Monthly Archives: May, 2012

News
The rise and rise of online video—and how brands can benefit from it
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Given YouTube’s current pervasiveness, it’s hard to believe it didn’t exist until February 2005. And back then, the expensive tools of the trade meant high-quality video was largely inaccessible to the hoi polloi. Now, recording technology is cheap and ubiquitous and broadband means consumption is rising rapidly. The seemingly insatiable desire for online video means it is a huge area of focus for brands and marketers and how to tap into some of the possibilities this exciting realm affords was the topic of discussion at the Marketing Association’s Brainy Breakfast last week.

News
Fresh edition of NZ Marketing passes sniff test
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As David MacGregor wrote in Idealog recently, stuff is dead but print smells nice. And as well as sniffing the May/June edition of NZ Marketing, you can also put some of your other senses to use by delving into stories about the seemingly imminent departure of The National Bank from the local banking scene, Peter Cullinane’s old media/new media manifesto, how DraftFCB has quickly gone from middle-of-the-pack to top of its game, how best to target the gold in them thar New Zealand hills with rural media, the ins, outs, ups and downs of mobile marketing and a technology showcase that looks at some of the bells and whistles to make your marketing work smarter.

News
Cadbury keeps the Olympic glass half full with couch-based emotional journey
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Cadbury’s been fairly busy lately. It recently launched a new global campaign out of Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney called Joyville and it has followed up the ” class=”oembed” >”>first spot (hmmm, where have we seen the ‘lots of funny looking people making chocolate in a secretive factory’ thing before?) with a TVC currently running in Australia announcing the arrival of its new ” class=”oembed” >”>Marvellous Creations bar. But, closer to home, as part of its sponsorship of the New Zealand Olympic Team, it has also launched an ad showing its support for the athletes—and the supporters of those athletes.

Awards
Digital Day Out: journey to the centre of everything
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With digital transforming the way products and services are marketed and the ever-increasing consumer appetite for this medium, the influence of digital has never been greater. So it’s never been more critical for businesses to learn how to benefit from the rapid advances in the digital space—and to extend their own capabilities. And the Marketing Association’s Digital Day Out on May 17 gives marketers a chance to get out from behind the desk and examine what is dominating digital today, what the next big things might be and what’s changing the landscape in this ever-evolving medium.

News
Remember this? Get more ‘fro with Moro Gold
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Pitched as the lighter and more indulgent counterpart to the original Moro, Cadbury’s Moro Gold tackled the dilemma of launching an international product into the marketplace without cannibalising the brand’s existing business. And the hugely successful campaign earned Cadbury the 2007 TVNZ-NZ Marketing Award in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods category.

News
Chur bella! National stereotypes to the fore in Subway’s comparative campaign
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There are many differences between New Zealand and Italy. We’re more likely to have milk with our coffee, our menfolk generally only wear budgie smugglers at the beach if they’re triathletes or surf lifesavers, and our prime minister’s parties are pretty tame in comparison to Silvio’s. But as Publicis Mojo’s latest campaign for Subway’s Italiana range shows, there are a few similarities between the two laid-back countries, including a striking upside down geographical resemblance.

News
Golden days as Gladeye and Method nab international digital accolades
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Two Auckland-based digital creative agencies have flown the Kiwi flag at the 2012 Communicator Awards, with Gladeye taking home three golds for Moa Beer, Collette Dinnigan and the agency’s own portfolio website as well as another two silvers, and Method Studios winning gold for a custom Xbox Kinect Game for Smith&Smith that was aimed at insurance brokers.

News
Alt Group cooks up a Clio for F&P’s Social Kitchen
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Just four Kiwi agencies were in the running for Clio Awards, one of America’s most prestigious ad industry awards ceremonies, and only one ended up taking anything home, with Alt Group winning a silver for Fisher & Paykel’s Social Kitchen in the environmental design section.

News
Partington’s Shopping Channel reaches for the Sky, as TVNZ shifts time for ‘plus one’ channel—UPDATED
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Sparks are already flying over TVNZ’s decision to replace TVNZ7 with a ‘plus one’ time-shifted channel that repeats TV One content, with United Future leader Peter Dunne calling it an insult to the intelligence of New Zealand viewers. And he may have something else to complain about because Greg Partington’s The Shopping Channel has, after two years of planning and a few hiccups along the way, finally got the green light and will feature on Sky channel 18 from 1 October.

News
Remember this? The meaning of life is 42
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Long before it sat on the shelves of the world’s swankiest bars, watered private parties at hipster music festival SXSW, ran a cocktail world cup on Coronet Peak, even before that one-time international film competition with 42 directors making 42 films each lasting 42 seconds, and almost a decade before that shifty circus bar with the small bearded lady opened up for 42 days in Auckland during the RWC, 42 Below vodka took out the 2003 TVNZ-NZ Marketing Awards Small Business title.

Movings & Shakings
Movings/Shakings: 4 May
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May the fourth be with you as Contagion announces a creative promotion and a new piece of business, McDonald’s adds two to the grill, Rawdon Christie makes it an English breakfast, nzgirl finds its new general manager, Datamine welcomes a new geek, Sir Dryden Spring steps down and Phantom Billstickers crows about a new Auckland site.

News
Testing mettle/testing metal as Audi opens up its Driving Experience Days
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Aside from being a perennial favourite in the most hated jobs list, another peril of being a journalist is what some may call ‘income disparity syndrome’. Those from the fourth estate often liaise with successful types who earn too much, eat at nice restaurants and drive nice cars, before heading home to eat gruel for dinner, keep warm by hovering around the fire in the 40 gallon drum and wrap up lumps of coal in newspaper to give to their children for birthday presents. So it was with a mix of excitement and depression that I ventured out to Hampton Downs last week to test my driving skills in an array of magnificent German machines that I will probably never be able to afford. And in a new move for Audi, it’s opening up its Driver Experience Days to corporates and individuals.

News
Show punmanship, win beer
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Independent Liquor’s craft beer division Boundary Road Brewery, along with the creative assistance of Barnes, Catmur & Friends, has done a stellar job of spreading the word since its launch—and all with a pretty miniscule budget. And now, in addition to welcoming new US brewer Spike Buckowski to the fold to whip up a a few new variants, it’s also welcoming two new brews into the family: the Mumbo Jumbo, a 5.2 percent ABV India Pale Ale that was selected by 500 tasters recruited to try two variants, and the Chocolate Moose, a 4.5 percent ABV full-bodied chocolate porter. We’ve got four prize packs to give away, so conjure up some beer-related punmanship and tell us what Boundary Road Brewery should call its next version.

News
Good ideas vs bad taste: what ‘creativity with no boundaries’ looks like
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Many of the world’s award shows require client approval, the dates campaigns ran and minimum media spend to ensure scam ads aren’t honoured. But The Chip Shop Awards are “about fostering and recognising creativity with no boundaries and no rules”. The work does not need to have been broadcast, printed or mailed, the clients don’t have to be yours, and you can even make up your own categories. So, since its launch in 2002, the website claims the awards “have produced some of the cleverest, funniest, worst taste advertising and design ever seen”. Some, like M&C Saatchi’s Dave King think they’re grubby and worthless; a blight on the industry. Others like Leo Burnett’s John Jessup embrace the unrestrained creativity on display. Here’s a collection of this year’s finalists (including .99’s Safe Distance), so you can make up your own mind.  

News
Tui bathes in the comical ‘donate-gate’ waters
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The RadioLive interview and 3 News clip featuring John Banks make for rather comical, cringe-worthy viewing. And, as the anonymous donation saga continues to unfold, the contextual humourists at Saatchi & Saatchi and Tui have jumped on board the Banksy train with a new billboard.

News
Puma loosens Lassoo, claws Zenith
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Fresh from its gobbledeegook-heavy global brand relaunch, the local branch of ZenithOptimedia has announced it has won the Puma New Zealand media account from incumbent Lassoo, which will continue to work with the brand in a PR capacity.

News
Remember this? Merino New Zealand’s marketing master-stroke
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For 150 years, New Zealand’s Merino fibre was largely invisible, as it was sold into a world commodity market that was dominated by high-volume producers and then diluted into blends. But in 1995, the growers decided to take a stand and Merino New Zealand was set up. And in 1999, it was awarded the Supreme Marketing Award and Business-to-Business award for lifting the fibre out of the commodity basket and positioning local merino at the highest end of the international market.

News
StopPress/ThinkTV TVC of the Year 2011
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Television viewing in New Zealand is at its highest ever level and television advertising took the top spot off newspapers for the first time ever last year according to the ASA ad revenue figures. So reports of its death appear to be, as the saying goes, greatly exaggerated. Of course, recording technology means interruptive advertising ain’t what it used to be and you can’t just buy attention like you used to, but despite the many digital distractions that are now available to brands and agencies, the power of a good TV ad is still unquestionable, primarily because it is one of the best ways for brands to convey emotion, tell stories and, in most cases, get their messages in front of as many humans as possible.

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