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Below are the second batch of responses to Turi Park's thought-provoking open
letter,
'A new brand for New Zealand? Or a New Zealand visual
language?'. Whether brand is your mantra or the whole idea of branding our
free land irks you, read below for stimulus from Theatre Producers, CEOs,
and Hotel Executives from Auckland to Cheshire. They offer perspectives on
the state of the brand nation, issue challenges to the image-makers, crit
the colours and sport new alternatives. Click here to add your voice to the chorus. See here for page one of NZ visual language missives.
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Mike Lloyd, Mortgage
Consultant, Australia, age: 32 Every day we fly the same flag is another day where the uniqueness and identity of our country is lost. When, not if, we change the flag of New Zealand I believe there will be a huge surge in our national unity and identity. As a New Zealander (born in Dunedin) living and working abroad I've decided not to wait. Here's my design... Red, white and black - primary colours used in Maori design. Green - pounamu, agriculture, bush. The Southern Cross and the fern. Proposing a flag needn't be about complicated interpretations. All the
proposals to date have been unsuccessful; nothing has gained enough public
support to break the status quo. I say it's time for something simple yet very symbolic, simple yet rich
with feeling. If you've
got some feedback email me at mike@fusionfinc.com |
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Design Consultant, London, UK,
age: 53 I think the most telling part of Turi's very lucid letter was his grandmother's advice - "if you are going to start something make damn sure you do the whole job right". This is often forgotten about after the initial high when kicking off any project whether it be a DIY project at home to the potential rebranding of a country. Whatever you do on this project please make sure that this line of copy
starts and finishes any brief issued as it will focus the mind of all
involved. |
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Project Manager, Canada, age: 35 Hi Turi. I enjoyed your letter and offer a couple of points to ponder. Branding is not a pakeha initiative or a foreign formula. Branding is as old as human civilization itself and every civilization has used brands to establish a unique identity and community. Humans are hard wired to recognize brands as symbols that represent a history, a system, a reputation, or mana. Empires (e.g. Roman, British), Religions, (e.g. Judaism, Muslim), countries and individuals have, over the history of humankind, used coats of arms, flags, great seals, facial tattoos, tartans etc. as marks or brands that represent their power, prestige and all that comes with it. Branding is interwoven with the mythology of the human experience. It helps individuals understand the world and achieve their full potential by understanding where they come from. Many of the responders have made comment about the NZ flag. This is
inevitable as the flag is often used as the brand of the country. As Turi
states a brand is a "distillation" and can only represent a
wider culture. It cannot include everything about the wider culture, and
to that end, not everyone will be happy with the flag. I would like to
draw your attention to a parallel story of the Canadian flag. Here is a
region that is 37 times the landmass of NZ, has 500 years of history since
colonization began and a mosaic of cultures all to be represented in the
flag. Canada launched a new flag amid internal controversy and now
Canada's maple leaf flag is recognized and respected around the world.
Canada gained independence from Britain in 1867. New Zealand gained
independence in 1907, 40 years after Canada. Canada designed its new flag
in 1964. Maybe 2004 will be the year for the new flag of NZ? |
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Brand Icon Illustrator, Havant, UK,
age: 45 New Zealand is a fantastic country, I have travelled the length and breadth. I would love to help solve the brand icon problem. I have designed and illustrated some of the best known global brand icons. Many for major clients thoughout the world. You can view my work at www.epicicons.com. This is a serious suggestion, what a great project! I am a member of the Association of British Design & Art Direction. I wish you well. Chris Mitchell chris@chrismitchell.co.uk |
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Theatre Producer, London, UK, age: 32 NZ has a profile in the UK as culturally shallow - advertising imagery mostly about sports, still a satellite of the UK, a diluted version of Britain without the sophistication. I think New Zealand needs to invest in the raising the profile of its original culture and history - at the moment you're a rugger bugger guest at the party with not a lot of conversation. Make more indigenous films, write and export more original plays, novels … exhibit and export contemporary paintings and sculpture, work out what the deal is with Pakeha-Maori relations and then present it to the world alongside the All Blacks in the advertising. The public image for kiwis in the UK is desperately straight, unsexy, unmysterious … and that just isn't true. Sort it out all you bright people! |
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CEO
Communications Company, UK, 32 But why don't we think about this in a way that adds real value to our export industry and wellbeing of our national psyche? Black, archetypally means fear of the unknown and the fern is a meaningless symbol, working like a fuedal crest rather than a mark of excellence. This visual language works for Kiwis internally because black and silver are shorthand for the values embodied in our sports teams. This can't be a good basis for an external facing kiwi brand. At least the Union Jack stands for a higher political ideal and constitutional stability.
Why don't we create a visual
identity that celebrates respect for nature? How about hosting every
global summit on the issue? Let's walk the talk first and build on where
we want to go in the 21st century, rather than graft the values embodied
by our rugby team onto our nation. |
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Hotel Executive, Cheshire, UK, 43 This letter opens all sorts of debate and well done for starting it - I have lived in the NW of England for 23 years and I think that most Northerners associate NZ with the All Blacks and Rugby League. They even think we are a 'part of Australia'. I am often mistaken (due to my accent softening over the years) of being Australian and a lot of people here think that they are one and the same. I feel that NZ has to differentiate itself from Australia, we are smaller, more diverse and have a indigenous culture that we are proud of - lets use it. The odd NZ TV shows have been
shown on Terrestrial TV here, but most people don't realise that when they
watch the latest James Bond, or Lord of the Rings that these are New
Zealanders. We are the Kings of Sailing - but how many people, outside of
the sailing community, know it is the America's Cup in the Hauraki Gulf?
Marketing and the use of the Internet can make NZ so much closer. We are
the innovators of the world - lets use that to make our country the best
at the edge of the world. |
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Director, Perth, Australia, age: 66 Turi, I agree with your sentiments and, in reference to some of the other correspondents, may I be permitted to make the following observation. I have no objection to proud
New Zealanders being also proud of "their" British heritage But,
on behalf of those of us of Maori, Irish (or any other) heritage, please
refrain from referring to "our" British heritage. |
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Account Manager, Auckland, NZ, 36 Like the Harry Pot Head bit ... we've all seen the poster, I'm sure. Funny. I still think our need of the symbolism and stability inherent in that kind of history described (albeit) by the profile of an aged and declining royal(ty), is indeed telling. As the name of our country describes ... we are New. New Zealand, another Zealand. A better Zealand. An isolated, distant escape from the the nightmare of an emerging industrial Europe. A bastion of the common man. Not a place struck dumb by it's observance of (or slavery to) ridiculous class systems or other institutional tortures. A land of opportunity and new beginnings. So here we are...."Colonising colonials".... 150 short years ago we were Europeans, (or was that 10 years ?) and now like all young beings searching out their uniqueness, we are beginning to rail against all imagery that would present us as a subtext to someone else's history like it was humiliating slander. That is painful and healthy. Our crime is that we are young, and though the concept of a truly independent voice carries all peoples hopes, wishes and agreement, it does not answer the silent instinctive need for rootedness, 'home' and history. A familiar and recognisable platform from which we may confidently receive the world. I love your alternative flags and names, but for me they carry scant meaning, and certainly could not sustain the weight of history they would attempt to represent. Don't misunderstand me, I hear what you say and know that the NZ collective mind is rolling in the direction of a truly independent nature devoid of the trappings of it's parentage. Just that growth of the kind you describe comes with years. We have made enormous progress in recent times and the job continues, and will continue for some years yet. Branding is a trivialising nonesense for something as deep, colourful and diverse as a national culture. In truth, no country has a "wrapping" that tourists open everytime they visit. Yes, they have expectations. But in many ways, they already know what they have come to see before they get off the plane. This is from media in it's truest form, random and interesting excerpts of information from conversations, books, articles, TV drama, internet, whatever ... not a single, one off campaign out to sell us to the widest possible market over one month's airtime. "Quick, lets come up with an idea for a culture". We should have a sign at Auckland Airport :"Patience, Culture Growing". All the Best with your quest. |
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Anonymous, Australia I have read that some prawn wants to change our flag. I've seen what they want to use and I say: not bloody likely! If you need to change our flag just remove the Pommie flag from the top corner and there you have it. So, leave the flag alone! |
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| Click here to have your say and here for page one of responses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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