This post was created by one of the small but mighty StopPress team of journalists. Among their number are: Zahra Shahtahmasebi, Niko Kloeten, Penny Murray and Rachel Tsai. Send your news to [email protected].
Everyone loves an infographic. All that boring data made much more digestible through the wonders of design. And to celebrate the launch of his new Simon Says blog, JWT’s managing director Simon Lendrum got the team to whip something up that shows how Kiwi consumers feel about and react to advertising.
The double whammee of the recession and the digital revolution means it’s been a pretty tough time in the print industry of late. Geon was bailed out by its bankers not long ago, Benefitz has shifted its focus away from the dwindling offset printing market and the troubled Blue Star Group recently agreed upon a capital restructuring in an effort to trade its way out of $300 million worth of trouble. But Webstar, the specialist web printing division of Blue Star Group New Zealand—and the latest entrant to the local magazine printing sector—is still optimistic and has signed up as a strategic business partner of the Magazine Publishers Association (MPA).
New Zealand was on top of the world when it came to passing the dutchie to the left hand side. But, as the latest infographics.co.nz piece de resistance shows, we’re at the bottom of the heap when it comes to being corrupt (being at the bottom is a good thing in this case). Perhaps the two are linked? Speaking of corruption, they also decided to figure out which quarter-finalists had the most lawyers and while that data was unavailable, they did find out which country has the highest demand for lawyers based on cost-per-click advertising. Ireland takes that particular trophy. And, interestingly, despite being the most corrupt, Argentina has the lowest demand.
“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me.” Steve Jobs’ desire to make the world a better place through technology, design and innovation has been a catalyst for many of the changes the communications industry is currently battling with—and, in many cases, now using to its benefit. So we’ve scoured the internet for an insight into the great man’s life.
…as Robert Harvey gets set to take up Philip O’Neill’s slack, DB’s Rene de Monchy departs for Singaporean shores, MEC announces a new arrival and a couple of internal promotions and TVNZ’s head of news and current affairs Anthony Flannery gets set to head back to Australia.
Due to moderately popular demand, our immature penchant for photoshopping heads onto different bodies and a desire to help New Zealand come to terms with the crushing loss of our broken talisman, we’ve decided to ‘disappear’ Dan Carter, just as our quarter final opponent did in the 1970s and 80s. Piri Weepu looked good as a Daikin heatpump. So here’s how Colin stacks up as an off-field replacement.
…as Sean Keaney moves closer to the Capitol, new indie True adds a partner to the mix and iSite Media announces a group agency manager.
Rugby World Cup orientated advertising continues to find touch in this latest round of Ads@6, with Hayley Westenra, RWC 2011, the Warehouse and Mastercard gaining territory. Elsewhere, Jude Dobson keeps you regular and optimises bowel health for Phloe. Crash test dummies take one for the team. “Ew it’s a big giant hand thingy” scaring Bruce and Brian, for 2 Degrees. And fortunately Jane Eyre makes an appearance and raises the tone.
Ahhh wine. You like to drink it. We like to give it away. And we’ve got a special gift box of four varieties of Stoneleigh’s new range of Marlborough Latitude wines (Sauvignon Blanc, 2011 Pinot Gris, 2010 Chardonnay and 2010 Pinot Noir) to give to one lucky reader. So add a comment to the wall telling us why you deserve it and we’ll send out the $110 pack to the best effort.
Despite a large number of Rugby World Cup-related press ads dominating September’s newspapers, .99 has won this month’s NAB Newspaper Ad award with its call plan ad for Vodafone.
Vodafone’s been on a bit of a horror run with bureaucratic entities recently. It’s already been pinged twice for misleading advertising and there are four more court dates with ComCom for separate offences on the horizon. And now it’s been pulled up by the ASA for an ad made by .99 that featured the always dodgy fork and toaster combo.
As Jon Bon Jovi knows, going out in a blaze of glory is always the best way. And Arch West, the man who founded Doritos, is doing just that for his funeral, as a full-page—and slightly macabre—print ad that featured in the Herald attests.
Like many New Zealanders gagging for a long-awaited Rugby World Cup victory, the news that Dan Carter was out of the tournament with a groin injury that obviously came about because it was poisoned by the South Africans ripped our knickers and left a gaping void in our now husk-like hearts. As a very valuable marketing property, many of the brands he endorses, such as Jockey (maybe he should’ve been kicking commando, a la Andre Agassi?), Daikin and Philips, will also be devastated. Before the injury, seeing him on TV or half-nude on a massive billboard was a reminder that our hero was here to vanquish the enemies. Now they only serve to remind us of what we have lost and could forever be linked to pain and suffering. So, for the nation’s good, we propose taking the Stalinest approach and changing history by modifying all marketing campaigns featuring our man Dan. To start the ball rolling—and in honour of the tweet that said “serves him right for being a heatpump”—here’s what we think his ideal replacement would look like in the role. Interestingly, Piri doesn’t look quite as creepy.
In news that’s sure to warm Don Brash’s libertarian cockles, it turns out we’re leading the rugby world when it comes to smokin the ‘erb, as this wee infographics.co.nz ditty shows. If the IRB gives out a $10,000 fine to Samoan player Alesana Tuilagi for wearing a branded mouthguard, one can only imagine how much it’ll cost the All Blacks when Graham Henry makes a bong out of the Webb Ellis trophy on October 23 for a celebratory toke with the team.
…as Clems hires an experienced digi-boffin, Designworks adds another senior string to its management bow and Reach Media and Positively Wellington Tourism both announce new business development managers.
In another pump of patriotism McD’s has released a third ad saluting the unconventional spirit of Kiwis, and celebrating our innate ability to tinker with things in an effort to make them better.
We searched over hill and over dale for the perfect deputy editor on NZ Marketing and StopPress.co.nz. And it was a highly sought after position. But in the end ex-Campbell Live bod Catherine Winks beat out the guy with experience in the adult entertainment industry and the guy who started off his interview by saying he hated advertising.
In an apparent first for New Zealand, Prime Minister John Key will be hosting a one-hour radio show this Friday, 30th September from 2pm on RadioLIVE, and he’ll be chatting with a few special guests, including Sir Richard Branson and our other Dear Leader Richie McCaw.
In a possible world first, an entire community has joined together to sponsor a national sports team in its quest for Olympic glory. The Hawke’s Bay have partnered with New Zealand’s national hockey teams – the Black Sticks men’s and women’s teams – to give them the support they need to take on the world’s best next year in London.
Image Centre Group has this week started a review of its publishing business and, as a result of a more streamlined management structure, Martin Bell, Tangible Media’s chief executive, co-founder of HB Media and deputy chair of the MPA board, has resigned.
GE Capital, the mothership for brands such as GE Money, Gem Visa, Custom Fleet, Equipment Finance, Pacific Premium Funding and Distribution Finance, has appointed Y&R as its creative agency for New Zealand after a comprehensive pitch.
Whether it be at the urinal, in the elevator, at the pharmacy, at the adult concept store or even when someone is shown on the big screen for too long, ‘uncomfortable time’ is an enduring comedic device. And Sky, DDB and Flying Fish have embraced this concept wholeheartedly with a new, entertainingly awkward ad that celebrates the fact its customers don’t need to do anything when the digital switchover arrives next year—and, at the same time, parodies the prevalence of ‘non-threatening brand spokespeople’ on our TV screens.
Leading daily deal site GrabOne has launched its first Faceboook app ‘Gimme5’ and it’s proving hugely popular. As well as being a highly addictive game to play, there’s the chance to win prizes like iPads and a trip to Los Angeles.
Rugby’s pretty close to being a religion in New Zealand. And the outwardly progressive, typically controversial St Matthew in the City and its agency TBWA\ have referenced that with its latest billboard, which uses the ‘Turin Shroud’ style of iconography and endorses David Kirk as a Kiwi deity due to his team’s heroic efforts in 1987.
Using the company vehicle for a dash of marketing is a long-practised commercial tradition. Usually it’s all fairly standard fare that blends into the rest of the melee. But this punny wee number spotted on the back of a van in Auckland got our attention. As did this personalised plate, but for another reason altogether. As a perplexed passenger said: “What does a bathroom truck have to do with a uterus?”
When a kitchen appliance brand launches an advertising campaign with the title ‘Rambo’s Undies’ starring Mikey Havoc and Hayley Holt you know you won’t be getting a standard appliance ad with the obligatory mud-stained children’s clothing. And that’s exactly what Kiwi owned appliance brand Parmco wanted when they signed off on the Parmco Challenge.
…as Les Mills International announces two key staff changes, Ogilvy signs up Ellison, the NBR announces a new admedia reporter, two new in the nzherald.co.nz crew and D&AD chooses its chiefs.
It’s been a difficult few months for Colenso, with Vodafone pulling the pin and moving up the road to .99 before a full pitch kicks off. But the good news is starting to filter back in: executive creative director Nick Worthington has just returned from Spikes Asia with an impressive haul of medals and it has also won the Les Mills International account.
Mediaweb announced today it is “repositioning” two of its titles in an attempt to strengthen its position in the sector.
The company acquired several food industry magazines when it purchased TPL Media’s titles earlier this year.
Mediaweb publisher Toni Myers says two titles, FBT (Food & Beverage Today) and Catering Plus, are not sufficiently different from Hospitality Magazine to continue as they are.
Two staff who both worked on FBT and Catering Plus have left the company as a result of the changes.
As many law-abiding citizens know, prisons are a necessary evil. Recently our finance minister said prisons were a “moral and fiscal failure” at “$250,000 a bed, $90,000 a year to run”. The money spent by New Zealand on incarceration dwarfs what has been spent on the Rugby World …