Author StopPress Team

There’s already plenty of fundraising going on to support those affected by the earthquake but hopefully there’s room for a little bit more, so the organisers of the Promise to Pip campaign, an initiative launched by industry luminaries in support of cancer stricken RAPP/Tribal senior account manager Pip Mills, are asking those in the biz to get their tickets for the fundraising event being held at La Zeppa on Thursday 10 March.

As those who use business quips occasionally say, the topline’s for vanity and the bottom line’s for sanity. And if that’s the case then big Aussie publisher APN is relatively sane at the moment, with the New Zealand business reporting growth in earnings before interest and tax of 10 percent in the year to December 31. And, in what has been classified as a “reasonable investment” for APN Outdoor, it has added OGGI’s billboard assets to its already sizable stable.

…as ACP backs up its recent restructure with a few promotions; Air New Zealand welcomes a new board member; 3d Interactive enlists the services of another human; and The Sweet Shop adds an awarded director to its global ranks.

The Tui gnomes have been an integral part of the beer’s brand activity for the past eight years but they’ve never ventured out of the garden and onto New Zealand’s TV screens. Until now, that is, because DB and Saatchi & Saatchi have put the gnomes on the telly as part of a big on-pack and on-premise competition that’s offering a few lucky Kiwis a chance to win a ‘Tui Super Send Off’. But it’s another Tui promotion that caught our attention, for very different reasons.

Hypermedia already has the in-store media for the Progressive supermarkets around the country locked down. And it’s hoping to add a few more national retailers to its arsenal with the establishment of demonstration business Demoworks and a new executive team.

After some lengthy negotiations, Tangible Media has sold Classic Driver and NZ Today to Christchurch-based publisher SW Media, a company associated with the successful online classic car sale website www.simplyclassics.co.nz.

MediaWorks has been under a huge amount of financial pressure recently as its private equity paymasters Ironbridge attempt to cut costs and squeeze out some much-needed cash. And while the losses reported in 2009 were massive, things appear to be looking up slightly, with figures for the year ended August 2010 showing earnings before interest and tax of $50 million, an 11 percent improvement on the previous year’s total of $45 million. Consolidated revenue across the group was $258 million for the year, up one percent from $256 million the year before.

Greetings from the remains of The Media Dept. Appreciate you advising that Stacey and I are safe and well and trucking on. Our building at Ground Zero was actually a damn good place to be. Whilst it may be very old, the complete refurbishment two years ago has meant it is as strong a place as any and stood up well enough for me to (stupidly?) race back in and get mobiles and the laptop! But the devastation in our area at High/Lichfield/Manchester is massive and unfortunately a lot of people will have perished around us.

It felt wrong to be celebrating anything on Friday night, let alone excellence in response-driven marketing, but DraftFCB and The Ministry of Health’s ‘The Journal’ campaign absolutely dominated the RSVP and Nexus awards, taking home the RSVP Grand Prix and the Nexus Supreme Awards—the first time this has been achieved in the 23 year history of the awards—and eight other golds.

Aussie-based media behemoth Fairfax Media has released its results for the last half of 2011, with  TradeMe continuing to shine and the New Zealand arms of the business also reporting double digit profit increases despite a slow economy.

It’s been an unusually exciting week in the world of business directories: first came news the NZ Post-run Localist was suing Yellow. And now Yellow Pages Group chief executive Bruce Cotterill has stepped down, although the two events are said to be unconnected.

Soon-to-launch business directory 0133 has partnered with Mediaworks and deployed a free-to-call service to take non-emergency queries and ease pressure on already strained emergency phone numbers in Christchurch.

.99 announced the appointment of DDB’s Paul Hankinson as its new creative director last week. And he will be joined by Ogilvy’s current head of art Nic Hall, who has accepted the role of deputy creative director and head of art.

Strategy’s Christchurch offices took a bit of a beating after the last quake in September. But group managing partner Geoff Cranko and group creative director/founder Guy Pask have been in touch and it seems everyone is safe. Cranko: “The most important factor is that all our staff are safe and well. First advice is that our building is going to be out of commission for some time so we are looking for some new space for the studio. Thank goodness for our studios in Auckland and Sydney. I will keep you posted.” Pask: “Luckily everyone is okay. Will give you an update when we have a clearer idea of what’s happening.”

Based on a survey of 147 of the country’s leading marketers, New Zealand businesses are planning to spend more on marketing this year. And PR and experiential came out as the big winners over more ‘traditional’ forms of advertising. But difficulties around ensuring accurate measurement are still hampering the sector’s growth.

People and companies all around New Zealand are coming up with ways to try and help those in Christchurch (although it seems a few filthy bastards are trying to profit from the disaster with scams and stealing) and iSite Media is showing its support for Canterbury by offering agencies and clients the opportunity to purchase space for their logo on a 12m x 3m billboard and two Zeus Bus panels in Auckland and Wellington, with 100 percent of the donations going to the Christchurch Relief Fund.