Air New Zealand's Santa video: Isn't it time we moved on from this cultural cringe?

Thursday, 30 November 2017

Air New Zealand's festive advertisement claims to celebrate the Kiwi accent (video published November 2017).

OPINION: I've seen Air New Zealand's Santa video shared several times on my social media newsfeeds already.

It's mostly been expats making jokes about themselves or new-ish migrants making a point.

I can understand the appeal. The video is cute, it's got kids and Christmas presents in it - what more could you want?

Santa and his helpers are completely at a loss over New Zealand kids' blunt vowels.

But did anyone else roll their eyes a bit at this latest exhibition of national cultural cringe? Another 'aren't we funny and a little bit silly'?

Let's focus on the positive, shall we, Air NZ?

The video's plot is that Santa and his helpers are completely at a loss over New Zealand kids' blunt vowels, coming up with puggy banks and ear-planes in response to their Christmas wishlists. It takes Air New Zealand staff to fly in and translate.

I know as well as anyone that lots of New Zealanders swallow their vowels. I can remember my grandmother (British) once telling me she didn't know if I was asking for a pin or a pen.

I've interviewed international people who have complained I talk too fast, they can't understand a word I've used or think a turn of phrase I've come up with is hilarious.

That's all par for the course when you're dealing with people in other parts of the world.

But we'd do ourselves more favours if we cut some of this too-humble, too-self-deprecating schtick and instead, focus on celebrating our successes.

You don't see South Africans or Australians making fun of their accents in international settings - and they are, to some ears, a lot harsher. We should hold up examples of people such as Helen Clark, who has risen to the top of the United Nations but still unapologetically speaks with a rural Hamilton twang.

Instead, it's always New Zealanders copping to having accents that no one can understand or are just plain hilarious - as Graham Norton points out regularly to participants in his Red Chair segment.

There was even a study this year that suggested the vowel shift involved in our speech could make it hard for kids to learn to spell.

Air New Zealand does us all a favour when it showcases the best about this country.

When it's like an insecure teenager trying to get in first with a put-down before anyone else can offer one, it just misses an opportunity.

There's irony that one of Santa's helpers in this video has a strong accent all of his own - but no one remarks on that. And who says Santa would have an English accent, anyway?

I'll get back to my Christmas shopping. I can think of one boy who thinks an 'ear-plane' or a 'biscuitball' are actually fantastic ideas.