AUCKLAND, Today: Dunedin’s cheeky charm is back for round two. After the first Dunedin Works Better campaign struck a chord, Enterprise Dunedin has relaunched it — with another jab at big city chaos.
This time, it’s zooming in on daily headaches like Auckland’s gridlock and Wellington’s endless bus lane fines. Think bold lines like:
Dunedin = Auckland — this commute
Dunedin = Wellington — the bus lane fines
The campaign cheekily calls out the so-called perks of city life — high rent, long commutes, and weekends spent trying to recover from it all.
“It’s no secret Dunedin isn’t Auckland. That’s exactly the point,” says Dunedin Destination Manager Sian Sutton. “We don’t do three-hour commutes, million-dollar fixer-uppers, or spending half your life looking for a park. What we do have is time, space, and a lifestyle that works.”
Sutton says the city is becoming a hot spot for talent across tech, health, design, engineering and more — and it’s not hard to see why.
“At the heart of it, we just wanted to show people what we already know: this place is easy, energising, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.” – Chris Flack
“People come here for the opportunities, but they stay because life simply works better. You can finish work, surf St Clair, and still be home in time for dinner. Try doing that on the motorway in Auckland,” she says.
The campaign makes it clear — Dunedin might cost less in more ways than one. Less stress. Less time commuting. Less burnout.
Billboards and digital ads are live in Auckland and Wellington — the very places where Dunedin’s low-key lifestyle feels extra tempting. And yep, the tone is still full of dry, southern wit.
Some of the “stats” might not be peer-reviewed, but your mate who moved down south swears they’re true.
“We leaned into the irony and irreverence Dunedin is known for,” says Fraser Callaway, Managing Partner at Strategy Creative. “This isn’t a city trying to be something it’s not. It’s confident in its own identity. That’s what makes it magnetic. The challenge was capturing that Dunedin attitude with a campaign that cuts through and gets a smile.”
Strategy Creative brought their place-branding smarts to the table, having led memorable work for Hastings, Marlborough, and Te Anau Time.
“Dunedin has this dry wit and sharp self-awareness. We just tapped into what really frustrates people — sitting in traffic or racking up fines. We let the Dunedin tone of voice do the heavy lifting,” says Chris Flack, Strategy Creative Design Director and proud Dunedin local.
“At the heart of it, we just wanted to show people what we already know: this place is easy, energising, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.”
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