Kiwibank Launches Next Chapter in the ‘This Is Kiwi’ Story with Special

Aotearoa New Zealand is a place rich in stories both big and small - from people who have overcome adversity to acts of selfless generosity, or sometimes our stories come from the most unexpected everyday moments. Many of these stories epitomise the Kiwi attitude towards money and define the Kiwi version of success which are the inspiration for the next ‘This is Kiwi’ chapter that arrives in market 2-years after the platform first launched.

Kiwibank GM – brand and marketing, Simon Hofmann says, “At Kiwibank, we get to hear, and be part of incredible stories each and every day, like the 68 year old who became a first homeowner thanks to Kiwibank’s innovative co-own proposition. We’re driven by our purpose to make Kiwi better off, and we love stories like these that demonstrate how our expertise is helping Kiwi in life’s big and small moments.”

Special CCO, Lisa Fedyszyn says, ‘‘Kiwi are great natural storytellers. But often the retelling of stories comes with a bit of selective truth and light-hearted embellishment. This gave us the creative licence to explode the narrator’s imagination in a world of hyper reality. This latest iteration is inspired by a real story about a NZ feline that cleverly stowed away on a container ship and ended up over 10,000 kms away in South Korea and we’ve used this as the inspiration for a story of family saving for all of life's plot twists.”

Following on from the first real kiwi story of cupcakes and side hustles, the next story focuses on a Kiwi family who are busy saving for a holiday when Brutus, their adventurous cat, goes missing. After an exhaustive search, Brutus turns up in a very distant and unexpected place.

Thanks to the family’s committed saving habits enabled by Kiwibank’s digital products they’re able to pivot their plans to get Brutus back AND enjoy a holiday at the same time. Simon adds, “Saving can mean different things to different people and while many people are navigating challenging economic times, we know that over 70% of Kiwi are still regularly saving – even if it’s just a small amount. Adopting just one saving habit or behaviour can help people achieve a goal and be prepared for all of life’s plot twists - whether that’s an unforeseen car repair, a first home or a runaway cat.”

TRA managing partner, Shaun Fitzgibbon said, “There is no doubt it is a time of uncertainty in New Zealand, with many Kiwi experiencing financial strain… however despite this, most Kiwi are still making regular savings, holding onto their ambitions, and working towards future goals.

There's an increasingly important role for banks to play here - helping customers with their savings goals and developing healthy savings habits to put them in a better place in the future.”

The true story that inspired this story involved a cat that did, in fact, travel from New Plymouth to South Korea via a container ship.