Newspapers Bring Kiwis Together

The front page of a newspaper does more than tell a story – it lets us become part of the story.  It lets us know not only what happened, but also how people felt.  Whether good news or bad, national or local, newspapers invite us to share in a common experience as Kiwis.

A positive new campaign was launched on Friday 15th October to support the newspaper industry.  The campaign called “Kiwis Together” promotes the role newspapers and their online entities play in the emotional connection Kiwis have with their newspaper.

The Hammersmith images

Starting Monday 17th October until Sunday 23rd October, NZ newspaper front pages were featured on a digital billboard in London in real time and Kiwis (or lovers of NZ) were invited to photograph themselves in front of the billboard and post it on the campaign Microsite (www.kiwistogether.com).  Those that couldn't get to the billboard could take a photo with the Kiwi Newspaper front page in the Wed issue of the London Metro - a free magazine with 2,020,000 London eyes every week. 

Entries to win a return trip back home, came in from expats from every part of New Zealand - from Invercargill up to Whangarei and Gisborne through to Taranaki.  The winner was Steve Buck (below) from Snells Beach near Warkworth, who is looking forward to coming home during the UK winter. He's going to check out his house in Christchurch, which was damaged in the earthquake, but which he has not seen since the earthquake happened.  Congratulations Steve! 

As well, the campaign invited NZ advertising agency executives to get their friends based in London to participate in the campaign on behalf of them, to win a return trip to London for themselves. Congratulations to Shona Cawley from Starcom who won a return trip for her and a friend to London.  Trade DM piece.

With the campaign running around the World Cup, newspapers back in NZ ran full page ads that allowed the reader to post the entire newspaper to their mates overseas - maybe in France or Australia?

From this week, ads will run in NZ newspapers and their online entities showcasing some of the photo entries received from our London readers.
 
The campaign, devised by Special Group, grew out of research conducted for the NPA, by AC Nielsen, which demonstrated that New Zealanders, no matter where they are, have a very strong bond with their own newspaper. The campaign runs nationwide across newspapers and their online entities and across two countries.

Press Releases

NPA Trade Winner Release

Newspaper Work Winner Release