Germans seeking a better N.Z. image

Press, 10 May 1979, Page 21

Germans seeking a better N.Z. image

Dy OLIVER RIDDELL West Germany is trying to assess what New Zealanders think of it. Its embassy in Wellington assembled a panel of speakers before a course if German teachers to see what would happen. If the discussion period had been longer, the results may have been more definite. What was thrown up suggests that West Germany has a very bad image among New Zealanders. There are exceptions to any general

description but it seems that in the eyes of many New Zealanders today West Germany is still Nazi Germany. (Whether this is a German or a New Zealand problem embassy officials are too polite to say).

For those old enough to have experienced World War I there is not a great deal of antipathy for Germans as such. But for those whc experienced World War II there is still a fairly general antipathy and for those brought up subsequently on a diet of war comics and war movies there is often a venomous antipathy. Does this matter? After all West Germany is half a world away and official contacts can no doubt continue amicably enough without worrying what the members of the public might think privately.

But West Germany is not. just any old country

as far as New Zealand is concerned. It is a country from which we borrow much money and to which we look for technological assistance in our industrial growth. It is also the country the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) has des cribed as “our best friend in Europe.” Now that . production rather than a consumer-oriented Government rules in Britain. New Zealand may need its friends in Europe.

West Germany has strengthened its ties with New Zealand so quickly and strongly in recent years that this growth in official friendship can be described as "dramatic.” The close relationship has been of immense advantage to New Zealand already.

There is no sign that West Germany will draw back from a nation where so many people have such a disagreeable impression of it. Instead it is seeking ways in which this image might be improved. this is a complex marketing problem. For example, the product can be identified easily: West Germany. But those promoting this product need to ask themselves whether this is too big a product to put in one package or whether it might not be better to concentrate on limited aspects of West Germany.

Identifying the market will be a problem: is it desirable to sell the prod-

uct to everyone in New Zealand or io aim al one or several distinguishable groups within New Zealand? The smaller the market he greater the saturation )f it and the better the reult. But West German} will probably prefer to try lo reach everyone in the hope that as many people as possible will be impressed. All this could smack of “big brother’’ ramming information through. But it can be handled far better than that. “Serious” subjects such as politics, economics, industry, or philosophy would be eschewed in favour of sport or entertainment, while hoping that the news media would continue to take an interest in “serious” subjects. Visual material would obviously have a wider appeal than just written material. All this will cost much time and money but there are good reasons why West Germany may be tempted to try it. Its problem with its image in New Zealand is only a

microcosm of the problem it faces elsewhere. If relations between the two countries are ever to be more than just Govern-

ment to Government something has to be done. The lessons learned on a small scale may then be applied on a bigger scale elsewhere.