NZ's Giant Rugby Ball ends global tour
14 Sep 2010
Tourism New Zealand’s Giant Rugby Ball has ended a record-breaking visit to Sydney on its fourth and final publicity tour before next year’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Visitor numbers topped 26,676 during the 10 days the ball sat on Circular Quay between the city’s most famous landmarks - the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
On Sunday 12 September a record 3,834 people visited the ball - the most to ever go through in one day since the unique marketing venue began its world tour in Paris in 2007, then moved on to London and Tokyo.
Inflation and elation
While the giant ball was deflating, tourism and marketing officials were measuring the wealth of exposure - elated by the success of the Sydney mission.
Visitor numbers were 8,500 more than expected, and media coverage clocked over 14.5 million impressions through TV, radio, print and online.
Highlights of coverage included live broadcasts on the ‘Today Show’, the ‘NRL Footy Show’ and the ‘7PM project’. During the 10-day Sydney visit, 21 business events were held in the ball venue.
Tourism New Zealand chief executive Kevin Bowler said the fantastic results were only achievable because of the passion and commitment of the people involved.
"The 100 percent commitment of the team of Aussies and Kiwis who made the event happen is inspiring."
Cultural entertainment
Te Arawa cultural group, who were also part of the ball’s opening ceremony, did five daily performances outside the venue, attracting crowds and entertaining visitors while they waited.
Four improvisers worked Sydney’s Circular Quay enticing people to visit the ball while three New Zealanders, better known as Munter, TK from Shortland Street and Matu Ngaropo, added personality to the experience by narrating New Zealand’s story during the 10-minute 360-degree experience using multimedia, performance and theatre.
Australia’s ‘TODAY Show’ weatherman Steve Jacobs presented live television feeds from the ball to viewers across Australia.
A range of other broadcast and print media featured the ball, while ‘The Footy Show’, an Australian sports television programme, talked up the ball, luring many families to visit on Father’s Day.
The Mad Butcher
Iconic New Zealander ‘the Mad Butcher’ took the opportunity while in Sydney to ‘gate-crash’ the opening ceremony and said the Giant Rugby Ball was "amazing".
"You go inside and in one part you are in a study and books come off the shelf and open up and tell you a story. It’s absolutely incredible," said Sir Peter Leitch in his regular newspaper column, ‘Mad on Sport’.
Bledisloe Cup
The giant ball’s presence in Sydney was timed to coincide with the Bledisloe Cup Match on 11 September where Tourism New Zealand and participating regional tourism organisations (RTO) hosted a function for travel trade, media and key agencies in the ball.
The 25-metre long and 13-metre high rugby ball was launched in Paris for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, and has been deployed in London and Tokyo since.
An initiative of Tourism New Zealand, it has been used to raise the profile of New Zealand as a visitor destination in the lead up to the Rugby World Cup 2011.
More information
Rugby greats snapped with Giant Rugby Ball
New Zealand’s Giant Rugby Ball
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