The Internet Bureau (IB), “the original New Zealand online media buying agency”, is set to join forces with digital acquisition company Catch!Media, with the decision to merge based on continued online advertising industry growth and the need for a full-service digital offering.
It’s music to the collective ear of Kiwi marketers: according to the latest data from Statistics New Zealand, total retail sales in New Zealand were up 0.8 percent ($46 million) in November, following two months of flat retail results in September and October. Added to that, the latest Roy Morgan-ANZ poll showed New Zealand consumer confidence hit a three-year high in January, with a recovery in the housing market and a possible peak in the unemployment rate creating more optimism for both current and future conditions.
Our Dear Leader, tourism minister and meat-sizzling, beer drinking Kiwi bloke John Key has dished out $5 million of marketing cash in order to promote eight of the country’s biggest tourist regions.
There are already plenty of daily deal websites operating in New Zealand, but popular Australian shopping site Catch of the Day thinks there’s still room in the market for another one and will start offering its cheap wares to insatiable online shopping Kiwis on 1 February.
DraftFCB has scooped round two of MSN’s trans-Tasman Butterfly Award, a competition designed to recognise Australasia’s online advertising creativity.
Those fortunate enough to still be at home watching television every weekday morning will have a new face to contend with in 2010 after it was announced Hadyn Jones will replace Steve Gray as co-host of Good Morning, joining Sarah Bradley and Brendon Pongia on the couch to discuss things like gardening and emotions.
An extremely scientific Twitter survey has revealed New Zealand’s most memorable advertising jingles. And the ‘winner’? John Rowles, with his irresistible sexy stuttering on the ‘GGGGGGGG-Gerard’ number, of course.
Hewlett-Packard has announced the appointment of Warwick Grey as the marketing manager for its South Pacific personal systems group (PSG).
JK Kids has appointed new indie agency Tenfold Creative to manage its advertising across New Zealand and Australia, choosing the six-month old company over an international agency in the hope it can deliver a greater return on investment.
The advertising lazy susan has spun again in early 2010, and this time it’s Ogilvy announcing three new additions to its creative department.
Most brands are happy to get a celebrity endorsement (even when it’s fairly incongruous) as long as it raises awareness of the product. And, thanks to Prince Willy the Charming (and his dutiful media army), the profiles of such things as brand New Zealand, Kia Kaha clothing, Monteith’s New Zealand lager, over-budget legal buildings, barbecue culture and little spotted kiwis are now most definitely on the rise overseas.
Who it’s for: Tui Blond by Saatchi & Saatchi.
Why we like it: Self-reflexive and slightly in-jokey but it’s always entertaining seeing a grown man try to eat a number of dry Weetbix.
Mark Rushworth, Vodafone New Zealand’s chief marketing officer, has resigned after returning to work after the holidays with what Vodafone’s communications manager Paul Brislen called “a luxurious matt” on his face, confirming fears that Christmas beard growth (and also having to wear shoes again) is inextricably linked with laziness.
Heineken has been sponsoring New Zealand’s premier men’s tennis tournament, the Heineken Open, for 12 years. And that relationship is set to continue until at least 2013, after it renewed its sponsorship agreement with Tennis Auckland for three more years.
AIM Proximity, the world’s second best direct marketing agency according to the recent The Won Report, has announced the appointment of a new creative director, channel planning director and production director.
In this week’s Consumer Counsel: Marketing alcohol in the new decade? Some new regulations could be coming your way as the World Health Organisation works out its draft alcohol strategy.
Welcome to the Media Counsel’s first Media Monitor for 2010. Are we there yet? 2009 was a tough one. So is the economy looking any healthier in 2010? Like someone stealing lentils, we take the pulse.
January is a time of pointless contemplation and soul-searching; a time when the ridiculous dreams and unrealistic goals thought up over the festive season are quickly crushed underneath the weight of depressing everyday life. Or is it?
Due to popular demand from the region’s agencies and production companies, ADFEST, the only Asia Pacific advertising festival originating from Asia, has agreed to extend the deadline for entries until 31 January.
As Bonnie Prince Willy jaunts around New Zealand on his regal tour with around 60 foreign journalists capturing his every forced smile and hoping he’ll spill tomato sauce on his suit at the upcoming governmental barbecue, much has been written about the value to ‘brand New Zealand’ in terms of the positive exposure his jet-lag infused trip will generate.
With the new news year unofficially restarting today and the A-list hosts from both networks back punching the clock, it’s the perfect time to delve into the murky depths of 2009’s news ratings data.
Tiger Translate, the New Zealand-developed art and music mash-up, is heading back to Auckland in 2010, with this year’s event set to take place in a pop-up location (trend alert!) featuring a maze of gallery spaces spread over three floors.
Nelson Mandela tries his hand at marketing.
For the pet that has everything. No more Mr Brown eye!
A novel ‘job ad’ featured in Seek.
And when comfort goes too far.
Shocking results from further in-depth studies conducted over the summer break by the diligent researchers at Dresden’s Bikini Institute prove that fictional studies from late 2009 were correct: StopPress readers are in fact far superior to their peers in almost every conceivable way and also haven’t put on any weight over Christmas.
Multiple award-winning, London-based advertising creative Dylan Harrison has been appointed executive creative director of Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand.
Lemonade, “a film about 16 advertising professionals who lost their jobs and found their calling,” encourages people to listen to that little voice inside their head that asks ‘What if?
Fairfax Media, publisher of stuff.co.nz has appointed journalist and blogger Greer McDonald, who has been a news reporter specialising in online issues at The Dominion Post for the last two years, as its first social media editor.
Over the holidays, when you weren’t eating sausages, perfecting your extreme hammocking or tipping a car on its roof and setting it on fire while giving the cops the fingers to celebrate the new year, you may have laid your peepers on this cougar viral that was created by the team at Grabaseat.
Music composition and audio production company Soundtrax and music supervision and licensing company Mana Music have merged and will now offer composition, music supervision and licensing and audio post services under one roof.
The new year has been rung in, and so have changes to the nzherald.co.nz team, with a new recruit and an increased focus on direct advertising sales.