Media release
7 March 2014
Popular China talk show to feature Air New Zealand Skycouch
Air New Zealand’s Economy Skycouch™ seat will play a starring role in three episodes of China’s number one online talk
show Morning Call.
The airline has partnered with Tourism New Zealand to bring the show and its celebrity host to New Zealand to shoot
several themed episodes in Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown, which will screen in China in April.
Morning Call host Gao Xiaosong will anchor the talk show from Air New Zealand’s innovative Economy Skycouch™, overlooking Auckland’s
Waitemata Harbour.
Air New Zealand Regional General Manager Asia Sandeep Bahl says the show provides money-can’t-buy exposure for both New
Zealand and Air New Zealand.
“An average of three million people tune in for each episode of Morning Call. This is a huge opportunity to showcase New Zealand and Air New Zealand’s Economy Skycouch™ which will be available to
our Chinese customers for the first time as the refurbished 777-200 and new 787-9 aircraft begin flying to Shanghai
later this year.
“Furthermore, host Gao Xiaosong has a huge social media presence with more than 35 million followers on Chinese
micro-blog site Weibo. A tweet following his Air New Zealand flight to Auckland on 2 March has already been viewed over
1.4 million times.”
Tourism New Zealand’s General Manager Asia David Craig says by partnering with Air New Zealand the two can extend the
reach and influence of Gao Xiaosong and Morning Call in telling the New Zealand story to a Chinese audience.
“In addition to the three talk show episodes being filmed here there will also be three travel episodes on New Zealand
destinations.
“We know that awareness of New Zealand continues to grow in China, this serves as a great opportunity to take advantage
of that momentum and further extend our exposure to a huge audience in one of our key markets.”
Ends