Putting a smile on town’s dial
Rawiri Love is a man on a mission — to promote his home town through the smiles of its residents.
Mr Love said Kaikohe could not hope to compete with the scenery of Paihia or the economy of Kerikeri, but what it did have in abundance was friendliness. And now he has launched a “smiley campaign” of unscripted videos that he publishes to YouTube and his Facebook page promoting Kaikohe as “the friendliest town in the North.”
Each of Mr Love’s Smiley Reports focuses on an individual or a positive event in the town. He has filed video reports from places such as the abandoned bank Di Maxwell and Jack Poutsma are turning into a hotel geared at riders using the Twin Coast Cycle Trail, Kaikohe’s new youth centre (Te Uma o Te Kona) and the recent Kaikohe Funfest, a children’s fun day.
He also interviews random people on the street and puffs and pants as he tries to keep up with a group getting fit by pounding the pavements around town.
His smiley logos have started popping up around the town as word of his feel-good campaign spreads.
To watch his reports go to www.facebook.com/smileycampaign or search for Smiley Campaign on YouTube.