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‘So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye’ sing new staff

Another edition of Movings/Shakings hits the shelves, and this time there are a few big names in the mix.

He was a finalist the Marketer of the Year category at this year’s TVNZ-NZ Marketing for his impressive work as director of marketing at McDonald’s Restaurants. But Justin Watson has obviously had a few too many filet-o-fishes (his favourite, apparently) and has decided to take up a new role as general manager of marketing communications at Tourism New Zealand.

Watson has over a decade’s experience in the marketing field and has worked with DB Breweries and Coca-Cola. But he sees his new role as an opportunity to promote one of New Zealand’s biggest brands: destination New Zealand.

Watson will focus on developing Tourism New Zealand’s marketing strategy, specifically its international campaigns across Tourism New Zealand’s key markets.

He sees a big opportunity in targeting and specifically knowing who we want to target “and going for them”. His priority in the new role will be to immerse himself in understanding Tourism New Zealand’s markets and potential visitors and determining how New Zealand can deliver what our target market wants.

“Digital marketing, especially web and social media, presents huge opportunities to really target and connect with potential visitors in relevant and credible environments.”

He considers the ‘100% Pure New Zealand’ campaign a big, bold statement that has enabled New Zealand to really punch above its weight and stand out on the world stage.

Watson will be based in Auckland and starts on 6 September.

Call me loyal

Loyalty New Zealand, operator of Fly Buys, has appointed Lance Walker as its new chief executive officer, replacing Andy Symons, who headed Loyalty New Zealand for the past three years.

Walker has extensive experience in direct and loyalty marketing, leading some of New Zealand’s largest direct marketing agencies, including First Star Limited, Aim Proximity Wellington and Limb Walker Partners/Rapp Collins.

David Newman, chair of the board for Loyalty New Zealand, says the appointment of Walker to the helm signals the growing importance of loyalty marketing to New Zealand businesses.

“Lance is arguably the country’s top direct marketing mind. I have every confidence that he will take the organisation through its next phase of growth and development, and build on the reputation of Fly Buys as one of the world’s most successful loyalty marketing coalitions”, Newman says.

While his professional career has spanned advertising, business and financial management and sales, Walker is best known as a specialist in customer relationship marketing. Following a brief period in the United Kingdom, he returned to New Zealand where he worked with a broad range of corporate and government clients to create value through relationship marketing principles.

Walker joined Loyalty New Zealand in 2008 to spearhead its new customer insights unit. This involved leveraging Fly Buys customer information through business driven data analytics. After a year his role was expanded to head of Fly Buys.

Nash Bridges

Expat Kiwi Dave Nash has been nabbed as co-creative director of Ogilvy’s digital department and is coming back to Auckland from London. He will partner with Greg Whitham.

“Ogilvy has transformed itself from a traditional ad agency to an integrated thinking, ideas factory,” says Nash. “And I’m excited to be part of that … Coming home to Ogilvy was a no-brainer. I have great respect for Damon O’Leary [Ogilvy’s executive creative director] and the work he has done over the years, from his days at Saatchi and now here. In the last year he and [creative director]Basil Christensen have developed a senior creative department with some of the finest minds in the industry. Plus they’ve hired some exciting new talent straight out of the ad schools. Partnering that with Rupert Price heading up the planning department, I believe we are set for a big end to 2010 and even bigger 2011.”

Very Advanced

New Zealand online publisher Digital Advance has appointed ex-Fairfax Digital advertising and marketing manager Kirsty Harman as head of commercial and Simon Randall as head of content as it “seeks to capitalise on 12 months of tremendous growth”.

Company founder Matt Harman says the reach of the Digital Advance network of sites, which includes guide2.co.nz, Voxy.co.nz, Gimme.co.nz, Recommended.co.nz and, in Australia, guide2.com.au, has more than doubled in the last year.

“The latest IAB advertising figures show that confidence has well and truly returned to the online sector. These appointments will ensure we are well equipped to capitalise on that confidence,” he says.

Kirsty Harman will be responsible for growing the monetisation of Digital Advance’s existing businesses and identifying new commercial opportunities.

“It’s very exciting to be part of a nimble organisation with a clear vision for the future of the media industry. My job is to see Digital Advance thrive by developing platforms that enable advertisers and consumers to connect with each other in new and valuable ways,” she says.

Randall, who has spent fourteen years in media on three continents and comes to Digital Advance from the New Zealand Press Association, where he led the commercial team, will oversee development of the group’s four sites.

“The opportunity to be at the beginning of something new in media – a new model for our industry – was too good to miss,” he says. “The speed of change with digital media is incredible. One day you’re kicking around a new idea, the next day it’s live on your site. And if your audience doesn’t like it, the feedback is instant. That’s another great thing about working in Online – the ability to converse with your audience. And that’s as true for advertisers as it is for journalists.”

Lost Mojo

When Rebecca Carrasco arrived at Publicis Mojo in June to replace Steve McKenzie as executive creative director, it was all about awards, PhDs and impressive positions that she had held in the past. But she didn’t last long: she’s resigned “for personal reasons” and is returning to Sydney. And when she gets there, according to Campaign Brief, Carrasco will remain on AWARD’s executive committee and will continue her PhD in Ideas at University of Technology Sydney.

Orange County

Keiran Frost has been appointed national group operations manager of events company The Orange Group and will be responsible for the operations across all companies within the group.

Frost joins The Orange Group with an extensive hospitality and events background, including eighteen years experience in managing and developing operations for hospitality businesses in both New Zealand and the UK.

He grew up in New Zealand but has lived and worked in the UK for fourteen years. During that time he managed operations for a range of high profile businesses in the UK from Marks & Spencer and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts to the Apostrophe Restaurants and the infamous Square Pie.

Most recently on his return to New Zealand in 2008, he was instrumental in the development of the events and hospitality business at Villa Maria Estate for the corporate, domestic and international markets and their now renowned outdoor concert series.

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