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Movings|Shakings: 11 September

Swede as

​Linus Hjoberg has been appointed joint managing director of Ikon.  

A MediaCom veteran, Hjoberg joins from MediaCom Sweden where he held the position of chief executive for the last 12 years. Under his leadership the agency went to number one in the market and held the highest client satisfaction scores of any MediaCom office in the network. Hjoberg will work alongside Ikon’s current managing director Emma Bolser and report to GroupM chief executive, Sean Seamer. He will also sit with Bolser on the GroupM New Zealand board. Group M arrived in New Zealand in late 2014

“From the start of this process, Emma and I were looking to bring a complementary skillset to the business and we’ve done just that. Linus’ proven credentials internationally combine well with Emma’s local experience and as a team they form a compelling proposition. It’s great that we have been able to attract someone of Linus’ calibre to the market. He has an amazing track record and represents a strong cultural fit for us. We look forward to Linus helping shape the future of not only Ikon, but GroupM in New Zealand.”

Ikon has been through plenty of change in the past few years, with its management team getting a shake-up in late 2013. The agency works with the likes of 2degrees, Coca-Cola, Subway and Jetstar. But it lost the Kiwibank business last year after the account was brought together with NZ Post. 

AMPing up

AMP has appointed Mike Loftus to the newly created role of head of campaigns and brand and has also appointed Lloyd Anthony as head of digital.

Loftus has held a number of executive level marketing roles and consulted to organisations including Auckland Transport, Westpac, AIG, Air New Zealand, Qantas, FIFA, Sport NZ and New Zealand Post. With expertise in business strategy and strong financial and analytical skills, he brings a commercial view to campaign and brand outcomes.

“We are currently driving a programme of work that is focused intently on enhancing customer experience through every aspect of our business,” says Jeff Ruscoe, chief customer officer at AMP. “In his new role Mike will be tasked with ensuring that we effectively share our expertise and engage with New Zealanders in a way that enables us to deliver great customer outcomes.”

Prior to joining AMP, Anthony headed the digital team at Spark Digital for three years, during which time he led a rebranding of digital channels. He previously held senior roles in digital management with Fonterra and Air New Zealand.

“We’re working hard to deliver an exceptional online experience for our customers,” says Ruscoe. “We have just launched a new responsive website and have a number of digital initiatives underway. Lloyd will be a great asset as we continue on our journey to grow our digital capabilities.”

In market

Hypermedia has renewed its in-store media contract with Countdown.

The collaboration has spanned more than four years and is set to continue for another two-year term under a new brand masthead ‘SuperMarketer’.

Progressive has over 44 percent share in the New Zealand grocery market with 179 Countdown Supermarket stores nationwide servicing 2.5 million weekly customers. And Hypermedia thinks it’s a compelling advertising arena for FMCG brands to advertise. 

Hypermedia claims that 76 percent of purchasing decisions are made in store, with 96 percent of supermarket shoppers purchasing items they had not intended to buy and 50 percent of shoppers waiting until they are in store to decide how much they will buy.

“If a brand is only spending on advertising outside of the store environment, they are leaving a lot to chance,” says Hypermedia managing director Chris Jones. “We have seen triple digit percentage sales growth for clients by harnessing the power of shopper marketing campaigns to disrupt, inform and persuade decision making where it really counts – in-store at point of purchase.”

Hypermedia has also introduced a new rate card and improved post campaign analytics. 

Heading south

Publicity PR has announced its expansion into the Queenstown market in an effort to service South Island clients and to tap into the opportunities within the tourism and luxury travel industries. 

“Queenstown, one of the fastest growing areas in New Zealand, seemed the logical choice with their burgeoning tourism and wine economies. We are seeing more interest from clients who want local representation and we have responded accordingly,” says director Angelique Fris Taylor.

Fronting the move south is account director Kristen Allison, who will be bridging the gap between Queenstown based clients and Auckland media.

Speaking of Queenstown, Libby Baron has been appointed as the new marketing and partnerships manager at Southern Discoveries, which operates in Queenstown, Te Anau and Milford Sound. She will be implementing marketing strategies across predominantly offline platforms and activity. She joins from Destination Queenstown, where she worked as its communications and media executive. 

A new structure means she will work closely with the online marketing manager Claire Blackadder on brand, offline campaigns, advertising, industry partnerships, content generation and PR activity.

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