Brand Kit review

Clearwater Wildlife Tours

Getting Clearwater Wildlife Tours found on ChatGPT

4 November 2026 • Prepared by Team Empathy

How this works

You've already done the homework, and the parts that shape the writing are now in Notable. Before your November blogs are written, we tidied the Brand Kit using your two interviews, your Branding Guidelines and the brand summary you approved in March, with your feedback about the odd-sounding English front of mind. This page shows what we changed and the few things still open.

Who does what

KimWhat we changed, and the questions marked Kim.RachelThe two questions marked Rachel, about keeping locations private and how we describe your family history. Kim can type Rachel's answers in if that's easier.

The rules

Anything you leave alone, we go ahead with.
Save for later keeps your answers here and sends nothing.
Send to Team Empathy lets us know you're done with that tab.
You don't have to finish in one go, and either of you can come back to any tab.

What happens next

We fold your answers into Notable.
Your three November blogs are written on the updated Brand Kit.
They come to you for feedback before anything is published.

Start with what we changed →

What we changed

These are the changes we made to your Brand Kit in Notable, and why. Notable reads all of this before it writes every article. Tick OK, or choose Change and tell us what you'd like instead.

#	Item	What we have	Your call
W1	Where the Wild One Tour goes	In Notable before: The Wild One Tour description named the private reserve the tour visits. Because Notable reads it before every article, the name was turning up in drafts. Now: "Travelling to the family's private farm and conservation land". No place name in the tour descriptions. The only mention left is inside the privacy rule, which tells Notable what it must never name. The rule is firmer too: never name a viewing site, farm, bay or inlet, never send readers to public beaches, and never list or compare public viewing spots. The one named stop allowed is the Royal Albatross Centre, as an option on the Wild Private Tour. Why: Rachel's rule that viewing locations stay private. The September penguin draft in Notable that compared viewing sites is set aside and won't be used.	OK Change
W2	How it sounds	In Notable before: A quiet, understated "premium" voice, plus your line about plain language for visitors who don't speak English as a first language. Now: Rebuilt from the Voice page of your Branding Guidelines: friendly, informed and conversational, like a great nature guide. Plain, natural New Zealand English the way a fluent local talks, with contractions and short paragraphs, no Kiwi slang and nothing stilted, flowery or translated-sounding. Gentle humour where it fits. Your plain-language line stays in, word for word. Why: You told Alex in September the drafts read like a very strange form of English. Plain should never mean stilted, so we now say that outright. Contractions and short paragraphs come from your March brand summary.	OK Change
W3	Your name	In Notable before: No rule, and the kit itself said "Clearwater" on its own in places. Now: "Clearwater Wildlife Tours" first, "Clearwater Wildlife" after that. Never "Clearwater", "Clearwater Tours" or "CWT". Why: Your Entity Interview: Clearwater is a common Otago family name.	OK Change
W4	Who you are	In Notable before: A family-owned operator, with the Department of Conservation and the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital as named partners. Now: Founded by Rachel Kerr (née Clearwater), sixth-generation Otago Peninsula family, running tours since 2024. Family-owned and woman-owned. Partners: the Department of Conservation, the HALO Project and the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital. Qualmark Gold and Tripadvisor's Travelers' Choice Best of the Best 2025. Guests often describe the tour as a highlight, and frequently the highlight, of their New Zealand trip. Why: All from your Entity Interview. OPERA is held back until you confirm it (question Q8).	OK Change
W5	Sightings	In Notable before: Never guarantee sightings, in our own words, alongside the "Wildlife is wild" line from your tour page. Now: Your own wording, in full: "Nature is unpredictable, and we never guarantee sightings of individual species. What we do guarantee is access to exceptional wildlife habitat and the best possible opportunity to observe some of New Zealand's rarest wildlife in the wild, guided by experienced local experts who put animal welfare first." Why: Your Entity Interview. It matters for one of your November blogs, on whether wildlife is guaranteed.	OK Change
W6	Who we write for	In Notable before: International travellers, cruise passengers, domestic New Zealand travellers and wildlife or birdwatching groups. Now: International independent travellers (Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, the UK, the US and Australia), conservation-minded travellers, cruise passengers, domestic New Zealand travellers visiting Dunedin, and wildlife, birdwatching and photography groups. Why: Conservation-minded travellers come from your Entity Interview. Domestic travellers stay for now, and question Q11 asks whether to keep them.	OK Change
W7	How articles are laid out	In Notable before: Nothing on layout. Now: Short paragraphs, clear subheadings, a table or bullets for comparisons, and FAQs that answer the common questions honestly: will we see wildlife, is it worth it, how is it different. Hoiho alongside yellow-eyed penguin for now, with more te reo Māori names once you confirm them (question Q2). Why: Your March brand summary and the Do list in your Branding Guidelines.	OK Change
W8	Competitors we track	In Notable before: Nature's Wonders, Fantail Tours, Wild South and MoaTrek. Now: Those four, plus Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours. Your content never names any of them. Why: Monarch is in the competitor list you approved in March. Question Q8 asks about the rest of that list.	OK Change
W9	Spelling and images	In Notable before: Some American spellings (travelers, traveling), and image guidance without your palette. Now: New Zealand spelling throughout. Images to feel calm, spacious, coastal and airy, matching your palette, with natural light and minimal editing. Why: Your Branding Guidelines: no American spelling, and the Imagery page.	OK Change

What we still need

What's still open. Type an answer, or attach a file where it's easier. Skip anything you don't know yet, and we'll leave things as they are until you tell us.

Your voice

#	Question	What we need	Your answer
Q1	A blog that sounds rightKim	You mentioned sending tone tweaks or a finished blog to help train the system. Attach one you're happy with, or paste a few lines that sound just right (and any that sound wrong). It's the fastest way to fix the odd English.	Attach a file (up to 10 MB):
Q2	Te reo Māori namesKim	Your Branding Guidelines say to use te reo Māori wildlife names alongside the English. For now we only use hoiho. Which other names would you like used (sea lion, fur seal, albatross and any others), spelt exactly as you write them?

Where articles send people

#	Question	What we need	Your answer
Q3	The closing linkKim	Every article ends with one link. Right now it's your Contact page. Would you rather it went to the Wild One Tour page, your booking page, or somewhere else?
Q4	Whose name is on the articlesKim	Your Entity Interview says to promote Rachel publicly, so we'd like articles to show Rachel Kerr (née Clearwater), founder, in the author box. Happy with that, or would you rather the business name only? We don't name individual guides either way.

Facts for your November blogs

#	Question	What we need	Your answer
Q5	What you see, and whenKim	For the best-time-of-year blog: which months are best for each species on your tours (hoiho, sea lions, fur seals, albatross), and what changes through the year, like chicks or pups? Your Entity Interview gives the peak as December to March, and we'd like the detail behind it.
Q6	The hoiho numbersKim	We use your wording and nothing else: "DOC estimate the hoiho population is as low as a few hundred breeding pairs, with 143 nests on mainland New Zealand." Is that still current this season, and is there a DOC page we can link to as the source?

Keeping locations private

#	Question	What we need	Your answer
Q7	The never-name listRachel	Notable is told never to name the area the Wild One Tour visits, or any bay, beach or inlet near the family land. Is there anything else you'd like on that list? Your own website still mentions the area by name on the home, tour and Our Story pages. Would you like those changed to match?

Competitors and partners

#	Question	What we need	Your answer
Q8	Who we measure you againstKim	We track Nature's Wonders, Fantail Tours, Wild South, MoaTrek and Monarch. Your March list also had Port to Port, the Royal Albatross Centre and OPERA. Should any of those be added? OPERA is also a partner in your Entity Interview: can articles name OPERA as a partner? And is Elm Wildlife Tours still trading? Their website no longer loads, which changes how we write about the shared history.

Your story

#	Question	What we need	Your answer
Q9	Family historyRachel	We say the land has been in the family for over 180 years, from your website. Is that the line you want used? And is there anything else from the family's history you're happy for us to share?

Tours and guests

#	Question	What we need	Your answer
Q10	Cruise Ship ToursKim	Your Entity Interview lists two tours, Wild One and Wild Private. Notable also has a separate Cruise Ship Tours line: the Wild One Tour timed for cruise passengers, plus private terminal pickups for groups. Is that right, and is anything different for cruise guests, like the cancellation terms?
Q11	New Zealand visitorsKim	Your March summary said domestic travellers aren't a focus, but the June keyword plan aimed at both domestic and international visitors planning Dunedin. We've kept New Zealanders visiting Dunedin in for now. Keep them, or drop them?

Your details

#	Question	What we need	Your answer
Q12	Freephone and membershipsKim	Your Entity Interview gives the freephone as 0800 880 044, and your website shows 0800 990 044. Which is right? And is the membership you listed the Tourism Export Council of New Zealand?
Q13	Links that prove who you areKim	Links to the Kia Ora Magazine and The Independent features, plus your Google, Tripadvisor, GetYourGuide, Facebook and Instagram pages. They help AI tools connect your business across the web.
Q14	Photos we can useKim	If you have a folder of approved photos for articles, share the link or attach a few. We'll only use them on your own site.	Attach a file (up to 10 MB):

Your Brand Kit

For reference: this is exactly what Notable reads before it writes a word for you, built from your Brand Positioning and Entity interviews, your Branding Guidelines and the brand summary you approved in March. There's nothing to tick here. The few things we changed are on the What we changed tab.

Your brand

#	Item	What Notable reads
A1	About your brand	Clearwater Wildlife Tours sets out to be New Zealand's premier wildlife experience: not the biggest or the cheapest, but the best. It was founded by Rachel Kerr (née Clearwater), a sixth-generation member of the Clearwater family of the Otago Peninsula, and began running tours in 2024. A family-owned, woman-owned business based in Dunedin, it runs small-group, land-based tours (maximum ten guests) across the family's private farm and conservation land, a part of the Otago Peninsula not open to the public, to see yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho), New Zealand sea lions, New Zealand fur seals and royal albatross. Premium here means better, not dearer: expert local guides, spotless and comfortable vehicles, reliable operations and exclusive access, which together mean more wildlife, fewer crowds and a real sense of discovery. The promise on the tour is "Fewer people. More wildlife." Wildlife welfare always comes before tourism outcomes. The land has been in the family for over 180 years, and the business supports predator control, habitat restoration, native planting and wildlife monitoring, working with the Department of Conservation, the HALO Project and the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital. It holds Qualmark Gold and Tripadvisor's Travelers' Choice Best of the Best 2025. Guests often describe the tour as a highlight, and frequently the highlight, of their New Zealand trip.
A2	Taglines	Your positioning line, in your words: "New Zealand's premium wildlife experience." And from your tour page: "Fewer people. More wildlife."
A3	Voice and tone	Friendly, informed, conversational and grounded, with a gentle polish that reflects the quality of the tours: like a great nature guide with a warm smile, deep expertise and a relaxed but professional manner, who would rather show you the place than sell it to you. However, the language is not poetic or overly complicated; information is provided in a straightforward way that reflects the grounded and earthy nature of the working sheep farm that is part of the experience, and an awareness that many visitors do not speak English as a first language. Write in plain, natural New Zealand English, the way a fluent local guide actually talks: clear, confident sentences, contractions (you'll, it's, don't) and short paragraphs, with no jargon, slang or Kiwi colloquialisms. Plain never means stilted: no odd or translated-sounding word choices. Quietly premium underneath: premium is carried by substance (the guiding, the spotless vehicles, the reliability, the exclusive access), never by adjectives, and the awards carry the superlatives so the copy doesn't have to. Leans into what the experience gives people, wonder, connection, discovery and lasting memories. Warm and kind, with gentle humour where it fits. Honest about wild animals: sightings are opportunities, never guaranteed. Conservation-first without becoming preachy; the family story does the persuading. Never salesy, sensational, formal, distant or elite, and no exclamation-mark hype.
A4	Who writes	An experienced nature and travel writer with deep, first-hand familiarity with the Otago Peninsula's wildlife and conservation work, writing on behalf of Clearwater Wildlife Tours' professional team of local wildlife guides. Writes for curious, experience-led travellers who research thoroughly before booking, many of them international visitors. Grounds every piece in specific species, behaviour and moments rather than generic adventure language, and explains ecology simply without sounding academic. Never writes like a brochure. Never names or profiles individual guides. Never suggests public viewing locations, and actively encourages readers to treat all wildlife with care, respect and distance if they see it in a public setting.
A5	Where every article's closing link sends readers	https://clearwaterwildlifetours.co.nz/contact/

Writing rules

#	Item	What Notable reads
B1	Rule 1	Name the business "Clearwater Wildlife Tours" on first reference; "Clearwater Wildlife" is fine after that. Never write "Clearwater" on its own, "Clearwater Tours", "Clear Water Wildlife Tours" or "CWT". Clearwater is a common Otago family name, so the short forms are ambiguous.
B2	Rule 2	Lead with premium, never price. Clearwater Wildlife Tours is the highest-quality wildlife experience, not the cheapest. Compete on quality, exclusive access, expert guiding and the memories guests take home. Premium means better, not expensive, so show the substance rather than claiming the word.
B8	Rule 8	Reflect viewing ethics in any advice content: 50-metre minimum distance from penguins, fixed hides, no flash photography, never approach nests, follow the guide.
B10	Rule 10	Quote prices, durations and group sizes only as they appear on the live site, and date any price mentioned.
B11	Rule 11	Structure for skimming: short paragraphs (2 to 4 sentences), clear subheadings, bullets or a table for comparisons, and FAQs that answer the common questions honestly (will we see wildlife, is it worth it, how is it different).
B12	Rule 12	New Zealand English spelling throughout, never American spelling. No em dashes. No hype superlatives beyond the award-backed claims: Qualmark Gold and Tripadvisor's Travelers' Choice Best of the Best 2025.
B13	Rule 13	Never guarantee sightings. Frame every species as an opportunity, never a promise. Approved wording: "Nature is unpredictable, and we never guarantee sightings of individual species. What we do guarantee is access to exceptional wildlife habitat and the best possible opportunity to observe some of New Zealand's rarest wildlife in the wild, guided by experienced local experts who put animal welfare first."
B14	Rule 14	Protect location privacy. Never name Cape Saunders or any viewing site, farm, bay or inlet on or near the family land; never describe routes, directions or access; never send readers to public beaches (Sandfly Bay in particular) to view hoiho, and never list or compare public viewing spots. Rachel's standing directive is that viewing locations stay private. Keep the moat generic: "private farm and conservation land, a part of the Otago Peninsula not open to the public". The one named place allowed is the Royal Albatross Centre, and only as an optional stop on the Wild Private Tour.
B15	Rule 15	Hoiho numbers: use only this wording, "DOC estimate the hoiho population is as low as a few hundred breeding pairs, with 143 nests on mainland New Zealand", and never the outdated 4,000 to 5,000 (2019) figure. Do not add other population figures.
B16	Rule 16	Write "yellow-eyed penguin (hoiho)" on first mention, then use hoiho naturally. Do not add other te reo Māori names until Clearwater Wildlife Tours confirms them.
B17	Rule 17	Name no other operator. The one exception is Elm Wildlife, and only when the shared history is the topic: Elm operated tours on the family's land until 2020; the businesses are separate but share part of the same history. Never disparage Elm or any competitor.
B18	Rule 18	Conservation claims need a source. Named partners are the Department of Conservation, the HALO Project and the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital. Do not invent conservation numbers.

Product lines

#	Item	What Notable reads
C1	Cruise Ship Tours	The Wild One Tour adapted for cruise passengers, with central Dunedin pickup and an enhanced cancellation policy, plus private cruise-terminal collection options for groups wanting a longer bespoke experience.
C2	Wild One Tour	The flagship experience: a 4-hour small-group tour (maximum 10 guests) with pickup and drop-off in central Dunedin, travelling to the family's private farm and conservation land for guided viewing of hoiho, New Zealand sea lions, New Zealand fur seals and seabirds. Runs year-round, busiest December to March, and often sells out on cruise and non-cruise days.
C3	Wild Private Tour	A private wildlife experience with a dedicated guide and vehicle and a flexible itinerary and timing, tailored to the group's interests. Can add other stops such as the Royal Albatross Centre or Baldwin Street. Suits families, special occasions, premium travellers and special-interest groups.

Who we're writing for

#	Item	What Notable reads
D1	Cruise Ship Passengers	International cruise passengers with a single port day in Dunedin who need a high-quality, time-efficient shore excursion that does not depend on a fixed departure schedule.
D2	Special Interest Wildlife and Birdwatching Groups	Small groups of dedicated wildlife enthusiasts, birdwatchers and nature photographers, often travelling with a specific species checklist, who want maximum time, access and ecological depth rather than a general sightseeing experience.
D3	Independent International Travellers	Mid- to premium-level independent travellers, mostly from Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia, who want authentic, high-quality New Zealand experiences rather than mass tourism. Some book 6 to 12 months ahead as part of a wider itinerary; many book a day or two before reaching Dunedin.
D4	Conservation-Minded Travellers	Visitors looking for meaningful encounters with rare wildlife and genuine conservation stories, who want to support responsible tourism and care how the wildlife is treated.
D5	Domestic New Zealand Travellers	New Zealand residents, often from outside Otago, visiting Dunedin for leisure or combining a trip with family visits, who have already chosen the region and want a premium local experience they may not have prioritised before.

Competitors

#	Item	What Notable reads
E1	Who we measure you against	The businesses we measure you against in search. They're for our research only: your content makes the difference clear without naming other operators. Nature's Wonders (natureswonders.co.nz) Fantail Tours (fantailtours.co.nz) Wild South (wildsouth.com) MoaTrek (moatrek.com) Monarch Wildlife Cruises & Tours (wildlife.co.nz)

Markets

#	Item	What Notable reads
M1	Primary market	New Zealand
M2	Secondary markets	None
M3	How we treat them	Your tours run in New Zealand, so Notable tracks search in New Zealand. Every article is written in New Zealand English for visitors planning a trip to Dunedin, especially from Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, the UK, the US and Australia.

Content we'll write

#	Item	What Notable reads
G1	Informational article	An educational, answer-first article that clearly explains a topic for readers researching it.
G2	Thought leadership	An opinionated, insight-led piece that takes a clear point of view backed by the brand's expertise.
G3	Listicle	A ranked or curated list of tools/options/tips (e.g. 'best X tools'), scannable and comparison-friendly.
G4	Comparison	A head-to-head comparison (X vs Y, or X vs alternatives) that helps the reader choose.
G5	Destination Travel Guides	Practical planning articles covering the Otago Peninsula and Dunedin as a travel destination, including best times to visit, what to expect, and how to structure an itinerary. Captures top-of-funnel search traffic from visitors planning South Island trips. Never recommends public wildlife viewing spots or routes: the wildlife part of any itinerary is the tour.
G6	Tour Experience Stories	Narrative-led content recreating what a tour day looks, feels, and sounds like, grounded in specific moments, species, and landscape details. Designed to convert researchers into bookers by making the experience feel vivid and real.
G7	Wildlife Species Guides	Long-form educational articles profiling individual species seen on tour (yellow-eyed penguin, New Zealand sea lion, royal albatross), covering ecology, conservation status and why the Otago Peninsula is a key habitat. Targets organic search from travellers researching wildlife destinations.
G8	Conservation and Sustainability Content	Short and long-form pieces on the family farm's conservation work, native species recovery and responsible wildlife tourism principles. Reinforces Qualmark Gold credentials and appeals to values-driven travellers.