Author Erin McKenzie

McDonald’s served up music to its Dutch diners, inviting them to play their placemats while they ate.

Following on from Hubbards recent campaign, we thought we’d take a look at where it all started. The origins of Hubbards can be tracked back to a cement mixer called Mlidred, but the brand has grown from these humble beginnings over the last 25 years into a firm favourite on the Kiwi breakfast table.

There’s a lot going on in the world of media. Each week new updates see platforms change and communication habits follow suit. So how can marketers keep up? In a new series we talk to people in the industry about what the updates mean to marketers. This week we look at how Instagram’s Carousel ads have evolved to increase creative expression through video, a feature New Zealand marketers will be able to use on the platform as of next week.

VTNZ staff simply cannot contain their excitement about getting drivers back on the road if the company’s latest campaign by Assignment Group and MBM is anything to go by.

Home owners looking to renovate don’t always know how to tackle the job, let alone where to find the right people to do it. Design and renovation-focussed Houzz has aimed to help them out with its online and mobile platform connecting home owners with trade professionals, and it’s just launched a New Zealand site.

There’s a lot going on in the world of social media. Each week new updates see the platforms change and communication habits follow suit. So how can marketers keep up? In a new series we talk to people in the industry about what the updates mean to marketers. First up is Wendy Thompson, founder and managing director of Socialites, on how Facebook is making it easier businesses to talk to their communities.

Australian-owned marketing technology company Squiz has recently expanded in New Zealand, adding an Auckland office to its pre-existing Wellington base. Upon the move, we talked to New Zealand managing director Patrick Fitzgerald about the changing landscape of marketing technology, how the lines are blurring between marketing and IT departments and what the technology developers are doing to help.

Auckland Transport is inviting Aucklanders to step into the future, with a new campaign (conceptualised by Republik and shot Zoomslide) exploring how the organisation plans to improve the transport system to accommodate Auckland’s rapid growth and make the city more liveable.

A recent food trend has seen many Kiwi favourites hybridised, in an effort to make the ultimate sweet treat and now Burger Fuel is jumping on the bandwagon with its own savory creation.

BCITO and Brand Spanking have teamed up to raise awareness about the growing labour shortfall in the construction industry Big Brother style. Hoping to highlight career opportunities the industry has to offer, the ‘Not your average shed’ campaign is challenging apprentices to build a shed in the Sylvia Park car park while cameras film every move.

While it’s typically parents who are poked at for being a bit behind the times, Slingshot and RAPP have decided to break down stereotypes and show that parents can be just as internet savvy as their screen-addicted teens.

Music plays an important role in advertising. Songs can be inspiring, mood lifting, and according to the ‘Mozart effect’ may also improve memory. Everyone remembers ‘that song from that ad’, and in some cases more than they remember the actual ad. We caught up with Franklin Rd director Jonathan Hughes about the process of securing music rights, which allows brands to pump out catchy tunes that arrest the attention of their audience.

Twitter turned 10 on Monday and while it celebrated with a #LoveTwitter hashtag, Hotwire decided to see how much love the platform was really getting and whether or not it will last another 10.

Last week agency Stem Creative topped off its transition to Wrestler by opening the doors of its office-turned-gallery, a place where creatives can boost their ingenuity by painting, cycling and dancing. Oh, and there is always a beer in the fridge. Here’s the story behind the move and a look at the new space.

Uber has expanded its rideshare network across New Zealand by launching in Christchurch this week, the latest city on its list of 400 in over 58 countries.

The New Zealand Transport Agency and Clemenger BBDO are pulling on parents’ heart strings in a new campaign, hoping they will get tough with their teens and enforce the rules of a restricted licence.

In both the real world and online world, advertising is rife. Billboards block the view of public spaces while pre-roll ads stand between audiences and their videos. But is there a way to stop it? A public access project, the law and even an app suggest there is.

As counterfeiters step up their game around the world, the need to verify products and their accreditation logos is increasing. So, in a bid to counteract the counterfeiters, and to promote New Zealand and its premium products to the world in a unique way, FernMark has incorporated augmented reality into its logo.