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Shocking images and reports come from flood-ravaged Auckland where four people have died. Rising cost of living crisis. A housing crisis. Infrastructure in crisis.
Itβs easy to see why some might feel things arenβt going so well in Aotearoa New Zealand.
If it feels like this to us Kiwis, just what does the international stage make of our many apparent failings?
These marketing experts have some goods news in that New Zealand is not alone in its many challenges.
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International marketing expert Brian Sweeney said New Zealand was thought of internationally as βhighly desirable, young, adventurous, and a beautiful place to visitβ.β
The former Wellingtonian, now a New York-based chairperson of SweeneyVesty, a strategic communications company operating in New Zealand and the United States, thought the recent severe weather had no impact on Aotearoaβs reputation.
βClimate change is in local cities and towns and districts everywhere.β
Sweeney said it was New Zealandβs response to such crises that was more important.
βIn a crisis you spend your reputational capital. New Zealand has a lot in the goodwill bank and will get a lot of support.β
While there was bad news sometimes it didnβt βdent that positive halo of how people see New Zealandβ.
He credited former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardernβs crisis management style as contributing to this, her leadership style in stark contract to that of βstrongmanβ leaders.
βSheβs been seen as a ray of hope.β
New Zealandβs creatives β like film director Taika Waititi and music artist Lorde, as well as top sports people had also helped build the countryβs reputation.
βNew Zealand has got a phenomenal international reputation,β Sweeney said. βIts role in the world is to be its change maker.β
He said reputations were like gardens which needed to be tended regularly.
βIn the business of managing reputation it needs to be continually, proactively worked on rather than passively managed.β
University of Canterburyβs Ekant Veer, a professor of marketing in the department of management, marketing and entrepreneurship, agreed none of these issues were unique to New Zealand.
Sweeney said it was New Zealandβs response to such crises that was more important.
βIn a crisis you spend your reputational capital. New Zealand has a lot in the goodwill bank and will get a lot of support.β
While there was bad news sometimes it didnβt βdent that positive halo of how people see New Zealandβ.
He credited former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardernβs crisis management style as contributing to this, her leadership style in stark contract to that of βstrongmanβ leaders.
βSheβs been seen as a ray of hope.β
New Zealandβs creatives β like film director Taika Waititi and music artist Lorde, as well as top sports people had also helped build the countryβs reputation.
βNew Zealand has got a phenomenal international reputation,β Sweeney said. βIts role in the world is to be its change maker.β
He said reputations were like gardens which needed to be tended regularly.
βIn the business of managing reputation it needs to be continually, proactively worked on rather than passively managed.β
University of Canterburyβs Ekant Veer, a professor of marketing in the department of management, marketing and entrepreneurship, agreed none of these issues were unique to New Zealand.
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βWhat is unique to New Zealand is the response,β he said.
It was a video of people βhaving funβ, playing in the Auckland floodwaters that had gone viral abroad. Veer is quick to point out this is βdeeply unsafe behaviourβ and not to be recommended.
Internally the focus has been on the handling and failings by authorities, particularly that of Auckland mayor Wayne Brown.
Veer said this was because it was not what we were used to, and differed from the crisis response seen by leaders like Jacinda Ardern.
He said New Zealanders might have a βdifferent impressionβ about the state of the country compared with those overseas.
βMost people still think of New Zealand as this beautiful place.β