GWM New Zealand has launched a cheeky, full-throttle local campaign called “Wahs Selling Cars,” starring the One New Zealand Warriors as the dealership’s new sales team, a smart, culturally tuned move that blends rugby swagger with retail storytelling.
The brand’s first locally produced retail TVC puts ex-Warrior Monty Betham in the role of Sales Manager and features current players Jackson Ford, Tanner Stowers-Smith and Wayde Egan stepping off the field and into the showroom to hawk GWM’s line-up. The campaign leans into the players’ personalities, using entertainment-led storytelling to reach beyond standard car advertising and into fandom and community.
What’s on show? The campaign celebrates the breadth of GWM’s New Zealand range: the Haval passenger models, the Cannon ute family, and the Tank off-road series, and flags the brand’s multi-powertrain strategy with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, EV, petrol and diesel choices available for Kiwi drivers. That breadth is central to the “Go With More” platform, reinforcing a message of choice, tech and value for the local market.
Why this works in NZ: Teaming with the Warriors taps into one of the country’s most passionate fanbases and gives GWM an authentic cultural connection rather than a generic celebrity spot. The campaign’s mix of broadcast, digital, social, out-of-home and in-dealership activations creates multiple touchpoints (game days, showroom events and community activations) so fans can interact with the brand where they already live and cheer.
The sale-room takeover conceit is playful but purposeful. it humanises the vehicles through personalities fans already trust, while still showcasing capability (utes and off-road tech) and electrification options that matter to modern buyers. For a market that values both rugged capability and emerging EV interest, this hybrid creative/technical message is well calibrated.
Local production signals GWM’s commitment to New Zealand as a strategic market and can boost brand trust and relevancy; pairing that with the Warriors’ loyal following could drive showroom footfall and social buzz during the rugby season. Expect the campaign to be measured on dealership traffic, online engagement and conversion during game-day activations and seasonal pushes.
Tarmac Takeaway
“Wahs Selling Cars” is a culturally savvy, multi-channel retail push that puts vehicles where Kiwis are already emotionally invested: game day, community events, and social conversation. With authentic faces, diverse vehicle choices, and an energetic execution, GWM has delivered a campaign that feels distinctly Kiwi and built to perform.
