Don't Leave Town Till You've Seen the Country

Commercial (Full Length) – 1984

This classic ad was produced after the fourth Labour Government came into power in 1984, and immediately devalued New Zealand's currency by 20 percent to avoid a run on the dollar. The NZ Tourist Board wanted to encourage Kiwis to spend their money at home. The ad's catchphrase quickly caught on. An enthused Kiwi on his OE (Philip Laing) meets people overseas who all seem to know more about his country than him. Director Owen Hughes writes about making the advert in this backgrounder. Advertising agency Colenso was also behind another classic commercial — the Dear John cassette tape ad.