Brockovich ads research questioned 

A "go get 'em" Kiwi" attitude has earned a New Zealand company backing from a high profile consumer advocate.

But NZ's consumer watchdog is questioning whether Erin Brockovich, who had a film made about her crusading efforts, really knows the company she is endorsing.

It was designed to get New Zealanders pondering and a gutsy Kiwi approach is earning Noel Leeming some big name support, with Brockovich making TV advertisements for the company.

"Recently, I was asked by a large company in New Zealand to be a spokesperson to their advertising campaign," Brockovich says in an ad.

"Before I agreed to lend my name to Noel Leeming, I did my research because that's my job," she says.

"We were trying to do something different, set us apart from our competitors and we think this truely will do that," says Andrew Dutkiewicz of Noel Leeming.

Brockovich is best known for her solo investigation into toxic poisoning of residents in Hinkley, California, which resulted in a $US333 million settlement.

Brockovich has not actually been downunder - the ads were shot in Los Angeles. Nor was she available for an interview. But according to Noel Leeming the world's toughest customer agreed to the campaign as long as she could say what she liked.

She says she has done her research and supports the company's values.

Sue Chetwin of the Consumers Institute says she just hopes Brockovich has done her homework.

"She says in advertising that she has and that she has looked at the values in terms of customers that Noel Leeming has. But that certainly is not the experience that a lot of consumers have had with Noel Leeming within New Zealand."

"It is extremely well liked, and this is us just moving to a higher level, which is moving from being liked to actually being loved," says Dutkiewicz.