When she’s not being a non-executive director for New Zealand Rugby League, the Cancer Society or the gang responsible for the Dunedin stadium, Jen Rolfe, the ex-director of Saatchi & Saatchi digital, is spreading the digital and direct gospel with Rolfe, the eponymous boutique agency she started last year. So, here’s lookin’ at 2011.
1) Favourite campaign that isn’t yours: Youtube VideoI really didn’t want to like it (professional jealousy) but after the kids queued for 35 minutes in the burning sun at Okahu Bay Reserve, they were stuffed with chocolate, plastered with suntan lotion and Greg Jones even gave me a hug, it seemed only fair to share the joy with Cadbury’s snow dome.
2) Favourite campaign that is yours: We were actually responsible for the guerilla-marketing campaign in the opening RWC match. You know, the bit where Sonny Bill’s shirt actually exploded? Got loads of coverage but we were hoping for a bit more brand recognition for our client. I am also proud of the work we did for New World Media. Hypermedia got the march on and we had to play fast catch up. I do reckon that this collision of transaction data, retail store environment and advertising is a hot opportunity. I call it ‘relationshop’ marketing.
3) Least favourite campaign: You won’t find me bashing someone else’s work when I wasn’t party to the brief, the budget or the client feedback. Just not my way.
4) Best brand: Cancer Society Sunscreen. Close as I come to doing something meaningful with my life. Slip, slop, slap my friends, that sun is really quick to burn.
5) Best stoush: Couple of goodies this year. In the agency, I thought the most memorable was Cess trying to talk Alina out of sun bedding by threatening to call her mum. But the hands down winner has to be that global juggernaut Adidas and our local-man-done-good, Mr Briscoe. You should all sit down and have a nice cup of tea with John Key. That’d sort everything out.
6) Heroes: There’s a few for me. The Mad Butcher. He is a human force of rugby league-ness. I like that guy who organised the student army in Christchurch. And the team at ROLFE who work their hearts out to impress our clients.
7) Villains: That bloody earthquake was a bit rough and scary.
8) Most memorable marketing moment: Great use of experiential and consistent branding to deliver a huge global campaign for the Windsor family. Surely has done a great job in revitalising their key metrics like net promoter score and awareness trends.
