Count down to 100% Middle-earth

Count down to 100% Middle-earth, 100% Pure New Zealand release

Date Published: 7 August 2012

With just three months to go until the world premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in Wellington, Tourism New Zealand has been working to ensure New Zealand benefits from the increase in international attention.

A creative theme for all activity, Fantasy is Reality has been confirmed to ensure there is a strong connection between the films and New Zealand. Key international media and opinion leader targets have been identified. Advertising schedules are locked in. Broadcast footage, captured.

"One of our most exciting milestones will be reached in late August when the new 100% Pure New Zealand campaign will get its first public airing, drawing together the themes '100% Pure' and '100% Middle Earth'" says Chief Executive Kevin Bowler.

"Our new advertisement will be placed on TV, cinema and on-line, and new pages and imagery will go live on newzealand.com.

"This will be the first screening of the latest evolution of the 100% Pure New Zealand campaign and we are pretty excited about it," he says.

Tourism New Zealand is already well underway with its activity to convert the international attention New Zealand will draw from the movies, into travel.

Kevin says, "International media attention surrounding the films has been growing over the past few months and we have already hosted a number of journalists who are writing specifically about New Zealand as the location for the films.

"We have Hobbit-specific pages on our corporate website, and images on our image library, providing a hub for all the news and information people may need.

"Consumers visiting newzealand.com will already find a "Home of Middle-earth" section offering a range of experiences and products that are based around the filming of The Lord of the Rings.

"We were also thrilled to be a part of the Weta booth at Comic Con in the middle of July, working alongside Air New Zealand, Hobbiton and Film New Zealand to promote New Zealand, to those who attended the exhibition."

Comic Con is now regarded as the largest comic book and popular arts convention in the world with around 130,000 people attending.

"As we work to leverage The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back again, we will connect the landscapes of Middle-earth with the experiences of New Zealand.

"Through our marketing activity we will show how easy it is to come here, see Middle-earth first-hand, and enjoy all the exciting and fun experiences New Zealand has to offer," he says.

Read more about the work we are doing around The Hobbit.

ENDS

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