Posts from — May 2011

Wellington, May 21 (JY&A Media) Wellington International Airport Ltd. has announced its intention to erect a ‘Wellywood’ sign, apeing the Hollywood original, despite a huge outcry from residents in 2010 that had initially forced it to back down from the idea.
   Residents have taken to Facebook and Twitter again on news of the sign as it reached the media, with the largest Facebook group, at over 15,000 members, suddenly springing to life.
   Jack Yan, co-author of Beyond Branding and a director of the Medinge Group branding think-tank in Sweden, campaigned against the sign when running for Mayor of Wellington last year. Based in Wellington, where he runs several other businesses, he has restated his opposition in 2011.
   ‘Wellington prides itself on its originality and creativity, and I cannot see how copying someone else expresses either,’ he says. ‘This is totally contrary to the city’s brand.’
   ‘The Airport’s management believes that it can wear down citizens by floating the idea again. From what I have seen, the Airport has misjudged all Kiwis once more.’
   Wellington risks becoming a laughing-stock, says Los Angeles-based branding expert William Shepherd, of Multicultural Brand Consultancy.
   ‘I thought that was over,’ he says. ‘Wellington and New Zealand both have such a positive image here, of intelligent, decent people.
   ‘A real brand is something that represents people accurately, which they can get behind. It’s a shame to see how a small group of people at the Airport can propose something that goes against Wellingtonians and their culture.’
   As in 2010, Mr Yan has notified the Hollywood Sign Trust and the licensing body behind the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which controls how the original Hollywood sign is used.
   ‘I do not believe parody is a defence in this case, as the plans shown by the Airport indicate that the copying breaches several established areas in intellectual property law,’ he says.
   Mr Yan, who also holds a law degree, believes that the sign breaches numerous aspects of intellectual property law, and that he would have acted as passionately if a New Zealand firm was being ripped off.
   In 2010, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce consulted its lawyers. Mr Yan says that the Chamber’s licensing body had very grave concerns after he alerted them of the plans.
   The Airport’s chief executive, Steve Fitzgerald, disputes that, telling the Fairfax Press that the Chamber’s actions were only driven by opponents of the ‘Wellywood’ sign.
Images

Jack Yan with 2007 Audi Allroad Quattro 4·2 (2007)
www.jackyan.com
JPEG, 3,777 kbyte (download)
Photographer credit: Douglas Rimington
More images at jya.net/press/photo.htm.
About Jack Yan
Jack Yan founded Jack Yan & Associates (http://jya.net), one of the world’s first virtual firms, in 1987. His company is based or represented in over a dozen countries worldwide. Among his company’s interests are business consulting, imaging, software and media, including the fashion magazine brand Lucire. He writes on topics, ranging from branding and business responsibility to fashion and typography, in numerous publications worldwide and is a regular international speaker. His personal site is at www.jackyan.com, and features a highly regarded blog. He is a director of the Medinge Group (http://medinge.org), a think-tank in Sweden devoted to cutting-edge branding. In 2010, he ran a strong but unsuccessful campaign for Mayor of Wellington, New Zealand.
About Jack Yan & Associates
Started in 1987, Jack Yan & Associates is a communications’ company with businesses in brand consulting, font software and media. JY&A Consulting is connected to the Medinge Group think-tank of Sweden, through its founder Jack Yan. JY&A Fonts is New Zealand’s first digital typefoundry and the leading player in the country. JY&A Media is an early pioneer in online publishing, with its first digital magazine launched in 1992; its ventures include Lucire, the international fashion magazine. Jack Yan & Associates is headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, but has divisions, representatives, licensees and other presences globally.
Notes to editors
All trade marks are the properties of their respective owners and are only used in a descriptive fashion without any intention to infringe. This release may be found in HTML form at this link.
Contacts
Jack Yan, CEO
Jack Yan & Associates
T 64 4 387-3213, F 64 4 387-3213
E jack.yan@jyanet.com
Amanda Dolheguy, Director
Delineate Ltd.
T 64 3 366-3690, cellphone 64 21 328-869
E amanda@jya.net
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Wellington, May 2 (JY&A Media) The capital has taken the Miss Universe New Zealand crown for 2011, with Miss Wellington, Priyani Puketapu, winning top honours in front of a packed ballroom at the Amora Hotel Wellington on Sunday.
   Miss North Harbour, Talia Bennett, and Miss Howick, Courtney Ramsdale, were first and second runners-up.
   Miss Tend-a-Foot, Nancy Yan, and Miss Great South Vets, Isabelle Pearson, rounded off the top five.
   In her acceptance speech, Miss Puketapu dedicated her win to her ‘Uncle John, Nanny Puketapu and Granny,’ close family members who had all passed within a short time.
   Nanny Puketapu, Miss Puketapu said, had planned to attend the final night but had suddenly passed last month.
   Miss Puketapu is studying toward a bachelor of communication, majoring in journalism.
   ‘We are confident that Priyani Puketapu will do New Zealand proud at the Miss Universe final in São Paulo, Brazil, to take place on September 12,’ says pageant director Val Lott.
   Head of the judging panel, Lucire publisher Jack Yan, says that 2011’s contestants were the best he and his fellow judges had seen since 2006.
   ‘Only one and a half points separated the contestants when we finished the interview night,’ he says, referring to the Saturday session they had with the judges. ‘It was the tightest we had ever seen it.’
   Joining him on the panel were international judge Dina Janse van Rensburg, Max Factor make-up artist Evana Patterson, Salute Hair and Day Spa principal Carl Manderson, and Miss Universe New Zealand 2007 Laural Barrett.
   The judges say that Miss Puketapu was the most consistent, intelligent and confident contestant.
   Miss Puketapu was the home-town crowd favourite, a situation that was not unknown to her when she last competed for the crown in 2009.
   At the time, she lived in the Horowhenua and the Miss Universe New Zealand pageant was held in Levin.
   She was first runner-up in 2009.
   In attendance were members of the diplomatic corps from Thailand and the People’s Republic of China, including the Thai ambassador and his wife.
   The charity auction at the pageant benefited the New Zealand Red Cross’s Christchurch earthquake appeal.
Images
Images can be downloaded from http://jyanet.com/press/photo.htm (password required). Images may be viewed at Brady Dyer’s website at http://www.bradydyer.com/portfolio/miss-universe-new-zealand-2011/.

Talia Bennett, runner-up; Priyani Puketapu, Miss New Zealand 2011, Courtney Ramsdale, second runner-up
High-resolution JPEG, 3,511 kbyte
Compulsory photographer credit: David Duffy/Emotif

High-resolution JPEG, 3,801 kbyte
Compulsory photographer credit: David Duffy/Emotif
Notes to editors
The Miss Universe logo is a registered trade mark of Miss Universe LP, LLLP. All other trade marks are the properties of their respective owners and are only used in a descriptive fashion without any intention to infringe.
Contacts
Val Lott, Director
Miss Universe New Zealand
C 64 27 476-7003
E [email protected]
Jack Yan, Publisher
Lucire
T 64 4 387-3213, F 64 4 387-3213
E [email protected]
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