Media companies around the world are increasingly trying to cut out the middle men and profit from clients’ thirst for content. TVNZ’s in-house production team at Blacksand is no different and, as well as doing plenty of quality work for the mothership, like the launch of and promotional campaign for Seven Sharp and the Shortland Street end of year campaign, it’s doing a lot more work on production partnerships, like Telecom’s ‘Tech in a Sec’ and Mitre 10’s ‘Easy As’. Here’s Blacksand’s executive creative director Jens Hertzum’s highlight reel for last year.
1) Favourite campaign
“Thanks for the Warm Up/Meet the Superhumans” by 4Creative.
2) Least favourite campaign
The drink driving advert with the matriarch of the family chastising the child-like, drunken ape-men as they bumble in through the back door…you know the one, it features the half-cut serial killer known as ‘Uncle Gav.’ It’s a tough watch, especially after the phenomenal “Ghost Chips”. Legend.
3) Your own biggest success
Getting stuck in at TVNZ Blacksand, leading an extraordinarily creative bunch, branding, story-telling and winning a few national and international gongs along the way.
4) Most impressive performance
TV2 for still knocking it out of the park. The last episode of Shorty this year received a 58 percent share. Thousands of fans went online trying to figure out which character is dead in the scavenger clue hunt we created.
5) Biggest move
My own to New Zealand. I know I moved in November 2012 but, hey, I’m still just settling in and getting started here.
6) Best innovation
Netflix launches of House of Cards.
7) Best brands
Marvel, Channel 4, Minecraft
8) Best stoush
Funniest was Russell Brand versus American Morning TV. The ugliest was Saatchi versus Lawson. I have never witnessed a more sinister nose tweak.
9) Heroes
Lorde.
10) Villains
Miley Cyrus
11) Most memorable marketing moment
Miley Cyrus at the MTV’s VMAs
12) A few predictions for 2014
TVNZ Blacksand will go up in the world. That will be up to fifth floor of Telecom Tower to be precise. It’s not a prediction really.
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