The Instant Kiwi Exam TV ad from 1999 gets a laugh anywhere in the world examinations are held. The ad inspired a scene in the 2002 movie “Slackers”.A group of university students sits in an exam room. Our hero has finished his exam with a minute to spare. He pulls out an instant kiwi ‘scratch-it’ card and proceeds to check out his luck. The exam supervisor calls the end of the exam and instructs students to put down their pens and bring their papers to the front of the room. He thanks the students as they place their papers in a neat pile on the front desk. In the meantime our chap is still using his pen to check out the last of his numbers. As he approaches the front with his exam paper he’s told that he’s too late. “Gave you plenty of warnings about time. You failed. Sorry.” The student replies, “Excuse me do you know who I am.” The teacher says, “I have absolutely no idea”. “Good!” says the student as he quickly puts his exam in the middle of the other papers and walks out – eating the teacher’s apple. “Instant Kiwi: Give it a go!”
Click on the image below to play the Lotto Instant Kiwi Exam Paper video.
So why this ad? Instant Kiwi was introduced in September 1989 by the NZ Lotteries Board. It’s aimed at 18 year olds and over – the age of the students in the exam room. The Instant Kiwi has nine squares on it. Punters scratch off three squares of their choice. If all three are the same amount of money then the punter wins that amount. You know if you’re a winner within a minute of buying your ticket.
Instant Kiwi Exam Credits
The Instant Kiwi Exam ad was developed at Saatchi & Saatchi NZ by creative director Gavin Bradley, copywriter Kim Thorp, art director Robbie Kantor and agency producer Martin Gray.
Filming was directed by Tony Williams via Auckland Film Company with producer Maggie Lewis, director of photography John Blick and editor Charles Ivory. Visual effects were done at Digital Post.