The figures
Attempts to woo Hollywood filmmakers back to New Zealand through an $86,000 marketing campaign has led to a ‘‘steady flow’’ of inquiries.
The marketing campaign by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) included a glossy 20-page advertising supplement in The Hollywood Reporter’s Toronto Daily .
The advert was partially funded by 11 other New Zealand agencies and the spend also included a stand at the 2018 Toronto Film Festival, travel costs for one staff member, and online advertisements.
The publicity comes as the location of the US$1 billion TV adaptation of Lord of the Rings hangs in the balance. Auckland was considered for the Amazon production but it’s understood studio space was an issue, and production executives were considering Scotland as an alternative.
New Zealand film producer John Barnett said ATEED’s investment would pay off if it attracted even one big production to Auckland. Barnett, former long-time South Pacific Pictures boss, considered it a good use of public money.
He estimated a single production that came to Auckland as a result could bring in more than $20m: ‘‘These things are not about the quantity but the quality.’’
According to documents obtained by the Sunday StarTimes,
the aim of the marketing was to ‘‘brand Auckland as open for screen business’’, promote the region’s studios, pre- and postproduction facilities and boost Advertising supplement in The Hollywood Reporter Toronto dailies ........................................... $48,640 Online ads ..................................... $7600 Social media campaign ........ $6400 Stand at the festival .............. $10,995 Travel for one staffer ............ $12,458
(Eleven companies in the New Zealand film industry contributed the remaining $45,300 for the advertising supplement) inquiries to Screen Auckland. More than 480,000 people attend the Festival annually, including industry heavy hitters and is considered one of the most influential film marketplaces. The advert was inside a copy of The Hollywood Reporter, given free to attendees, and was expected to be seen by 4000 ‘‘financial decisionmakers including studio heads, producers, directors, and heads of physical production’’. The ATEED staffer who operated the stand at the festival reported internally they made 40 new contacts and left with ‘‘five good project leads’’.
Since the festival, two potential North American clients contacted Screen Auckland referencing the supplement.
Those enquiries led to ‘‘a positive meeting’’ and an email and phone conversation with a US producer about co-production opportunities in Auckland.
ATEED general manager of economic development, Pam Ford, said the marketing campaign was successful and ‘‘led to a steady flow of solid production inquiries and relationships’’ being made.
The collective partnership had ‘‘secured high-profile exposure none of the organisations could have achieved on their own’’.
Ford would not discuss the details of the inquiries because of confidentiality. According to Statistics New Zealand, Auckland’s screen industry earned more than $1.1b in revenue in 2017.
What the Toronto International Film Festival marketing campaign cost ATEED (NZ$)
TOTAL: ............................ $86,093