UPDATED: Air New Zealand has launched its biggest Australian campaign in 10 years, Kiwi Sceptics, in a bid to get Australians over the ditch.

The campaign features four web episodes, showing on Air New Zealand’s dedicated YouTube channel, where four different Australians are matched with four Kiwis to try and change their opinions about New Zealand.

An Air New Zealand spokeswoman said the campaign was managed by the airline’s Australian marketing team who were not willing to put a figure on the campaign publicly.

The four Australians include a lover of all things European, a hipster, a princess and a “true-blue” Aussie who are teamed up with a Kiwi guide and shown the various sites of New Zealand, narrated by Flight of the Conchords Murray Rhys Darby, featuring the golden lines about Patrick the Hipster “wearer of the ironic tee and bearer of the ironic tattoo…we’re going to tell him he’s off to Berlin when in actual fact he’s going to Wellington.  How’s that for a bit of irony?”

Australia was New Zealand’s largest inbound tourism market, accounting for around half of all visitors, Air New Zealand said.

Air New Zealand Australia marketing manager Kelly Millier said research showed there were 5.3 million people who considered New Zealand as a destination and yet only one in five made it across the Tasman.

“We figured if we could change the minds of those most sceptical, we should be able to convince those who are sitting on the fence.”

Client:Air New Zealand Australia

Agency: Host

Creative:The Jamboree

Director:The Jamboree

Production:Candid Films

Media:PHD