Every year, StopPress asks players in the local industry for their reflections on the marketing year that was. Here’s what Ben Cumming, general manager of Hell Pizza, thought about 2015.
1. Favourite local campaign that isn’t yours
I like the little things Uber have done recently, like delivering kittens to your door to play with if you donate to SPCA – so random but good fun.
2. Favourite campaign that is yours
The Happy Coq Free Range Farm – because we took a very important issue and had a bit of fun with it, and in the process established immeasurable loyalty with our customer base and brought many new customers in to Hell.
3. Favourite international campaign
Big burger corporation’s ads aren’t usually my cup of tea, but I liked the ballsy-ness of Burger King’s open letter to McDonalds to collaborate for ‘Peace One Day’ which turned to gold for them because of the pitiful response from McD’s… and it reminded me of Hell’s open letter to Pizza Hut a few years ago.
4. Least favourite campaign
Safe – way to push your own agenda at the expense of thousands of other innocent people. Obviously we’re all for better animal welfare, but this type of extremism is not the right way to go about it.
5. Your own biggest success
A string of campaigns – Free Range, Helloween, Fireworks, Black Friday, and the El Cabra goat pizza designed by chef Martin Bosley – culminated in a smattering of sales records including Hell’s busiest ever day, week, month and year.
6. Favourite magazine/website/TV show/radio show/podcast/news service/app/song/other
Hauraki Breakfast all the way!
7. Most ridiculous buzzword
Buzzword
8. Best innovation
Not new for 2015 but 3D printers continue to amaze.
9. Most over-hyped ‘innovation’
It’s probably not actually that ‘hyped’, but how stupid is the concept of Gun TV, which provides 24-hour gun delivery to Americans?
10. Best brands
Panhead Brewery – we love an underdog at Hell, and we also love delicious beer.
11. Best stoush of the year
Tyson Fury has made heavyweight boxing interesting again because everyone wants to see him get his ass kicked.