Monthly Archives: February, 2011

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Ads@6: 11—17 February
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All the regulars are accounted for in this edition of Ads@6, with an array of cars, food, banks, electronics and home/DIY on offer. But it’s the battle of the male deodorants that sticks out, with the rather entertaining ‘Premature Perspiration’ spot for Lynx going head to head with the new and quite powerful All Black-laden Rexona ad. Be still our beating hearts.

News
TV3 and Stuff remove paid search listings
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As a trade publication, there’s not much more we can add to the comprehensive media coverage of the earthquake being offered by New Zealand’s television, radio and print/online media outfits (Vicki Anderson’s take on events is particularly vivid). Obviously, industry issues are the least of everybody’s concerns when there have been so many fatalities in Christchurch and our families, friends and colleagues are going through utter hell, so first and foremost the thoughts of everyone here—and the thoughts of the industry as a whole—are with our embattled countryfolk. But the fact that TV3 and Stuff bid for Google search terms around the earthquake does raise some interesting ethical issues, particularly when the practice is frowned upon overseas. Judging by the comments on the story, some felt it was reprehensible, some felt it was kosher because the information was relevant and some even felt we were giving favourable treatment to TVNZ and nzherald.co.nz. But as of this morning, Tower was the only remaining advertiser on Google search and Stuff and TV3 had removed their paid listings, which seems to be an acknowledgment from the companies or their media agencies that doing so in the first place was bad form.

News
Acceptable or reprehensible? TV3 and Stuff buy Christchurch earthquake search terms
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When it comes to increasing eyeballs, natural disasters are, rather perversely, usually good news for media owners. But where does the line get drawn? Is it acceptable for TV3 and Stuff to bid for search terms around the Christchurch earthquake? When TVNZ has committed to commercial free broadcasts from 6pm through to 12pm tomorrow and promised to make good on any campaigns impacted by the event and Google has set up a people finder (although it also benefits from the search purchasing), it seems awfully cynical to try and benefit from the disaster. As one media insider says, “this is not a time to increase traffic through to a website through paid means”.

News
We heart Christchurch
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Much sympathy and concern to our friends and colleagues in Christchurch. Your loss is ours. And let us know about how you and your workplaces are affected. We’re keen to hear and help. Just add your news and messages of support to the comment thread. And if you’re looking for someone or have info to share, check out Google’s people finder.

News
Of swinging hips and hyperbolic corn chips
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Who’s it for: Levi’s by Colenso BBDO

Why we like it: It’s easy to make a viral ad. It’s much more difficult to actually make that ad go viral. But at well over five million views on YouTube, that’s exactly what Colenso did …

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MasterChef rides gravy train, brings home serious bacon for TVNZ
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MasterChef drew plenty of Kiwi eyeballs in its first season last year. And it also drew plenty of advertiser dollars, whether during the ad breaks or, increasingly, during the show itself through product placement. So, with estimates putting the worth of the Australian version of the show and its associated enterprises at $100 million, how much are Kiwi brands paying to be involved? Does such obvious commercial involvement affect the credibility of the show? And how did the new season launch fare in the ratings?

News
New staff graze on fresh employment pastures as…
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… Sunday announces its replacement for Cameron Bennett; Carlos Savage takes up a new gig in Australia; International Rescue announces a few new additions, including a Kiwi artist whose work made it into Luerzers Archive; another new face arrives at the TVNZ marketing department; Pacific Micromarketing welcomes another team member; and WaikatoLink secure the services of two upstanding gentlemen.

News
All’s fair in love and war—and, increasingly, trade
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They say good things take time, and when it comes to Fairtrade awareness in New Zealand, it looks as if its time has well and truly arrived. In an announcement made by Fair Trade Australia and New Zealand (Fairtrade ANZ), the sale of Fairtrade products have increased by more than 100 percent in just 12 months to $36.6 million in 2010.

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Dog days of broadcasting begin as Seymour takes digital ambassador leash
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Tapping into the love humans obviously have for digital/robotic dogs, Seymour is now the face of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage’s Going Digital campaign, with Designworks’ animated canine setting out on a mission to let New Zealanders know the country is switching off its analogue broadcast system and moving to digital broadcasting between September 2012 and November 2013.

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Colenso and Just Juice ramp up summer nostalgia with excitable oldies
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Just Juice is celebrating 30 years of Kiwi summers by dishing out a range of “sweet classic prizes” to anyone who enters their barcode online. And it’s drumming up interest in the promotion with a gloriously incongruous TVC from Colenso BBDO that shows some overly enthusiastic old folk engaging in their favourite summer activities—and all in horrible slow motion.

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Brand design sweeps its way into famed New York museum
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Jason Saunders, the creative director at Auckland-based graphic design company Everything Design, has caught the attention of the folks at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York. A piece of his “modernist design” work is to be featured as part of an upcoming exhibition titled ‘Standard Deviations: Prototypes, Archetypes, and Families in Contemporary Design.’

News
Internet booty claimed by Colenso as Levi’s viral goes gangbusters
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Colenso is always harping on about the conversation economy; about creating content that’s interesting and/or mysterious enough to get talked about by the masses. V’s Rocket Man succeeded in this regard, but the agency’s latest foray into the dark viral arts, a production/social experiment called the Rear View Girls that aims to promote Levi’s new range of Curve ID women’s jeans, has taken it to another, more international level.

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Soar aims small with new online printing service
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In an effort to capture a slice of the growing demand for online print services from smaller entities and freelance publishers and designers, Auckland based Soar Print is introducing an innovative new web-based full-colour service called PDF2PRINT, which claims to provide an easier, faster and cheaper solution for customers wanting full colour print jobs.

News
As the RSVPs close, the bribery opens
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RSVPs for the APN Outdoor Summer Party have closed and almost 400 industry folk have registered to attend the Friends in High Places soiree next Thursday. However, in shameless advertising fashion, sales director Kent Harrison has taken advantage of the remaining demand and opened his own unofficial RSVP list. So …

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One partnership’s end is another’s virtual beginning
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Breaking up is never easy, but for virtual sports portal Jimungo, it’s hoping there’s plenty more sponsorship fish in the sea. The website, allowing players to pit themselves against mates, work colleagues and strangers, by virtually picking sporting winners, is fresh out of a partnership with the NZ Rugby Union (NZRU)—a relationship that lasted ten fruitful years.

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Old folk rejoice as gates open for Hyperfactory-Handley scholarship
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Following the scholarship announcement made by Derek Handley in November at the annual Marketing Association industry forum, applications for The Hyperfactory-Handley Marketing Scholarship are being accepted from now until 4 April 2011. And, after plenty of interest was shown in the opportunity from those over 35, the age restriction on applicants has been removed.

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Kiwis find solace in the box as TV viewing hits high
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It’s good news for broadcasters, couch sellers and pizza delivery folk, but it’s bad news for obesity campaigners: the latest research from newly established industry body ThinkTV has shown New Zealanders spent more time than ever watching television in 2010, with the average square-eyed Kiwi tuning in for three hours and 22 minutes every day, 20 percent more than in 2007.

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IABNZ lets foreigners play in Bolly Awards sandpit
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IAB New Zealand’s Bolly Awards are all about showcasing and recognising great online creative and Aveeno, Metservice, Plunket, Orcon and House of Travel all popped a few Bollinger corks after claiming victory (or a ‘special mention’) in 2010. And, to help keep the local creative juices flowing, IABNZ has decided to open its doors to entries created overseas that have featured on New Zealand websites.

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Online juggernaut rolls on, gives radio and magazines the evils
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PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Interactive Advertising Bureau have released the advertising spend figures for Q4 2010, and they make for pretty damn good e-reading if you’re in the digital biz, with a total of $71.11 million for the quarter, up from $67.93m in Q3 and up 26 percent year-on-year. Total spend was $257 million, up 20 percent from 2009 ($214 million) and up 33 percent on 2008 ($193 million).

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The sound of joy and the taste of victory
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Who’s it for: Cadbury by DDB NZ and GoodLife Films

Why we like it: Everyone knows there’s plenty of joy to be found in chocolate, but there’s joy everywhere during a New Zealand summer. And this acoustically-led visual feast is certainly a joy to behold …