New SA tourism ad branded 'ageist', sad

The South Australian Tourism Commission's latest advertising campaign featuring an older man crying has been labelled "bizarre", "ageist" and "depressing".

Titled "Don't feel sorry for old mate ...", the visual footage features an elderly man walking at iconic South Australian locations and crying was produced by Melbourne-based agency TBWA.

Opposition tourism spokesperson Zoe Bettison labelled the 30-second ad as "bizzare".

"This advertisement seems rather bizarre, and what's worse, it follows the Marshall Liberal government's decision to outsource this work to a Victorian agency," she said in a statement on Tuesday.

Social media users also weren't impressed and the Adelaide Advertiser's Facebook page was flooded with mostly negative comments.

"Omg! What a terrible advert. Missing the point completely. Get rid of the advertising agents ... redo the ad and showcase what this state is all about. Not come here when your [sic] old and regret not coming earlier. I love SA but mortified at this advertisement," Coreen Taylor posted,

"This is the most ridiculous ad I've ever seen!! Flat out embarrassing. It is wrong on many levels, most of all ageist. Suggest you bin it, your agency & start again...," Mich Kelly wrote.

While some said the ad made them laugh, others said it was "so depressing", "simply awful" and "dreadful".

"This is what happens when they commission a Victorian company to make the ad," Renae Dillon posted on the page.