Ali's corner spars with NZ stopover

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

Mitsubishi floated the idea of using former heavyweight boxing great Muhammad Ali in its new Pajero advertisements - and the campaign has stung buyers into action.

"We have had a very good response," said the company's marketing manager for New Zealand, Mike Alexander.

"The target market for the Pajero was the age group which would have remembered Ali.

"But the surprise to us is the people in their 20s and younger who recognise his voice."

The campaign was dreamed up by Mitsubishi's agency in Australia and filmed at Queenstown.

"The background to it is that because the new Pajero is very refined in comparison with the previous model, we didn't want to lose the rough and tough image that it built its reputation on," said Alexander.

"So we went for somebody who was equally as rough and tough, but who murdered rocks, injured bricks and made medicine sick."

Mitsubishi had to buy the rights to Ali's voice from his promotions company. Using catchphrases from the man who called himself 'The Greatest' didn't come cheap.

But the cost was offset by both countries using the campaign, co-operation both arms of Mitsubishi decided on two years ago.

"The Ali advertisement is the first both countries have put together, and the one in New Zealand is the same as the one in Australia, except for some end graphics,"said Alexander.

It has proved so successful that Mitsubishi Australia is talking to Ali's handlers about a promotional appearance in September, when he will be in Sydney for the Olympic Games.

"We are going to try and get him to New Zealand at the same time," said Alexander.

"We talked to Mitsubishi Australia the other day and told them it would be nice if he could whip over the Tasman while he's in the area.

"Now we are going to talk to Ali's promotional people about him stopping over in New Zealand."

Ali was boxing's greatest showman - and one of its greatest exponents. At his peak in the late 60s he would wildly forecast when he would knock out an opponent.

Things like "Ain't no jive, it's Ellis in five." Or so-and-so is "going to heaven in seven." They even wrote a song about him, called 'The Black Superman.'

Since the 80s Ali has been suffering from Parkinson's Disease. But he remains a charismatic figure with huge pulling power. Mitsubishi says it is selling more Pajeros than it expected.