2222221222222 LIES

3333333333333 CHAPTERTWO

UNCOVERING THE UNDERBELLY OF
NEW NATIONAL IDENTITY

 

 

DO OUR LONG-HELD ‘TRUTHS’
ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND
WHAT WE WANT AS A NATION
STILL HOLD UP?

WHAT ARE THE VALUES
WE HOLD DEAR?
HOW PROGRESSIVE ARE
WE AS A NATION?

NATIONAL IDENTITY
IS THE SECOND PART OF
A MAJOR NATIONAL STUDY
UNDERTAKEN BY WPP AUNZ.

ARE WE AS FAIR AS WE LIKE
TO THINK WE ARE?
AND WHAT DOES FAIRNESS
MEAN TO US?

WHAT’S THE TRUTH OF OUR
NATIONAL CHARACTER?

HOW DO WE FEEL ABOUT
ISSUES LIKE NEW ZEALAND’S
IMMIGRATION OR EDUCATION
POLICY, MULTICULTURALISM,
TECHNOLOGY AND
INNOVATION, DIVERSITY
AND EQUALITY?

IS NEW ZEALAND STILL THE
LAND OF OPPORTUNITY?

AS A NATION, WHERE DOES
OUR FUTURE LIE?

WHAT DO WE SEEK FROM OUR
LEADERS AND POLITICIANS?

THESE QUESTIONS ARE ALL ANSWERED IN CHAPTER TWO OF SECRETS & LIES.

 INTRODUCTION
FROM SVEN BAKER
WELCOME TO

As the largest creative transformation business in Australia and

This chapter focuses on the relationship we have with our

New Zealand, WPP AUNZ is invested in getting under the skin

country and how this relates back to our identity. What do we

of our clients’ customers. This involves constantly building our

seek for our nationhood? How progressive are we as a nation?

knowledge to better understand the behaviour of Australians

Are we as ’fair’ as we like to think we are? Is New Zealand still the

and New Zealanders. This is what keeps us on top of our game.

land of opportunity? What does this all mean for our corporate

In Chapter 1 of Secrets & Lies, we looked at how Australians

SVEN BAKER
NEW ZEALAND
MANAGING DIRECTOR,
WPP AUNZ

and political leaders?

and New Zealanders view their own identity. We revealed the

In an era of globalisation and identity politics, the New Zealand

secrets and lies that they tell themselves, and each other, in

research reveals an uneasy tension between the aspirations we

contrast with how they project themselves back to the world.

have for our country and our own personal self-interest. But we’re

It was a fascinating insight into emotional drivers and how

encouraged by the appetite that exists for big, progressive ideas

these impact our support for brands, causes or organisations.

and the opportunity to export home-grown innovation to the

Secrets & Lies is based on comprehensive research conducted

world. This presents enormous scope for both business and our

by WPP AUNZ agency Colmar Brunton. Colmar Brunton has

governments if they can connect that vision with our aspirations as

done an outstanding job of conducting in-depth interviews

individuals. The research is a fascinating look into the complicated

as well as a survey of more than 2,500 Australians and 1,500

and complex nature of who we are as individuals, and how we view

New Zealanders.

ourselves in terms of our nationality.

To supplement Chapter 2: National Identity, we surveyed an

As with Chapter 1, we’ve used this work to analyse the

additional 2,500 Australians and 1,500 New Zealanders in April

implications and opportunities for marketers, communicators,

2019 through our research company Lightspeed. Lightspeed

policymakers and leaders. We wanted to understand whether

has created a representative sample mirroring the geographic

or not our deeply held truths about our country still stand up.

breakdown of our two nations. This attention to statistical

We wanted to explore the values we hold dear and how these

detail is why Lightspeed is fast becoming a beacon of research

impact decisions to vote, buy, recommend or support a brand,

excellence in the WPP AUNZ world.

organisation or cause. We wanted to help our clients better

We also partnered with Michael Henderson, one of the region’s

understand the people they’re trying to connect with.

most respected anthropologists, to add another layer of rigour

We’re excited by this work and feel confident that you’ll find

and help us understand the research.

fascinating and interesting insight in this latest chapter.
1

 HOW TO USE
THIS RESEARCH

ABOUT MICHAEL HENDERSON

There are some definitive ways for

born in the UK, raised in Africa and educated

the private and public sectors to use

in New Zealand. He works around the world

this research. For the private sector,

studying human behaviour and motivation.

Secrets & Lies: National Identity will help

Anthropologists study culture and the various

shape a very different communication

symbols, rituals, norms, artefacts and ceremonies

strategy. For the public sector, it shapes

that combine in a unique manner to structure

policy development and drives substantive

and activate the culture in daily life. For the

discussions about real issues.

past 35 years, Michael has immersed himself in

Ultimately, it offers a point of view on
what business could do better and provides
government with an opportunity to step up
on the issues that will take our nations from
good to great.

Michael Henderson is a leading anthropologist,

studying what makes people tick and how this is
influenced by the culture in which people have
been born or chosen. Michael is the author of
eight books on culture, values, performance,
human meaning and motivation.

MICHAEL HENDERSON
ANTHROPOLOGIST
2

 FOREWORD
MICHAEL HENDERSON   ANTHROPOLOGIST

Understanding
nations, tribes
and the need
to belong

Human beings are social animals. We like

If we’re predisposed to gravitate towards and

to belong. We need to belong. We choose to

share our lives with others, how do we know

belong. Why is that?

who to belong with beyond our immediate
family? How did our ancestors determine who

Through a combination of ethics and evolution,

to let into their inner circle and who to keep out?

human beings have discovered that we have a
far better chance of survival if we cooperate and

Every human being evaluates strangers through

collaborate with others. By socialising in groups,

two primary and almost instantaneous filters.

we also discovered that being together enriches

In anthropology these are referred to as

our experience of being alive. We enjoy the

Approachability and Capability. In other words,

enormous emotional and psychological benefits

our brains quickly assess whether the stranger

of friendship, humour, learning, encouragement,

is friendly (Approachable) and their physical

love, acknowledgment and the recognition that

prowess through our assessment of their

we can only find in belonging with others.

strength and speed (Capable).

None of these emotional benefits replace

When we recognise someone as being

the need for food and shelter. But in many

Approachable and Capable, we trust

respects they’ve become incredibly important

them and they become friends or reliable

to our sense of wellbeing. Surviving is one

acquaintances. When we assess people as

thing. Surviving alone is an entirely different

unapproachable and Capable, or Approachable

proposition because of the emotional isolation

but incapable, our trust in them is eroded.

it would bring.

3

 Research by biological anthropologist Robin

The sense of belonging to a nation can be a

Where a nation offers a generalised

Dubar indicates that humans can remember up

powerful human experience, eliciting deep

sense of belonging, a tribe offers a

to 150 faces while remaining confident in their

emotions of nationalism, pride, loyalty and

specific sense of belonging. One person

assessment of Approachability and Capability

gratitude. In this way, the concept of belonging

in others. Beyond 150 faces we doubt our

to a nation offer a means for individuals to gain a

assessment. This explains why most traditional

sense of belonging in a larger social context.

tribes had no more than about 150 members and
why this is also the average number of genuine

However, where a nation is a larger contextual

connections to Facebook ‘friends’.

reference point for belonging, we’re hardwired

belongs to many different tribes
and in doing so has access to a sense
of authentically living the life they
aspire to.

as a species to place ourselves within the

As nations grow in population,

Beyond 150 people, the brain relies on concepts

localised environment of 150 familiar human faces.

complexity and multiculturalism, as

and symbols to replace the role of faces and

We might be from New Zealand but we live in

well as social and economic mobility,

personalities in assessing others. This is where

Auckland. More specifically, we live in a tribe or

the concept of nations plays a role. When a

village within Auckland.

population grows into hundreds of thousands
or hundreds of millions, our brain can’t

This is why, for example, people who live in

“track” that many faces. We use nations as an

Auckland place a large emphasis on establishing

anthropomorphic means of understanding who

a more precise location when meeting a fellow

we are as a people.

Aucklander. Which tribe are they from? What
Approachability and Capability do we associate

In our minds, a nation’s behavioural traits are

them with?

the equivalent of a personality. The name of the
nation is the equivalent of a person’s name. The

Within a city there are many suburbs. And within

nation’s flag plays the role of a person’s face.

a suburb many tribes exist. A tribe might take
the form of a church or sports club, a business or
education network, cultural groups or a physical
location like Ponsonby.

4

we sense the dilution of approachability
and capability traits we associated
with them.

 WE USE OUR TRIBES
TO GROUND, CONNECT
AND FIND OURSELVES,
RECONFIRMING WHO
WE ARE AND WITH
WHOM WE BELONG.

5

 PART
ONE
RESE ARCH
HE ADL I NES

1.  A COUNTRY HUNGRY
FOR PROGRESSIVE IDEAS
2. EQUITY VERSUS EQUALITY
3. A SECOND LANGUAGE IS ANOTHER
WAY O F L O O K I N G AT T H E W O R L D
A N D AT B R A N D S

6

PROGRESSIVE
IDEAS

 A COUNTRY HUNGRY FOR
PROGRESSIVE IDEAS
THE LIE
A NATION CONTENT
TO BE A SMALL PLAYER.
THE TRUTH
A NATION WANTING TO
PLAY A SERIOUS ROLE ON
THE WORLD STAGE.
Our research uncovered a variety of issues that
matter to New Zealanders. But this is a nation
that’s looking to punch far above its weight.
Small in population size but not in stature or
ideas, New Zealand could well become the
boutique rock star of the world stage. Progress is
the recurring theme echoed by the great majority
of New Zealanders. There’s a valuable role to be
played as an incubator of ideas tackling some
of the serious issues our world is grappling with
right now – innovation, intellectual property,
export markets, education, immigration,
leadership and equality.

65% of New Zealanders are ready to play their
role in creating a more positive narrative for
New Zealand. They understand that they’re a

65 %

special country. Far away from the world but in
a position to lead the way. New Zealanders can
support this claim with solid evidence. We have a
Prime Minister who represents all that is possible,
balancing career and family while setting new

of New Zealanders are ready
to play their role in creating
a more positive narrative for
New Zealand

benchmarks in authentic leadership.
It has a growing export market in industries like
horticulture, which alone will grow by 16% this
year to top $6.2 billion. This growth is fuelled
by unique produce including the Envy™ and

71 %

Dazzle™ apples, along with organic boutique
wine. Then there’s the export of innovative
packaged foods including premium chocolate
and honey, niche spirits and beers. This barely

of New Zealanders believe
that they live in one of the
most progressive countries
in the world.

existed a decade ago but it’s now a billion-dollar
industry. Other countries talk about their ability
to create new revenue streams, New Zealand is
simply doing it without a fuss.

7

 There always seems to be a lot of chat about
the New Zealand economy. That growth has
slowed and it’s stagnant. That we’re small.

New Zealand’s understated national character has

That houses are too expensive. That you can’t

resulted in a style of national pride that’s built on

get ahead. All this focus on what’s negative.
How about the fact we’re an incredible
country. We’ve made 100% Pure our own. We’re
leading the way for boutique exports like

repeated evidence of success. But it also has a
very modern view of what success looks like that’s
defined by more than dollars, going beyond gross
domestic product (GDP) to measure wellbeing as
a key indicator.

honey. We’re (by and large) peaceful. Our
Pacifica culture is integrated. Maybe we’ve
forgotten just how good we’ve got it and
these first-world problems get in the way of
a positive outlook for New Zealand
MALE AGED 43

A number of recent initiatives support this view,
including the push for compulsory teaching of
the Maori language in schools. The overwhelming
feeling is that there’s nothing more indicative
of a progressive society than truly treasuring its
indigenous language.
The government has also launched KiwiBuild, a
scheme that will see the government develop
100,000 entry-level homes during the next
decade to be sold at a capped price. Now that’s
socially progressive government.

8

 This all adds up to one very telling statistic.

MULTICULTURAL NEW ZEALAND
Despite the horrific events in Christchurch, almost
two-thirds of New Zealanders say that the very
best thing about New Zealand is its rich and
diverse multicultural population. Not one of the
best things but the best thing. When it comes to

74%

immigration policy, 58% of New Zealanders want

of New Zealanders feel that their

technology-driven New Zealand. They don’t want

nation has a rightful place on
the world stage.

a policy shaped towards a more progressive and
to see less immigration, they want to see a New
Zealand that can face the challenges of the future
with a confident, future-ready labour force.

Holding our first Manaaki Day
(manaaki being the Maori word for
kindness) in November last year
speaks volumes about the way we
all live together. I’m one of those
indigeneous brothers and I feel a
great sense of pride and joy when
I look at my grandchildren and see
the kind of New Zealand they will
inherit. I think it’s fair to say we’re
becoming an enlightened society.
FEMALE, AGED 27

"T
  H E R E A R E R O U G H LY 4 . 8 M I L L I O N O F U S K I W I S . U N L E S S W E ’ R E
A L L G O I N G T O G O O F F A N D H AV E A N E X T R A B A BY A P I E C E , W E
N E E D T O F I L L O U R C O U N T R Y W I T H S O M E M O R E I M M I G R AT I O N .
L E T ’ S G E T M O R E C R E AT I V E A N D C O M M I T T E D A B O U T T H E K I N D S
O F S K I L L S W E N E E D , E S P E C I A L LY I N T H E A R E A S O F S C I E N C E A N D
T E C H N O L O G Y."
FEMALE, AGED 50
9

 EDUCATION POLICY
But it’s in education policy where our research
showed the greatest need for leadership and
truly progressive ideas.
68% of New Zealanders say our education system
needs a complete overhaul. A stunning lack of
innovation and thinking in primary and secondary
education has left three-quarters of us wondering
how we’ll get the next generation of New
Zealanders ready for the future.

68 %
of New Zealanders say
our education system
needs a complete overhaul

10

“ I WORRY THAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON SUCH BASIC SKILLS. READING. GENERAL
MATHS. AND WE ACT LIKE IT’S A BIG VICTORY IF THEY CAN READ WELL. BIG
DEAL. I WANT MY GRANDKIDS TO BE A LOT SMARTER THAN I WAS AT THEIR
AGE. I WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND POLITICS AND GEOPOLITICAL ISSUES IN
GENERAL. I WANT THEM TO BE MORE WORLDLY. I WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND
BIO‑TECH AND INVESTMENT MARKETS. I WANT THEM TO HAVE MORE COURAGE
THAN I DID. TO START A BUSINESS AND THINK BEYOND THE BORDERS OF NEW
ZEALAND. I KNOW THESE MIGHT BE TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR BUT IT DOESN’T
HAVE TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. IN MY VIEW, WE NEED TO ARM OUR KIDS WITH
MUCH BETTER INFORMATION AND GET THEM THINKING MORE BROADLY AT A
MUCH YOUNGER AGE”.
FEMALE AGED 57

 GENDER EQUALITY
75% of New Zealanders think we can easily
promote women into key positions whilst still
supporting the ideals of a meritocracy. New
Zealanders do not see equality and meritocracy
as mutually exclusive. 50% of the population is
male. 50% is female. Surely 50% of the best and
most talented New Zealanders are female?

%
75 %
of New Zealanders think we can
easily promote women and into key
positions whilst still supporting the
ideals of a meritocracy.

W E H AV E A F A N T A S T I C
WOMAN RUNNING
THE COUNTRY. IS SHE
FANTASTIC BECAUSE
SHE’S A WOMAN?
I DON’T THINK SO.
I IMAGINE SHE’S
FANTASTIC BECAUSE
SHE’S HONEST, FAIRMINDED, COMPASSIONATE
AND SMART. ALL
QUALITIES THAT ARE
GENDER NEUTRAL BY
T H E WAY . L E T ’ S H O P E
WE SOON GET TO A
PLACE WHERE GENDER
I S I R R E L E VA N T B E C A U S E
BOTH SEXES ARE TREATED
E Q U A L LY W E L L .
MALE AGED 33
11

 









 

EQuITY
VERSUS EQuALITY
THE LIE
WE WANT EQUAL ACCESS TO
OPPORTUNIT Y FOR EVERYONE
THE TRUTH
EQUALIT Y IS A MY TH

The inconvenient truth is that we’re not entirely
comfortable giving too much help to those
who need it most. We want everyone to have
a ‘fair go’ but only if they’re not getting more
opportunity than the rest of us.

Our safety net in New
Zealand is what makes us
one the great countries,
alongside both Australia
and Canada. We just need

The notion of equality finds itself in the top three

We believe many policies aimed at achieving

most important national values in our research,

equitable outcomes result in a total lack of

behind safety and freedom. The idea of equality

fairness. This in turn fuels resentment towards

has long been treasured in a nation that prides

those who benefit from these policies.

itself on fairness.
TO BE CLEAR, EQUITY IS ABOUT GIVING
EVERYONE WHAT THEY NEED TO BE
SUCCESSFUL.
Equality is about treating everyone the same.

to make sure that it doesn’t
become a way of life for
people who need it only
for a short period of time
whilst they are getting back
up on their feet and able to
contribute to society.
FEMALE, AGED 49

We don’t all start from the same place.
Background, family circumstance, money and
the opportunity these all afford, collectively
represents the X factor.

13

 A SOCIAL SAFETY NET
79% of New Zealanders agree that welfare
payments are the best way to protect those in
our society who need real help, but they say
we need a more innovative and fairer way of

Maybe there is too much of a safety

assessing what ‘real need’ constitutes.

net? It is something I grapple with all
the time as someone who belongs in the
top tax bracket. I think tax is important

79

%

agree that welfare payments are
the best way to protect those in our
society who need real help

in keeping New Zealand more equal but
I also don’t want to stifle hard work
and risk-taking. I am where I am because
I had no security, was a migrant and
didn’t know English and I had to start a
business to give myself a job. How do we
balance welfare versus throwing people
into the deep-end to get them motivated?
I don’t know the answer but I do know
if we make it too easy for people they’ll
never give it a go themselves.
MALE AGED 46

14

 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
57% say that equal opportunity used to be the
New Zealand ethos but it increasingly feels harder
to attain.
My great fear is that the
rich are getting richer and
those than Want to get rich
(or at least better off) will

There’s a sentiment that working hard no longer
guarantees success. This could lead to an
increasing number of New Zealanders feeling
they’re treading water rather than getting ahead.

never get there. 30 years ago
New Zealand seemed really equal.
It just doesn’t feel like that today.
MALE AGED 51

57 %
say that equal opportunity used to
be the New Zealand ethos but it
increasingly feels harder to attain

15

 RICH VERSUS POOR

THE COST OF LIVING

79% say the gap between rich and poor is

But perhaps the most overwhelming

widening.

sentiment is this one.

It feels like there are many more

We feel that to get our share of the New Zealand

poorer people than there are richer
people. Is that true for New Zealand?

dream (buy a home, support a family, have a

79 %

decent lifestyle) we need to work so much harder
and for longer hours every week.

WOMAN AGED 36

Say the gap between rich
and poor is widening.

91% say you should be able to support a family
The cost of living is a catchy tune

and buy a home without needing to work

but in this country it’s true. It costs

two jobs.

a lot of money to bloody well live
comfortably in New Zealand!
MALE AGED 33

When the government says they’ve
created one hundred thousand new
jobs, I think – yeah and I’ve got three of

91 %

’em! I’m doing three different jobs to
make end meet. And I’m not the only one.
All of my mates in this so-called gig
economy are doing multiple jobs. And
that’s not even to get ahead, thaT’s just
to keep our heads above the water!
MALE AGED 29

16

Say you should be able to support
a family and buy a home without
needing to work two jobs.

 BORN EQUAL?
Yet for all this talk of equality, we overlook the
most obvious fact. We’re not born equal. Some
of us are born with greater intellectual capability,
some of us are born with a unique skill, some of us
are born into wealthier, more supportive families.
64% agree that if you give two people the exact
same opportunity, one person will take it and the
other will stay in the same place. No amount of
equality can factor in ambition, talent, luck and
good old-fashioned hard work.

YOU CAN TALK EQUALITY
ALL YOU LIKE BUT A POOR
IMMIGRANT WITH NOTHING
I N H I S P O C K E T I S L I K E LY T O
BE MUCH MORE HUNGRY FOR
S U C C E S S . N O M A T T E R M AY
M U C H Y O U L E V E L T H E P L AY I N G
FIELD, PERSONAL DRIVE AND
HARD WORK IS IN THE HANDS
OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND THAT
IS THE THING THAT WILL
DETERMINE SUCCESS.
FEMALE AGED 35

17

 A S E C O N D L A N G U A G E I S A N O T H E R WAY O F
LOOKING AT THE WORLD AND AT BRANDS
THE LIE
YOUR BIRTHPL ACE SHAPES A
GOOD PORTION OF YOUR VALUES
THE TRUTH
SPE AKING PREDOMINANTLY
IN A L ANGUAGE OTHER
THAN ENGLISH IS THE GRE AT
DE TERMINING FACTOR IN
SHAPING MANY AT TITUDES

Across the research there was a consistent

For any brand or organisation seeking to seed

pattern of significant difference in responses

something new, this is the audience to target

between those that spoke English at home versus

first. Whether by their acceptance of living

a language other than English (LOTE). In fact, the

comfortably across two cultures, constantly

significant differences in results based on LOTE

translating between different languages, they’re

are three times more apparent than because of

supremely comfortable with change. What is

where you were born.

difficult to most, comes naturally to them. They
have grown up in a world where using more than

IF YOU SPEAK PREDOMINANTLY IN ANOTHER

one language is the norm and this pluralism has

multicultural success stories. Largely harmonious,

LANGUAGE – NO MATTER IF YOU WERE BORN

shaped their identity.

cohesive and inclusive with generations of

IN NEW ZEALAND OR NOT, NO MATTER IF YOU

migrants building on the foundations of the

SPEAK ENGLISH FLUENTLY OR NOT, NO MATTER

last. We celebrate our diversity but reductive

HOW EDUCATED, OR NOT - YOUR VIEW OF THE

pack when searching for progressive solutions.

WORLD IS DIFFERENT.

They’re twice as likely as English-only speakers

New Zealand remains one of the world’s

comparisons between those born here versus
overseas masks real difference.
Language, in fact, is the biggest determining
factor. Whether third generation, New Zealand
born and bred or not. And this isn’t a niche
portion of our population. A language other than
English is spoken regularly in 22% of New Zealand
households.

18

The best way to describe this view of New
Zealand is ‘internationalist’. This segment has
evolved beyond multiculturalism. They are
outward looking, extremely well-travelled,
comfortable straddling two cultures. They index
highly as early adopters of technology, food
trends, new brands and new business models.

For issues like education policy and economic
policy, these dual-language speakers lead the

to start a small business. It may be that they
are children of migrants from places with far
less opportunity or that they were raised in a
culture of optimism with high expectations of
success. It may be that straddling two cultures
brings with it a richness that needs to be lived to
be understood.

 SECOND
LANGUAGE

3

78% of New Zealanders say
there’s a richness that comes
with being able to speak more
than one language.

68% of New Zealanders
wish they had learnt another
language growing up

WE HAVE SEVERAL HYPOTHESES
What we know for sure is that the lexicon,
vocabulary, passion and sense of belonging
that a language other than English creates, carries
more emotional weight for a significant portion
of our population. It carries with it differing
values and attitudes about New Zealand, society
and identity.
This means there’s enormous opportunity for the

66% of New Zealanders
believe that the brain works
differently when it thinks in
several languages.

43% of New Zealanders say their ability
to speak a language other than English
(even if it’s only a few key words) gives
them an entirely different perspective
on the world.

public and private sector to embrace this largely
optimistic spirit through the many languages of
New Zealand.

19

 There are so many ways to connect
with me through my language that

There are certain words in Arabic that

I’ve never really understood why my

simply don’t translate into English.

bank or my supermarket doesn’t. Small

I was born here but my parents weren’t

leaflets in several languages for

and I will still use that one Arabic word

recipes for example - or an automatic

to convey to my parents exactly what

language translator at every digital

I mean even amongst all the English.

point. With technology today it should

It’s so funny to hear me speaking in

be pretty easy.

a mash‑up of languages.

FEMALE AGED 41

MALE AGED 29

20

 I love having a conversation in Italian with my bestie. Even though we were born in
New Zealand we love how it unites us. Plus, we can talk about things we don’t want
anyone else to understand when we are in public.
FEMALE AGED 34

A LOT OF COMPANIES
H A V E N E V E R R E A L LY
CONSIDERED THE
BEAUTY OF ANOTHER
LANGUAGE. HOW
S I M P LY U S I N G
THAT LANGUAGE IN
COMMUNICATION
IS A WELCOME MAT
FOR THE BRAND TO
A N E N T I R E LY N E W
SEGMENT? WHAT A
SIMPLE TRICK AND
YET NO ONE EVER
USES IT.
MALE AGED 44

21

 PART
TWO

BY ROSE HERCEG
CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER, WPP AUNZ

WHAT YOUR DEPARTMENT,
BUSI NESS OR BR AND NEEDS
TO CONSI DER .
HOW SHOULD GOVERNMENT AND
T H E P R I VAT E S E C T O R E X P L O I T T H E S E
FINDINGS FOR THEIR BENEFIT?
Rose has built a career as one of the most
respected futurists and social forecasters across
Australia and New Zealand. As Chief Strategy
Officer, Rose consults to WPP AUNZ clients
across its 80 operating companies on emerging
trends, marketing strategy and innovation.

22

 1.
NEW ZEALANDERS ARE READY TO
EXPORT PROGRESSIVE IDEAS
They want detailed, thoughtful, substantive

Serious conversations are needed but

solutions in two key areas:

New Zealanders are telling us that no one is
having them in any real way, especially when

•  Our future economic policy and the role that
technology might play in this policy
•  Our future education policy and how we might

it comes to identifying where tomorrow’s
economic growth will come from and who will
have the knowledge to run with it.

overhaul the entire curriculum of New Zealand

When it comes to education policy, where is

education at every level

the practical or tangible discussion of what
this new education program might look like?
Occasional soundbites get thrown around but
there’s no substantive change to education policy
or competing policies that the New Zealand
electorate can debate. Where are the ideas
for tomorrow?
When it comes to the private sector, progressive
ideas (and business models) would find a very
receptive audience.

23

 THOUGHT STARTERS
PROGRESSIVE IDEAS

unit trust or equity and shares
system. It would capitalise on
the rapid and continuing growth
of single-person households,
where those in purely platonic
relationships join forces to buy a
home. Almost one in three in our
society will likely never marry
in their lifetime but they still
seek to create a ‘home’ rather
than a house. This progressive
take on the new and emerging
definition of ‘family’ would be
welcome relief to the growing
number of New Zealanders who
have created and chosen their
own families beyond formal and
traditional definitions – either
through biology or marriage.

24

What if an insurance company
pays out life insurance benefit
in full in advance if a person
is diagnosed with a terminal
illness and given less than
12 months to live. No fine print.
Simply a progressive approach
to helping those when they
need it most.

3
Or a car company that has
the courage to recognise that
there’s a significant segment
of the car-loving population
(those who would never
default to a rideshare or car
rental service) who would
embrace the opportunity to
drive multiple car brands over
the course of a year. Three
months in a BMW, three months
in a Tesla, three months in a
Jeep and three months in a
Mini Cooper. This would be an
entirely progressive business
model to take the car-owner
market by storm.

TOTAL HOME DECOR UPGRADE

a ‘friendship-family loan’ like a

2

PREMIUM TIME SHARE

This could be a bank creating

LIFE INSURANCE NO FINE PRINT

F R I E N D S H I P - F A M I LY L O A N

1

4
A home design business might
offer to remove and replace
the entire contents of a home
overnight and replace it will an
entirely new look. This would
be an attractive proposition for
people who believe their home
environment determines every
aspect of their wellbeing.

 hardware products with skilled
tradespeople who follow you
home and install, fix, correct
or replace whatever you’ve
purchased immediately.

6
Who wouldn’t like a utilities
company that sells everything
under one, simple contract? Water,
gas, electricity, internet, phone,
insurances, streaming services
and everything your home needs
in a single bill. It could go a step
further and bundle the home loan
including a five-year term for all
other services in exchange for
a significant, upfront discount.

CUSTOMISE YOUR FLIGHT

A hardware retailer could match

UTILITIES ONE STOP SHOP

FULL-SERVICE HARDWARE

5

7
Airlines could sell their seats in a
far more progressive way so that
passengers customise the entire
journey. They might purchase an
economy-class ticket but with a
first-class meal and champagne.
Or a business class ticket with
no food because they never eat
when flying.

A growing number of people expect these highly progressive business models and ideas for
products or services from corporate NEW ZEALAND. But very few of them ever make it to
consumers. The same model, the same product, the same service – delivered in the same way as it
has been for decades – is still the order of the day. This is astonishing and disappointing but easily
fixed by progressive brands and companies.
25

 2.  
I T ’ S T I M E T O   T A L K O P E N LY A B O U T
EQUITY VERSUS EQUALITY
If we desire a society where the distance between
the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ is a gap rather than a
gulf, then we need to talk seriously about taxation,
entitlements and the social safety net. Is tax too low
for the rich? Are entitlements too small for those
trying to claw their way out of near-poverty? Has
New Zealand outgrown the ‘fair-go’ ethos? Is New
Zealand being outpaced and outgunned by newer
ideas and harder workers in a global economy? Is
the downside of being an easy country in which
to live, without a history of war or civil unrest,

A Lemonade (perhaps the world’s most advanced

that we’re unequipped to compete with nations

business model when it comes to insurance and

toughened by failure, defeat and the fight for

currently headquartered in New York) should have

survival. Are we too soft for our own good?

come out of New Zealand. A Kotak Mahindra (an

Do we spend our resources making sure that those
with the least are given what they need to catch
up with those that have the most? Is this unfair to
those who have more and should they be given the
opportunities to accelerate even further? What kind
of a society do we want? And is there a danger if
creating a mediocrity where we all drown together
in a sea of average?
26

WHEN IT COMES TO CORPORATE NEW ZEALAND,
HOW DO WE PROMOTE EXCELLENCE AND
PROGRESS IN A COUNTRY THAT IS NERVOUS
ABOUT ELITISM. THE TENSION BETWEEN
EXCELLENCE AND EGALITARIANISM IS
CONSTANT. TO BE AN OUTSTANDING BUSINESS
IN NEW ZEALAND MEANS TO OUT-INNOVATE
THE REST OF THE WORLD. THIS WOULD BE A
NEW REALITY FOR NEW ZEALAND BUSINESS. IT
WOULD NECESSITATE THE MOST CUTTING-EDGE
THINKING COMING OUT OF NEW ZEALAND.

open banking platform in India allowing 400 million
middle class Indians to open up an account online in
90 seconds) should have come out of one of the big
New Zealand banks. Rent the Runway should have
been engineered by a Westfield or a Stockland or
a Vicinity. A Birchbox should have been founded in
New Zealand given the average spend Kiwi women
make on skincare, hair and make-up.

 The tired, traditional argument is that the business
community in New Zealand is risk-averse. Or that the
size of our market is too small to encourage serious
innovation. Is it time to recognise that a country

EQUALITY

EQUITY

affording the great majority of its population a very
good standard of living without the serious societal
issues plaguing so many other countries, makes us
too comfortable to strive for greatness. The biggest
success stories are usually borne of great poverty or
great disadvantage.
IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN CREATE A NEW
DIVISION INSIDE EVERY SUCCESSFUL NEW ZEALAND
BUSINESS WHOSE SOLE PURPOSE IS TO BEHAVE
AS THOUGHT THE BUSINESS IS UNDER IMMEDIATE
THREAT AND MUST BE SAVED. A scenario-plan based
on impending doom to mobilise thinking and create
conditions to force new thinking and new operating
model discoveries. It’s no accident that the founders
of our most successful businesses tend to be migrants
escaping abject poverty or persecution.

27

 FAKE ENEMY TO FIND REAL INNOVATION

M AY B E T H E A N S W E R
IS TO CREATE A FAKE
ENEMY THAT FORCES
GROUNDBREAKING
THOUGHT.

One immediate action every successful business can take right now every New Zealand bank, telco, retailer, resources company, agricultural
business, in fact every single thriving New Zealand based business - is to
create a Turmoil Unit. A unit that games and scopes a scenario whereby
the business is attacked by an unexpected enemy. This will force the
kind of thinking that innovators possess. It might be an extreme reaction
but this bountiful country is simply too good and too easy a place in
which to live. Maybe the answer is to create a fake enemy that forces
ground‑breaking thought.

28

 3.
LANGUAGE IS
MORE THAN WORDS.
IT’S CULTURE.
For brands, marketers and public service, New Zealand has 190
languages and 157 nationalities. Yet every piece of mainstream
communication is in English. Almost every piece of content shared
through a social channel is in English. If technologies like addressable
television can show different content to different audiences whilst
they’re all watching the same programme, think of the possibilities with
language.
Language is more than the words. Language is culture. Language is
identity. Language is spirit. Speaking more than one language is how
one-third of us relate to this country. They swim between two or more
lanes. They dip in and out. They see brands and companies through
multicultural eyes.
Simply translating the message verbatim into another language isn’t the
answer. Getting to the guts of their culture is the key. Understanding
that the sensibilities and the mindset of this segment is different to that
of New Zealanders who speak only English is the key to understanding
their character. It shapes their attitudes to the biggest consumer
categories in the world – automotive, banking, food, grocery, retail,
travel and fashion to name a few.
29

 IMAGINE THE IMPACT OUR
BIGGEST BUSINESSES WOULD
HAVE IF THEY RAN THEIR
FLAGSHIP COMMUNICATION IN
MAORI, SAMOAN, HINDI AND
CANTONESE? FOUR OF THE
MOST‑SPOKEN LANGUAGES
IN NEW ZEALAND.
NO SUBTITLES. DURING A
FOOTBALL GRAND FINAL.

30

 IT’S TIME TO
RECOGNISE THAT
OVER 1.5 MILLION
NEW ZEALANDERS
SPEAK BOTH
ENGLISH AS WELL
AS THIER SECOND
LANGUAGE VERY
WELL. THEY
ARE FLUENT IN
B O T H . T H E Y P AY
ALLEGIANCE TO
BOTH CULTURES.

It’s time to have a serious conversation about

Almost every culture has a set of days that are

marketing to people who speak more languages

steeped in history and tradition. They celebrate

than English. And it’s also time to recognise

them with food, beverages, gifts and fanfare but

that over 1.5 million New Zealanders speak both

very few are marketing to these occasions. A

English as well as their second language very

more informed events calendar for our biggest

well. They are fluent in both. They pay allegiance

cultural groups with specific products and

to both cultures. Why is that most companies

services directed toward them would result in

fail to recognise that almost one in four

some lucrative new business opportunities.

New Zealanders lives inside two (or sometimes
more) cultures.
This richness and duality bring with it plenty of
business opportunities, particularly at special
times of the year like Easter and Christmas. Less
obvious examples include religious holidays,
saints’ days, name days, even days that make
perfect sense to a particular group but might
seem a little unusual to the rest of us.

31

 ABOUT THIS STUDY
Secrets & Lies is based on comprehensive research commissioned by WPP AUNZ and conducted by
two of its specialist research and insights companies: Colmar Brunton and Lightspeed.
The New Zealand research comprised extended face-to-face interviews with a broad range of
consumers. It focused on understanding how people feel about a range of life aspects, how they act
and how this interplays with personal, social and national identity. These interviews were conducted
during June 2018 across a range of capital city, regional and remote locations.
Based on the outcomes of the initial qualitative phase a questionnaire was developed, with further
refinement then made following cognitive testing.
The second stage of fieldwork comprised a national survey of 1,500 New Zealanders aged 18 years and
over. It measured people’s attitudes and behaviours regarding a range of personal, social and national
identity factors. The survey was conducted online, with fieldwork taking place in July and August 2018.
The sample was designed to ensure accurate age, gender and location representation.
A third stage of fieldwork was conducted in April 2019 with an online survey of a further 2500
Australians and 1500 New Zealanders, again designed to ensure a representative sample.

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 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE
CONTACT WPP AUNZ CHIEF STRATEGY
OFFICER, ROSE HERCEG.
ROSE.HERCEG@WPPAUNZ.COM

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 WPP AUNZ is a creative transformation company. We build better futures for our
clients through an integrated offer of communications, experience, commerce
and technology. For more information visit wppaunz.com