pushing more money off shore

This really pisses me off, and its not something that is limited to the current government either.

So, blatantly ripping off Graham Reid's blog:
"Kevin Saatchi, CEO of the New York-based advertising and media company RobertsAndRoberts, said yesterday he was excited about his company being offered the contract to re-brand New Zealand for the 21st century."

Link is above to the whole thing, but basically, once again, when it comes to promoting our country the best decision is to go off shore to find the creative talent to do this. WHAT? Way to back your own team. With a rumoured $75M 5 year contract, why is our government, in the current financial market, a) spending that much money? but b) spending it outside NZ? Shouldn't we be putting money back into our country?

Labour did it as well. Let's spend a whole lot of money on a 'Buy NZ Made' campaign, let's get Kiwi's putting money back into Kiwi's pockets, BUT we'll pay international agencies to do so. Paying M&C and Carat to do the campaign is sending money offshore.

I have a nice little pedestal to stand on while saying this, but I don't work for the only NZ owned and operated advertising agency, and the talent pool in NZ is fantastic, surely we should be using our own resources to work on our country?

I did love this: "Mr Saatchi, speaking from his yacht in the Cayman Islands..." awesome, what a fantastic representation of agency life. ugh.

By the way, KiwiBank - appointing an Australian agency - no better.

Updated: Have just been asked as to whether Grahams post is satire... it is possible. Still doesn't change my opinion on KiwiBank and Buy Kiwi campaign.

Updated further (thanks @officialfunning: @iChild I'd be just as angry if Kevin Roberts of Saatchi & Saatchi got the deal instead of, you know, Kevin Saatchi from Roberts & Roberts.): I would pull this post down, but I am more than willing to put up my hand and say - I'm a freaking idiot. I blame Crack Wednesday, 2 too many Castlepoints and 4 hours sleep.