In a battle of the Facebook page, Wellington International Airport is defending its idea for a ‘WELLYWOOD' sign on its land on the Miramar peninsula with its own Facebook site.
Airport chief executive Steve Fitzgerald, who obviously has not seen th
In a battle of the Facebook page, Wellington International Airport is defending its idea for a ‘WELLYWOOD’ sign on its land on the Miramar peninsula with its own Facebook site.
Airport chief executive Steve Fitzgerald, who obviously has not seen the social media backlash against the sign, said there was a general agreement the sign was a good idea and the airport welcomed "healthy discussion".
If other Facebook sites are anything to go by, the airport is more in for 'healthy hatred' of the idea.
The page will have to compete with a site created by Wellingtonian Anthony Lander, called 'Hey, let's NOT have a Wellywood sign in Wellington', with 15, 501 fans and another, ‘A WELLYWOOD sign on the Miramar Cutting hill is a STUPID idea’.
The site has 4,222 fans – one even pointing out the unoriginal idea after a town in Essex, England, plans to erect a similar Hollywood takeoff.
Um, has anyone asked Mosgiel how it feels about being copied?
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The airport announced its plans about three weeks ago and caused a public furore from those who opposed the idea - but backed by New Zealand’s best-known film director, Peter Jackson.
International media reported the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which owns the original sign in Los Angeles, has threatened legal action, as the sign is trademarked.
The Wellywood sign already has planning permission and is due to be erected in June.
In somewhat of a change of heart from her initial support, Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast has now suggested asking for feedback.
Political blogger David Farrar today set up a Facebook page, suggesting the airport installs a giant weta instead.
The airport said the proposal was tongue-in-cheek and coined the success of the local film industry.
“Our objectives are for the sign to say ‘Wellington’, ‘film’ and ‘global’. We think ‘WELLYWOOD’ does that and so do many others,” Mr Fitzgerald said.
“However, after discussing the issue with Mayor Kerry Prendergast we have decided to see if there is a better way of meeting those objectives. She suggested that we listen to some alternative ideas, given the strength of opinion on it and we’re happy to do that.”
The airport believes it will be an international attraction in its own right?
Read about a more considered study by Massey University cultural studies lecturer Dr Jenny Lawn here.
