SUMMARY:
New Zealand wanted to demonstrate cultural understanding, and show respect, to Japan for hosting the 2019 Rugby World Cup. To say ‘thank you’ for looking after their team the All Blacks.
BRIEF:
Both countries share the same deep values of hospitality, welcome and respect - in New Zealand it is ‘Manaakitanga’, in Japan it is ‘Omotenashi’.
And that was the problem - how could New Zealand express this respect when the two countries speak different languages?
SOLUTION:
In Japan numbers are used as short-cuts to whole words.
15 - Ichi Go, means ‘Strawberries’.
26 - Furo, means ‘Bath’, and...
39 - San Kyu, is commonly used as ‘Thank You’.
Embracing this meant that New Zealand was able to send a simple message of ‘Thank You’ to a whole nation in a language everyone would understand.
This gesture was launched with the All Blacks changing the numbers on their iconic jerseys to ‘39’.
CULTURAL CONTEXT:
It then extended across multiple New Zealand diplomatic ministries and brands, as they all adopted the language of ‘39’. Air New Zealand even renamed their Tokyo flight as ‘NZ 39’. The All Blacks took the gesture to the field, bowing to the crowd after each game.
This act of respect and cultural understanding resonated deeply with the Japanese public - driving a 21% increase in appeal of New Zealand as a destination.
WHERE DID THE WORK RUN?
The campaign started at the All Blacks first press conference in Tokyo - where the All Blacks revealed their ‘NZ says 39’ jerseys. Activations and brand acts happened over the following 4 weeks. Including Air New Zealand renaming their Tokyo flight ‘NZ 39’