Tourism NZ pays $450,000 for YouTube promotion

KIWI-TUBE: Tourism New Zealand's YouTube campaign uses animation provided by Wellington's Weta Digital.

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Tourism New Zealand has done a $US320,000 ($NZ450,000) deal to promote its new campaign over popular internet site YouTube.

Tourism NZ will take over the paid video space on the YouTube homepage for 24 hours, starting at 4pm on September 18.

It would use the homepage space to show its new 100% Pure New Zealand commercial.

The 24 hour contract will be followed by three months of a New Zealand branded channel.

"Tourism New Zealand has to be first in to embrace new technology if we are to stay ahead of the competition," chief executive George Hickton said.

"YouTube is a great example of how a small country can use technology to its advantage," Mr Hickton said.

The new campaign focuses on New Zealand as the youngest country on earth.

According to historians, New Zealand was the last habitable landmass on earth to be settled by humankind.

As part of the campaign Tourism NZ linked up with Wellington-based Weta Digital to animate the Maori legend of Maui hauling the North Island from the sea.