Selling New Zealand: the Language of Advertising

The Nineties & Beyond

Framegrab, A Mealmate Mate

A Mealmate Mate – Griffins, Lintas, 199-

“What do ya reckon mate? Could go a Mealmate mate.”

• Repetition – obviously!
• Superlatives – the Meal Mate is unique
• Alliteration – "Meal Mate, mate…"

Framegrab, Political Apes

Political Apes - Alliance Party Political Advertising, [1996]

Pulled after a few transmissions because of neanderthal taunts from Richard Prebble and the ACT side of the House.

• Rhetorical questions
• Imperative – "Vote for Alliance"
• Emotive words – "trust", "betrayed."
• Use of an animal – novelty effect. Is it significant the animal in question is an orang-utan?

Framegrab, Reflections

Reflections - Bendon Underwear, Mojo, 199-

Oh how suggestive. The narrative here goes even further than many predecessors. The tomboy has an alluring set of underclothes at heart. The modern women is really the 50s archetypal mother and so on and so on.

• Syntax – minor sentences: "It’s not how the world sees you. It’s how you see yourself."
• Slow-motion combines with soothing song to create atmosphere

Framegrab, World's Warmest Welcome

The World's Warmest Welcome - Air New Zealand, Colenso, 1999

Millennium ad from “our” airline.

• Fantastic use of colour – blues and greens (New Zealand – clean, green image etc) compared to colours of destinations
• Use of famous Maori song
• "Whichever part of the world we see, the world sees a part of New Zealand."
• Syntax – "Air New Zealand. The world’s warmest welcome." – minor sentences
• Alliteration – "…world’s warmest welcome…"
• Superlative – "…warmest welcome…"

Framegrab, Our Children, Our Future, Our Millennium

Our Children, Our Future, Our Millennium, TV3 Network, 1999

What societal demographic did many major corporations and institutions use as characters in their millennium ads?

• Symbols – trees (grow tall and strong – children can do the same etc)
• Alliteration – "First to the future"
• Use of children, humour (ballet lad to become All Black prop etc)

Framegrab, Lawnmower - Lotto

Lawnmower - Lotto, Saatchi & Saatchi, 1997

A wonderful tongue-in-cheek take on the quarter acre paradise. Pity it’s concreted over.

• “You can’t do much without a great team.”
• Interrogative sentence – "What would you do …?"
• Use of humour – a bloke who expresses great joy and excitement, the bemused passer-by

Framegrab, Humility - Trustbank

Humility - Trustbank, Saatchi & Saatchi / Lee Tamahori, 1994

George and Joe take a stroll along a farm road and discuss Joe’s rugby game. Award winner 1994.

• Use of setting – the idyllic rural Kiwi setting
• A moral to the story - "You can’t do much without a great team."
• The relationship between the customer and the bank, it is suggesting, could be as close as that between the two brothers.

Framegrab, Steinlager - Mana

Steinlager - Mana, Saatchi & Saatchi, 2004

Buck Shelford. They brought him back.

• Use of celebrity – in this case a New Zealand sporting icon and symbol of toughness, physical strength, manliness etc.
• ‘Hard music’ combined with images of Shelford playing for the All Blacks. Punchy guitar combines with shots of Shelford smashing into physical contact.
• Mana – the Haka, as led by Wayne Shelford, at the beginning, then voice-over (whisper) during ad. Shelford is often identified as one of the strongest All Black captains – he certainly had mana.
• Colour association – black. The All Blacks, of course.
• Repetition – “He played on.” Note also how the ‘jumpy’ words leap out to emphasise Shelford’s hardness, his uncompromising attitude.
• Archival footage and factual information to create authenticity.
• Euphemism – “…another caught him in a place all men can appreciate.”
• Syntax – “The first of only two occasions ...”
• Shot of Shelford bloodied but, of course, “he played on”.
• Steinlager logo/All Blacks – Unconditional. Steinlager’s support of the All Blacks will be as Shelford’s commitment to the black jersey.
• Appeal to masculinity, and the traditional Kiwi male ideals of toughness, never giving up, strength, refusal to be intimidated etc etc.

Framegrab, Lynx - Effect

Lynx - Effect, Ammirati Puris Lintas, 2003

The one in the lift. Lynx has had more complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority for a single product than most companies have in a lifetime.

• Appeals to sexual attraction – much like the Mennen Skin Bracer magnet ad on this DVD. That was a long time ago but, as Led Zeppelin might say, The Song Remains the Same. This ad is a bit different in that it’s the after-effects (hence ‘Effect’) that ‘work’. Here it isn’t just ‘use our product and you will score’, it is also for those who have been around those who have used the product – what a powerful effect.
• Image of sexuality – toned bloke with abs etc using product; attractive women overwhelmed by lust. Wee nervous bloke must face the consequences of a man using Lynx in such a confined space.
• Use of humour – the wee bloke looks quite taken aback and a little nervous.
• Soundtrack – “Wa-hoo, yahoo, yahooooo!”
• Great camera shot of stop button being pushed, nice use of focus change. Also note the semiotic nature of the shot – referring to the phrase re buttons being pushed.
• Lynx’s Accelerate – suggests it hurries reactions, quickens the feminine pulse; suggests also that ultimate ‘effect’ is that women lose control.

Framegrab, Lemon & Paeroa

Lemon & Paeroa - World Famous in New Zealand, Saatchi & Saatchi, 199-

Paeroa: “It ain’t famous for its fashion boutiques... but it is famous!”

• Paradox – “World Famous in New Zealand”
• Repetition – “It ain’t famous for …”
• Music – use of a famous New Zealand song, The Swingers’ Counting the Beat. Paeroa…”…there ain’t no place I’d rather be, da-da-da-de”
• Use of humour – young lad coming out of the RSA. “…ain’t famous for its surf” – shot of a river, harbour bridge etc.
• A retro NZ – stubbies, old car etc. Emphasises Paeroa is behind the times but still has something to be proud of.
• Aimed at the younger audience – rebranding a familiar product for a new audience.

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