GREGG’S COFFEE. DIFFERENT FACES [VERSION 1]

This black and white advertisement from 1970 shows a multicultural New Zealand as part of the Gregg’s instant coffee “Different Faces” ad campaign. It is believed that this is the first (non-animated) television commercial to include Māori.

A man - with coffee cup in hand - observes from his city apartment balcony a variety of pedestrians including Asian and Polynesian people walking Wellington streets to the accompaniment of the jingle; “different faces, many races, living in the sun.” A variety of “modern” fashions and people of many age groups are in included to display the diversity (including the counter culture) of Aotearoa

The music for the catchy jingle was written by APRA Silver Scroll winner Dave Jordan and the lyric by John Dawson, with both providing the arrangement. An early version, John tells us, “was sung by Simon Morris, but it was too ‘edgy’ for the client, so we redid the vocals with Alan Galbraith.”

“Different Faces, Different Places ... was fairly unique in its day. We shot documentary cinema verité style in the streets with real people and available light” - Director Tony Williams to NZ On Screen, 2006; www.nzonscreen.com/collection/the-tony-williams-collection/background