Subscribe to RSSWellywood Sign Is A Joke
In 2009, the Infratil-run Wellington Airport company began investigating the construction of a monument on an unused piece of land on the Miramar Peninsular to add another high profile attraction to Wellington.
Resource consent was granted by the Wellington City Council for a sign on the hill in February 2010.
And despite an earlier very mixed reception the idea, the airport company has announced this weekend, it’s going ahead with a Hollywood -imitation sign reading WELLYWOOD.
One word that sums this idea up s on the anti-sign Facebook group: Tacky.
It could have been even worse.
The Airport’s required criteria of a sign, was that it must convey ‘Film’, ‘Wellington’, and ‘Global’ and a top 10 list of concepts was discussed.
The Airport considered the feasibility of the concepts, which included enormous statues and even a Mount Rushmore style rock carving.
They have to be joking. One assumes this would be a rock carving of Peter Jackson’s face.
In its weekend statement, the airport company says:
WELLYWOOD proved to be the best fit with the criteria and will be the new look sported by the hillside.
When the announcement was first made, WELLYWOOD reached the global media, reported in countries such as India, the USA and the UK. The term has already been used in conjunction with ‘film’ and ‘Wellington’ in many publications including the New York Times.
WELLYWOOD has long been adopted as a colloquial expression when referring to the Wellington film industry. As of today a Google search on WELLYWOOD generated 224,000 results and it has already become a term of endearment for the film industry’s base at the Capital.
Steve Fitzgerald (CEO of Wellington Airport.) commented, “I expect widespread support for the intent of the sign, even if a WELLYWOOD sign isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Everyone benefits from increasing tourism for Wellington. The film industry is a hugely significant contributor to our economy, and it is vital to promote and support it if we are to see continued growth in our region”.
Jeremy Moon, CEO, Icebreaker said “What defines Wellington is our creativity. We need more noise, not less, celebrating this. I say go for it and stop fluffing!”
So the best we can do to show NZ’s creativity is create an imitation Hollywood sign!
The silliest quote comes from Infratil director Lloyd Morrison, who manages to bring Snapper into the discussion:
“Of course there are some objectors to this idea - the same have complained about naming the airport ‘Wild at Heart’, about the design of the Rock, who don’t like Snapper, or the brand of the buses ‘Go Wellington’ and who don’t understand ‘Z is for New Zealand’.
Meanwhile one Jack Yan who campaigned against the sign when running for Mayor of Wellington last year, proudly admits it was he who notified the Hollywood Sign Trust and the licensing body behind the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which controls how the original Hollywood sign is used.
Maybe only legal action from that body will save us from this stupid idea.
15 Comments
A protest has been organised for tomorrow in Wellington.
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=223316627680324
I feel so sorry for the Wellingtonians who has to put up with one man’s unimaginative mind. Im all for putting something on the hill to represent the city but for god’s sake Wellywood is just , like what thousands of people say….TACKY!
Why can’t we have something like a giant weta, peeping over the hill. which lights up at night….
I agree. But man people are fast! Someone’s already made a video of Hitler finding out about the Wellywood sign!
@Andy
That. Was. EPIC!
Even funnier is that there is actually far more film and TV production in Auckland than Wellington. Regardless this is extremely tacky, if not desperate.
This has got to be one of the stupidest ideas I’ve ever heard. For f**ks sake!
I don’t think I am offended by a ‘Hollywood style’ sign as such, although it’s pretty unimaginative, but ‘Wellywood’????!!
It is horribly embarrassing.
I want to see a monster protest organized in Wellngton to march against this stupidity.
Seeing that our copyright laws and labour laws are being written in the US these days, all it will take to stop this is a call to our American masters!
After it goes up, the haters needs to get a giant tarp attached to the slope next to it saying ‘Tui : Yeah Right’. Im sure DB Breweries would sponsor a sign.
Ah, Wellywood. A really subtle message brought to you by the very same people who through their New Zealand Bus operation suck the public transport subsidies out of the Auckland ratepayer to ensure a 20% return on their investments. That’s New Zealand capitalism for you, from JBL to Equiticorp to South Canterbury Finance; don’t you just love it!
“Of course there are some objectors to this idea – the same have complained about naming the airport ‘Wild at Heart’, about the design of the Rock, who don’t like Snapper, or the brand of the buses ‘Go Wellington’ and who don’t understand ‘Z is for New Zealand’.
Huh?? The above makes no sense at all.
Wellington - aspiring to be as great as Mosgiel.
That’s awesome! We display our creativity by plagiarising an existing idea!
Glad I dont live in Wellington,how embarrising. Go the protesters.
Hillywood or Chillywood, or near parliament, Deadwood.
Absolutely Positively HOLLY, BOLLY, WELLY WOODs