MacNuggets

[vivfox]

2nd April 2011

It's all in how you say it ... CERA

This week we heard details about the new body responsible for the smooth implementation and running of the rebuild of Christchurch city.

The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority or CERA (pronounced Sara), is her name. I say 'her' as Sara is obviously a female name and what an absolutely stunning name it is, for several reasons.

Firstly, the 1979 Fleetwood Mac song of the same name is not only a pretty cool song but the lyrics are spookily reflective of some of our recent experiences following the earthquake in February. Here's an example at the beginning of the song: But now it's gone, it doesn't matter what for. So when you build your house, then call me home.

Later there's: And it was just like a great dark wind,within the wings of a storm. I think I had met my match. He was singin'. And undoing and undoing.Oooooooo, the laces, undoing the laces.

We all feel kind of 'undone', like those laces; some of us a lot and some us not quite so much and we just want to move on.

The second reason CERA (Sara) is a stunning name, is because we all know women run things very successfully in everyday life, so this is very appropriate.

The fact that CERA (Sara) is a body with a chick's name being primarily run by blokes, doesn't really matter because as they say behind every great man is a woman, so we still get the kudos anyway.

Imagine if it had been called BERT - 'Big Earthquake Recovery Team', or TERRENCE - 'The Earthquake Recovery Rescue Entity Not Covering Everything' - it just doesn't have the same ring.

Finally, we need a punchy publicity campaign to support the rebuild of our beautiful city and music often forms an important part of any successful promotion.

Just check out Bruce Springsteen's My Hometown on You Tube, set to earthquake pictures - I tear up whenever I watch it.

Whether it's a jingle or a full blown music video, (the latter I suggest should feature local celebs all wearing orange hi-vis jackets), an effective, relatable campaign would improve buy-in and support from locals.

Fleetwood Mac could do a gig in Hagley Park and if Sara (the song and/or the authority) is too slow, perhaps Fleetwood Mac could perform with Jefferson Starship and belt out We Built this City (on Rock 'n' Roll).

You can email Ali at [email protected]. Put Ali Jones in the subject line.

http://www.starcanterbury.co.nz/loca...-cera/3946716/