Welcome to the advertising zoo: animals are everywhere
New Zealand advertising is seeing a resurgence in the use of animal characters to build brand recognition and memory. Experts suggest that in a crowded media landscape, these recurring characters serve as distinctive brand assets that appreciate in value over time.
Why it matters
This trend reflects a shift in marketing strategy toward long-term storytelling and character-based branding to combat consumer ad fatigue.
Over the past few months, New Zealand advertising has started looking a little more like a zoo.
Kiwibank has introduced Buck the sheep. One NZ has Simon the guinea pig. The AA has Celia the seal. Contact Energy has assembled its wonderfully odd household of animal flatmates. Westpac has Crocodoggie.
Different brands. Different categories. Different audiences.
Yet together they point towards something that feels bigger than coincidence.
They’re hardly new. Cookie Bear became one of New Zealand’s best-loved brand icons, disappearing only to return after public outcry . Telecom had Spot the dog. Genesis had Mummy Pukeko. National Bank had its black horses and the PG Tips chimps showed just how enduring a well-crafted animal character could become.
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