In strange things for sale on TradeMe news, committed Mexi-Dougophiles can bid to get their hands on the authentic and presumably extremely valuable Mexi-Doug Instant Kiwi costume, with the proceeds from the auction going towards WWF’s Earth Hour.
But apparently it’s more than just a costume. It is is your destiny. And, to spice up the deal, there’s also $50 of Instant Kiwi tickets to “scratch by candlelight while you sit in your bueno costume waiting for the ladies”.
Here’s the sales pitch: “Own the real outfit of the Mexi-Doug. Touch it in your hands. Feel it against your skin. Be the Mexican. Say ‘get a perm’. Tell your female work colleagues they all look awesome.”
Sources close to Mexi-Doug reported he had this advice for New Zealanders: “It’s only a matter of time before other people see it. Put a bid on. What are you waiting for? All the pesos from the auction will be donated to WWF, the bonito ones behind Earth Hour. Together we will save the shores of Mexico and other great nations from the effects of climate change. Muchos gracias.”
Douglas and Mexi-Doug will be appearing in candle-light in special Earth Hour editions of the Instant Kiwi ads, which are running on TV3 with the tag line ‘in the spirit of Earth Hour’. The ‘ads in the dark’ have been created to help spread the message that Earth Hour – where the lights go out around the world to draw attention to climate change – is happening this Saturday at 8.30pm.
WWF’s executive director Chris Howe said: “This auction is fully in the spirit of Earth Hour, and we thank everyone involved in Instant Kiwi ads in the dark – the team at DDB, NZ Lotteries, Clemenger BBDO, TradeMe and of course Mexi-Doug himself.”
And speaking of low-level racism, StopPress, which has never, ever made a gaffe, was agog when we received an eNews update from nzherald.co.nz.
In its ‘New Faces’ section, it said: “Last but not least Laura Quigley has decided to hang up her grass skirt and leave Maori Television.” Holy tangata whenua! It’s a little bit pot calling the kettle brown after the Air NZ in-flight manual gaffe story reported the “gross generalisation” about Tongan drinking and featured on the front page recently (here’s the follow up).
And speaking of causing offense, this time with clothing, which is also for sale on TradeMe, if you’re a fan of Telecom, and, let’s be honest, who isn’t, you might want to put in a bid for these slightly offensive sartorial numbers.
