Air New Zealand takes on four Australian ‘Kiwi Sceptics’ in major new campaign via Host Sydney
This Monday 13th February, Air New Zealand will launch its biggest Australian campaign in a decade, via Host Sydney.
The ‘Air New Zealand Presents: The Kiwi Sceptics’ campaign is an online reality show, narrated by well-known Kiwi comedian, Rhys Darby. Each episode documents the journey of Air New Zealand’s attempts to convert four Australian ‘Kiwi Sceptics’ into advocates, in order to drive the destination up Aussie’s travel wish-list.
To produce the campaign, Air New Zealand cast four real, but very different ‘rejecters’ of NZ and paired them with compatible Kiwi guides to show them a good time. The Hipster, Bali Girl, Aussie-Aussie and The Europhile, were all initially told they were travelling to other far-flung destinations to get them on the plane, but then not so pleasantly surprised with the news that they were in fact, going to New Zealand.
The development of the campaign was driven from TNS segmentation insights that revealed while there are 5.3 million people who seriously consider New Zealand as a destination, only one in five of these people actually make it across the ditch each year.
Says Kelly Millier, marketing manager for Air New Zealand Australia: “At Air New Zealand we know NZ is one of the best places on earth, but for one reason or another, there are many Aussies who don’t see the same fresh and progressive side of New Zealand, that we do. We figured if we could change the minds of those most sceptical, we should be able to convince those who are sitting on the fence.”
Says Suzie Shaw, managing director, Host: “Air NZ is a little airline with big ideas about how to do things differently. So we set out to find a big idea to show off a different side of New Zealand.”
Adds Leslie Ali, ECD/director of The Jamboree: “The opportunity for us to create and direct content to sell an airline was an exciting challenge. So much of what you find in this space is dull and expected. It took a brave and gutsy client to let us break some rules and make something truly engaging for all those Kiwi sceptics out there.”
The campaign will be supported with an innovative media partnership with the Nine Entertainment Company, secured by PHD. The media deal will provide an online hub for the campaign, kiwisceptics.com, within the ninemsn site, enable Air New Zealand to distribute content and engage a broad audience through their range of online and offline media assets and provide channels to offer those that engage, great fares, deals and promotions.
The campaign and all four episodes will launch on Monday, supported with online and print advertising, editorial, advertorial, cinema and social media activity.
Client: Air New Zealand Australia
Agency: Host
Creative: The Jamboree
Director: The Jamboree
Production: Candid Films
Media: PHD
4 Comments
They’re great, Rhys Darby is brilliant.
I second that. These are awesome. Good insight and good work.
This is all good stuff. Nicely, nicely done. Congrats to all involved.
I agree. Rhys Darby is brilliant. Really funny. And palming Te Radar off as a local local, funny. But doesn’t this also say that if you have Benji, top radio chick, fashion bla bla show you around, you’ll enjoy NZ, which 99% of Aussies won’t when they come here. ‘Hang with our country’s best and you’ll have a great time!’ Enjoyable watch though.