The 1970s styled advertisement for L&P was created by the production company Sliversceen Auckland. The storyline shows a formally dressed suited male entering a tailor shop and becoming acquainted with the casual clothing item of ‘stubbies’ shorts (Vist4ads 2005). These are an iconic clothing item associated with rural New Zealand and are coupled with values such as practicality and comfort. A range of men are then shown in variety of situations depicting the versatility of the stubbies shorts. Although a great deal of focus is given to the stubbies shorts, the item being advertised is the soft drink L&P. It is drunk throughout the commercial, and the advertisement suggests that both stubbies shorts and L&P are essential items of iconic ‘kiwi’ culture. This is reinforced through catchphrase ‘You were there and so was L&P.’ The use of personal pro-noun ‘You’ connects and involves the audience with advertisement through the nationalistic branding technique of ‘co-creation (ZALA VOLCIC and MARK ANDREJEVIC 2011).’The reliance as brand placed upon consumers to build and disseminate the brands identity. The brand L&P has constructed their advertisement in a particular way which leaves a reliance on consumers to reflect, build and distribute brand identity of being an iconic ‘kiwi’ favourite soft drink through drawing on their proud heritage and positive pastimes which make up New Zealand identity and culture.
The consciousness of a space as a nation requires a level of
Bibliography: Bell, Claudia. Inventing NZ: Everyday Myths of Pakeha Identity. Auckland: Penguin Books, 1996. Billig, Michael. Banal Nationlism . London : Sage Publishing , 1995 . PRIDEAUX, JILLIAN. "Consuming icons: nationalism and advertising in Australia." Nations and Nationlism (School of Political Science and International Studies, The University of Queensland) 15, no. 4 (2009): 616–635. Vist4ads. L&P stubbies. 2005. http://www.visit4ads.com/details.cfm?adid=20954 (accessed 08 2, 2013). ZALA VOLCIC and MARK ANDREJEVIC. "Nation Branding in the Era of Commercial Nationalism." International Journal of Communication 5, 2011: 598–618.