1. Favourite local campaign that isn’t yours
I really liked what the Clems team did with the ‘Give Nothing to Racism‘ campaign for The Human Rights Commission. Let’s go with that. Oh, and I was pretty envious of the Heinz Beans ad Y&R and Assembly did.
2. Favourite campaign that is yours
Before heading to Auckland to get my son closer to his grandma, I was part of the team that launched Weta Workshop’s first board game, GKR: Heavy Hitters, on Kickstarter. It went on to become New Zealand’s most successful Kickstarter of all time, at the time. Let’s just assume it still is…
3. Favourite international campaign
Kendall Jenner for Pepsi. So bad. So good. So interesting. I mean, Pepsi should really take a leaf out James Franco’s book a make a dramatisation of how this cautionary tale came to be. Really own it, you know? It’s also an important ad because it’s another strike against brand crusades for good. I’m getting pretty tired of those.
4. Least favourite campaign
Green Party. Sure, you scraped in, but you need to do better.
5. Your own biggest success
Moving to Waiheke turned out to be a success. Also, the clever Little Giant team won Campaign Asia-Pacific’s New Zealand Digital Agency of the Year last year. So, that too.
6. Most significant launch/innovation/thing of the year
Marriage Equality for our friends over the ditch.
7. What should be uninvented?
LinkedIn news feeds. I always come away from mine feeling annoyed and a bit sad. Actually. I think it might be time to uninvent my LinkedIn account. There’s no joy to be found there.
8. Lamest trend
So many this year! Loot boxes are pretty bad. Millennial Pink. Almond “milk”. Fidget spinners. Cinematic universes. Being offended. Yeah, let’s go with being offended. Pick your battles, world.
9. Best brands
Garage Project. Just continues to be a joy, really. Doesn’t it?
10. Best stoush
The racist rant from the guy at my local Fish and Chip shop that was caught on film, and the ensuing community backlash.
11. Heroes
The Ugandan Knuckles Tribe. Way to subvert the medium, guys. Ready Player One—yeah, we’re not quite there yet. I’m quite happy about that.
12. Villains
Disney. Just stop buying everything.
13. What died in 2017?
The toaster I bought when I was 20. Farewell old friend.
14. What’s the biggest mistake marketers will make in 2018?
The slow leak of marketing dollars to constantly feed the social media monster. Content calendars? Nah. Just do less, better.
15. What’s the most Black Mirror/ sci-fi horror thing likely to happen in the near future?
Apple will remove more ports from their MacBook Pros. They’ll probably make the keyboard a screen too. Then where are we? Heading to Smeartown with a backpack full of expensive adaptors. Horrific.
