Every year, StopPress asks players in the local industry for their reflections on the marketing year that was. Here’s what Matt Watts, creative director at Hunch, had to say.
1. Favourite local campaign that isn’t yours.
Really liked the latest work from TradeMe. The line’s a clever twist on the familiar, plus the ads themselves are funny and well cast. My wife even giggled and said, ‘those are good ads’ when she saw them…which is rare.
2. Favourite campaign that is yours
Probably the security work we did for Spark Business. We teamed up with Mac’s to create the Mac’s Hack Pack – a special edition pack of beers, designed to get internal IT teams talking about cybersecurity. Each bottle was rebranded as particular threat, with matching copy and icons. Good fun.
3. Favourite international campaign
Pretty much everything from Spotify. In a world of tech this and app that, I love the bold, headline-driven outdoor campaigns they’ve run this year. The nostalgic one, the meme one, random topical ones…like it all.
4. Least favourite campaign
Gillette – We Believe. *Grabs tin hat.*
Not because I don’t buy into the message. Because I do. It just felt a bit off in a way I can’t put my finger on. Overly preachy perhaps…and definitely bandwagony. Can’t a razor company just sell razors?
5. Your own biggest success
On a personal note, surviving the first few months of two kids. Carnage. Professionally, I’ve enjoyed stepping back from the ‘doing’ this year, focussing more on coaching and leading our awesome creative department.
6. Most significant launch/innovation/thing of the year
Hard to look past 5G. Not sure whether I’ve got the timing exactly right…but this has been the year where I’ve dug into it most. Visiting the 5G Lab down at Wynyard Quarter was something else.
7. What should be un-invented?
Automated customer service. There never seems to be an option for the issue I have. Seriously, can I just talk to a human? I’m not even that old and it frustrates the hell out of me.
8. Lamest trend
Not sure if this counts as a trend, but I’m pretty over the need to make sure absolutely everything appeals to absolutely everyone and doesn’t alienate absolutely anyone at all. You just end up with a diluted mess.
9. Best brands
Internationally I’d go for Netflix. Closer to home, Skinny and NZ Herald are two that stand out for me right now.
10. Best stoush
Dylan vs Kylie on Shortland Street. Apparently. Someone told me…
11. Heroes
Our teachers. Until the strikes, I’d probably taken them for granted. But what a massive job they have, teaching and shaping our future generations.
12. Villains
It’s been said before, but it has to be anonymous commenters. If you’re going to shit on someone’s hard work, at least have the balls to own it. I did it once and instantly regretted it. Never again.
13. What died in 2019?
The classic Friday afternoon agency lunch. It still happens occasionally…but deadlines ain’t waiting for my burger and beer fix anymore. I get it, but it’s still sad.
14. What’s the biggest mistake marketers will make in 2020?
Being too busy to make things as good as they can be. Things can nearly always be made better with a bit more thinky time. But urgent, urgent, now, now, now robs clever people of the chance to add that value.
