KEY POINTS:
As one of Auckland's premier cheerleaders, John Banks is the last person you would expect to get upset about JAFAs.
But the city's mayor is miffed about Just Another Foolish Advert.
The ad in question is for the Queen City's luxury Langham Hotel. Two Wellington billboards, on Lambton Quay and at the airport, read: "If you have to stay in Auckland, you might as well enjoy it."
Banks said he was surprised by the slogan. "I thought we were past this kind of stuff."
The man responsible, Daniel Barnes from advertising agency Barnes Catmur & Friends, said the idea was tongue-in-cheek. "It is well known that there is good-natured rivalry [between Wellington and Auckland] and we decided to play on that. We expect people will have a laugh."
Alex Swney, chief executive of Auckland's Heart of the City business association, said he was amused by the billboards.
Langham marketing and communications manager Rachel Broadmore said, " It was a bit of fun and we are hoping to raise the profile of Langham in the Wellington market."
Tourism Auckland chief executive Graeme Osborne said it was not worth taking the billboards personally.
The billboards will remain on display until the end of the month.
