The Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre has been described internationally as the world’s best World War 1 aviation museum. To highlight how authentic Omaka is, we created a low-budget campaign that was itself an authentic World War 1 experience. In this era of new technologies and new media, our solution was low-tech: we sent our message out using carrier pigeons.

To highlight how authentic Omaka is, we created a low-budget campaign that was itself an authentic World War 1 experience. In this era of new technologies and new media, our solution was low-tech: we sent our message out using carrier pigeons. To achieve this we employed 289 prized racing pigeons to transport a billboard from Omaka in the South Island of New Zealand, across the notoriously wild Cook Straight to Wellington in the North Island. The billboard was built message-by-message in a campaign designed to generate as much buzz and PR as possible.

The campaign was an enormous success, turning a humble little billboard into an international news story. It was covered in Australia and the US, but most importantly generated constant coverage in New Zealand on TV, print, radio and online. And although the entire campaign cost just $12,000, Omaka has enjoyed an incredible 30-percent increase in visitors since the promotion began.