ASB – Goldstein

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An advertisement from the popular ASB Goldstein series.

In this episode Ira Goldstein inspects his new Jennian Home. "I want a hot tub," instructs Goldstein. "A bowling alley. Two lanes. Get a little pin action."

Amusing antics ensue as he tries his hand at DIY. "ASB makes the home buying process so easy."

The Goldstein series appeared at at time when New Zealand was keen to move away from British and American cultural influences in favour of celebrating a uniquely Kiwi national identity.

David Walden of Whybin TBWA recalls the genesis of the campaign: "someone (I can’t remember who) said: 'What about if we had a bloke from the toughest financial market in the world [New York] come down to look at New Zealand and see what makes this bank different.' Someone then jumped in and said: 'Yeah, and while he’s here looking at the bank, he could fall in love with New Zealand as well.' […] At that point, Scott Whybin as executive creative director got involved and said: 'It’s a bit like Local Hero, the movie where an American is sent to a small Scottish island to build a refinery with the inherent difficulties, and actually falls in love with Scotland and works against the oil company.' Thus Ira was born and the tension between him and his boss was created." – Howard Russell, "Advertising Campaigns: The Fab Five," AdMedia, August 2003