Papatuanuku is Breathing
FLIPSIDE
Role & Contribution
Director & Producer - Managed the overall concept, creative direction, and project delivery.
Video Editor - Handled all post-production, including footage curation, color grading, sound editing.
Social Media Marketer - Developed the strategic rollout and distribution plan for the campaign.
Goal & Challenge
The primary goal was to create an emotionally resonant, low-impact video asset during strict national lockdowns (when travel was impossible) to maintain high brand awareness for Auckland Tourism. The video needed to keep Tāmaki Makaurau in the minds of many in anticipation of borders reopening.
Process & Creative Strategy
The core challenge was to produce effective tourism content when physical travel was restricted. The creative decision was to shift the focus from a standard travel montage to a deeper, more emotional connection. We leveraged existing high-quality footage of Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) and paired it with cultural narratives, specifically referencing Papatūānuku (the Earth Mother), to create a feeling of anticipation and local pride. The editing was intentionally slow and meditative, using extended landscape shots and sound design to emphasize the message of 'stopping and listening.' This strategic approach allowed the campaign to maintain high brand awareness and emotional resonance for Auckland Tourism, successfully positioning the region for a rapid recovery once restrictions were lifted.
Papatuanuku… the earth mother is breathing.
Our maunga... our mountains… standing strong
Our moana… our ocean now louder than ever
Our tui and our kereru.. now need not fight with the daily hum of our busy lifestyles.
Our peoples waiata normally loud and joyful.. now soft and distant…waiting for the right time to rise again
Enjoy time with your whanau. Your families. Your loved ones… and soon we’ll unite again
We, our land, our waters, our people…we aren’t going anywhere.
And when the time is right, we welcome you… but for now, listen.
Without any marketing budget, the video achieved over 1 Million organic views. It was picked up by various media outlets including NZ Herald. It was also shared across many stakeholder channels and platforms voluntarily. For many weeks after release our team received comments and emails about the video. Online viewers around the world voluntarily translated the narration in their own languages.
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Posted Dec 22, 2025
Produced an emotionally resonant tourism video for Auckland during COVID-19 lockdowns. Organically produced over a million views and was recieved really well.
