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The phrase "world famous in New Zealand" is a commonly used phrase within New Zealand and the slogan of Lemon & Paeroa soft drink. It is used to describe items that though famous within New Zealand are unknown in the rest of the world, whereas similar items and people in larger countries would have a far higher media profile and would therefore be famous worldwide.
Contents
The term is simultaneously both parochially proud and self-deprecatingly humorous. It indicates a pride that a small country should be able to produce individuals which, in the opinion of the speaker, would be of a necessary standard to become world famous, yet at the same time it recognises that these individuals come from a country which does not have a high international recognition factor, and therefore these individuals are destined to remain "big fish in a small pond".
History
The phrase was created by the advertising agency of Coca-Cola Amatil and came into widespread use in 1993 when it was used as the slogan for the New Zealand soft drink Lemon & Paeroa (L&P).
In 2009 Paeroa businessman Tony Coombe tried to prevent Coca-Cola Amatil from trademarking the phrase, saying it was a "Kiwi-ism" that belonged to all New Zealanders. However, both an Intellectual Property Office commissioner and when he later appealed to the High Court, the appeal was dismissed, allowing Coca-Cola Amatil to trademark the phrase.
Other uses
The phrase has also been used as the title of a 1999 album, World Famous In New Zealand, a compilation album by New Zealand rock musicians released by Epic Records, and a 2001 book, World Famous in New Zealand: How New Zealand's Leading Firms Became World-Class Competitors, by Colin Campbell-Hunt, James Brocklesby, Sylvie Chetty, Lawrie Corbett, Sally Davenport, Deborah Jones, and Pat Walsh (Auckland, Auckland University Press).