Reader Diana MacPherson sent me this recruitment video produced by the New Zealand police. (Stuff, a New Zealand news site, explains anything that might confuse you, but it’s pretty clear). It makes me proud to be an honorary Kiwi. As Diana said, “Watch for the police cat near the end!”
A tabby cat cameo!
I like the outtakes at the end 🙂
Makes me want to watch Goodbye Pork Pie.
The cat needs much more camera time. Most people would not even see it.
Absolutely!
Can’t help myself…
…and look mum, NO guns!
I’m proud that you’re proud to be an honorary kiwi. Got your pounamu on today Prof(E)?
oh well… if only it were all as humorous and fun like a TV add.
Although our NZ police do have access to guns, they don’t normally carry them. I believe they carry one locked in the trunk of their cars. But this is a recruiting ad and I would guess they don’t want to end up with recruits who are attracted by the idea of running around shooting guns.
cr
Thanks for that but wasted on me i am a kiwi, i was taking a dig a the Americans and those across the ditch. The only place i think we have police with holstered arms are Airports, certainly Auckland Airport. I think you are correct about the cars but not all cars.
Hi laingholm, I can see there are clues in your comment that you’re a kiwi.
But my comment (like many comments on this blog… err, website) was addressed to the audience as a whole. It’s like having a conversation with an audience.
But anyway, when I mentally compare the ad with most TV cop chases, the absence of guns becomes noticeable.
cr
Yes… sorry about that I figured you’d have figured that out but hit send and then brain engaged….
No worries.
(Is that a Kiwi saying or an Oz one? I can never remember…)
cr
I wonder if that add would be useful here in the US? With the necessary adjustments for cultural differences. (I suspect most recruits in the States are influenced by gun-play on TV). Are there enough people with a sense of humor enough to be persuaded by this light approach? I’d love to see it tried.
Yeah.
New Zealand even makes swimming deaths fun. This is their campaign, called the Swim Reaper, to raise safety awareness when swimming. I always get in trouble for this type of sense of humour.
My HTML looks weird. If it doesn’t work this is the URL: https://swimreaper.co.nz
Yea. Kinda grim, but no doubt effective.
I always thought commercials like this would be a great idea in the US.
Of course, the news channels would be filled with “Activists say new police ads are trying to make white supremacy/police brutality seem cute” stories the next day, and articles on sites like HuffPo would be even worse.
Love it, but where’s the kitty?
Around 2:05. A police dog runs behind something dark and a cat exits in the light.
Thsnks. I’ll look again. I do remember the police dog🐾🐾
I normally deprecate these ‘actor-talking-to-camera-while-action-goes-on-around-him’ ads as being phony and ‘it was a clever idea the first time’.
But this one’s witty enough to get a pass from me. I particularly liked the bit where the woman with the tyre took it literally and the cop went all meta – ‘this was supposed to be a big build-up’
cr
That was wonderful!!!
That was so adorable! Makes me want to live in New Zealand, as do many videos from there.
Also, that is one attractive police force, with good dancers to boot.
I would sign up if I could have a police cat like the one in the video.
Love it.
It seems to be more than a little of a rip-off of the chase scene in the first episode of ‘A Touch of Cloth’ (2012, British Police Procedural parody).
OMG- I must be losing it, like in that video of the guy in the gorilla suit who walks through the basketball game. It took me 3 times to see the damned cat🙀
Much of the video was shot in my neighbourhood! Birkenhead in Auckland. Very kiwi ad, well suited to its target audience.
Ha! I watched it four times and still didn’t notice it was filmed in Birkenhead until I read your comment!
I’m a runner so I see the neighbourhood on foot from many angles. I’m over in Canada at the moment, looking forward to a long black at Bungalow when I return to the north shore.
Reblogged this on The Logical Place.
Brilliant! I love Kiwi land.
Despite the diversity displayed, this video is blatantly discriminatory – the dog got a credit, the cat did not.
+1
But the cat DID appropriate the police dog’s “thang”🤓
That was fantastic.
If you want to see the NZ police at work – and watch a pretty good movie, check out The Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
Loved thst movie!
I just found and reserved it at
my public library, Mr George !
And ‘ll have it by tonight
for our evening’s viewing !
Thank YOU for its recommendation !
I always appreciate such.
Blue