Friday, March 29, 2024

NZ Story advice to exporters: Use what you’ve got

Neal Wallace
Adding value and making better use of marketing New Zealand imagery and reputation have been touted as the solution to grow our exports and resolve the ills of the primary sector.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Some companies already do that but there is a groundswell movement of primary producers wanting NZ to take a quantum step in that direction.

That swing includes debate about whether we need a New Zealand brand, similar to Ireland’s Origin Green.

But Rebecca Smith, a director of the NZ Story, said exporters should make better use of those brands we already have.

Along with promotional material available for free from the Government-funded The NZ Story, companies had their own and sector brands and formal accreditation to promote attributes such as stewardship and sustainability.

“NZ does have an extraordinary reputation in the international market. It is a strong and trusted brand with integrity.”

Rebecca Smith

NZ Story

Behind those brands and values sat Brand New Zealand and the values, reputation and integrity it stood for.

“NZ does have an extraordinary reputation in the international market. It is a strong and trusted brand with integrity,” she said.

There had been discussion about NZ emulating Ireland’s Origin Green brand for its
primary sector exports but Smith doubted NZ needed it.

Origin Green was created to address specific issues facing Irish exporters such as an economy devastated by the global financial crisis and exporters looking to establish a position in the market and build consumer trust.

NZ products already had enviable attributes and reputation and companies and sectors, such as wine and fisheries, were also developing their own brands to promote attributes such as sustainability, stewardship, quality, values and authenticity.

Exporters could make greater use of those programmes, Smith said.

The NZ Story was an independent agency funded by several Government departments to help exporters with resources such as images, infographics, videos, presentations, case studies and research.

Smith said it was especially useful for new exporters needing promotional material before they had the resources and confidence to create their own.

In addition, exporters could apply to use the Fernmark brand provided they met set criteria.

Smith said Aotearoa Fisheries began using NZ Story material but had since developed its own Moana NZ brand to promote attributes such as freshness, sustainability and the fisheries quota management scheme.

The NZ brand and its values did not apply only to food but were being used by Auckland luxury boat builder McMullen and Wing because of its links to family, honesty and integrity.

Similarly Red Shield, a security software manufacturer, championed its NZ manufacturing base because it was associated with trust and integrity.

Greg Summerton, the founder of Okains Bay Seafood in Lyttleton used NZ Story branding to show he caught fish sustainably.

Branding required more than showing his fish came from NZ’s clean water but demonstrated he was looking after the sea and the fish for future generations.

It also showed he used hook and bait long-lining to target only high-value species. The process meant fish were not as stressed as with other methods and his fishing boat fleet ran on biodiesel to reduce his carbon footprint.

He had also introduced quick response or QR codes on packaging which allowed customers to use smart phones to find the status of the fisheries, how the fish were harvested, where and when they were caught, when they were processed and how they were shipped.

He said the QR codes did more than tell the Okains Bay Seafood story but allowed customers to connect with the company.

 

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