"It was within the first week. I was getting recognised all over."
Tina - real name Sieni Leo'o Olo - is describing the impact of the ad she fronts for Turners Cars.
"People were coming up to me and talking about the ad," she says. "They just loved her."
They quoted lines from the television and copied Tina's dance moves. These conversations still take place in shopping malls, drive-thrus, and at the restaurant where she works as a host, bartender and waiter.
"They come up to me mid-meal," she says.
And why does Tina connect?
"She's charming. I think she's very enthusiastic about life, and cars. And you can feel that through the screen."
And how much of that is her? I ask.
"All of it," she says, bursting into laughter.
Sieni brings to the table years of working as a stand up comedian in South Auckland - "where the magic is", she says - and her skills have recently been on display in the most recent season of TV2's Taskmaster programme.
She added her own touches to Tina.
"I picked up the script and we met somewhere in the middle and brought her to life."
"With her quirkiness," she adds.
Her performance is so convincing that many believe there is a woman called Tina who actually works for Turners.
"Absolutely," says Greg Hedgepeth, Turners Chief Executive. "There are a lot of people who come into our branches and specifically say can I please have my meeting or my appointment with Tina? Or can I meet with her please?"
That's backed up by the woman herself.
"I've had extensive conversations with people about how to sell their car - which I pretend to know a lot about," and then she adds with a smile, "but I don't!"
All these anecdotes are backed up by evidence. In the three years since the Tina campaign appeared, Turners have now secured top spot in the country for buying and selling cars.
"It's been beyond our expectations," says Hedgepeth. "The campaign and Tina have really helped put us on the map."
The ads themselves have fared well against other competition. The campaign won the New Zealand Marketing Supreme Award in 2022. Last year the ads were finalists in the retail section of the "Effies", the global marketing awards for effectiveness.
"For Tina from Turners to come out as one of top 'best of the best' for effectiveness says a lot about how good this campaign is," says Carl Sarney of market research company TRA.
He points out it regularly occupies top spots in TRA's favourite ads list, against other campaigns run on much bigger budgets which can afford to be played more often.
Sarney says much of the success lies with Tina's entertaining personality.
"She looks down the camera and actually engages with the audience, and she has a bit of fun and banter, speaking directly to them," says Sarney.
It's a point emphasised by Marilyn Giroux, senior lecturer in marketing at the University of Auckland.
"She's really someone who you feel you would like to go for a drink with, or to be part of your group of friends."
She's talked about Tina with her students.
"Even younger generation really think she's very cool and they would love to to meet her and talk to her and buy a car from her."
Some of those younger people, unfamiliar with the late rock singer Tina Turner, thought it was Tina from Turners who died last year.
"I got phone calls," says Sieni. "Some pretty scared people. But they were glad to hear my voice."
New Zealand has a history of using characters in ads. Think Barry Crump and Scotty for Toyota, the pair of old mates for Mainland Cheese, the Briscoes lady, and more recently ANZ's cricketing family and ASB's Ben and Amy.
Carl Sarney says when characters connect with an audience, that relationship can last a long time.
"Stickman from Pak'n Save has been around for 16 years now. Then of course the Briscoes lady, 35 years. And Mr Four Square was invented back in the 1950's and is still a loved part of Kiwi culture," he says.
Sarney says TRA's research reveals a deep loyalty for the character.
"When there's any kind of hint that some don't like it, people will pile in on social media saying how dare you say that about Tina. So there's a real quite deep love for this character."
Turners say there are plans to make another series of Tina ads, although they are in no rush, with the first group continuing to work well for the business.
The campaign also brings a Samoan character to mainstream media. Much to the delight of many.
"They love it. I am a celebrity at church," she laughs. "I am so grateful for what it's done for the Samoan community."
She hopes the sassy and cheeky Tina will be around for a long time. Many others are likely to share that view.
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