Monthly Archives: June, 2014

News
The duality of Snakk Media: snakes and ladders at the mobile start-up
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Snakk Media’s preliminary financial results released last week showed a 92 percent year-on-year increase, shifting up from $3.6 million recorded between March 2012 and March 2013 to $7 million in the most recent results. Add to this the fact that the company has just announced plans to open a Singapore office in addition to those in Australia and New Zealand, and it seems that Snakk Media’s new chief executive Mark Ryan has a lot to smile about less than a year into his job. But a recent drop in the company’s share price and the fact that it continues to operate at a loss means the company’s evolution has had its fair share of ups and downs.

News
A dose of reality
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If the Onion’s Clickhole is any guide, there’s a section of society that doesn’t actually enjoy the hyperbole and superficiality of some online news outlets. And if you’re looking for a little more reality in your headlines, then Downworthy is the plug-in for you.

News
Sky joins Telecom in the race to become the ‘Netflix of New Zealand’
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Sky TV plans to increase its digital offering before the end of the year with the introduction of a subscription video on-demand service (SVOD), which will stand alone from Sky’s pay television services and be available to both Sky and non-Sky customers. This announcement comes shortly before Telecom is expected to announce the release of its SVOD services. So who will become the Netflix of New Zealand?

News
New Lynn wine website dominating the USA
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Above the American-style Lone Star steakhouse in New Lynn, Auckland, is a very Kiwi office that runs the most influential wine website in the United States. So, aside from feeding off the subliminal vibes of country music wafting up from the restaurant every day from 4.30pm, how did Wine Searcher get from suburban New Zealand to dominating the US online wine scene?

News
Cannes 2014: Trois bronze for Kiwis in Cyber
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Three of the local campaigns many hoped would appeal to the Cannes judges didn’t get the golds they were hoping for, but they did come away with bronze overnight, with DDB taking two bronzes for Sky’s #Bringdowntheking and Paw Justice’s Animal Strike and Colenso BBDO getting one for Samsung’s Smartphone Line.

News
Invisible balls
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The digital realm has allowed marketers and agencies to come up with a range of complex campaign ideas. But sometimes the simplest ideas are the best in this mad digital world. And The New York Times has created an addictive wee gem called Spot the Ball as part of its Football World Cup coverage.

News
Wellington has Things! PWT tempts Aussies with unique city promo
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Australia is the biggest source of visitors to New Zealand, and they’re also pretty keen on Wellington. But there are some enduring misconceptions about the capital across the ditch, so in an effort to address them, Positively Wellington Tourism has enlisted the services of The Voice host Darren McMullan for a tongue-in-cheek self-promotional campaign. PLUS: Wellington pops-up in Auckland.

News
Countdown’s Dreamworks Heroes campaign brings some welcome good news
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In a change of tack from giving out free cutlery, knives and glassware, the embattled Countdown followed New World’s Little Shop suit recently and hawked DreamWorks Heroes 3D collectible character cards and albums. And kids and adults alike have loved it, with general manager of marketing Bridget Lamont saying the campaign saw millions of cards in the hands of Kiwi parents and kids, and more than 100,000 albums sold out across the country.

News
Cannes 2014: two Colenso campaigns shortlisted in Radio category
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Colenso BBDO is the only Kiwi agency still standing in the Radio category after the shortlist was announced overnight. The Auckland-based agency’s campaign for Memphis Meltdown has been shortlisted twice for the ‘Voice Transplant’ and ‘Listen to your Stomach’ spots and the agency also got received nominations for the ‘Talkies’, ‘Meditation’ and ‘K9FM’ spots created for Pedigree.

News
Cannes 2014: gold and bronze for FCB in Media category, Colenso and DDB also pick up gongs
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The media category proved to be very fruitful for the six shortlisted Kiwi entries, with Colenso BBDO’s ‘Smartphone Line’ picking up a silver and bronze, FCB’s ‘Bottled Walkman’ picking up a bronze and DDB’s ‘Animal Strike’ also winning a bronze. The biggest Kiwi winner of the night, however, was FCB’s ‘Brother in Arms’ campaign, which picked up a gold. PLUS: see which Peruvian campaign picked up the grand prix.

News
Cannes 2014: FCB, DDB and Colenso BBDO are bronzed in the Outdoor limelight
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New Zealand enjoyed a 60 percent success rate in the Outdoor category at Cannes as three of the five entries shortlisted picked up awards at the festival. DDB’s ‘#BringDowntheKing’, FCB’s ‘Bottled Walkman’ and Colenso BBDO’s ‘Smartphone Line’ all won the approval of the judging panel—leaving the Kiwi contingent with smiles and a trio of bronze lions.

News
Cannes 2014: FCB picks up silver lion in Mobile category
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Yesterday, we reported that FCB was the only Kiwi agency shortlisted in the Mobile category for its ‘Food Photos Save Lives’ campaign for UNICEF. Well, the good news for the agency didn’t end there, because it was announced overnight that the campaign had picked up a silver gong at the coveted festival. PLUS: see which Brazilian campaign won the grand prix.

News
Kowhai Media relaunches Mana magazine, aims to capture digital eyes
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Mana Magazine, which has been in circulation since 1993, will from issue 118 be relaunched by Kowhai Media, the current publisher of New Zealand Geographic. Until now, the bi-monthly magazine has been published by Mana Productions, a company owned and operated by Derek Fox and, according to a release on the Mana website, this move will see Fox’s responsibilities limited to only providing editorial contributions.

News
Cannes 2014: FCB flies solo in Mobile category
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New Zealand’s hopes in the Cannes Mobile category rest squarely on the shoulders of FCB, as it was the only Kiwi agency to be shortlisted for a Lion. And the news only gets better for the Auckland-based agency, because its ‘Food Photos Save Lives’ campaign for UNICEF has been shortlisted in two categories (charities and response/real-time activity).

News
Cannes 2014: DDB and Whybin shortlisted in Press category
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Whybin\TBWA\DAN’s decision to do a pro-bono project for Minds for Minds has paid off, with the agency being shortlisted in the press category at Cannes for its work on the ‘Meeting of the Minds’ campaign, which was released in January this year. And, after winning big in the print category at the Axis Awards earlier this year, DDB’s ‘Be the Artist’ campaign for Lion is now in contention to pick up a few gongs on the international stage.

Opinion
Ad|Vice: Peter Cullinane
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Ex-Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide chief operating officer, STW director, Assignment Group co-founder, APN board member and dairy don Peter Cullinane offers up some hard-earned pearls of advertising wisdom on Harvey Norman, awards and women.

News
Tag and release: AIG and Augusto’s latest rugby-related work
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Despite some initial wailing when AIG took prime position on the All Blacks jersey—and all the other New Zealand rugby teams’ jerseys—the global insurance behemoth has been a pretty good tenant and has done a good job of getting its pound of flesh without causing too much animosity. Its global sponsorship agency Augusto has been responsible for a lot of that work, from the big launch ad, to a full page ad in The New York Times celebrating last year’s perfect season, to the documentary about Aaron Cruden’s ‘Road to Recovery’. And the pair have been busy lately with the AIG FanPic campaign, the launch of a new travel insurance product and the drumming up of interest in the All Blacks game against the US in Chicago in November.