Issue No 154 November 2005
Book Review
New Zealand’s favourite brands: an insight into some of New Zealand’s most iconic brands
This book aims to celebrate some of the most famous and iconic Kiwi brands of the past and present. If you want to know a little more about such legendary New Zealand brands as Swanndri, Tui beer or Tip Top this book is an excellent place to start.
An attractive coffee table style book, each of the icons discussed has two to three pages outlining its history, key dates and significance to Kiwi lore. For example in the Cadbury section it lists the date of introduction of famous chocolate bars such as Moro. And for Edmonds sure to rise’ baking powder, it discusses their legendary cookbook which was first published in 1907 and has gone on to be the best selling New Zealand book of all time with over 3.5 million copies sold since then.
As well as dealing with well known commercial brands such as Cadburys or Southern Cross which offer a well established product or service, it also dips into names known less for a physical product than for their emotional and spiritual connection to the New Zealand psyche. "Brands" like the All Blacks or Team New Zealand, for example. However there is no real discussion of how they became icons in the first place.
Inevitably, given its format, the information is kept brief and at the level of quiz evening questions, with no financial analysis or marketing details. Still it is an entertaining and informative read, ideal for dipping into for a few minutes to escape the daily grind.
Hadrian Taylor
Business and Computing Centre
