I was sitting back in my Air New Zealand seat on NZ1 out of Los Angeles preparing for a journey I know so well, the one back home. Getting on an Air New Zealand plane anywhere in the world actually feels like I have already arrived, but something at the start of this journey caused me to sit bolt upright and do a quick mental check that the plane and I were both going to the same place. The dulcet tones of the Air New Zealand purser welcoming the foreign travelers said the flight would “take us down to our quiet little corner of the South Pacific.”
Quiet! Little! Corner! Yet again I was reminded that “language matters”. For many years I have worked against the notion of New Zealand as “small”, yet time and again it creeps into our national conversation. The natural modesty of New Zealanders, the get-it-done-without-fuss ethic, the “knock the bugger off” attitude that carried Ed Hillary to the top of Everest, are among our greatest strengths. I work with New Zealanders in what seems to be every part of the world. I can see how our gruff, chipper sense of teamwork creates priceless value wherever it is deployed. Shayne Gilbert is leading the UN relief effort in Haiti. Helen Clark is leading the UN’s development effort designed to pull a billion people out of poverty. Chris Liddell is now Vice Chairman of General Motors. Steve Williams will have Tiger Woods’ back as he attempts to pull his game and life back on track. These are each examples of turnaround situations which require a tenacious, pragmatic yet calm and principled approach. The message could be, “got a tough job to do – call in a New Zealander. They’ll deliver 100%.”
The “quiet little corner” metaphor plays to the worst attributes of our psychology: that we are subservient, under-achieving, provincial, even feral. What if the Air New Zealand announcement had spoken of the journey to “our proud warrior nation at the leading edge of change, not only world-class but world-changing, and on our flight you’ll sample the fruits of our garden in paradise, our farm from nirvana, and our vineyards from heaven.” Yes, to coin the great Kiwi put down, it’s “over the top”, but it serves to illustrate that the story we present of ourselves to the world needs a makeover.
We can turn out Oscar-winning scripts but the one for the country itself has been sorely neglected. We either underdo it, as seen in the mantra of “small” we infect ourselves with, or overdo it, as seen in the crushing disappointments that we visited upon ourselves for the past three Rugby World Cups when we built our All Blacks up to walk on water.
The 2011 Rugby World Cup is the world’s third largest sporting tournament. It will be a brilliant showcase for New Zealand, provided we are up for it. I’m not talking about the rugby – I’m going to leave that to Graham Henry and Richie McCaw. I’m not talking about whether the planes get everyone where they’re meant to be on time – I’m leaving that to Air New Zealand.
What I am talking about is our job as citizens, and our role in welcoming tens of thousands of visitors – players, media, fans – and billions of viewers throughout the world. If our starting point is that we’re a “quiet little corner of the South Pacific” then we have defeated ourselves before we start. We need to raise our sights a little, talk it up a bit, sharpen our edge, and polish our exuberance. I’m not talking about being something we aren’t: New Zealanders are naturally hospitable, let’s just imbue the conversation with a higher sense of purpose and metaphor.
Bring on the storytellers, raise up the scriptwriters, turn on the songwriters! We need a fresh New Zealand narrative that positions us well in the world at a time when millions of people will be participating in what we are offering.
Give it edge, enthusiasm and a power of emotion!
21 Responses to “Pass It On – with Edge, Enthusiasm & Emotion”
Ye gods. If someone described New Zealand to me over a flight intercom system as “our proud warrior nation at the leading edge of change”, I’d laugh divine pinot out my nose. (Then I’d complain about the “warrior” bit.) Clever self-promotion is not about pretending that we are not a small, quiet, safe, peaceful country full of generally laid-back people. It’s not about being shiny. It’s about pointing out to the world that a small, quiet, safe, peaceful country full of generally laid-back people is a really good place to live in, or trade with, or go on holiday to. Lots of people notice this already, despite the fact that we don’t, er, imbue our conversations with a sense of higher purpose and metaphor.
I’m deeply proud of who we are, and at the risk of making fun of the Prime Minister, I’m ambitious for New Zealand. But I’d take nonchalance over this kind of embarrassing bombast any day. I think Kevin Roberts has been “polishing his exuberance” far too long.
I would like to pass on the whole site rather than individual videos. Is this possible please?
Here in UAE, sports enthusiasm has drawn new people to appreciate New Zealand’s achievements in e.g. annual Rugby Sevens, the upcoming Loius Vitton yachting, the McLaren legacy in Formula I racing. It is on a level-playing field of athletes representing our country that every Kiwi has a chance to stand tall and proud in vicariously sharing their endeavours.
Well done sir, We are a proud, strong, innovative and welcoming nation, so we are a we way away from the rest of the world, but the trip is always worth it. Be proud to say who you are and where your from, your children will thank you for it………
Hi Helen,
Click on the About Pass It On video in the ‘Calling All Kiwi’s’ section and share this promo video. We are working on some easier ways of doing this too.
The Pass It On Team.
I am a kiwi currently living in Vancouver and was lucky enough this year to experience the way in which one of these global sporting events can galvanize a community/ city/ country. It elevated Canadians to a sense of patriotism and togetherness that had been widely reported as never before having existed. It was, quite simply, a magical time for locals and visitors alike.
I constantly found myself sub-consciously transposing these uplifting occasions onto home, and to 2011. Sure it’s ultimately a sporting event, and these will not come without their detractors and minor inconveniences but when everybody embraces it it just becomes so much more. New Zealanders, I feel, can and will take the RWC to that higher level and I look forward to seeing the positive legacy it leaves on our country……Now if the boys can just emulate Team Canada’s finale then we’re all in for one hell of a climax!!
I enjoyed reading Kevin’s piece, and am proud to be a kiwi. Then reading some of the comments and along with reading some or our comments left on news websites, kind of doesn’t reflect the noble honest hard working people Kevin’s piece kindly points out, don”t get me wrong, the people he speaks of are making the world a better place, I just wish this was true for the new y generation that I believe are exceptionally talented however often want to push the reset button as they would on their Play station when things get a little tough. For the lower socio-economic classes throughout NZ who are consumed by consumerism and will do anything to acquire, shall we say….
I live in Shanghai, China with my family and have also had 5 years in Hiroshima and to me Asia loves the idea of little ‘ole Aotearoa’, but their image of the place is far from what we actually stand for in my opinion. I have also worked in a range of positions throughout the socio-economic spectrum and there are still many issues that NZ and a nation still have to work on to have equality and forward movement. How, I am not sure, but it is a concern when it is safer to live among millions than in the warrior clad Aotearoa.
I don’t want to sound like I am having a good old ‘English moan’ either, I am proud of what we strive for, but I don’t want the commoner of New Zealand to ever go in blindly thinking that what we think or say is the be all end all of anything, we would just look silly then. We have one of the most fascinating cultures in the world that we choose when convenient to acknowledge, we were pioneers in woman’s suffrage, in would be great to see us be the first nation to correct all the cultural discrepancies and do it humbly and honestly. I know words like Tangata whenua and Kaumatua o Aotearoa raise cold prickles on the back of a politicians neck, but hey, its just a thought….
Although I spend most of the year in China I am incredibly privileged to live in “our quiet little corner of the South Pacific” and long to return each time I am away. In reading Mr Roberts pitch for more business for his agency, thinly veiled as a plea for more ‘passion for self promotion’ from the average Kiwi, I am compelled to believe that he simply does not ‘get’ New Zealand. Perhaps he should spend more time with real people when he visits. To wax so lyrically about “our garden in paradise, our farm from nirvana, and our vineyards from heaven”, shows a total lack of understanding of the realities of life, farming, agriculture, viticulture and the environment in New Zealand. (Any NZ vineyard owner would laugh until he cried, which was probably what he was doing in the first place, at such verbosity.) Kiwis give edge, enthusiasm and a power of emotion to all that they do. Which is why NZ punches so high above its weight in almost every category be it sport, music, film production, arts, F&B or business. Kiwis are smart pioneers and seek opportunities wherever they might be found which is why China is now New Zealand’s second biggest trading partner. There are many successful New Zealanders all over the world in every industry who simply want to be the best at what they do which for them is reward enough. For Kiwis it is not about show and gloss and never about bragging, It is about being honest and true. Something most overseas observers fail to grasp. We know New Zealand is far from perfect, as is every other country in the world but some are more perfect than others. Yes, there are many subservient, under-achieving, provincial, even feral New Zealanders, many more than we care to acknowledge but Kiwis are not clones and even a dictatorial Singapore cannot brain-wash their whole population into wanting the same goals.
The ‘tyranny of distance’ is not such a bad thing, neither is being small. Our isolation and security is our greatest asset, just ask any of those newly arrived South Africans immigrants why they came. I too love getting on the Air New Zealand flight back home from Beijing. I instantly relax into the warm comfort of true Kiwi service, from ‘real’ people, the moment I step on board. When departing visitors are asked ‘would you visit again?’, New Zealand always achieves the highest positive response of any destination in the world. Those who visit in 2011 for the Rugby World Cup will have the experience of a lifetime in every sense because it is in New Zealand and New Zealand is not like anywhere else on earth, its special. I and every other Kiwi in the world’s greatest rugby nation will be there to make sure they do. It’ll be sweet as.
My God, Kevin, take a breath, a deep breath. Aotearoa is a small quiet place in the South Pacific, that is reality. And that is what many, many people love about the place. We have no problem getting the job done as a people. It’s when it comes to corporations and government that the cow dung hits the rotor rooter. We are in deep doo doo as a society and all the slick Ad words in the Saatchi world will not make it any different. I have read over time your great NZ Edge and I respectfully suggest you keep your energy there. We are busy poisoning our country and we are poisoning our young. We need honest stories from honest kiwis, telling it as it is. We need to acknowledge our deep seated issues before we can take action. This is not the country I left in 1964, maybe it never was, we are the keepers of our own mythology. All that being said, I believe in KEA, I have been a long time member, I think this Pass It On is great, I would add, “Pass it on with Passion” but please let’s not paint a lie. Our politicians and finance companies do that well enough.
I’m with you, Tony and Tim
I can’t agree more with you Kevin. Being a foreigner who chose NZ as home , I feel there is still lots to change about the over-humble kiwi attitude, and the unfortunate choice of words. It surprises me sometimes why people don’t get passionate and proud of this country, why don’t they use a positive over a negative expression. RWC will provide a massive exposure to the world and truly hope kiwis get ready to embrace the idea of a massive celebration around the sport, to shout it loud and happy, to make it a real party, an experience visitors will never forget…my french and spanish friends coming count on that, and I am certainly up for it ! count on me NZ!! lets rephrase … Give it edge, enthusiasm and a power of emotion!
What an awesome concept, this in it’s self speaks as to who we are. Sharing is so caring and that is a some humble part of Aotearoa. I have not travelled alot, put work witin in a retail environment that connects with all walks of life. I am based in the biggest multi cultural region in the world and the PROUD ARM BAND that all Kiwi’s wear is beauitful, and the generosity if our kiwi culture is infectious. We maybe small in size in other areas, but have BIG HEARTS that are connecting life.
Not sure were the negative expressions are happening, they certainly are not in my environment, so if you need a proud dose of motivation, energy and sharing of who we are in Aotearoa come out our way to Manukau City Westfield and visit an eye 4 art, were we continually share the love and connect you with a part of who YOU are being a kiwi.
VERY PROUD TO SAY I AM A KIWI FROM NEW ZEALAND ( AOTEAROA) The Land of the Long White Cloud) Bring on the RWC……. Can not wait…….SHARE SHARE SHARE…
I think some of the people commenting have completely missed Kevin’s point. Most New Zealanders are fiercely passionate (and vocal) about rugby and the All Blacks, how about showing the world equal passion for our awesome food, wine, cultural talent and innovation. Perhaps Kevin’s choice of words were a little “over the top” for “humble” NZers to stomach but what’s wrong with being proud of who we are and what we’ve achieved? Next time I’m in the USA (or anywhere else in the world) I would love it if people said “Oh you guys have some of the best wine in the world”, or, “what a beautiful country you live in” when I tell them I’m from NZ; rather than not knowing anything about NZ, other than Flight of the Conchords.
CONGRATULATIONS to Kevin for his thoughts & proud poetic justice regarding our amazing country, his company is a fine example of the astronomical talent our country has to offer.
I currently live in Melbourne Australia, my 23 year old drive to pursue my career & life in a larger city has had me residing here for almost seven years now & although Melbourne is called home for now, it could never replace the ‘home’ of New Zealand.
The saying ‘The home is where the heart is’ is so relevant when it comes to New Zealand, it is a country that has ‘heart’ in spades.
New Zealand is a mind blowing piece of planet earth. It’s landscape is breath taking & purity profound.
Now I’m 30 & each time visiting with slightly wiser eyes, I always notice the kiwi culture of the people is one of wonderful earthy honesty & such hospitality.
I’m constantly blown away by how far advanced New Zealand is with their environmental awareness vs much of the world. The social settings, whether it be a casual coffee or silver service meal out are so often about supporting natural New Zealand produce & ways of being.
(Yet still there’s not enough noise made about it???)
As per Kevin’s point, for generations we’ve had humility & humble Nz ways drummed into our culture as the only way to be, & whilst these attributes are important for many things, it’s time we as proud Kiwi’s were comfortable to really stand up & let the world know just how amazing our country & all it produces really is!.
There is NO denying Nz has hills & valleys within it’s socio economic state & culture, thats because it is a country! I like to have one named that does not.
The whole idea is that we’re welcoming people to share more knowledge about all things wonderful that is part of what makes Nz so special.
I’ve never seen a please beware add attached to any countries promotion.
Sadly so many of the responses to the piece Kevin wrote just affirmed exactly the point he is making & needs to be made. If we’re all such proud kiwi’s then why do we only ever wan’t to keep quiet about it as oppose to making proud statements & behaving proudly? It’s a contradiction in terms feels like proud mediocrity.
Per capita New Zealand has phenomenal accolades in the arts, sports & media on a worldwide scale & yet we somehow don’t place much importance on reveling in our success’s & savoring those moments for any longer than a brief step on the podium & then humbly slinking away before we believe people may judge us as boastful.
Therefore I believe the fruits of our labour may sometimes be short changed as far as the rewards we could achieve from them could stretch.
I recall doing my O.E at 21 & generating some great success’s in my field in London, I then returned to Nz & when people would ask me how I managed it, I’d find myself saying “oh, I was very, very lucky”…..
Eerm, Lucky? Lucky what? lucky that I didn’t trip over & break my neck on the way to my train to get to my job I’d busted my gut out to get?
Lucky for me I was self aware enough to recheck the language I was choosing to use to dumb down my achievements & shortly changed my response with “I worked really hard & was clever enough to create fantastic opportunities for myself”.
I can’t help but feel however that I am extremely LUCKY to have grown up in the paradise that is Aotearoa & how LUCKY I feel to be scanning the real estate sites with excitement anticipating being back in a couple of years to once again be truly home.
Kev.. good on ya mate.. have a Speight’s on me for that one.
Nice work.. truly hit a cord and reminded me of why i love to be a kiwi..
Thanks for your work.. you really show that NZ is a lovemark!
Lets bring on RWC20111 and show the world what we are really made of!!
PASS IT ON!
As one of the most internationally individually-successful Kiwis ever produced, he obviously knows what he is talking about. As a Kiwi living in The US for 15 years, it didnt take long to learn that ‘world famous in NZ’ isn’t ‘world famous at all’.
Having been laughed at after submitting both of New Zealands so-called biggest international supermodels while working at 2 of the top 3 Talent Agencies, unfortunatly I know this from experience. Our ‘World Famous’ ’supermodels’ werent even considered big enough to be signed clients. They were ‘hip pocketed’ (kept on a list -just in case).
Our non ‘horn blowing’ character-trait is liked a lot overseas, but of course it is, it allows others to grow over us. Believing that people or products are ‘world famous’ because we are told they are, does nothing but prevent us from promoting these people or products. A lot of the time, the only thing keeping us from really being truely ‘world famous’ is our innability to get out there and market ourselves and our products. It is easier to believe they are already ‘world famous’, if ‘world famous in NZ’.
A good example is the Martin Jetpack. The first ever commercial jetpack ready for sale. All I have to do is mention it and within an instant the person I’m speaking with is looking it up online.
Usually the response is “its only 70K!” – talk of these things could have taken over Tokyo by now if kiwis werent so laid back and modest about anything not pertaining to Rugby.
I know this is rambling, sorry its 1.38am here – but Kevin is talking about Kiwi success on a global level, and I agree with him, unfortunately unless we step up and speak out about our fabulous products and people, they will remain only “world famous in NZ” – which isnt famous at all.
-Ask all the Musicians & Shortland St actors who the Womens Weekly declared were “too big for NZ now, and going to NYC to be stars”.
Being told, or having the belief that you are already the best at home, will always ensure that you’ll never be the best elsewhere. Not campaigning for your person or product will ensure you’ll never make it in the Global sector.
Kylie
Having lived away from NZ now for almost 5 years I’m a proud Kiwi through and through and I love all our attributes mentioned above. People here in North America instantly relay them back to me when I mention I’m a Kiwi and tell me how much they loved New Zealand or how it’s on their wishlist.
However I agree with Kevin we should totally talk ourselves up more and even get some of that Aussie arrogance that they have in droves when it comes to recognising our talent. Part of the reason why I left was the tall poppy syndrome that existed.
When I come home next year to watch the All Blacks win the World Cup and for New Zealand to put on their amazing hospitality I will be shouting from the rooftops. Pass it On is a brilliant concept!
Words do matter. More than they should. But that doesn’t change the fact that they do. I’m with Kevin. Of course his suggested “script” is over the top – that’s the point.
Get noticed – or die wondering.
Its fine if people want their quiet little slice on the Pacific – all power to them. We probably all want that from time to time. But plenty of us want NZ to be more. And all power to us too. It shouldn’t be a debate – it should be a continuum, and we choose our position – maybe daily depending what hat we have on. Without passion, innovation and a degree of compelling “positioning” we won’t get to make a choice… we will be a quaint novelty that’s OK at a couple of sports and looks pretty on a postcard. I certainly want more for my kids.
Absolutely! We should learn to celebrate ourselves!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by World Vision NZ, Frontier Travel NZ. Frontier Travel NZ said: Well said Mr Roberts! http://bit.ly/9k7TtE Bring on the storytellers, raise up the scriptwriters, turn on the songwriters! [...]
Very well put…What we need is a strong message that is totally honestly unrefutable for our visitors that they can take away and still be true.