We take a look at how New Zealand businesses are marking the Māori New Year.

On Wednesday night, 1 News watchers were left wondering where the news had gone after the broadcast cut out for more than five minutes. While the technical issues were soon resolved, Newshub saw an opportunity to convince 1 News watchers to change the channel.

Our weekly wrap of good things, strange things, funny things and other things from inside the intertubes.

The ‘world’s first’ virtual reality drivers test is here thanks to a collaboration between Government agencies ACC and the NZ Transport Agency – and external partners Strategy Creative, Mixt Studio, and Flying Saucer – which aims to help young people become confident capable drivers. The project launched in July last year, and has since sparked a 30 percent increase in people signing up on the Drive platform, with more than 30,000 sign ups and almost half a million total users who’ve completed 52,000 online road code chapter tests between them. So, could it see the end of traditional drivers tests?

Radio New Zealand has plenty to celebrate this week as the latest round of GfK radio survey results showing it reaches 682,700 New Zealanders (10+) each week, while the government is giving it $4.5 million directly as well as further budget with NZ On Air. PLUS: A look at what other local media think of RNZ+.

Poking fun at the Dry July fundraiser campaign, Radio Hauraki is encouraging Kiwis to get behind its own initiative: ‘Beer and Pie July’.

Kiwi burger chain Better Burger is celebrating all things Simon on 11 July, by giving away free cheeseburgers to any customers with the name Simon on their IDs.

It appears KiwiSaver’s a hot topic right now, with ANZ comparing choosing a scheme to dating in its latest campaign, while Forsyth Barr is encouraging Kiwis not to follow the pack.

Lightbox and Shine have used the idea of moths drawn to a flame to show how the SVOD’s new cinema selection will “light up your nightlife”.

Air New Zealand, Tourism New Zealand and Lightbox show us how it’s done.

Back for another year, NZ Marketing has selected the best of the bunch in the media business. While the editorial team put their heads together to figure out who and what came out on top for the judges’ choice, our avid StopPress readers with their fingers on the pulse cast 11,293 votes to decide the People’s Choice winners.

Primo wants young New Zealanders to express their taste by creating a new flavour and to inspire them, it’s teamed up with Colenso BBDO to test out a few questionable milk flavours.

When given the choice between a bit of scrawled graffiti and a thoughtfully crafted art piece, it’s a no-brainer that broadband company Chorus is choosing the latter. More than 200 of its cabinets across New Zealand have been used as a canvas by local artists, brightening up their urban surroundings and dramatically reducing the amount of graffiti being done.

Our weekly wrap of good things, strange things, funny things and other things from inside the intertubes.

Another round of radio results and with the channel’s total audience on the rise, up to 3.41 million New Zealanders (10+) tuning into commercial radio, there’s reason for both MediaWorks’ and NZME to celebrate. We break down the results to see how More FM, Newstalk ZB and Magic had standout performances while The Breeze and The Edge have lost some momentum.

Simplot and BC&F Dentsu reintroduce the Chicken Tonight brand to a new generation with the help of director Florence Noble, Eight, and a group of chicken-loving children.

Frucor Suntory has launched V’s new Tortured Orchard product through distressed aesthetic street posters via The Phantom Lab.

There’s nothing quite like a Kiwi road trip and Tourism New Zealand has capitalized on this, launching a global campaign with Augusto that focuses on New Zealand’s warm and welcoming culture.

The results of the second GfK Radio Survey of the year are out and with 86 percent of the New Zealand population (10+) tuning in each week, there plenty for the industry to be happy about.

New Zealand Steel has appointment DDB as the creative agency for both NZ Steel and its various brands including Colorsteel, Steltech and AXXIS.

The New Zealand Snow Industries Federation (NZSIF) has joined with How to Dad’s Jordan Watson to help relaunch its ‘Go Snow’ campaign and encourage Kiwi families back on the slopes.

Air New Zealand’s teamed up with Silicon Valley start-up Impossible Foods to serve a plant-based burger and according to the promotional video by True, it’s quite the celebrity.

A round of applause for Skinny, Robert Harris, and NZ Post with New Zealand Red Cross.

Cigna Insurance has launched a new brand campaign with Y&R Wellington that focuses on key life moments.

Clint Eastwood and Sarah Jessica Parker are among the names starring in Skinny’s launch of a new ‘Get the Skinny’ brand platform with Colenso BBDO, the first campaign since the agency’s appointment in May.

QMS NZ has secured an expansion in Auckland bus media formats, with more than 500 roadside and kerbside double-decker and single-decker panels to be added to its offering.

These companies showed us how they put their tools to use and have made it through as finalists in the 2018 TVNZ-NZ Marketing Awards.

New Zealand Story has released the first three ‘Inside Stories’ for its ongoing series promoting Aotearoa – the Global Film, Ingenuity Film, and Food & Beverage Film. Each video is fronted by a range of highly acclaimed individuals including tech entrepreneurs, scientists, inventors and famous actors, and aims to bridge a narrative about New Zealand that isn’t hobbits, the All Blacks and beautiful landscapes to the rest of the world.

The second instalment of findings from last month’s StopPress/TRA survey are out. We asked readers for their opinions on everything from the effectiveness of recent campaigns to the most under-rated marketing disciplines, and this time we look at what they think is currently most under-rated by marketers.