Giant Rugby Ball ready for sale
Thursday 27 October 2011, 2:30PM
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New Zealand's iconic Giant Rugby Ball (GRB) has completed its mammoth task of promoting New Zealand around the globe and will soon be offered for sale.
Tourism New Zealand used New Zealand's hosting of the Rugby World Cup 2011 as a stage to promote New Zealand as a place to visit, with the Giant Rugby Ball a major initiative to raise awareness of New Zealand as the host country for Rugby World Cup 2011.
Announcing the decision to sell the inflatable icon by tender, Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive, Kevin Bowler, said the ball had been an outstanding success.
"Since it was first deployed in Paris at the time of the Rugby World Cup 2007 the ball has been seen in London, Tokyo and Sydney, attracting visitors and attention along the way," he said.
"It's been extremely successful - primarily for its global media and PR impact, then as a multi-purpose promotional venue, advertising billboard, function venue, and visitor attraction.
"Having it on Queen's Wharf during the Rugby World Cup 2011 has been a fitting finale".
Tourism New Zealand has begun to work through a likely sale process that will involve inviting tendering for the component parts that make up the GRB, or for the Ball as a whole. It's expected the public process will be completed by early 2012.