When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Stuff Gold...

One of my good friends, Brian Duga, went to New Zealand for a year for college. I don’t really know to many international students here at Lindenwood, and I think a lot has to do with me being a commuter student. I interviewed Brian about his experiences with the media in New Zealand, and found some pretty amazing things.
Brian is an outdoors person. He enjoys anything he can climb on, hike to, or swing from. He traveled almost the whole country of New Zealand. When I asked him what he remembers most about the media in New Zealand he said, “risqué.” Apparently in New Zealand a lot of ads show a lot of skin, and like we all know, sex sells.
It wasn’t just the skin though; in New Zealand they don’t have billboards like in the US. Instead, they put ads on side of buildings. Here, in the densest part of the cities, is where companies advertise, but their ads are about 70-80% sex ads. They advertise, for the whole public to see, pills for penis enlarging and sex stamina. This is what Brian said was everywhere.
In New Zealand there is a lot of American culture. Family Guy is one of the top rated evening programs for the country, and it is everywhere. Brian told me that you can not open a magazine, watch a commercial, or drive down the street without seeing some sort of Family Guy advertisement, but it is mainly in the bigger cities.




Brian lived outside the biggest city in New Zealand, Auckland. In the rural areas you will never find a McDonalds or Burger King like in the major cities. Everything is mom-and-pop shops. Brian says it is actually nice because it is very intimate. When someone gets food somewhere one doesn’t just eat and leave, they have conversations and interact with people. I think that would be nice, and I wish American would slow down and stop to say “thanks for visiting our store” or a simple “hi.”
Like any country, New Zealand is a country of pride. They have their own values and beliefs. They take their pride and use American ideas for their own country. Instead of American Idol they have New Zealand Idol. New Zealand will copy whatever works from the US. Which is smart for television stations, producers should study American culture and television because what works here will most likely work in their country, and remember it’s all about the money. American (New Zealand) Idol can bring in a lot of money.



My opinion about New Zealand is I think it would be a great country to visit. I don’t want to make anybody mad, but I love my country. We are the greatest country on Earth for a reason. I could never live somewhere else, and to tell you the truth, with the world as it is right now I am a little afraid to leave the US. New Zealand sounds like a great place to go and relax and just get away. The countryside is beautiful their, but don’t let people know your American. We really are not liked around the world. Brian said he was at a bar one time and they found out he was American and everyone wanted to fight him. He had to leave. That’s fine with me though, after-all they steel our ideas and businesses for their profit.

For more information about New Zealand go
here