Aotearoa New Zealand’s brand is strong: Why this matters in today’s world

New Zealand's good reputation precedes us and reputation is value, David Downs writes. (Image: Getty)

Tue, 11 Mar 2025

In Shakespeare’s play Othello, the character Cassio laments: “Reputation, reputation, reputation – O! I have lost my reputation!”. I remembered this quote from my 5th form English class recently as I was on holiday in Europe, where the play is set. As with Cassio, reputation is one of New Zealand’s main assets, and I was often reminded of this on my travels. Whenever I explained to locals that I was not from England, Canada, or California but instead from NZ, their demeanour changed. They smiled, rec...

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