1. Favourite local campaign that isn’t yours
The Vogel’s ‘What do you bring to the table’ campaign.
I love a good story, with great Kiwi characters, and an ad where the brand reveal at the end is a surprise.
2. Favourite campaign that is yours
The Monteith’s ‘Brewed for Right Now’ campaign has brought together the history of great beers with magic spots that are unique to New Zealand like the Puhoi Tavern.
It reminds me that through older classics like Monteith’s Summer that have been part of some great nights, and new beers like Monteith’s Phoenix, that campaigns can bring back memories of good times with mates over beers. Shouldn’t ads make you want the product – every time I watch this I want a beer!
3. Favourite international campaign
The Elton John ‘Boy and the Piano’ Christmas campaign for John Lewis, again a great story. As a country England do Christmas incredibly well and turn it into such a big event. Big brands that can make big occasions bigger are impressive, it’s hard to do!
4. Least favourite campaign
The Arnott’s Biscuit Apocalypse. Whoever thought that Steven Hansen + first world problem of no more biscuits + the lifesaving advice of ‘don’t lose your biscuit’ might actually sell more biscuits was deluded. Although I’ll still buy white Tim Tams because they’re so good.
5. Your own biggest success
We launched Tiger Crystal halfway through this year and it’s delivered 150 percent growth on the brand with a very different proposition to the current product. Really proud of how our people brought this to life with our partners, and it landed loudly. It’s the second biggest piece of innovation in beer in 2018, second to Heineken 0.0.
6. Most significant launch/innovation/thing of the year
The launch of Heineken 0.0 in New Zealand. We launched through various channels and it’s really impacted the market as a whole. It’s always hard to launch new products that are incremental to a category but this is! The ad was cool, great humour to deliver the message that you can enjoy Heineken 0.0 anytime, anywhere, ‘Now You Can’.
7. What should be un-invented?
Tossup between fidget spinners or Caller ID (impossible to do crank calls now)
8. Lamest trend
People moving out of Auckland, life’s good here.
9. Best brands
Heineken of course! Common Projects, Havianas, James Perse, Norse Projects.
10. Best stoush
Santagate aka Farmers sacking Santa. Santa is a man, it is what it is.
11. Heroes
Vinnie Chase from Entourage.
12. Villains
Plastic Bags seemed like public enemy number one in 2018.
13. What died in 2018?
I wish Hot Desks did, maybe people like having a permanent spot and some personal stuff by their desk.
14. What’s the biggest mistake marketers will make in 2019?
In New Zealand, it’ll be not investing in their brands and instead focussing on complicated things that won’t scale!
15. How far in our future do you think The Handmaid’s Tale is?
More a Vikings guy.
