Vintage Car Club fronts up for advert

Timaru Herald

ON FILM: South Canterbury Vintage Car Club members Margaret Rogers, left, and Grant Jones take a drive along Oamaru's historic precinct during filming of a new AMI Insurance commercial.

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A new insurance advertisement has got off to a smiling start thanks to South Canterbury car enthusiasts.

Fifteen members of the South Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Vintage Car Club provided vintage vehicles for AMI Insurance's latest commercial. The promotion captures the way New Zealanders have `smiled' through situations from the 1920s to the present day.

The commercial opens with a 1920s Oamaru street scene filled with bustling cars and people.

Vintage car club member Bill Weir said many of the group's members had also starred in the commercial.

"A lot of us were driving our cars in the background and they made sure we looked genuine with old costumes, even if we didn't think we would be seen."

The group was approached by the company last month to find vehicles for the advertisement.

"The phone rang off the hook.

"Everyone wanted to be a part of it and it was a fantastic day to see how things worked when filming."

The Weirs also supplied a 1940s tractor and plough.

"We were a one stop shop really."

Mr Weir was also impressed with the effort involved in making the scenes as genuine as possible.

"They put down grit on the road to cover the tarmac and re-create the street surface of the 1920s."

Care was also taken to ensure the vehicles' number plates were old.

The experience had been one club members would not forget, he said.

And the commercial, which went to air for the first time on Sunday, had also brought a smile to the faces of the club's members.

"I'm sure we were all glued to the TV on Sunday night. It was fascinating to watch."