Stuff.co.nz gets it first, or suffers

CONSEQUENCES: Stuff.co.nz gets it first, or suffers.

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Stuff launches its "consequences" campaign.

Stuff.co.nz has launched its "consequences" campaign by hanging someone from the sixth storey of a central Auckland building.

The campaign message is about Stuff's passion for breaking the news that New Zealanders value, and to demonstrate - albeit in a slightly irreverent manner - how seriously we take it when we don't live up to our own expectations.

At midday, a "member" of the Stuff team was hung upside down over a balcony on the Dilworth Building in Auckland's Queen St.

Fairfax Media group head of digital Stephen Smith says many of New Zealand's big news stories break first on Stuff; the Napier siege and the police shooting of an actor in Auckland being recent examples.

On the rare occasion that Stuff isn't first out of the blocks, the staff responsible may suffer the consequences through a rather public act of contrition. In today's case we didn't actually hang one of our staff members over the balcony, we had to use a stunt man.

"But the Stuff team know they won't be so lucky in the future and they are all up for the challenge.

"We want consumers to know that when something happens, they can trust that we are totally committed to getting the story to them first and that we will stay with the story for as long as it is necessary to keep them up-to-date."

Smith says there is a network of talented Fairfax journalists across the country who are passionate about getting stories that affect the lives of New Zealanders on to Stuff, as soon as they happen.

"We certainly see it as our competitive edge."

Stuff has experienced significant audience growth since its relaunch in March, and is now New Zealand's most popular news and entertainment site.

Through the "consequences" campaign, Stuff is looking to build on recent national success by demonstrating and emphasising to Aucklanders that the site is for them.

From tomorrow, readers can visit www.stuff.co.nz/consequences to see video evidence of the "consequences".

And, of course, go to www.stuff.co.nz anytime for the latest in breaking and up-to-date news and entertainment.

- © Fairfax NZ News