Tourism New Zealand: WEATHER IN ELVISH

Credits & Description:

Advertiser: TOURISM NEW ZEALAND
Agency: WHYBIN\TBWA AUCKLAND
Category: Best Use of Special Events and Stunt/Live Advertising
Advertising campaign: WEATHER IN ELVISH
Executive Creative Director: Dave Bowman (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Aucklandd/Whybin\TBWA Sydney)
Copywriter: Andy Blood (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Executive Creative Director: Andy Blood (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Aucklandd/Whybin\TBWA Sydney)
Producer: Andy Mauger (Curious)
Strategist: Hristos Varouhas (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland/Whybin\TBWA Sydney)
Project Manager: Louise Leitch (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Account Management: Lynlee Smith (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Account Director: Mandy Eckford (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Executive Producer: Matt Noonan (Curious)
Production Specialist: Nigel Mchardy (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Planner: Julie Maciver (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Copywriter: Ryan Price (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Copywriter: Tammy Keegan (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Production Specialist: Andrew Zen (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Art Director: Andy Blood (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Director: Darryl Ward (Curious)
Senior Designer: Jonathon Mead (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Copywriter: Lucy Morgan (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Developer: Patrick Li (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Digital Creative Director: Ross Howard (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Account Director: Stephanie Creasey (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Art Director: Cece Chu (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Designer: Chris Lewis (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Art Director: Craig Brooks (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Production Company: Curious (Curious)
Account Management: Julia Mckee (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Creative Director: Mark Zeman (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Executive Creative Director: Matty Burton (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Aucklandd/Whybin\TBWA Sydney)
Developer: Sam Kwan (Whybin\TBWA\DAN Auckland)
Editor: Tim Mauger (Curious)

Strategy
NZ has a tiny population, and a budget to match. But its ambitions are global. And it was presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity to make the country a must-visit destination off the back of the global spotlight that would turn it’s way thanks to the launch of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. To a Tolkien fan, one place is synonymous with Middle earth, and that’s New Zealand. New Zealand is middle-earth, on earth. Where Gandalf strides, Hobbit’s walk, and Gollum creeps. Where fantasy and reality are one and the same thing. So we aimed to earn as much media as we could by using our association with all things Middle-earth.And if you’re in a country that really is Middle-earth, you’d have a middle earth weather forecast wouldn’t you?

Execution
Partnering with the state broadcaster TVONE, we found one of the world’s only ‘Elvish’ coaches, and for a week trained one of their presenters in the language. Then, come the day of The Hobbit’s Premiere, and without any notice, we broadcast the nation’s weather forecast entirely in Elvish.

Effectiveness
This was reported far and wide by the BBC and the Daily Mail. Hundreds of thousands of Elvish nerds also spread the word online. (And commented how good our Elvish grammar & pronunciation was.) The footage was later available for repeat viewing on youtube, TVNZ ‘OnDemand’ and the Pure New Zealand Facebook page.