Anchor / Fernleaf Dairy – The Shoot
In this episode from the beloved Anchor (Fernleaf) family series, a teenaged Sam and her father go for a run together. They stop to rest and share a bittersweet moment catching up on each other’s lives.
Their conversation reveals that Sam has her first boyfriend.
Dad has a revelation of his own – he’s relocating to Europe for a photography job. Sam is sad: "funny, I thought you and Mum were gonna… anyway, I’ll miss you Dad."
Collection reference F132569
Year 1990s
Credits Production Company: Flying Fish; Cast: Hannah Gould; Music: "My Girl," by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White
Anchor / Fernleaf Dairy – Starting Over
In this moving episode of the Anchor / Fernleaf family series Sam’s mother’s marriage to her father is dissolved in court. Sam comforts her mother on a bench beside the water, and they agree to go shopping.
Collection reference F132569
Year 1990s
Credits Production Company: Flying Fish; Cast: Hannah Gould
Anchor / Fernleaf Dairy – Therapy
In this episode of the Anchor (Fernleaf) family series a divorced couple (Sam’s parents) are surprised to run into each other at a self-help seminar. Neither of them buy it, so they decide to leave together for a more relaxed catchup. Across the soap opera style Anchor family series of advertisements, the family have had many ups and downs – this advertisement is suggestive of the parents’ newfound friendship.
Collection reference F132569
Year 1990s
Credits Production Company: Flying Fish
Anchor / Fernleaf Dairy – Nightmare
In this tongue-in-cheek episode of the long-running Anchor (Fernleaf) family series, a wholesome, plait-wearing, teenaged Sam brings her (divorced) parents breakfast in bed. The cheery family decides to go running together after breakfast. Sam wakes up with a start. She is relieved to remember that her parents are happily divorced and have moved on with their lives.
Collection reference F132569
Year 1990s
Credits Production Company: Flying Fish; Cast: Hannah Gould; Music: "My Girl," by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White
Anchor / Fernleaf Dairy – Family Addition
In this episode from late in the long-running Anchor (Fernleaf) family series of advertisements, Dad and a teenaged Sam visit an amusement park with Dad’s new French girlfriend. Sam and Dad try to convince his girlfriend to ride the rollercoaster with them, she replies "no, I should not – not in my condition." It is not until they reach the top of the ride that Dad realises what she is telling him…
Collection reference F132569
Year 1990s
Credits Production Company: Flying Fish; Cast: Hannah GouldMusic: "My Girl," by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White
Telecom – Spot Helps Out on Stage
This advertisement promotes Telecom's support of the arts in New Zealand.
Spot the dog conducts an orchestra, helps out backstage, sews costumes, operates the spotlight, poses for art class, and dances in a ballet watched by luminaries – including Sir Jon Trimmer of the Royal New Zealand Ballet.
Spot starred in dozens of television commercials for Telecom during the 1990s. His name was an acronym for Services and Products of Telecom.
Collection reference C7060
Year 1997
Credits Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi; Director: Tony Williams; Client: Telecom; Cast: Spot
Telecom – Spot Calling Card
Another advertisement featuring Spot the dog. Here, the ever-helpful dog flies unaccompanied to Thailand to help a Kiwi tourist in a fix – the calling card Spot delivers enables him to phone home to New Zealand.
Spot starred in numerous television commercials for Telecom during the 1990s. His name was an acronym for Services and Products of Telecom.
Collection reference F236475
Year 1999
Credits Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi; Client: Telecom; Cast: Spot
Telecom – Talking Points
Stock footage of wild animals is overlaid with the classic 1970s hit by Andrew Gold "Thank You for Being a Friend," as titles display the items people have redeemed talking points for.
This is one of a series of Telecom animals advertisements made by Saatchi & Saatchi during the 1990s. The advertisements, which utilised existing stock footage, were cost-effective to make and very successful.
Murray Campbell, of NFO Research recalled: "The Animals campaign [now] looks incredibly straightforward – mix cute animals with catchy nostalgic music and you will be getting those fingers to make toll calls. At the time, however, it was a real stroke of genius to feature animals when every other call-stimulation campaign featured a variety of people trying to connect over the phone. The shift from people to animals enables the audience to apply their own feelings and experiences to the 'emotional canvas' created by the animals and the music. It provoked an incredibly powerful (and profitable) response." – Howard Russell, "Advertising Campaigns: The Fab Five," AdMedia, August 2003
Collection reference C6526
Year 1997
Credits Production Company: Saatchi & Saatchi
Motorcycle Mecca – Winner 1991 Best Radio Commercial (Station)
Clever voice work in this advertisement won Auckland's 91FM the Best Radio Commercial by a radio station award at the 1991 New Zealand Radio Awards.
"Rmmmmmm Motocycle Mecca… Rmmmmmmm rmmmm rmmmm it’s the one stop shop…"
Collection reference 6928
Year 1991
Credits Advertiser: Motorcycle Mecca; Copywriter: Martin Devlin; Technical Producer: Bruce Hay; Broadcaster: 91FM, Takapuna
Toyota Hilux – Bugger!
A series of improbable farming accidents draw the infamous expletive "bugger" from the recipients.
John Plimmer of Saatchi & Saatchi recalled: "The final commercial stemmed from one of the points in the brief: Simply, that the new Hilux was more powerful than before. And we got to thinking, what if it was more powerful than the farmer was used to? And what if, as a result, accidents happen? And what would the farmer’s reaction be? 'Bugger!'" – Howard Russell, "Advertising Campaigns: The Fab Five," AdMedia, August 2003.
Directed by industry veteran, Tony Williams – who also directed the Gregg's "Different Faces" advertisements and the Crunchie Bar "Gold Rush" advertisements, among others.
Collection reference C25270
Year 1999
Credits Production Company: Saatchi & Saatchi; Director: Tony Williams; Client: Toyota Hilux
Toyota – Everyday People
This colourful, fast cutting advertisement portrays the lives of various "everyday people" and their cars. Includes young families, teenagers, an elderly woman, a gay couple, urban and rural dwellers, and recent émigrés to New Zealand.
Everyday scenarios shown include: driving down the motorway, dropping the car keys, taking a taxi, a van-load of rugby players, cars stalling, towing a car on the beach.
The advertisement is characterised by its liberal use of saturated colours.
Collection reference C7764
Year 1998
Credits Music: "Everyday People" by Sly Stone
Trustbank
George and Joe take a stroll along a farm road and discuss Joe's rugby game.
Joe basks in the glow of his success and George reminds him: "you can't do much without a great team."
Directed by Lee Tamahori, fresh from his success with Once Were Warriors (1994).
Collection reference C2466
Year 1995
Credits Director: Lee Tamahori
McGillicuddy Serious Party
An anarchic animation made for the 1996 General Election, promoting the McGillicuddy Serious Party.
"Vote McGillicuddy."
Collection reference C6155
Year 1996
Credits Animation: Lisa Reihana; Puppets: Lisa Reihana, Bryce Galloway; Music: Bryce Galloway
Red Nose Day – Politicians
Two politicians, Mike Moore (Labour) and Winston Peters (National), explain they don't often see eye to eye. But they do see "nose to nose" on Red Nose Day.
"Red Nose Appeal, 16 August 1991, supporting research into cot death."
Collection reference C6200
Year 1991
Credits Cast: Mike Moore, Winston Peters
Red Nose Day – Lynn of Tawa
Lynn of Tawa, the fictional character created by comedian Ginette McDonald, encourages people to join in the Red Nose Day appeal.
Collection reference C6199
Year 1991
Credits Cast: Ginette McDonald
Red Nose Day 1992
An advertisement produced for the Cot Death Society. Filmed in black and white, with colour segments. A selection of New Zealanders sing "You make the whole world smile with your little button nose…" in support of Red Nose Day, 14 August 1992.
Collection reference F38452
Year 1992
Lifestyles Condoms – Winner 1994 Best Radio Commercial (Services)
The arrival of HIV AIDS in the mid-1980s meant broadcasters had to become less coy about advertising products such as condoms. A few years earlier, a commercial such as this would probably not have been permitted on air.
However, in 1994 this advertisement for Lifestyles Condoms won a New Zealand Radio Award for the Best Radio Commercial by a station for the way in which it advertised a "tricky" product.
Collection reference 13317
Year 1994
Credits Advertiser: Lifestyles Condoms; Writer/Producer/Announcer: Gerard Managh; Broadcaster: 89X, Auckland
ALAC, Trashed – 1999 Best Radio Commercial (By Radio Station Writers / Staff)
This commercial on behalf of ALAC, the Alcohol Advisory Council, was written in 1998 by the then up-and-coming comedian and musician Jemaine Clement (of Flight of the Conchords). It cleverly uses humour to mock Kiwi attitudes towards binge drinking, with two young men attempting to one-up each other on how "trashed" they were the previous weekend.
It was written for the 1990s alternative music radio network Channel Z and won Best Radio Commercial by station writers or staff at the 1999 New Zealand Radio Awards.
Collection reference 313841
Year 1998
Credits Advertiser: ALAC; Writer/Producer: Jemaine Clement
"Say When": A Christmas Story – Finalist 1995 Radio Awards
This public service announcement was part of the Alcohol Advisory Council's "Say When" campaign.
It uses humour (a drunk Santa Claus) mixed with pathos (a child who gets no Christmas presents) to urge listeners to limit their holiday drinking.
It was a finalist in the 1995 New Zealand Radio Awards.
Collection reference 19479
Year 1995
Credits Advertiser: Alcohol Advisory Council; Copywriter: John Ferriss; Broadcaster: MoreFM, Auckland
Dux de Lux – Winner 1992 Best Radio Commercial (Agency)
From 1992-1994 the New Zealand Radio Awards recognised excellence in radio advertising in different product categories: Food & Beverage, Transport and Services.
This commercial for Christchurch's well-known bar and restaurant, the Dux de Lux, draws upon nature programme conventions, recreating the sounds of an old disc recording, complete with hiss, crackle and scratches.
It won Best Commercial by an agency in the Food & Beverage category.
Collection reference 8288
Year 1992
Credits Advertiser: Dux Deluxe; Writer/Producer/Presenter/Actor: Ralph Van Dijk; Technical Producer: Lynn Wilson; Musicians: Nick Bardon, Steve Warr
Agency: Eardrum Productions, Christchurch
Mainland – Sterling Colby Cheese
A Southern man, seated outside the Mahinapua hotel, describes Mainland's new Stirling Colby cheese. It's "new, but it's older," and placed in a flash wrapper so it's not confused with Colby – which is "old, but newer.
Alan McConnan of Mainland recalls working on the campaign with Saatchi & Saatchi: "they wrote some amazing scripts that moved away from product and feature-type crap. They convinced us to spend real money on production, which for a small manufacturing and distribution company from down south, was real scary. They took some risks and we won some and lost some. But they were true to the brand and the Old Man campaign was the original vehicle that got us there." – Howard Russell, "Advertising Campaigns: The Fab Five," AdMedia, August 2003.
Collection reference C2495
Year 1995
Credits Production Company: Saatchi & Saatchi; Director: Geoff Dixon
Cast: Roy Wesney
Mainland – Good Things Take Time
In this Mainland Cheese advertisement, an elderly man reminisces about his childhood mate in a voiceover, as the seasons change in shots of the untouched natural landscape that was their childhood playground. The ad is bookend by images of the friends enjoying the same river as children and as old-timers.
With cheese, as with friendship, "good things take time."
Collection reference C9754
Year 1990s
Credits Voiceover: Roy Wesney
Mealmates
A group of mates sits on the balcony. "What do ya reckon, mate?" "Could go a Mealmate, mate."
Collection reference C2598
Year 1995
Credits Production Company: Silverscreen; Agency: Lintas; Director: Roger Yompkin; Cast: Murray Keane
L&P
The town of Paeroa: "It ain’t famous for its Hollywood mansions… It ain’t famous for its harbour bridge… It’s not exactly famous for its fashion boutiques… It ain’t famous for its fast bowlers, aye? But it is famous!"
Collection reference C2478
Year 1995
Credits Production Company: Black Stump; Director: Fane Flaws; Music: Counting the Beat by "The Swingers"
McDonalds – Kiwi Burger
"Kiwi's love hot pools, rugby balls… silver fern, kauri trees, Kiwi burger – love one, please."
Kiwiana type footage plays while the song lists things Kiwis love. Especially the "Kiwi burger, that's our tucker."
Collection reference C2473
Year 1995
Credits Production Company: First Light; Director: Fane Flaws; Music: Murray Grindlay
Vogels Bread
Model Rachel Hunter delivers a poem and laments the lack of Vogel's bread in LA, her adopted home: "It’s neat to nibble kibbled wheat, and keeps you looking trim / It’s a little slice of heaven, it’s a workout in the gym."
Collection reference C2481
Year 1992
Credits Producer: Roger Tompkins; Cast: Rachel Hunter
Nestlé Milo
Supporters drink Milo from flasks at a netball game, which they share with the players when they come off court. They crowd stomp their feet and chant "Milo!"
Voiceover: "build them up with Milo."
Collection reference C24370
Year 1992
Cadbury Jaffas
This advertisement is made up of black and white film clips from the classical Hollywood era, with oversized red Jaffas superimposed into the scenes.
"Shake, rattle and roll… the movie’s about to show!"
Closing title: "Jaffas make the movie."
Collection reference C24294
Year 1993
Cadbury Buzz Bar
In this animated advertisement Buzz Bee saves the world – and his secret supply of frozen Buzz Bars – from spiderbots which are melting the polar ice caps.
"Buzz Bars: cool to eat."
Collection reference C2485
Year 1995
Credits Production Company: No Straight Lines
Lotto – Lawnmower
To the tune of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World," a proud owner takes his ride-on lawnmower out of the garage and mows the narrow strip in the centre of his drive.
The closing title asks: "Lotto – what would you do if you won this Saturday?"
Collection reference C6492
Year 1997
Credits Director: Adrian Hayward
Lotto – 1950s Housewife
The advertisement opens in the 1950s, in black and white. Marie, the stereotype of a 1950s housewife, is dressed in an apron, about to demonstrate a "super-powered" vacuum cleaner. The scene is then transformed by the arrival of four cabaret girls, dressed in vibrant primary colours, who sing: "that’s not super – that just sucks! You can have much more fun for your buck."
The colourful contemporary figures dance with the black and white retro figures, who become increasingly excited.
Jingle: "Lotto is the name of the game."
Collection reference C2490
Year 1995
Credits Production Company: Silver Screen; Director: Roger Tompkins; Cast: Trudy Van Zyl, When The Cat's Been Spayed
Daily Keno
A projectionist calls the shots, so he chooses to run footage of great tries by North Harbour instead of the Daily Keno ad.
"Daily Keno, You Call the Shots!"
Collection reference C6503
Year 1997
Air New Zealand – Birds
Aerial shots of lushly textured New Zealand landscapes are intercut with shots of majestic birds and moving scenes of family and friends united. Birdsong fills the soundtrack, before fading into a rendition of the waiata "Pokarekare Ana."
In the final shot, a flock of white birds forms the Air New Zealand logo.
Collection reference F195085
Year 1996
Credits Production Company: Saatchi & Saatchi; Director: David Green; Creatives: Roy Meares, Jeremy Taine; Visual effects: Animation Research
Air New Zealand – World's Warmest Welcome
Images of a young Māori girl playing on a shoreline are intercut with iconic images of New Zealand – places, flora and fauna – and people throughout the world.
"Whichever part of the world we see, the world sees a part of New Zealand, Air New Zealand, the world's warmest welcome."
Collection reference C8568
Year 1999
Credits Production Company: Silverscreen; Client: Air New Zealand; Music: Po Karekare Ana
The Treaty
A Māori and a Pākehā boy play together on a beach, promoting the message that the Treaty should once again unite Aotearoa.
One of the young actors, Stephen Askin, unfortunately lost his life fighting the Port Hills fires in February 2017. Watch a tribute to Stephen here – this includes an interview with Wayne Tupawa, his costar in this advertisement and also Stephen’s childhood friend.
This advertisement was directed by Lee Tamahori, who would go on to direct Once Were Warriors (1994).
Collection reference C2530
Year 1990
Credits Production Company: Flying Fish; Client: The 1990 Commission; Director: Lee Tamahori; Cast: Wayne Tupawa, Stephen Askin
Our Children, Our Future, Our Millenium
"TV3 Official Millennium Broadcaster: First to the Future."
Images of children playing are superimposed with titles that imagine their futures – such as "World Heritage Park Ranger, 2019," "Formula One Mechanic, 2017," "Olympic Sprinter, 2008," and "Space Station Geologist, 2031."
A positive song reinforces the message to "dream about what we can be."
Collection reference C8619
Year 1999
Credits Agency: Colenso
Rugby Super 12 Comets
Super 12 stars appear as fiery comets in space, playing with satellites and the earth.
Voiceover: "in the beginning there were two hemispheres, now there is only one."
Collection reference C6533
Year 1997
Shell Oil – Cash Cricket Promo
A family, their dog and assorted holiday paraphernalia (inflatable sharks, snorkels, sun umbrellas) fill up with petrol. Sir Richard Hadlee appears and hands them cash cricket scratchies.
They’re winners! Cash rains down upon them.
Jingle: "I’m going well, I’m going with Shell."
The "Go Well, Go Shell" tagline was used by the company across their radio and television advertisements for several decades.
Collection reference C6960
Year 1990
Credits Cast: Sir Richard Hadlee
Rexona – Reward
Scenes of All Black Grizz Wylie receiving a trophy and watching a rugby game.
Titles such as "nervous," "worried," "excited," "outraged" and "overjoyed" appear on the screen revealing his inner feelings, but his face remains emotionless.
"How does Grizz Wylie always stay so cool and dry? New Rexona Dry Solid antiperspirant."
Collection reference C2023
Year 1990
Credits Production Company: Black Stump; Director: Fane Flaws; Cast: Grizz Wylie
Bendon
A set of women are shown doing diverse jobs: a waitress, a mechanic, a mother, a lead singer, a farm worker.
First we see them in their workwear, then we see them again – reflected in their underwear.
Closing title: "It's not how the world sees you, it's how you see yourself."
Collection reference C2563
Year 1995
Credits Production Company: Kinomontage
Libra Fleur Tampons
This advertisement is shot in muted colours to match the Libra Fleur packaging.
A young woman arrives home, takes off her jeans and slips into a skirt. Later her boyfriend discovers tampons in his jeans pocket!
Voiceover: "Libra Fleur – don’t get caught with anything else"
Collection reference C5743
Year 1995
Brut Aftershave
Promoting the classic Father’s Day gift, "the classic fragrance of Brut."
Collection reference C4746
Year 1991
Levene Paint
This advertisement manages to fit a three-act love story into one minute. A young pakeha truck driver is besotted with the daughter of his Pacific Island boss, who runs the Levene paint factory. The romance blossoms, although she becomes jealous when other women pursue him, it ends happily with "Just Married" signs affixed to his Levene truck.
The song, "Summer Full Of Colour" by Sharon Emarili, reinforces the rainbow colour palette of the sets and costumes. It was later released as a single.
Collection reference C2528
Year 1990
Credits Cast: Craig Parker; Soundtrack: "Summer Full Of Colour," by Sharon Emarili