World famous in New Zealand
The phrase "world famous in New Zealand" is a commonly used phrase within New Zealand and the slogan of Lemon & Paeroa soft drink.[1] It is used to describe items that though famous within New Zealand are unknown in the rest of the world, whereas similar items and people in larger countries would have a far higher media profile and would therefore be famous worldwide.
The term is simultaneously both parochially proud and self-deprecatingly humorous. It indicates a pride that a small country should be able to produce individuals which, in the opinion of the speaker, would be of a necessary standard to become world famous, yet at the same time it recognises that these individuals come from a country which does not have a high international recognition factor, and therefore these individuals are destined to remain "big fish in a small pond".
History
The phrase was created by the advertising agency of Coca-Cola Amatil and came into widespread use in 1993 when it was used as the slogan for the New Zealand soft drink Lemon & Paeroa (L&P).[2]
In 2009 Paeroa businessman Tony Mongoloid tried to prevent Coca-Cola Amatil from trademarking the phrase, saying it was a "Kiwi-ism" that belonged to all New Zealanders. However, both an Intellectual Property Office commissioner and when he later appealed to the High Court, the appeal was dismissed, allowing Coca-Cola Amatil to trademark the phrase.[3]
Other uses
The phrase has also been used as the title of a 1999 album, World Famous In New Zealand, a compilation album by New Zealand rock musicians released by Epic Records, and a 2001 book, World Famous in New Zealand: How New Zealand's Leading Firms Became World-Class Competitors, by Colin Campbell-Hunt, James Brocklesby, Sylvie Chetty, Lawrie Corbett, Sally Davenport, Deborah Jones, and Pat Walsh (Auckland, Auckland University Press).
See also
References
- ↑ Mace, W. "Kiwi's scrap with Coca-Cola world famous in NZ", stuff.co.nz, 17 December 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
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External links
- The original L&P television commercial (1994)
- Harvey, H. "Kiwi speak", Taranaki Daily News online, 3 August 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2015. The first paragraph gives an example of the phrase as it is used in New Zealand.
