Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Sky Tower lights up to celebrate vaccine milestone

The iconic Sky Tower in Auckland is lighting up again tonight in support of the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination campaign.

The light display comes as SkyCity marked the milestone of 80 per cent of eligible New Zealanders being fully vaccinated against the potentially deadly virus.

As well as marking that milestone, the illumination recognises The 90% Project; the campaign run by NZME - publishers of the New Zealand Herald.

A message celebrating New Zealand reaching the 80 per cent fully vaccinated milestone displayed on the Sky Tower. Photo / Greg Bowker

The campaign aims to get 90 per cent of New Zealanders vaccinated by Christmas.

"New Zealanders deserve a massive shout out for ramping up our vaccination rates so quickly," said SkyCity chief executive Michael Ahearne.

"The teams in all of our businesses have been behind the vaccination goal from the outset and we wanted to find a way to celebrate how far Kiwis have come and encourage that final push to the 90 per cent mark.

"What better way to show our appreciation than by turning the Southern Hemisphere's tallest tower into an icon of vaccination."

The light display sees the Sky Tower glow with a mixture of brilliant white and blue light.

The tower's base displays messages of celebration to congratulate New Zealanders for achieving the vaccine milestone.

NZME's The 90% Project is being projected onto the Sky Tower on Friday and Saturday nights. Photo / Dean Purcell

The messages read: "We're at the pointy end", "NZ's up at 80%", "It's within arm's reach", and "Let's push for 90%". The light show was displayed last night and will be shown again tonight from 9pm in a bid to encourage Kiwis to get vaxxed and hit the 90 per cent mark.

The special lighting of the Sky Tower was being made possible via the support of The Warehouse Group, 2degrees, Goodman Property and TBWA\NZ.

NZME chief executive Michael Boggs said: "The New Zealand Herald's 'The 90% Project' has been an incredibly important initiative for all of us at NZME. We have been heartened and energised by the support the initiative has received from right across New Zealand.

"To have the backing of SkyCity, The Warehouse Group, 2degrees, Goodman Property and TBWA\NZ, to put the vaccination campaign up in lights this way will give the project another great boost."

"It's been an incredible effort from all Kiwis to get to us to 80 per cent double vaxxed and we wanted to make sure it was a celebrated moment," TBWA\NZ group chief creative officer Shane Bradnick said.

The NZME 90% Project colours, along with special messaging projected up the shaft of the Sky Tower to celebrate the double jab rate hitting 80%. Photo / Chris Tarpey

"We saw creating messaging on the Sky Tower aligned to The Herald's 90% project as a great opportunity, and it feels good to be able to acknowledge what Kiwis have achieved and encourage the final push."

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