OMD looks to the future and appoints its first tech-head, Dow’s designs come to fruition and The Pond shores up its arsenal south of the Bombays.
OMG, OMD
OMD Auckland claims it is one step closer to “reshaping the future of its agency in the New Zealand market” after announcing a move to narrow the gap between traditional and digital media strategy by appointing its first head of technology, Nivin Sewpershad.
He will help drive execution of the agency’s creativity and strategic product through technology and Chris Riley, managing director of OMD Auckland, says Sewpershad, who brings four years experience to this position in the capacity of ad operations manager at OMD Digital and interactive manager at Ponsonby-based Marker, is the ideal candidate.
“Within the ever-evolving technology space, Nivin has a reputation far exceeding his years as one of the most forward thinking digital practitioners around.”
He says using technology as a driving force behind strategic media direction may be unfamiliar to the New Zealand market. But it is an international trend that has been in the sights of Sewpershad for some time.
And Sewpershad believes that to move forward as an agency it is essential that strategy is driven from a holistic perspective, considering the best of both digital and traditional media ideas, and how technology can be used to optimise results.
“The technology space has no limits and that is where we are headed,” he says.
Dow’s that
Anna Fisher has joined Dow Design as account director. Previously she was client service director at Designworks.
Fisher has 13 years experience across branding and design project management in Australia and New Zealand and her expertise includes corporate identity communications, environmental design, brand creation, brand rejuvenation and digital design.
Among Fisher’s past clients are Air New Zealand, NZTE, Coca-Cola, Vodafone, Comvita, Genesis Energy, CHH, Westpac Australia and AGL Australia.
The Pond goes south
Apparently the Pond has been getting calls from all over the place wanting workers outside Auckland. So it has been building the talent base to the point where we now have seven creatives in Wellington and three in Christchurch.
Leading the charge in Wellington is Gareth Barlow, who has over 20 years experience as a commercial artist and art director. For the past six years he’s been at Singleton, Ogilvy & Mather in Sydney as head of art on Telstra (one of the largest below-the-line accounts in Australasia) and he specialises in direct marketing, digital media and brand development, having worked on brands such as American Express, Hyundai and Nestlé, as well as many high profile clients both sides of the Tasman.
And Stephen McCarthy, a senior designer/creative director who has twelve years experience in the design industry at agencies like Strategy and Q Brand, is the mainland connection. A specialist in logotypes, branding design and design for online, McCarthy has created event art for The World Buskers’ Festival, Canterbury Crusaders and Christchurch Art Gallery), as is a good bet for local government projects and anything to do with music.
Strategy has been a big winner at recent Best Award shows and McCarthy has picked up a number of Silver and Bronze awards for his work.
