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New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
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Got a question about New Zealand New Thinking? Check here to see if it’s one of our Frequently Asked Questions.
Questions
What is New Zealand New Thinking?
What is the history of New Zealand New Thinking?
How was New Zealand New Thinking developed?
What research was undertaken about New Zealand New Thinking?
What does international research show about brand New Zealand?
Were Maori consulted as part of the develoment of the brand?
Who owns New Zealand New Thinking?
Don't all countries have New Thinking? How can we own this?
Isn’t nation branding organic, for example don’t we link design with Italy because they are actually good at it, not because the Italian Government actively went around telling everyone they were? Isn’t New Zealand New Thinking putting the cart before the horse? Don’t we actually have to be innovative, before we tell the rest of the world we are?
What other ways or words can be used to tell the New Thinking story?
Aren't our natural qualities - clean and green - our real advantage?
How does New Thinking relate to 100% Pure?
How does New Thinking relate to business and other government agencies?
What are some examples of New Thinking in action?
Answers
q.What is New Zealand New Thinking?
a.New Zealand New Thinking is a programme designed to build awareness of New Zealand from a trade and investment perspective as a creative, innovative and technologically advanced country. The current programme was initiated in December 2002 to complement the government’s Growth and Innovation framework. It has been developed by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, the government’s national economic development agency.
The brand proposition is New Zealand New Thinking. This proposition is based on what we do, for example our competency and what we stand for now and in the future. The proposition identifies the point of difference that New Zealanders offer from a trade and investment perspective. The key audiences for this message are investors, buyers, migrants and international media.
q.What is the history of New Zealand New Thinking?
a.Marketing never stands still and so the current positioning for New Zealand is designed to build on the excellent work undertaken by Tourism New Zealand as part of their 100% pure campaign and add to the clean green image a message that tells the world that we are also creative, innovative and technologically advanced – a New Thinking nation.
The current positioning helps to support our broader economic development goals and to broaden our image to give business people and investors a fuller story on why they should be doing business with New Zealand.
q.How was New Zealand New Thinking developed?
a.New Zealand New Thinking was developed with guidance from a group of key private sector influencers and brand and marketing specialists and in consultation with other government agencies.
q.What research was undertaken about New Zealand New Thinking?
a.Initial research was undertaken into perceptions of New Zealand – in New Zealand and internationally. This included 377 exporting New Zealand businesses, 154 overseas businesses and 500 New Zealanders. This research was undertaken by an independent market research agency. As part of the programme NZTE will continue to undertake research in the future based on long term perception changes and also on success of specific activities.
q.What does international research show about brand New Zealand?
a.New Zealand was ranked among the top 10 strongest country brands in the world according to marketing research firm Anholt-GMI (one thousand people in 10 nations were asked to rank countries on a series of criteria, ranging across tourism, exports, investment, culture, heritage and people).
In 2006, the World Bank ranked New Zealand the easiest place to do business with.
And the 2006 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index ranked us as 1st equal (together with Iceland and Finland) on the Least Corrupt Countries list.
q.Were Maori consulted as part of the development of the brand?
a.The positioning New Zealand New Thinking has been developed to be all embracing as a proposition and accessible to all New Zealanders. There was Maori representation on the panel of experts that were consulted in the initial development of the brand positioning. Brand New Zealand is an evolving brand and as the programme has developed there has been association and consultation broadly across all cultures in New Zealand. We liaise, and will continue to liaise, with a range of government agencies including those who represent Maori culture including Creative New Zealand, Ministry for Culture and Heritage, TPK and other organisations ongoing.
q.Who owns New Zealand New Thinking?
a.The programme was developed by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, the government’s national economic development agency, but it relies on working with a range of government agencies and companies to help build awareness for and interest in New Zealand internationally from a trade and economic perspective.
q.Don’t all countries have New Thinking? How can we own this?
a.Identifying New Thinking as our core value doesn’t mean that we are the only country to have new ideas. Rather it is a way of focusing on the core value that we wish to champion and own. New Thinking is about New Zealander’s particular way of thinking and how this is driven by aspects of New Zealand’s history, heritage and unique culture. For example, it is this attitude and thinking that enables New Zealand companies to see market opportunities and bring value to global market chains.
q.Isn’t nation branding organic, for example don’t we link design with Italy because they are actually good at it, not because the Italian Government actively went around telling everyone they were? Isn’t New Zealand New Thinking putting the cart before the horse? Don’t we actually have to be innovative, before we tell the rest of the world we are?
a.New Thinking is based on what is seen as a strength for New Zealand, from a trade and investment perspective. We believe that such a positioning needs to not only be aspirational, but also based on what is achievable – New Thinking is both of these and we have many examples both historically and right now that back this up.
New Thinking is about New Zealanders’ particular way of thinking and how this has driven by aspects of New Zealand’s history, heritage, and unique culture. For example, it is this attitude and thinking that enables New Zealand companies to see market opportunities and bring value to global markets.
If we don’t actively promote the identity and position that we want we then leave ourselves to be branded by default. We believe that to accelerate our development as a country we need to actively manage and market our brand. And that this brand needs to be based on an experience that we believe we can deliver.
q.What other ways or words can be used to tell the New Thinking story?
a.New Thinking is the core value that we want to emphasise as New Zealand’s contribution to the world. New Thinking will be expressed in different ways by different people – there are no hard and fast rules. This is how the concept will remain fresh. The key is to demonstrate New Thinking through the stories that we relate and the innovative ways that we communicate the message.
q.Aren’t our natural qualities – clean and green – our real advantage?
a.New Zealand’s clean green image has worked well – especially for the tourism and food industries and it remains part of New Zealand’s positioning. New Thinking positioning aims to build on the clean, green image and create recognition of the broader characteristics that define our people, businesses and country. This is especially important for the range of industries and businesses in New Zealand that are not operating in spheres where clean and green is relevant.
q.How does New Thinking relate to 100% Pure?
a.‘100% Pure’ is the Tourism New Zealand positioning of our national brand. ‘New Zealand New Thinking’ is the trade related component. The two are complementary in building an overall brand personality of ‘clean, green, smart, innovative, and creative’.
q.How does New Thinking relate to business and other government agencies?
a.New Zealand New Thinking was developed to promote and differentiate New Zealand’s strengths as a country through a message that will complement the marketing activities of companies and government agencies. It is not designed to overshadow or replace other brands.
q.What are some examples of New Zealand New Thinking in action?
a.
- CeBIT Hannover 2007
- New Zealand New Thinking Exhibition Asia 2007
- BIO 2007