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New Zealand, meet the new you

Idealog January/February 2006, page 68. ‘Ruth Rocker 2’ chair by David Trubridge

What does New Zealand mean to them, up there? Sheep? Scenery? New thinking from the UK suggests that New Zealand has a rare opportunity to mean something very special in the northern hemisphere. Are we up to it? Jake Pearce lays down his own 2011 challenge for selling Brand New Zealand

In the late 1980s I was working in London as a marketing executive for the world’s biggest brands in the fastest-growing markets in Europe. I was young and on the up, the economy was hot, hot, hot and I can honestly say that I thought about New Zealand, well … never. But I remember seeing a billboard that made me giggle: ‘What do you call a sophisticated Australian? A New Zealander.’

Now that I live here, I realise the billboard was for Steinlager, and it turns out to be more prescient than I first thought. A powerful piece of trend analysis by world-leading semioticians Malcolm Evans and Stephen Seth confirms that Brand New Zealand is potentially much more interesting than the usual list of green fields and happy sheep. The work, conducted for a multinational with a Kiwi liquor brand, suggests New Zealand could occupy an enviable space. I think this identity is best described by two words: ‘raw sophistication’. Which is not to say those words must be plastered on all things Kiwi; but there’s an essence of New Zealand that’s both raw and sophisticated and it’s a story we’re failing to tell.

Malcolm’s speciality is foresight semiotics—the study of signs and symbols to understand cultural trends, which in turn provide opportunities for new categories and products. He pioneered its application in business; his company, Space Doctors, provides trend and brand analysis on categories to Procter & Gamble, Wrigleys and SAB Miller. The work not only helps predict new categories, it also assists companies to get their communication imagery right ahead of cultural change.

I worked with Malcolm for many years in Europe and was responsible for the ‘in-country’ component of this New Zealand study. The client wanted to know what Brand New Zealand means in the UK and Europe. Is it still the Little England of the South Pacific? Australia’s colder cousin? The clean, green, ovine capital of the world? Home of … I’m yawning already … Jonah Lomu and the fearsome All Blacks?

The results threw up the usual clichés, for sure. But our study of symbols and icons shows that an emerging identity is bursting through which owes as much to Fat Freddy’s Drop and Peter Jackson as it does to Sir Edmund Hillary and Colin Meads. The new identity is refreshing, unique and provides a powerful set of ideas for any marketer trying to communicate to an export market. The work also suggests that much of what we see in the likes of the ‘100% pure’ campaign and Air New Zealand advertising is a damaging, inaccurate cliché that squanders a wonderful opportunity. ‘100% pure’ is 100% wrong.

Mountains, lakes, rivers … is that it?

You can deduce a lot from icons and symbols. Space Doctors takes imagery from advertising, packaging, films, music, books, news reports and magazine articles—pretty much anything that has a sensory expression—to identify three facets of a brand’s life cycle: the residual, the dominant and the emergent. Malcolm calls them codes, because they suggest an ‘essence’. Brand New Zealand’s residual code, for example, is a neo-colonial outpost of Britishness that exists in an uneasy alliance with Maori. That belongs to our history. What most people think about New Zealand is described by the dominant code, which is the clichés that we groan about: the clean, green, sheepy pragmatists who punch above their weight in a lovable but harmless sort of way. It’s the image of the straight-jawed Hillary and the crispest Hawke’s Bay apple. Jolly good chaps, those Kiwis. Shame we abandoned them for the Europeans and so on.

The ‘100% pure’ campaign plays to this stereotype. Its panoramic spreads of white mountains and whiter beaches reinforce the perception that we do little more than raise cattle and run up mountains for kicks. Athletes like Hamish Carter and Dan Carter are the natural products of this 100% pure New Zealand.

Trouble is it’s not true, nor is it that helpful. I’m wildly proud of the Carter boys, don’t get me wrong. But there’s more to New Zealand than sport, and there’s a world that wants to hear about it. Bursting through the clichés is an emergent code of creativity, flair, professionalism, sustainability (maybe) and successful multiculturalism.

There’s no better expression of this new identity than the arresting shape of a David Trubridge chair. It’s organically Pacific, reminiscent of driftwood and dune grasses. Yet it’s also a fine example of engineering and design sophistication. It’s at once Polynesian and European. Artificial and natural. Functional and aesthetic. Flash yet earthy. It’s uniquely New Zealand (although Trubridge wasn’t born in Enzed—and that’s part of the point). It’s raw sophistication at work.

Other symbols come to mind: our America’s Cup challenge (mixing pragmatism and professionalism), Peter Gordon (simple yet complex cuisine), Peter Jackson and Wellywood (commercial creativity), Fat Freddy’s Drop (happy melancholy) and dance troupe Black Grace (a Pacific appropriation of European art).

The work with Space Doctors makes me think that no other country can claim this brand essence with as much credibility as New Zealand. Sure, other new-world nations have it in spades: Brazil, South Africa, Canada and Australia are strong contenders. Australia in particular has a great deal to boast about. Its arts and scientific industries are world-class and growing in importance. But remember we’re talking perceptions here. The overriding image of Australia is an outback larrikin like Steve Irwin. The new ‘Where the bloody hell are you?’ tourism campaign is abrasive and uncultured—a perfect fit for the stereotype (the ‘100% pure’ campaign is the equivalent for NZ). By contrast, New Zealand can be portrayed as the sophisticated alternative down under. The Steinlager billboard was right.

The opportunity is also our challenge. For one thing, we aren’t altogether pure, neither in an environmental nor a social sense. How long before we are exposed as a polluting country with a strong history of family violence? Also, the task of moving beyond the clichés requires a united and consistent effort not just from Tourism New Zealand and NZTE—and currently both organisations are singing out of tune with this. It relies on us all agreeing to buy into one big idea, especially those in the export sector. It’s estimated that 40 percent of all buying decisions are based on country of origin. The more premium the product, the higher this percentage.

So what do I mean in practice? Well, if ‘raw sophistication’ is the brand essence, then you will see the expression in:

Premium agricultural products: fresh and packaged with a back story about sustainability, including carbon-neutral production and humane animal practices.

World-beating agricultural technology: the IP and innovation that we’ve derived from a millennium of farming will be respected worldwide.

Greenest industry: New Zealand as the world leader in renewable energy generation and sustainable management.

Neutral politics: we’re sought after for international diplomacy, peace keeping and pragmatic problem-solving.

Left-field pursuits: from the home of bungy jumping and the All Blacks comes the next big thing in adventure sport.

I’m sure you can continue the list, because we’re already doing these things and more. The best brands express what is already happening. Good branding should be obvious in hindsight.

It’s time the world came to know about this incredible place called Aotearoa, the world’s most raw, yet sophisticated country. It’s time we pioneered a new breed of national brand, true to our name, New Zealand. Welcome to the new New Zealand.

Comments

David MacGregor

December 9, 2006 at 10:07 am

There is a school of brand theory that insists on uniformity - consistency. Naturally that leads to conformity and homogeniety. I'm inclined to be wary of it. Brands are like an elephant in a room full of blind people - each will see it in their own way. What New Zealand means depends on who you are both as a New Zealander and an outsider. Polyphony rather than monophony.Simmering it down to a jingle: Raw sophistication doesn't suggest the layers and textures to me—bit too generic. We need a long tail branding theory.

Jake Pearce

December 9, 2006 at 10:42 am

Hi David, like the feedback - it provides an opportunity for clarity!! Here are some thoughts. a)USA attracted a huge population because there was clarity about what it stood for -wouldn't that be good for NZ - people? Global clarity, which attracts people, investment,money, fame all the things idealog stands for? b) Essence and strapline are as you know different - essence is takeout. c) Raw sophistication is all about depth and acknowledging NZ's diversity! Perhaps this got lost in the wash!!!

Jake

Jason Kemp

December 31, 2006 at 11:03 am

Hi Jake, Loved this piece - part of my holiday reading has been on cultural imprints and the underlying codes of meaning for different brands. I have added the essay link -url below- (Creative Commons so you can download the PDF) by Dr Clotaire Rapaille. Rapaille reveals the unconscious motivators behind how we act and what we buy by unearthing the unique culture codes found within each of us.

My read on that work and your comments is that one slogan for many markets simply can't work at all - if it ever did?

It is probably more along the lines of what might raw sophistication look like in the context of particular markets and what reasonance that would have for brand development. So it doesn't come out as a single slogan but more a translation of your "code" for each product and market?

The writer started working with Autistic children as a psychiatrist but his work on Jeep and Nestle looks more like semiotics for sure.

David Trubridge

January 6, 2007 at 7:45 am

my comment comes from 'the other side'. you guys are obviously in the brand awareness field, whereas i am making the stuff that jake writes about and mentions in the article. i think it is really important to keep the distinction. creative people have to work as artists, most impotantly without contrivance. we absorb all that is around us and hopefully it shows in our work, like that way the climate/soil/etc makes different wine out of the same grapes in different countries. if the process is working right, the resulting work will -- BY DEFAULT -- have the flavour and feel of its origin. it cannot be a self-consciously contrived process. then commentators like yourselves can read the sum total of what is created and spot the trends or distinctive qualities.

David Trubridge

January 6, 2007 at 7:46 am

but i feel really strongly that it cannot work the other way round: if the creators work to an established formula, trying to generate the identified qualities, then it is obviously contrived and false. that is the danger of putting too much emphasis on brands etc.
it is also interesting to note that tourism nz used one of my designs in their 100% pure nz, and the photo of the lounger and girl on the beach had all the qualities of 'raw sophisitication' so maybe they are not so far off the mark as you suggest!

Cam

January 15, 2007 at 2:10 am

Thank you Jake for bringing to my attention a subject that myself and i'm sure many New Zealanders had not thought about. We assume our national campaigns, if not the best, at least, couldn't hurt. But your article definately highlights the damage such a wrong campaign can do. We are known as entrepreneurial in some sectors around the world but not to the general global population. Thank you for bringing the subject to the fore and i hope it gets the discussion started.

brutus

January 21, 2007 at 8:11 am

I’ve never been to NZ, but I read about it and see it in the very stylised media – brief shots of Fjord style vistas with Ian McKellen chuckling in them, that sort of thing. Which would be more credible, a New Zealand business selling high tech car navigation equipment or nice Cheese? – oh the cheese, definitely. My impression is that revolutionary business moves are things like turning down the French and selling all the lamb you can find to Iran, that sort of thing. The thought of a microprocessor being used on anything except livestock management would be a bit of a shock to be honest. Sorry this could be seen as really rude, but I'm being as honest as I can.

brutus

January 21, 2007 at 8:12 am

Yup, sorry, deffo outdoorsy Sam Neil vineyards and that sort of thing. I bet it is a really good cheese though, sort of Jarlsberg? OK, bugger it. Look, to me it is like Norway without the brunost, the trolls and the taxes.
But don’t forget Norway is the most technically advanced place in Europe outside of Finland. You just need a Kjell Nordstrom to champion it.

Matt Cooney

January 22, 2007 at 11:03 am

“I’ve never been to NZ, but I read about it and see it in the very stylised media — brief shots of Fjord style vistas with Ian McKellen chuckling in them, that sort of thing. Which would be more credible, a New Zealand business selling high tech car navigation equipment or nice Cheese? — oh the cheese, definitely.”
Thanks, Brutus, I couldn't have put it better. That, in a nutshell, is exactly what New Zealand needs to change. Sure, the cheese is highly recommended -- but so is the navigation kit.

http://navman.com/

So, how do we get that message across? (We'll have more on this topic in the next issue of Idealog].)

Hugh Baker

January 22, 2007 at 7:40 pm

I'm a Brit who has been to New Zealand three times now -- mostly because some great mates moved to Auckland 10 years ago (a lot of them seem to be doing that, by the way). Compared to modern Britain, churning out fame-for-nothing nihilists, New Zealand is a joy. Cool Britannia? If anything deserves this tag, it is Cool Aoetearoa. Each time we return to NZ, we find it more confident and innovative and culturally integrated. Good on you! For me, New Zealand is about doing your own thing your own way but better than the rest of the world and not crowing about it.

To Brutus' point, there is something to be said about the comparison with Nordic countries. There, as it seems in New Zealand, people are not judged solely on their ability to work hard and make money (like UK, US... hence lack of soul?) but how well they spend their leisure time.

lisa canfield

January 24, 2007 at 11:28 am

i'm a bush refugee, from the u.s.a. -- my husband and i moved to nz about 18 months ago. we had never been here, but for some reason we had to come to nz -- it was almost instinctive, it defied all logic to move across an ocean with 2 school-age kids and no jobs, but we did it.

in retrospect, i think what pulled us in, besides the fact that it is about as far from america as you can get and still make a living if english is your only language, is the sense of possibility. once, america was the "land of opportunity." but now, it's more like the land of cronyism, neoptism, hell, even facism. new zealand may not be pure, but it's definitely fresh -- a place to make a fresh start, to gain a fresh perspective. canada didn't fit that profile, and neither did australia -- it felt too big and brash and...well..american. new zealand feels like the america i grew up hearing about, rather than the one i lived in. a real land of opportunity.

at least i hope so.

at least i hope so!

lisa canfield

January 24, 2007 at 11:29 am

yikes. i guess i really, really hope so.

Mark, Cambridge academic

January 25, 2007 at 2:56 am

I've never been to NZ - although I seem to have lost a steady stream of friends to NZ who go for Wholesome holidays out there and never come back! Nonetheless, from the images I see, NZ could perhaps be described as the land of the pristine/eco-friendly New Start - a refuge from the terrorism-haunted Risk society we have created for ourselves elsewhere. Definitely the Cheese.

Cam Swainson Production Manager

January 25, 2007 at 7:21 pm

Its great to hear so many overseas visitors/new residents raving about NZ, it reminds us all, how great we do have it here compared to other countries. This topic of correct country essence is vital to ensure we stay a good place to live, peacefully but also economically. If we can sustain a growing population by having great international contracts and trade links, helped by the right image of our country, then more new residents will find all the opportunities here, that they hope for. Kia Kaha

Vincent Heeringa

January 25, 2007 at 8:23 pm

It's one thing to brand the country through an external campaign in the form of say advertising. But that feels sort of like applying lipstick to a sheep carcass. Surely it's what we do that actually brands us. The majority of what we produce remains commodity-based and generally agricultural, hence our reputation as the clean green blah blah. Part of Idealog's misison, along with many others, is to encourage diversity of business, industry and exports. We need to produce stuff other than sheep and tourism. I like raw sophistication as a idea - but what does it mean for producers/creators/entrepreneurs here in enzed? What's the internal branding story?

Marcus, Booz Allen Vice President

February 2, 2007 at 1:57 am

Have you been to NZ before yes or no?
No I haven't - but I plan to when Rentaghost modes of transport become a reality. In the mean time, living as I do in Northumberland (UK), I feel as though I have a taste of it on my doorstep - at least as far as the landscape goes.

Do you know people there?
I do - a sad loss to the UK

If you’ve been how did it compare to your expectations.


If the US could be described as “the land of the free how would you describe New Zealandâ€?
land of the scape

Which would be more credible, a New Zealand business selling high tech car navigation equipment or nice Cheese
Cheese of course.

Why
Hi tech spoils the illusion of Eden.

Jake

February 3, 2007 at 12:13 am

Hi. I'm in Sydney. So close and yet so far, depending on your context. :D :D :D

Thank you Mr Booze and Mr Vincent.

My answer is, simple. It seems New Zealand is the land of high tech and high cheese.

Sounds like the Renaissance.,,,what was that?
Art meets Science? Pragmatism meets Arty Farty.
Simple
Fresh Ideas made workable. New New Zealand, innovation capital of the globe, close to Asia, half way culturally between US, UK and Eden. And the cheapest way to do high tech/low techo product development in the world.
Well done New New Zealand, fresh new nation of the world.
(Will post in Mandarin, French, Italian, German, Spainish, Czech.........and Creole.) Why
New Zealand is the new fresh nation of the world. Welcome to the New New World.

Peter Vegas

February 9, 2007 at 12:13 am

[b][/b]

Personally the best ad i ever saw for NZ was a press conference with one of the head of the Taliban back in about 2000. He was asked by a reporter about something regarding a Taliban guy who was alleged to have come to NZ. The bloke turned to his mate, said something then turned back to the reporters and said 'Where is New Zealand.' That's your campaign right there.

Incidently I came up with the 100% Pure NZ Line. True story. Very long and sordid invovling 4 Australian, a couple of poms a guy in singapore and a client who started off the process by telling us that they did not want us to produce a picture postcard montage campaign for them.

cheers

Vincent Heeringa

February 9, 2007 at 5:49 am

C'mon you can't stop there. Who was the client? And whatever happened to the Australians? By the way, the storyI heard was that the "where the bloody hell are you?" campaign was developed by M&CSaatci for NZ and then sold to the Aussies after it was rejected by Tourism NZ. True?

Peter Vegas

February 9, 2007 at 2:33 pm

M&C NZ which i was part of got to pitch for NZ Tourisim after Kevin Roberts the worldwide boss of Saatchi had a cosy dinner with Jenny Shipley and stuffed it for Saatchi's here. Till then the account was safe with them but after that we gt a crack at. M&C NZ was a small operation so The big boss in Oz bought in people from the network to work on the pitch. Two pommy creatves from Sydney, a media planner from asia me and my creative partner and we all hooked up in wellington to work on the pitch. Fair enough to. It gave us a good outside perspective.
Best bit of the pitch was i got to go to queenstown and be a tourist for a few days. Helicopters, jet boats the works ~It was on the flight there i came up with the line. This comment is probably too long so I'll tell the next part of the story later.

Peter Vegas

February 9, 2007 at 3:10 pm

So NZ Tourisim told M&C they didnt want a picture postcard campaign but M&C boxed on and sold them on it and it worked. Really well. I agree with Jake that there are other parts to what makes up NZ but when you're summing up the country in an ad you go for the big simple hook. Most country do the same thing. Come see our lovely hills and lovely people. What i like about the oz campaign is they injectd a very australian tone into theirs. We need to do the same. Take the L&P ads, they have a very NZ tone. M&C were behind the new Oz campaign but dont know if they showed it to NZ first. WOuldnt have really worked the same here. I could go on about this for hours but you got to keep these comments short i have found.

Vincent Heeringa

February 10, 2007 at 9:00 am

I just added a comment to the Geoff Ross story but it could just as easily go here because it fits with the discussion. I like Geoff's idea of using New Zealand not as a provenance but an attitude or flavour. Selling New Zealandishness. There are some things that fit the "Made in NZ" tag without needing to announce they come from NZ. For example, bungy doesn't need to say Made in NZ, becasue it embodies what NZ is all about. And when you find out that it has, that makes a lot of sense. Same with Burger Fuel and Icebreaker--brands that stand for pioneering, quality and egalitarianism. There are some things that don't make sense to be NZ branded, such as opera or high technolog or brain surgery techniques--where a NZ association proabbly wouldn't help. But even Karen Walker, who claims to be international rather NZ, has a provenance that makes sense once you see her designs. What are the publishing equivalents of 42 Below and Icebreaker I often wonder ...

Tim Norton

February 16, 2007 at 10:26 am

I think that we have a real opportunity to be positioned as the number 1 as a premium provider of sustainable solutions. NZ is beautifully natural and you're always reminded of that when returning from travels if you do forget, but the problem is at the moment its only really used to sell NZ as a destination, which is limited to tourism. What we need is bits of NZ floating around the globe, in peoples hoes, businesses and lives.

The big angle on the natural beauty of New Zealand and our ability to innovate is that it inspires us to create sustainable solutions to the worlds problems. Whether these be cleaning products, wind turbines, energy management technology... they all tie together under the one thing that I think we actually can be number 1 for: The premium sustainable solution providers to the world.

Justyn

February 25, 2007 at 4:40 pm

To offer a well known phrase, "its better to stand up for something than be blown over by anything". To me clarity in a NZ brand communicates to its audience a total Connection and awareness of its People, its Location, its Knowledge and Understanding of all things NZ (inviting a "less is more" experience which communicates fun, health, friendship, wealth and a refreshing lifestlye which permeates life at its best).

Justyn

February 25, 2007 at 4:44 pm

We are all reminded of the person who wouldn't shut up and to the contrary the person who just sat there and said nothing! So to the point a NZ brand needs clarity, its needs to be simple, fresh and to the point without going on too long whilst ensuring it presents itself with a subtle sophisication that even when seated is noticed as a giant amongst "brands".

Justyn

February 25, 2007 at 4:45 pm

NZ is often referred to as being way downunder - which to me denotes small and isolated, a far away place of no significance. In summary, to stand out as a giant amongst brands we need a NZ brand which calls forth significance and the best NZ has to offer in a "less is more" sophisticated style which leaves all people including NZ'ers feeling valued and cared for, a NZ brand which role models the ultimate global experience whether in NZ or with a piece of NZ somewhere else in the global community.

Bart

March 7, 2007 at 10:51 am

Any thoughts on what role Auckland should play in realising a new NZ brand?

Jake

March 11, 2007 at 3:47 am

Bart, hi. Yes I'm very clear about the role Auckland should play in realsing a New New Zealand brand. It needs to translate into being a fresh commercial city, vibrant with progressive business environments. It needs to create the definitive break out space for the southern hemispherem, a place where all multi nationals come to do their fresh thinking.

In the same way that Italy is the home of fashion. Auckland should be the home of fresh business thinking adn Wellington the home of fresh new culture

Love to debate this
Jake Pearce.

Vincent Heeringa

March 13, 2007 at 6:12 pm

I'm chairing a discussion about this very thing as part of the AK07 Festival. Wednesday March 14 at 12m at the World Famous Spielgel Tent in Britomart. All welcome and it's free. The moot: Auckland as a creative city? Ha!

Scott Cooper

December 14, 2009 at 5:21 pm

I love all of this debate. Only wish I wasn't two years too late.

As a Kiwi who has been 8 years in London, I've become very aware of how different the perception of New Zealand can be amongst non-Kiwis. Perhaps more important though is the "internal communications" job that we need to be thinking about to young Kiwis abroad, feeling compromised and hesitant about returning to a country that feels like home, but doesn't feel like somewhere they can fulfil their ambition.

Scott Cooper

December 14, 2009 at 5:23 pm

I have to admit to struggling with it myself, and am always disheartened by the number of friends opting to stay in London or choose Australia. I'm hanging out for the day when NZ is perceived globally as the home of creative, human-centric business and design solutions. Not only will young Kiwis abroad be clamouring to come home and take part, but talented non-Kiwis are equally welcome in my new New Zealand.

There are so many reasons why we can and should head down this path, but more than a few cultural challenges as well. We need to collaborate more, seek partnerships, dream bigger, risk judgement on an 80% perfect solution, and make heroes of cool young entrepreneurs as much as we do sportspeople.

Where do I start?

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