Creative director at DraftFCB, Tony Clewett, says the neighbourhood psyche is intrinsic to our culture: "When you think of a good neighbour, respect is such an inherent part. It's about being conscious of your actions and looking out for others. It's a very Kiwi thing. Genesis Energy is really living and breathing this idea of being a good neighbour in everything they do."
 
And what better bird to play a good neighbour, than the native Pukeko.
 
"Obviously working with animals brings its own set of challenges, but at least they don't answer back! A lot of people think the birds are done with CGI but they are real Pukekos and they actually do all the tricks. Warm fuzzy smiles all round when they get it right."
 
A behind the scenes video on the Genesis Energy website shows just how you get a Pukeko to paint a crossing, switch on a light switch and pull a cord.
 
Dean Carroll, general manager retail for Genesis Energy, says being neighbourly is a core brand focus, something the company takes great pride in: "Like any good neighbour, we understand that through respect and working together we can make tomorrow a better place."
 
Genesis Energy has launched a number of neighbourly-focused initiatives to show their commitment to this focus, including Schoolgen, Brownie Points and the Genesis Oncology Trust.
 
The Schoolgen project aims to teach children about solar energy in a fun way, by helping schools install solar panels, at no cost, so they can generate a portion of their energy from the sun and Brownie Points works to give customers points for the things they do, not just what they spend.