Why NZ should court Harry and Meghan
Ad executive wants Tourism NZ to pay for visit even if not an official ‘royal’ event
We’ve paid for Prince Harry and Meghan to come to New Zealand before, and we should again — even if their visit isn’t part of an official royal tour, an advertising executive says.
The value of global publicity showing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex enjoying New Zealand would be worth it, B, C & F founding partner Paul Catmur said, as the world comes to grips with the couple’s announcement they would step down as senior members of the royal family.
“One way to get [the Sussexes] down here would be to pay them,” Catmur said. “In the past we paid for them, via their security and looking after them, so a large cash donation towards the Sussexes [coming here] would do an awful lot for New Zealand tourism . . . if I was running Tourism New Zealand, I’d be keeping an eye on them.”
Catmur cited Tourism New Zealand’s support of the visit by US late night TV show host Stephen Colbert and his crew, with taxpayers contributing more than $100,000 towards the visit. The network which produces Colbert’s show paid for the majority of the production.
Tourism New Zealand said in
November it expected a return of $5 million in estimated advertising value from the trip.
Partnerships with people with a genuine connection with New Zealand, and who could help Tourism NZ influence and attract high-value visitors took place “on occasion”, the department’s chief executive Stephen England-Hall said this week.
All partnerships were evaluated against specific criteria and must deliver a significant return on investment, England-Hall said.
“Harry and Meghan enjoyed their last visit to Aotearoa showcasing our culture and visiting our conservation estate and we would welcome them back. Any support from TNZ would be subject to meeting our investment criteria.”
In announcing their decision to step back from royal duties and “carve out a progressive new role”, the Sussexes also said they planned to launch their own charitable entity.
It’s not yet clear what the planned changes mean for future royal tours in Commonwealth countries. In the past decade, royal tours have occurred in New Zealand roughly every 18 months, including a solo visit by Prince Harry in 2015 and a joint visit by the couple three years later.
Catmur thought anything the couple did in their new roles would be to support their charitable ambitions and desire to be financially independent.
But the government department should keep an eye on them for future opportunities, especially as there was likely still “a degree of obligation for the Commonwealth” in future visits.
“They’re not going to get any less famous,” Catmur said.
Brand expert Ben Goodale said he expected “Brand Sussex” to be focused in the “socially aware, positive” area, and a natural inheritor of his mother Diana’s mantle.
That was because both Sussexes shared the late princess’ passion for helping others, Goodale said.
“And I expect we will see them in . . . [places such as] Canada, New Zealand, Africa. New Zealand is such a wholesome place, it fits their brand if there’s a natural reason to be here.”
If the couple do come back, Kiwis can likely expect fewer teas and walkabouts, he said.
“There’s plenty of other royals to do that. They’ll probably be more task-focused.”