Feature: 1 Million People Watch 100% Pure Commercial Online

Date: 14 November 2008

More than 1 million people have watched Tourism New Zealand’s ‘Youngest Country’ television commercial on YouTube since a global takeover of the site just over a year ago.

The number of views of the latest 100% Pure New Zealand commercial reached 1 million earlier this month.

Another 13,000 people have already watched it since, reflecting the steady stream of viewers the ad has attracted since it was launched online last September.

The global YouTube takeover was one of the highlights of the launch of Tourism New Zealand’s latest 100% Pure New Zealand campaign. Tourism New Zealand staged a 24-hour YouTube homepage video road block, which saw an estimated 600,000 people view the commercial.

Tourism New Zealand General Manager Consumer Marketing Catherine Bates says the use of media such as YouTube is a cost effective way to reach a large global audience.

"Our marketing spend is generally very focused on reaching key markets. The YouTube takeover was a great way to connect with our target audiences, while at the same time getting our message out beyond our traditional markets."

The move to embrace media such as YouTube, iPods, blog sites, the internet and electronic billboards has become an integral part of the 100% Pure New Zealand campaign.

"YouTube is a great example of how a small country can use technology to its advantage," says Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive George Hickton.

The ‘Youngest Country’ commercial promotes New Zealand as the last habitable land mass on earth to be settled by humankind, which makes it the best place to enjoy life as it should be.

The commercial was mastered by Assignment Group along with Wellington-based Weta Digital. It celebrates New Zealand’s culture and history by animating the Maori legend of Maui hauling the North Island from the sea and showcases the range of tourism experiences available.

As well as being viewed on Tourism New Zealand’s YouTube channel, the television commercial has been used in market-specific campaigns in China, India, Australia, Japan, the UK, US, Germany and Canada.

To date, the television commercial has had 1,769 comments posted and has also inspired 27 video responses.

View it online at http://www.youtube.com/user/PureNewZealand

Source: Tourism New Zealand Feature