If you were watching the Super Bowl, you were most likely watching the ads. So, you certainly would have seen the great Australian fake news story of the year: that the so-called Crocodile Dundee reboot was just a tourism campaign for Australia.

In the weeks leading up to the game, a trailer popped up online for “Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home.” It was what seemed to be a teaser trailer to the 1980s hit Crocodile Dundee, sparking buzz and conversation around what could have been one of the hit movies of the year.

More trailers and tidbits were released, amassing hundreds of thousands of views as the days went on. The trailers feature funnyman Danny McBride as the son of Mick Dundee from the original film and billed a huge list of Aussie stars including Chris Hemsworth, Russell Crowe, Ruby Rose, Isla Fischer, and Margot Robbie.

Then came February 4, the big day. Whilst the Eagles and Patriots were fighting out one of the best Super Bowls in recent times, some of the best advertisements of the year were also being played during the breaks.

At the end of the second quarter, Tourism Australia’s masterpiece aired.

The ad featured Hemsworth escorting Dundee junior to some of Australia’s best beaches (“37,000 miles of pristine beach, mate”), wineries, and restaurants. All this before McBride realises he is part of the elaborate tourism campaign.

To top it off, there was even a cameo from the one and only Paul Hogan – the original Crocodile Dundee himself.

Australia’s clever campaign might have duped us all. Many viewers took to social media to voice their disappointment at the “fake news.” Even Donald Trump Jr. had a say on Twitter. The Northern Territory News also launched its own petition for a real sequel using the hashtag: #bringbackdundee.

Tourism Australia have reportedly signed a $15 million deal with NBC over 2 years. The campaign itself is tax-payer funded and worth a reported record $27 million. With over 100 million viewers on Sunday night, Tourism Australia hopes that more Americans will consider the long-haul journey down under.

The government wants to increase the number of Americans visiting Australia and the amount of money spent by Americans in Australia.

Super Bowl ads might just be the only thing as competitive as the game itself. With a 30 second spot costing advertisers $5 million, Australia’s clever campaign might just have won the “ad competition” for this year.

There is no secret both 2017 and 2018 have been incredibly polarizing and divisive for American politics, which has permeated into the NFL.

This campaign by Tourism Australia was certainly a breath of fresh air. In a time of increasing political correctness, advertisers in this year’s Super Bowl LII coverage stuck to the basics.

Comedy, wit, and the odd heart-wrenching story were all common themes in this year’s advertisements, and this elaborate, creative plot by Tourism Australia was all of that and more.

Let’s just hope the huge investment pays off, otherwise it’ll be disappointment all ’round.