News
Pitching time: L&P and Pump leave Saatchi for DDB; Sanitarium plays the field; and Contagion wins Epson
Here’s the lowdown on a trio of recent account moves across the industry.
Author Damien Venuto
News
Pretty models not included: Whybin\TBWA gives a nod to Westie grit in first Woodstock campaign
Walk into the average West or South Auckland bar, and you’re unlikely to find your Ponsonby-styled cardboard cut-out, featuring slim-fit jeans, pointy shoes and tailored suit jacket. What you are likely to find are a few Woodstock drinkers, who’ve seen some things in their day. In its first campaign since winning the Independent Liquor account earlier this year, Whybin\TBWA veered away from the traditional advertising trope of conventionally beautiful people to instead celebrate the folks who actually consume Woodies.
Partner articles
Growing Momentum: Richard Thompson looks to build on a strong start for KPEX
It was formed through an unlikely alliance forged between four competitors. And now six months in, StopPress discovers KPEX is exceeding expectations and gaining traction in the rapidly expanding digital market.
News
Bauer bets big on Nadia Lim with launch of new lifestyle brand
This morning, at The Vitrine in Grey Lynn, Bauer unveiled a new lifestyle magazine brand fronted by celebrity chef Nadia Lim. Dubbed Nadia, the bi-monthly publication will debut to the public on 17 October, as Bauer distributes a hefty run of 60,000 copies to supermarkets and bookstores throughout the nation.
News
‘Timid, too late, disappointing’: industry experts respond to the Digital Convergence Bill
Media experts have expressed frustration at the fact that Broadcasting minister Amy Adams will keep restrictions on advertising over Easter Weekend in place under the proposed Digital Convergence Bill.
News
Looking back to move forward: FCB returns to The School House
FCB is showing its cerebral side with the launch of The School House, a new forum dedicated to casting a critical eye on advertising and, more broadly, the New Zealand cultural landscape.
News
Why the Sky/Vodafone deal could hinge on sport content rights
Spark’s decision to narrow in on sport streaming rights in its opposition of the Sky/Vodafone merger was an interesting move, given that the telco no longer offers sport content as part of its SVOD offering. We look at why so much hinges on sport content.
News
Pitching time: Westpac media and BMW creative up for grabs
After a relatively quiet patch on the pitching front, things are heating up with BMW and Westpac both reviewing parts of their business.
News
Simon Tong on Fairfax’s voyage into fibre
Fairfax Media managing director Simon Tong has stressed the need to diversify the streams of revenue feeding into the business. And today, the company has taken a rather unorthodox step in this direction by announcing the launch of Stuff Fibre, a joint venture with New Zealand Fibre Communications Limited selling high speed, unlimited fibre connections.
News
The elephant and the rider: Paul Catmur on the behavioural science behind the life-saving Heart Foundation campaign
Advertising usually only makes the mainstream media when an All Black features in a spot or when consumers lash out at something they deem to be offensive. However, today’s edition of the NZ Herald reserved a slot on its front page for a different kind of advertising story. We chat to Barnes Catmur Dentsu managing partner Paul Catmur about why this campaign has been so effective.
Opinion
The playing field is being levelled but the game is still rigged, Mr Roberts
If a change in law automatically changed society, then Saatchi & Saatchi’s Kevin Roberts would be on-point in inferring that gender equality is a non-issue. But because this isn’t how the world works, he’s dead wrong.
News
NZ Story calls on production companies to join its creative collective
NZ Story, the government organisation charged with enhancing New Zealand’s reputation as a business hub, has posted an ‘Invitation to Qualify’ (ITQ) on the government’s tender services website in a bid to attract interest from production companies.
News
Mercury buzzes in with new look, champions renewable energy
Mighty River Power and Mercury Energy have been conflated into a single brand with a greater focus on renewable energy. Now trading under the name Mercury, the updated brand comes complete with a new look.
News
The Spinoff, RNZ and Interest.co.nz conduct a few digital experiments
No one in the industry has found the perfect solution to consistently making money from online journalism, but this isn’t due to a lack of trying. We look at three recent examples of the digital experimentation going on in the industry.
News
Choice TV, NBR and Tangible Media join the KPEX party
KPEX, the local ad exchange founded last year, has confirmed the addition of three new online publishers to the mix, with more set to come shortly.
Features
Andrew Scott on rebuilding Whybin\TBWA
Last year, Andrew Scott took over the chief executive chair of an agency that was enduring one of its most unstable patches in recent memory. And now nine months into his gig, he’s celebrated his first major account win and he thinks there might be a few more to come. We talk to him about what he’s done to steady the ship.
News
Are Sky’s Olympic restrictions justifiable or is it fighting against the future?
This week, Sky provoked ire in the nation’s news publishers by applying a range of conditions on those wanting to use highlights as part of their reportage. Sky is, of course, within its rights to limit the use of footage, which it paid handsomely for. But in an era of rampant live streaming and social media use, is this an example of sticking their finger in the dyke? And what can we learn from the NFL and the NBA?
News
By the grace of 4G: Vodafone puts Mad Mike’s life in the hands of its network
Vodafone recently called on Red Bull stunt driver Mad Mike Whiddett to help showcase the reliability of its 4G network. Warning: not to be viewed by those with a debilitating fear of stuttering streams.
News
Radio survey results: The Edge and Newstalk ZB retain top spots, while Mai FM continues its upward trajectory
When GFK took over the radio survey, it promised more frequent reporting over the course of the year, and the researcher has deliver in this regard, releasing the latest figures just over two months after the first round of results were made public in May.
News
NZME looks to take its long-form journalism beyond walls of text
Discussions on long-form journalism are quite often focused on large walls of text published on magazine-styled websites. And while there is no doubt that there is still a place for this type of storytelling, NZME has just launched a major long-form editorial project that leads with social and digital elements.
News
Jeremy O’Brien on his decade in TV
This week’s news of Jeremy O’Brien’s resignation from his position as commercial director of TVNZ drew the curtain on an 11-year career at the company. We chat to him about what he’s learnt, the state of TV and why he’s taken a new role at Air New Zealand.
News
2degrees account up for pitch
2degrees has kicked off a pitching process for its advertising business, and is currently accepting interest from possible suitors.
News
Actors feeling the squeeze of tighter marketing budgets
The continued squeeze of marketing budgets is also being felt by actors, who are finding it far more difficult to find decent paying acting jobs in the industry. So what does this mean for actors looking to make ends meet while pursuing their passion?
News
Facebook’s approach with Canvas shows why adopting a tech mentality is necessary in media
Only 100 days after launching a major new product, you’d expect its creators to still be in celebratory mood, sipping on the leftover bottles of champagne that slipped by unopened during the launch party. But this was not the case when it came to Facebook’s Canvas. We chat to Canvas product manager Zack Hendlin about tweaking the platform whenever it’s necessary.
News
MediaWorks staffer pleads guilty to fraud, retains name suppression
The MediaWorks staffer accused of fraud amounting to over $450,000 today entered a guilty plea in respect of all charges at the District Court in Auckland. Until now, the identity of the accused has been protected by a name suppression order that prohibits the media from reporting on who it is. Presiding judge Taumaunu made the decision to keep the name suppression order in place until sentencing.
News
Getting experienced: Brett McMeekin on Fairfax’s growing emphasis on events
Fairfax has announced the launch of Urban Adventure, a Crossfit-styled event that will see companies vie against each other for bragging rights. We chat to the media company’s events manager Brett McMeekin on the strategy behind the increased investment in events like these.
News
Spark gets emotive as it launches first big brand ad via Shine and Colenso
In the latter part of last year, Spark appointed Shine as its strategic partner and Colenso BBDO as its above-the-line agency as it looked to evolve the brand. Now, after what has been quite a long gestation period, the Kiwi telco has launched its first major brand ad through its new partners.
News
Pandora looks to claim a bigger sliver of the in-car stream with Uber partnership
Pandora has announced a new partnership that sees the music-streaming company hitch a ride with Uber. From this week, Pandora will be integrated directly within the Uber driver app, giving drivers the ability to manage their Pandora stations and rides in a single place.
Partner articles
The minds behind the machines
We might be making enormous progress with marketing automation, but we still need humans to operate the robots. StopPress chats to two of FCB’s digital strategists on the challenges of keeping the machines in line.
News
Five takeaways from Cannes 2016
As another year of Cannes comes to a close, we take a look at some of the key moments of the event.