Welly woes

Although this month’s fail may not qualify as a celebrity fail per say, we think it fits into this category and definitely merits some attention.By now you have probably all heard about the "Wellywood” sign planned for the capital city– a Hollywood-style sign 3.5 metres high and 28 metres wide set to be built along the hillside next to the Miramar Cutting, and ready in time for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Apparently, the sign caused such uproar on Facebook that the Wellington airport, responsible for funding the monstrosity, began reconsidering their options. The Facebook group "Wellingtonians Against the Wellywood Sign” attracted more than 7500 members in its first day, with members calling the sign "embarrassing”, "tacky”, "arrogant” and "unoriginal”.Not only did an individual protest group arise, but the Wellington International Airport page was also bombarded with angry messages from Wellingtonians and New Zealanders in general.The Wellywood idea came about as a way of celebrating the Wellington film industry, and although the Facebook backlash did have enough of an impact to put the idea on hold temporarily, while the committee considered alternative options, chief executive Steve Fitzgerald has said "When we judged them against the things we were trying to achieve – to celebrate the film industry, making it clear it was in Wellington, and making it globally relevant – Wellywood was the clear number one.”  This means that as of right now, the Wellywood sign surges ahead. But it is not just angry Facebookers voicing their opinions against the idea. Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown said that she did not support a sign of any kind. "There are much more important ways to promote the film industry and creative digital than with a sign.”Veteran Wellington film director Geoff Murphy agrees scoffing, "We had a film industry well before this Wellywood bulls**t was going on. I think it’s f***ing stupid. It is copying a foreign, bulls**t glamour idea and it’s the pits of what people can aspire to.” And although the idea is to attract tourism to New Zealand’s capital, voted "the coolest little capital in the world” by Lonely Planet, a branding expert called the sign "crass”, saying it could actually hurt Wellington’s image, and marking it as a city of "try-hard followers”. The sign may even be facing legal discrepancies by the trademark holder of the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, who is threatening legal action if the sign is erected.So whether you love it or hate it, in our opinion, this is one epic fail on Wellington’s part!