Auckland scenery showcased to global audience through viral video
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Auckland scenery showcased to global audience through viral video
A new Auckland tourism video entitled 'Papatūānuku (our earth mother) is breathing' that captures the beauty and stillness of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, New Zealand is being shared across the world.
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Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic DevelopmentOne of the stills from the video.
Auckland's natural landscape is lighting up screens across the world, due to a new tourism video gaining traction on social media.
Produced by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) while New Zealand is in lockdown to tackle COVID-19, 'Papatūānuku is breathing' has built such a following that the video has been translated into French and Spanish by two inspired viewers.
Within five days of its release on Facebook, it had generated more than 397,000 views, 7600 shares and had a potential reach of 1.2 million.
It is also ATEED’s highest performing video on the Visit Auckland YouTube channel with more than 100,000 views – including people in Australia, US, UK and Canada.
At a glance:
- A video that captures the beauty and stillness of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is being shared across the world.
- The video has generated more than 397,000 views on Facebook and 7,600 shares within five days of its release.
- The video has been translated into French and Spanish by viewers.
The two-minute video was made by ATEED staff with a goal of creating a connection and a message that reflects the region’s uniquely Māori culture while using existing Auckland footage.
The voiceover was recorded at home by 11-year-old Manawanui Maniapoto Mills in Muriwai, on Auckland’s rugged west coast, and features haunting taonga pūoro (traditional Māori instrumental sounds) by Moana and the Moahunters.
This includes the putaatara (opening conch shell sound), the purerehua (wind sound) and the kōauau (Māori flute sound at the end).
New Zealand’s Department of Conservation provided the native bird sounds.
ATEED’s General Manager Steve Armitage said the video’s message was designed to be simple: this is a time of rest; take a moment to appreciate the stillness and the beauty of our region.
“While people are unable to visit our region at the moment, all of Auckland’s wonderful experiences will be waiting for the world when the time is right," he said.
“We hope the video is encouraging for Kiwis entering their third week of lockdown.
"The message is positive and calming, presenting through an entirely different lens the sacrifice people are making to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
"We hope this video provides a real boost to our communities and beyond.”
Source: Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development
He added the video was part of a growing trend of virtual travel that had become popular in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, so ATEED wanted to come up with something that was uniquely Auckland.
"The positive feedback that we have received about our video will provide us with inspiration as we move more purposefully alongside our tourism industry towards recovery,” he said.
“We are grateful to all those who collaborated with us on this very special project and gifted us the use of their material.”
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said the video was an inspiring of Auckland’s beautiful natural environment.
“As we all play our part in the fight against COVID-19 by staying home and staying local, Papatūānuku is breathing is a heartening glimpse of what we have to look forward to when the lockdown is lifted and a showcase of what our city has to offer,” he said.
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