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Every year, StopPress asks players in the local industry for their reflections on the marketing year that was. Here’s what True’s creative directors Dom Antelme and Ian Sweeney thought about 2015.
Every year, StopPress asks players in the local industry for their reflections on the marketing year that was. Here’s what Mango’s Claudia Macdonald thought about 2015.
It’s the last day of StopPress for 2015 before we switch into robo-media summer posting mode and because there just aren’t enough Year in Review articles being published at the moment—and in keeping with our annual tradition—we’re going to blast you with a few to kick things off. First up, Saatchi & Saatchi dual executive creative directors Gus Roberts and Corey Chalmers.
Last year, the comedic septuple of funnymen that make up the Alternative Commentary Collective were almost stopped in their tracks by a drinks trolley fiasco that saw their media accreditation pulled. But this didn’t stop the group from adding a bit of colour to the dire commentary that usually accompanies cricket matches. To the delight of fans who aligned with supported causes like #JeSuisACC and #SavetheACC, the collective continued to share their banter, risque remarks and heavy drinking from outside the stadium and later also went cross-discipline and started reporting on rugby. However, after the end of the Rugby World Cup, the ACC disbanded and the various members have since occupied themselves with an assortment of solo careers. Fortunately, NZME’s general manager of experiential Mike Lane has been working hard to convince the band to get back together.
It’s hard to believe Air New Zealand has had the time to actually fly people around the country/world this year given all the major marketing campaigns it’s launched. And while it’s already had a crack at Christmas, once is never enough. So, in a continuation of its Meanwhile in New Zealand series, it’s got a bunch of Air New Zealanders to help ensure a six-year-old boy called Archie gets a visit from Santa after his family moved from Broome in Western Australia to Queensbury, which is about an hour outside of Wanaka.
From taking bathroom breaks to hitting the skip button as aggressively as possible, Kiwis will in most instances do all they can to avoid ads—something that’s evident in the rapid growth of ad-blocking software. However, every year, there are a handful of ads produced that Kiwis actively search for and share with their friends. And this year was no different, with YouTube’s leaderboard of ads showing that Kiwis are happy to sit through an ad if the idea is strong enough.
In its latest spot via Wieden + Kennedy, Nike shows that those future stars are already on the road to sporting greatness. And while they might not yet be attracting any press attention, chances are that they’re probably clad in the latest gear from the sports retailer.
Air New Zealand, Lotto, TVNZ and Spark fill up their sacks this week.
Research from Roy Morgan reveals that Netflix was reaching 398,000 New Zealanders only three months after its original launch.
Amazon was once a company that just sold books online but now with Amazon Prime you can buy just about everything, including tiny horses.
‘Tis the season to be commercial, and Kiwi brands are certainly embracing the opportunity with Lotto New Zealand, Pak n Save and New World all recently releasing Christmas-themed spots.
Our weekly wrap of good things, strange things, funny things and other things from inside the intertubes.
V energy are sparking interest yet again with their latest promotional campaign asking people to use letters on cans and bottles of V to spell out their heart’s desire then share it on social media for the possibility of winning their wish as a prize.
WestJet asks people to complete 12,000 “mini-miracles” and share on social media.
It’s no secret that 2015 has been punctuated by some horrific moments, with the Nepal Earthquake, the Paris attacks, the refugee crisis and the Charleston Shooting standing out as some of the more harrowing examples. But interspersed alongside these events, there were also many positive moments that saw people celebrate and express their creativity online. YouTube, Facebook and Twitter look back at the moments that defined the year.
Those who blurt out spoilers without considering the consequences of their actions have become widely reviled species that are simply met with groans and sighs of disgust from those in their company. And the new Netflix spot educates viewers on the etiquette that viewers must exercise when in the company of fans of particular shows.
As the year hurtles toward a deadline-driven close, top ten lists of things Kiwis did the most during the year will inevitably stream in. And in keeping with its tradition of breaking down the most popular videos into regions, YouTube has again provided a list of the ten clips that Kiwis were most drawn to over the last year.
In October, Republik won the Unitec account, inheriting a brand that has over the last few years outspent both the University of Auckland and AUT University in its bid to attract new students to its classrooms. And despite having a new agency, the educational institution has continued this trend of investing in marketing by hosting an elaborate experiential activation at Auckland’s Britomart just over a week ago.
We bow humbly before DB Breweries, Toyota, Hunter Furniture and SBS Bank this week.
The rise of “wellness” products and services such as cold-pressed juice bars, raw and paleo eateries, boutique yoga studios and alternative therapies has brought with it a specific vocabulary. Some of these wellness words sound like science; some, especially those coming from Deepak Chopra, have the ring of religon, and quite a few are so divorced from meaning that they’re uncategorisable. After overdosing on YouTube philosophical debates one night, Australian web developer Seb Pearce wrote some code to randomly generate New Age copy at the push of a button.
Interactive advertising revenue continues to grow, with segment surpassing $200 million in a quarter for the first time in the third quarter of 2015.
Volvo follows up its ‘Epic Split’ campaign by giving a four-year-old control of one of its latest truck. But things don’t go quite as poetically this time round.
Rarely, if ever, do furniture hunters settle on the first couch they try. The process usually involves trying out option after option, until the right couch announces its existence vicariously through the satisfied sigh of the person sitting in it. And, if a new video series from Hunter Furniture is anything to go by, then this seemingly endless search is also a familiar feeling for those in the business of producing the products we purchase at furniture stores.
If you know Nick Offerman and his character, Ron Swanson from TV show Parks and Recreation you will know how much the curmudgeonly Offerman loves whisky and silence. If you need further proof, the bearded actor and fine wood worker has just filmed a 45-minute spot for Lagavulin whisky where he sits in a fine leather chair next to a crackling fire, calmly staring into the camera, imbibing his beverage of choice and moving very occasionally. Watch it and drink it all in.
The development of new technology invariably leads to the emergence of new words to describe exactly what this tech can do. And with the emergence of programmatic ad-buying and a range of other digital tools, marketing has become flooded with acronyms, intialisms and buzzwords that wouldn’t make sense to anyone outside the industry. Attend an agency lunch or dinner these days, and you’re more than likely to hear a few of these phrases thrown around by individuals who are either in the know or doing their best to feign it. Jargon overload can be frustrating, but we’re actually pretty lucky. At least we aren’t in the business of selling Turbo Encabulators.
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Historically, Mike Pero Real Estate’s ads have featured the founder talking up its lower commissions or profiled some of its salespeople and properties. And that strategy—and the booming property market—has helped it take off, to the point where it appeared on the 2014 Deloitte Fast50 list with revenue growth of 328 percent. Now it’s trying to get more salespeople to join the family, but it’s gone with something a bit more ‘creative’ this time.
Air New Zealand is once again poking fun at rival airlines with a facebook post jibing airline Jetstar for its claims to be “New Zealand’s most punctual airline”.
