Brand Focus: Ashley Bloomfield Swag
If you’re not from New Zealand, you probably haven’t heard of Dr. Ashley Bloomfield. His official title is chief executive of the Ministry of Health and New Zealand’s Director-General of Health. Basically, he’s the health expert behind New Zealand’s covid-19 response. For those of you in the US, he’s the Kiwi Dr. Fauci, if everyone really, really liked and listened to Dr. Fauci. Brad Pitt would definitely play him on Saturday Night Live.
Dr. Bloomfield is so revered that it made national news when he took a day off from the 1 pm briefings that have become a central fixture in New Zealand’s coronavirus response. (In New Zealand, there are daily press gatherings at 1 pm that release the latest cases, testing numbers, and any changes to protocol to address problems that have popped up. It is something that people watched religiously during lockdown and check daily now that we’re back to “normal.”) I don’t think anyone had heard of Dr. Bloomfield before coronavirus, but he’s reached celebrity status guiding the country through the pandemic.
And like many celebrities and their fan-gear, there’s been a wave of Ashley Bloomfield swag that has flooded the country. This brand focus isn’t on one particular brand or item. It’s on the whole industry of Bloomfield swag. I started my Ashley Bloomfield collection with “The Curve Crusher” tote bag from The Print Room. I think this design was the first AB item to go crazy, and I was right on that bandwagon. $10 from each purchase goes to Women’s Refuge New Zealand. My second splurge was an Ashley Bloomfield tea towel from Dry the Dishes. $2 from each sale goes to the Women’s Refuge. But there are so many more options. Some fun, some wacky, some worshipful. Here’s a taste:
Dr. Bloomfield earrings - $5 from each sale goes to Women’s Refuge Auckland
Ashley Bloomfield robe - Famine of Beauty markets this as perfect for a 1 pm snuggle, and I am loving it! 50% of profits go to OXFAM NZ.
Coffee Mug - This phrase was Dr. Bloomfield’s response to reporters when asked about whether Trump’s disinfectant injection idea was a good one. To say that he was shocked that anyone sane would think it was a good idea is an understatement.
T-shirts - There are tons of t-shirts to choose from. This is just one of many.
Original Artwork - Artwork abounds on TradeMe. This particular piece ended up selling for $6350!
Wood cutout - One of the stranger ones, I think. You can also get Jacind Ardern and have your own table top press conference.
Laser Bloomfield Shorts - These are by cartoonist Jeff Bell and are certainly one of the funnier options available.
What’s your favorite Ashley-swag? Or is there anything you’d like to see that isn’t currently available?
