Aotearoa’s IT companies now have a marketing leg-up as they seek to take on the world thanks to a new campaign designed to promote Kiwi tech capabilities internationally.
The ‘We See Tomorrow First’ campaign has been developed through a collaboration between industry and government as a marketing initiative that aims to promote the strengths of NZs digital technology sector to global markets and attract talent and investment from overseas.
The “technology story” was co-developed by NZ Story, a Government body for promoting the country on the global stage. It provides NZ tech businesses with a set of digital assets that they can use in their own marketing as they seek to engage with the wider global tech community.
Launched at a virtual event earlier today, NZTech chief strategy officer Julie Gill and Minister for the Digital Economy and Communications the Hon. David Clarke unveiled the initiative.
The name ‘We See Tomorrow First’ comes from the idea that Aotearoa is one of the first countries to see the sun on a new day, a fact that is reflected in the country's forward-thinking and innovative approach to tech.
The live presentation likened it to the 100% Pure New Zealand campaign run by NZ Tourism that works to influence the perspective of the country and encourage tourism, promoting the factors that make the NZ IT industry stand out.
“New Zealand has a unique perspective on how we create technology and lead tech businesses. It’s a perspective, building on Māori values of kaitiakitanga or guardianship, that now more than ever, the world needs to help create technology to build a better tomorrow,” Gill said in a statement.
“Our vision is that the Tech Story will have a lasting, positive impact for our tech businesses and New Zealand. The strength of a unified storytelling platform means businesses will benefit from greater awareness in global markets. This will help business growth by attracting investment, talent and exports,” she says.
The local digital tech industry is a major contributor to the NZ economy and is that is expected to continue to increase in the coming years.
As well as the NZTech industry body, major NZ tech companies including Xero, Rocket Labs and Soul Machines are throwing their weight behind the project.
“New Zealand’s tech sector is growing faster than ever, and our values and cultural identity bring a unique perspective to how we create technology and lead tech businesses. We have a track record of coming up with ground-breaking ideas in this country that will build a better tomorrow, but we are not well known for it, said Soul Machines founder Greg Cross.
“We’re fully behind this initiative to create a New Zealand tech story that can help accelerate that growth, creating a more prosperous future for all Kiwis.”
The digital toolkit of assets for Kiwi tech companies can be found at www.seetomorrowfirst.nz.
CRN NZ is set to launch in the coming weeks. Contact NZ bureau chief Ben Moore for more information.
