Kiwi musos get promotional for new docu-ad campaign
Some of New Zealand’s top young musos have donned their promotional caps for a tourism campaign that shows off a few of their favourite Kiwi haunts in an effort to entice young Aussies to come for a visit.
The ‘Guide to New Zealand’, which was made in partnership with MTV Australia, takes a look at New Zealand through the eyes of Scribe, the Mint Chicks and Liam Finn, and follows the musicians as they visit some of their favourite restaurants, venues and surf spots.
Tourism New Zealand chief cheese Kevin Bowler says the campaign is aimed at 16 to 24-year-old Australians who make up a key segment of first time visitors from this market.
“Australia is New Zealand’s largest tourism market and we’ve seen strong growth in visitor numbers over the past year. We know Australians like to come back once they’ve visited, so we’re looking at ways to increase the number of first-time visitors and younger travellers offer an opportunity in this space.”
And by working with Kiwi musicians who are well known across the Tasman, he says the campaign highlights the diversity of experiences on offer in New Zealand in a way that will appeal to younger travellers.
The first element of the documentary-style campaign, launched on March 13, features Christchurch rapper Scribe, who takes viewers to his favourite dumpling restaurant in “the city that shines” and to Brighton beach, before heading up the coast to go diving for paua off Kaikoura. What, no punting, boy racing or unprovoked violence?
Liam Finn is next up on 19 March, showing viewers around his father Neil Finn’s Auckland recording studio (New Zealand’s greatest new new tourist attraction?) and also heads to Piha and Kerikeri. The Mint Chicks’ road trip around the South Island will have their docu-ad screened on MTV Australia on 27 March.
The whole campaign will run for three months, showing twice-daily between programmes on MTV and Bowler says the initiative gives an insight into the lives of these up-and-coming Kiwi artists and tells “a personal story about New Zealand and uncovers the kinds of places and experiences you don’t read about in the guidebooks”.
Sonia
March 16, 2010
Nice campaign, good to see kiwi musos realising promotional work can be good for both parties. Paves the way for us Commando marketers – well done
Brett
March 17, 2010
Agreed – Kiwi musos rock. But seriously – I think this ad is lacking engagement factor up front. (Ok it has NZ / human interest and cool stuff scattered throughout 'AKA awsum shucking paua' – and Scribe is Vcool) – but maybe I'm just wondering 'bout that under size (looking) cray featured in the out takes. Couldn't we find something more impressive? Hope there's no fisheries inspectors watching?