Air New Zealand's Dave the Goose calls on Australians to join the flock

  • 06/10/2016
(YouTube/Air New Zealand)
(YouTube/Air New Zealand)

Air New Zealand is endeavouring to capture a greater share of Australians looking to fly to North and South America with the help of an avian friend.

Dave the Goose, voiced by veteran Australian actor Bryan Brown, fronts a new campaign aiming to change Australians' perceptions of where Air New Zealand flies.

The Better Way to Fly campaign, unveiled in Sydney on Thursday, aims to convince Australians that Air New Zealand is a favourable option for crossing the Pacific, says Air New Zealand chief executive Christopher Luxon.

"Australia is a huge strategic opportunity for us once Australians understand that using Auckland as a one-stop hub to North or South America makes great sense," he said.

"More than a quarter of all international/long haul departures are bound for the USA, South America or Canada.  Capturing just a little bit more of that market would see hundreds of thousands more Aussies flying with us to North and South America.

"We're well established as the preferred airline for Australians travelling to New Zealand and one of Australia's most respected brands, however, many Australian travellers still think of us as a trans-Tasman carrier and that's a perception we're determined to change.''

In the campaign video, the CGI goose Dave promises Air New Zealand is a better way to fly than the common means of migration.

He references trans-Tasman rivalry, with a dig at our rugby team, accent, and the custody war over pavlova.

He comes awkwardly close to bird cannibalism when offered a chicken meal, opting for a vegetarian curry instead.

Brown himself makes a cameo, with a reference to his role in the Tom Cruise film Cocktail.

Newshub.