Every year, StopPress asks players in the local industry for their reflections on the marketing year that was. Here’s what Leon Wratt, MediaWorks group content director of music, has to say.
1. Favourite local campaign that isn’t yours
‘Amnesty Unblocker‘. Punchy, incredibly clever and used the ‘environment’ in a completely new way. Kudos to them for such outstanding work, and for a good cause too.
- Check out the StopPress picks of the year here.
2. Favourite campaign that is yours
The Edge re-brand. It was amazing. It took the brand, which is more than 20 years old, to a fresh, modern place that I think really just works in every way, on every platform.
3. Favourite international campaign
Suicide Squad – the movie might not have been that great, but the campaign was brilliant, with a really unique and eye-catching feel across all assets and platforms.
4. Least favourite campaign
New Zealand Post’s dance troupe. I find it super annoying. It’s probably effective, but it grates on me.
5. Your own biggest success
Yet another amazing year of growth for MediaWorks Radio. 2.2 million listeners. Killing it.
6. Most significant launch/innovation/thing of the year
Pokemon Go – self-explanatory. Mission Bay. This was the definition of a craze and certainly the most significant launch of the year. I still spend time in the weekend driving my kid around, he’s only got four to go until he catches them all.
7.What should be un-inevented?
Fake news. Fake news. Fake news. People making bad decisions based on something that isn’t even real.
8. Lamest trend
Moustaches – I can’t grow one. And young people with them look lame. Shave them off.
9. Best brands
Apart from all of mine, Lewis Road Creamery continues to be awesome. Not Samsung, that wasn’t a good one. Tesla is bloody cool. Newshub, a real winner.
10. Best stoush
Coach Michael Cheika vs New Zealand.
11. Heroes
Beauden Barrett. Simon Barnett – must have done something heroic this year. David Bowie and Prince.
12. Villains
I would have said Kanye but I now I just feel bad for him. The Bolton’s from Game of Thrones. Trump. The Brexit team.
13. What died in 2016?
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 – couldn’t even take it on a plane.
14. What’s the biggest mistake marketers will make in 2017?
Spend too much money on social media.
15. Will the robots become sentient and kill us all (asking for a friend)?
Hard to say. The Terminator was a great movie but I don’t want the real version. Maybe 2018. Who needs robots when you have Trump?
