Monthly Archives: October, 2012

News
Auckland Philharmonia and Colenso take a leaf out of the modern musical playbook
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In a world where The Ridges get their own TV show, celebrities get the headlines and fans froth at the mouth over One Direction or Justin Bieber, it’s not surprising there’s a belief that the lowest-common denominator is on the warpath. It certainly makes things tough for some of the more high-brow pursuits, but rather than simply take the government’s funding decision on the chin, the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and Colenso BBDO have released a charity single called ‘Soundtrack to Auckland’ to help rally support for its cause from Aucklanders.

News
BNZ tries to walk the talk in next phase of Be Good With Money
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Teaser campaigns aim to get attention, and given the story about BNZ’s unbranded billboards had five times as many clicks as any other story in September on StopPress, it got plenty of it. After the reveal, there was also plenty of interest in chief marketing officer Craig Herbison’s explanation of the thinking behind the purposefully controversial campaign, with some blasting it and others applauding its boldness. So now the ‘Be Good With Money’ platform is out there, BNZ and Colenso BBDO are on a mission to prove the bank can help New Zealanders do just that. And the first cab off the rank is its TotalMoney offset mortgage.

News
AMP implores Kiwis to empty their too-hard baskets
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They say regret is a pointless emotion, but what would ‘they’ know. So to inspire a few more Kiwis to get their ayes into gees and shake up the ‘ahhh, I’ll do it tomorrow’ attitude, AMP, Running With Scissors, DNA and Bloodhound Media have got together to launch the ‘act today, own tomorrow’ campaign.

News
The Mentalist returns to talk up ANZ’s new twosome
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The trusty Huntaway took the departure of the National Bank brand in his stride, and last night saw the launch of the first brand campaign for the new ANZ since the big announcement was made a few weeks back, with a Kiwi-specific cameo from Aussie actor Simon Baker back in character as The Mentalist’s Patrick Jane. And while we’re impressed with his use of two tea bags, a classic trick used by tea-nerds who like a stronger brew without the ‘nyertch’ factor of tannins, we fear our fictional friend may be stretching the truth a little.

News
Worried well: Tower and .99 focus on the little things
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Tower’s last campaign was based around some of the things it had learned about is customers in its almost 150 year existence as an insurance company (like 52.4 percent of its Roadwise call outs are for flat batteries), and along with its new agency .99, which was appointed as Tower’s full-service agency a few months back, it’s found another truth to base its new campaign on: people will always find something to worry about, no matter how trivial.

News
Toyota and Saatchi introduce smitten, self-harming kitten in new Corolla campaign
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When Orcon launched its new cat-centric campaign recently, we mentioned the fact that Wired had delved into what it called the online cat-industrial complex, ad agency John St had spoofed the feline fascination brilliantly with the world’s first cat advertising agency, and a recent cat video film festival in the US drew 10,000 people (it was won by Henri 2: paw de deux). So it’s fair to say the cat is a powerful force in these digital times. And Toyota and Saatchi & Saatchi have enlisted the services of a self-harming feline called Alloroc (geddit?) who’ll stop at nothing to get into the new 2013 Corolla as part of the ‘Feels Good Inside’ campaign.

News
Revolution Fibres rules them all at Innovators Awards, as Kiwibank takes marketing category
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Revolution Fibres, an Auckland company that uses nanotechnology to make super strong fibres—in particular, for air filters for household ventilation systems, high strength fishing rods and fabric to enhance skin healing—claimed the supreme prize at the 2012 New Zealand Innovators Awards. And in the categories most relevant to the marketing community, Syrp’s Genie, Kiwibank’s online relationship management, The Gibson Group’s TouchHistory innovation, audio/text fusion Booktrack, virtual world SmallWorlds, paperless receipts company Paperkut and The Nutter’s Club also took home prizes.

News
AIG packs down with the NZRU
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In what could be seen as either a blow for rugby purists lamenting the sport’s descent into commercialism or a massive boost for the New Zealand Rugby Union—and the game as a whole—global insurance company American International Group has signed a five and a half year sponsorship agreement that will see its logo take pride of place in the middle of the All Black jersey.

News
Sparrows! Fish! Eggs! Chairs! Women! Men! Big hits! Pride! Print! First world problems! Cheating! Water wigs! Drugs!
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A clip not suitable for people with broken ribs; let nothing come between a man/woman and his/her fish; a bit too much eggnog, perhaps; the real reasons Facebook is like chairs; men are from mars, women are not; everyone loves big hits; just like Heineken and Gin Wigmore, Apple’s new iPod ad has a Kiwi connection, with Willie Moon’s backing track; Lexus brings print to life—by using a tablet; first world problems get hijacked, support Lance, amazing water wigs and what drugs do for self-portraits.

News
Rise of the white coats: Google’s Tony Keusgen on New Zealand’s digital shortcomings and the importance of combining math and magic
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While New Zealand’s international awards hauls have earned it a reputation as a hotbed of advertising creativity, Google’s New Zealand country manager Tony Keusgen believes we’ve got a lot of work to do when it comes to digital marketing and he is on a mision to get Kiwi marketers using data to inform their decisions. So how important is search? How can YouTube being harnessed? And are Kiwi marketers prepared for the brewing mobile storm?

News
The future will be personalised: TRN ushers in the ‘next era of radio’ with local version of iHeartRadio
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Video hasn’t killed the radio star and, seemingly, neither will digital. In fact, not only has Kiwi radio maintained its share of all advertising, it now has more commercial listeners than at any time in the previous decade. But that doesn’t mean radio’s resting on its analogue laurels, as evidenced by the announcement from the Australian Radio Network (ARN) and subsidiary The Radio Network (TRN), a joint venture between APN News & Media and Clear Channel International, that popular all-in-one digital radio network iHeartRadio is coming down under.

News
Moa adds its special touch as IPO details announced
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Annual reports are usually about as exciting as a packet of ready salted chips, so we were impressed with Z Energy’s interactive effort, which saw Assignment Group and Heyday add a few bells and whistles in an effort to get people to actually pay attention to it. Investment statements are also pretty staid, but Moa certainly isn’t, so as part of the company’s forthcoming IPO, Geoff Ross and co. have tried to create a document people will want to read—and keep. And, in what it believes is a world first, it also includes paid third party advertising for Aston Martin, Working Style, Partridge Jewellers, Ecoya and Beretta.

Movings & Shakings
Movings/Shakings: 11 October
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IABNZ chooses its new executive weapons, Flying Fish signs up the ‘young Lee Tamahori,’ Eye adds to its Kiwi arsenal, Waitemata Films adds another directorial string to its bow, Telecom’s Chris Quin joins the Icehouse and Waikato-based HMC expands.

News
Bogusky helps bring a new meaning to Coke burn with cautionary polar bear tale
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There are plenty of moral dilemmas working in—and writing about—marketing. At its core, it’s about using creativity and communications to grow businesses. And, often, using creativity and communications to grow businesses selling products that some deem harmful. As this Ad Age story points out, Alex Bogusky used to work with Coca-Cola when he was part of Crispin, Porter + Bogusky, but after a bit of a break, he’s now fighting the other, less well-resourced activist corner, delivering a bit of an uppercut to Coke and other producers of sugary drinks with a four-minute long animation about a family of unhealthy, fizzy-drink-loving polar bears who finally see the light.

News
War stories: Saatchi & Saatchi mixes the old with the new for Navy recruitment campaign
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It wasn’t too long ago Saatchi & Saatchi was showcasing the joys of life in the Air Force in an effort to drum up new recruits. And now it’s taken to the water, with a new Navy campaign that “uncovers the extraordinary life of adventure, belonging and purpose that comes with being a sailor” and features a stirring rendition of the national anthem by New Zealand’s oldest living Navy veteran, 96 year-old Vince ‘Cyclone’ McGlone.

News
From ground-licking to ear-dousing in the name of taste-testing L&P
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It might be our national fizzy drink but you’d probably be hard pressed to describe the flavour of L&P. And explaining what L&P tastes like is the central theme of four new TV spots launched in a new campaign by Saatchi & Saatchi, along with the Taste-a-liker – an app that encourages the brand’s 190,000 strong Facebook community to share their own thoughts on the flavour.

News
Gravity Coffee runs off with September ORCA
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When Special Group came up with The Gravity Coffee Run, they thought well beyond the parameters of the 30-second spot and drummed up a fully integrated, made-for-radio promotional campaign using the talents of More FM and one unsuspecting intern. And the ORCA judges loved it, naming it the winner for September.

Movings & Shakings
Gardner turns Orange, Ogilvy turns White
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After heading south to take up the role of general manager at Ogilvy Wellington a couple of years ago following the closure of Saatchi & Saatchi’s digital arm DGS, Tony Gardner will be heading north again to take on the role of chief executive of events specialists The Orange Group in Auckland. And his replacement has been named, with current general manager of M&C Saatchi Wellington Aaron White set to man Ogilvy’s fort.

News
The best global brands know how to be human
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Despite Steve Jobs’ passing, consumers’ emotional connection to his brand remains stronger than ever, with Apple climbing up the ranks of Interbrand’s 13th annual Best Global Brands report to second place behind reigning champion Coca-Cola.

News
Stay Today gets a room with Fairfax, ups its Aussie footprint
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A year ago we introduced you to Veronica Nobbs, the AUT graduate and entrepreneur behind mobile app Get a Room. She had a vision for shaking up the hotel booking industry—having noticed that customers were increasingly booking on the same day as their stay—and devised an app for reserving rooms at super short notice. That vision continued as the business rebranded as Stay Today a few months ago and added features like a unique price-drop engine that reduces room costs throughout the day from noon onwards.

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