US expert milks rural heartland

By IRENE CHAPPLE

Anchor called in a New York animator to help in its latest bid for the hearts - and dollars - of New Zealanders.

The brand that gave New Zealand the Anchor family has introduced a campaign based in Anchorville, an animated village where animals and people live in harmony.

Anchorville made its first appearance on television last Sunday with a tour of the town led by Tim the Mare, whose voice is supplied by Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt.

Georgie the Cow's lines are spoken by actress Jennifer Ward Lealand. Other New Zealanders, including Cal Wilson, Bull Allen and Julie Coney, will feature.

The detailed animation was overseen by Mark Baldo, who worked on Ice Age and Star Trek: Insurrection. It took 16 weeks to complete.

Baldo visited New Zealand five times to help with the campaign, but co-ordinated much of the work with Saatchi & Saatchi over the internet.

Marketing manager for New Zealand Dairy Foods, Sarah Brown, said research showed the introduction of Georgie the Cow on milk containers 18 months ago had appealed to children.

The subsequent "pester power" had helped increase sales by almost 40 per cent.

"Georgie was working really well - but we needed to get the characters above the line as well."

The beauty of Anchorville, she says, is that it could be anywhere in New Zealand and the company hopes people will respond to its familiarity and well-known voices.

"We're a Kiwi brand ... Anchorville is out of the farm, in the Canterbury, in the Waikato ... it's got a very Kiwi nature about it."

The campaign, which has cost more than $500,000 for the four parts completed, is expected to run for up to five years.