Best Supporting Country in a Motion Picture

Californians are waking up to New Zealand this morning.

One day after the phenomenal success of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King at the 2004 Academy Awards, New Zealand is high profile in the Los Angeles Times including full page Tourism New Zealand advertising.

The million plus readers of the largest metropolitan newspaper in North America will receive a double dose of New Zealand. A front-page feature on the success of the film proclaims "the filmmakers from Down Under were on top of the entertainment world Sunday evening". Inside, a full page 100% Pure New Zealand advertisement entitled "Best supporting country in a motion picture - yet again", helps to reinforce the New Zealand connection of the film trilogy.

The advertisement follows two previously successful advertisements the day after the last two Academy Awards announcements.

"The Lord of the Rings has created fantastic opportunities to leverage off Peter Jackson's work to promote New Zealand as a visitor destination," says George Hickton Chief Executive Tourism New Zealand. "For the past three years we have been working with New Line Cinema to leverage off the success of the trilogy.

"Now these awards have added another dimension. The additional profile we are receiving is likely to make people even more curious about New Zealand. They'll see it not just as a beautiful location, but a country full of highly creative and talented people. This advertising is designed to reinforce the link between New Zealand and these fantastic movies."

Potential travellers in New York are not missing out on New Zealand's message, with a different full page advertisement featuring in the New York Times. With the line "You don't have to be a famous director to shoot in New Zealand" the piece is designed to promote New Zealand as both a holiday destination and film location.

New Zealand is also being showcased on 100% Pure New Zealand billboards placed throughout New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Discovery Channel celebrated Oscar Day by designating February 29th as New Zealand Day in North America and showing three hours of back-to-back New Zealand focused programming.

Tourism New Zealand's website http://www.newzealand.com/ also features online content relevant to film in New Zealand and a 'Collect an Oscar Game'.

ENDS

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