In New Zealand, the southern man is a stereotypical southern male, well used to the solitude and conditions of open mountain or hill country, and completely out of his depth in the city.
The stereotype draws on images of high country farmers and hunters, particularly from areas such as Central Otago and the Mackenzie Basin, who work large sheep stations, often employing the horse and dog rather than mechanised transport, due to the terrain they have to cover.
Ironically, the New Zealander who probably best exemplified the characteristics of the southern man was a North Islander - writer and bushman Barry Crump.
Already a well-known stereotype, it gained an extra boost due to its use in the advertising campaign of Otago's best known pale lager beer, Speight's, in a series of advertisements which have been running since the early 1990s.
The stereotype was later attributed to an iconic song, which is now regarded as an unofficial anthem of Dunedin City and Otago in general. Written by Ad Agency Creative Director, Roy Meares, produced and sung by Murray Grindlay. This song is currently performed for Otago Rugby and Speight's Breweries by local musician Denis Henderson.