Finally, it was the long awaited global premiere of 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' yesterday and it seams that New Zealand has transformed into Middle-earth over the last couple of weeks. And for all of us who couldn't make it to Wellington last night (or will be able to in the foreseeable future) here are some impressions of what's going on.
Air New Zealand - 'The airline of Middle-earth' - is definitely a fine example for a good marketing strategy - and they must have spent a lot of money too. Earlier in the month, Air New Zealand released its most popular in-flight safety video to date 'An Unexpected Briefing', starred cast and crew members from 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey', as well as fans and Air New Zealand’s own cabin crew and pilots, has become a global hit with almost 10 million views on YouTube since its release on 1 November.
But there is more. They have covered the length of a 73 metre Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with a hobbit design, the largest ever graphic to be applied to an aircraft. Air New Zealand will launch a second flying billboard next year utilising another of its long haul aircraft to celebrate the second movie in the trilogy, 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug'.
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| Copyright Air New Zealand |
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| Copyright Air New Zealand |
The cabin crew is dressed as elves, they've got Hobbit-inspired amenity items and their own 'elf & safety'.
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| Copyright Air New Zealand |
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| Copyright Air New Zealand |
Other nice touches are the Hobbit-inspired baggage carousel and airbridge at Wellington Airport.
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| Copyright Air New Zealand |
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| Copyright Air New Zealand |
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| Copyright Air New Zealand |
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| Copyright Air New Zealand |
Visitors arriving at Wellington Airport are treated to another Middle-earth experience as they come face-to-face with a gigantic sculpture of Gollum. The 13 metre installation was created by
Weta Workshop and is suspended from the roof in the main terminal.
And it doesn't stop in Wellington. Auckland Airport - the 'Gateway to Middle-earth' - has two stunning Hobbit-inspired installations as well that were also created by
Weta Workshop.
Finally - and this shows how far it really goes - on the day of the global premiere TVNZ's Breakfast broadcasted a special weather forecast in Elvish. The TV host wore an Elven themed dress and in the summer long-range forecast New Zealand became Middle-earth and Matamata, the home of Hobbiton, the Shire.
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TV host Tamati Coffey in Elven themed dress
presenting the summer long-range forecast in Elvish. |
And even though I like all these things, I promise I won't dress up when I go to see The Hobbit in the cinema!
[via: www.airnzhobbitmedia.com, www.tourismnewzealand.com, www.newzealand.com, auckland.scoop.co.nz]
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