cancer epedemic among wild Devils, killing them off en masse.
It's Australia alone that decide where Tasmanian Devils can end up and Copenhagen Zoo is the only zoo outside Australia involved in the breeding programme aimed at restoring the stock of Tasmanian Devils.
- I think it's unlikely a Danish zoo would have been involved had it not been for M&F.
"Skruelåget er kommet for at blive" - Mad & Vin - Livsstil
Australian wines were among the first Australian product after the wedding to be genuinely noticed on the supermarket shelves. (They taste fine BTW, thank you very much!)
Here a sampling of Australian wines is being tested.
Other Australian products have quitely found their way to the shelves. Not so much agricultural products though.
And I'm afraid Vegemite has not gained a foothold here either. Haven't tasted it myself, but I was vehemently warned against trying...
On other leves there has been a very significant increase in mutual exchange and co-operation. Not least within reseach, but the universities have also seen a very marked increase of Australian exchange students.
- Again, DK may not have been a particular interesting choice for Australian students had it not been for awareness of M&F.
There is a constant, steady trickle of such articles like those above in the media.
The word Australia carried no negative connotations before Mary, and after Mary, as Australia's living and permanent high profile ambassador in DK, that brand, Australia, has simply become more positive in the eyes of the average Dane and Danish consumer.
- But what does my fellow Danes say? - Am I completely off the mark here? Or have you noticed something similar?