News release

Thursday, 30 June 2005

T-shirt tittle-tattle

The City of Sails is in the midst of a rugby-mania propaganda battle with less than a week to go before the Lions rugby team and its red army of supporters touch down in Auckland.

First it was provocative billboards…now Aucklanders are donning equally cheeky “Here Kitty Kitty” t-shirts. And the t-shirt tittle-tattle is as clear as the black and white they’re printed in.

They continue the headline theme of the billboards – ‘Here Kitty Kitty’ with the tail of the “y” of the third word resembling a Lion’s tail.

The caption messages are unmistakeable: ‘You’ll need your litter box’ and ‘You’re just big pussies’. The t-shirts are available online at www.hotcity.co.nz and cost only $15 each.

HOT City marketing manager Liz Smith says it’s a small ‘cheeky’ campaign.

“It’s really just a small part of a wider programme welcoming the Lions team and all its supporters to our beautiful – and rugby-mad – city.

“The aim is to encourage Aucklanders to get behind the All Blacks by wearing the t-shirts as part of the black-out when the Lions hit town.

“It’s all in good fun,” Liz says. “The Lions fans and the tour party will be here for the penultimate and final games of the 2005 tour – against Auckland and the All Blacks – and we want them to know Auckland is no Lion’s den.

“Get one and flaunt it is what we’re saying.”

HOT City is also asking CBD businesses to ‘black-out’, distributing black balloons and black window wrap supplied by the NZRU. There is a prize for the best black window – a hospitality table for 10 at Eden Park for any NPC game.

By which time the Lions will have retreated to their homelands with their tails between their legs, Liz hopes.

Find out more at www.hotcity.co.nz

ENDS

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