"BIG little city" launches its first major visitor promotion campaign

Auckland wants Kiwis to come to town this winter. The country’s biggest city embarks on a $1.8m promotion campaign on May 17 highlighting the great things about the ‘big little city’.

The advertising and PR campaign is being launched with two objectives: to boost visitor numbers and engender pride about their city amongst Aucklanders.

The multi-media campaign focuses on Auckland City as a ‘vibrant, buzzing and activity-rich destination’ that is the event capital of New Zealand. The theme is ‘BIG little city: Open Daily’.

Heart of the City mainstreet association is backing the promotion with support from with Auckland City Council, Tourism Auckland and retail, travel, accommodation, attractions and event organisations in Auckland City.

Heart of Auckland City CEO Alex Swney says the campaign has been thoroughly researched and is designed to boost Auckland’s commercial and tourism future.

“It’s an investment in Auckland and all the great things our city has to offer its visitors,” Mr Swney says. “The way the world economy is, and with lower internal travelling costs and a weak Kiwi dollar, Auckland represents top value compared to an overseas holiday.

“We’ve got the big events; we’ve got the entertainment; and we’ve got the big city life, like no other City in New Zealand. We’re showcasing Auckland as the passionate heart of a spirited region with a huge range of things to do and see and to remind people from North Cape to Bluff that we are the event capital of New Zealand, Mr Swney says.

“We also want to highlight for Aucklanders the city’s concentrated diversity. We live, work and shop in a beautiful city that is rich in culture and architecture and you just don’t get that in concrete jungle malls.

“Within Auckland there’s a depth and breadth of great things to do and see right on our doorstep. Aucklanders should feel proud of their city and all it has to offer and we want them to tell family and friends all about it.”

Mr Swney says the campaign has the “overwhelming support” of the private sector.

“Around a quarter of the funding for the programme has been contributed by the private sector with the remainder funded by the CBD targeted rate and Heart of the City’s mainstreet levy.”

The campaign is scheduled to appear on television and in print. The brand television ad features scenes of the City at the start of its day, getting ready ‘just for you’. Scenes feature real life City workers stocking shops, rehearsing for a show, putting the finishing touches on store and gallery window displays or a hotel room, and unfurling sails down on the harbour. The theme is ‘open daily’.

The tactical television ad and print advertising features a line up of the city’s best entertainment to entice visitors to visit now. For information about Auckland City people can go to the website at www.aucklandnz.com or call 0800auckland.

The campaign partners include Air New Zealand, Vector Arena, The Edge, SKYCITY and Smith & Caughey. There are 20 campaign partners in total.