In keeping with an ongoing tradition, a few industry players gave us their take on the year for our annual opinion harvest. Here’s what Tracey Fox, who moved from group general manager of marketing at The Radio Network to executive creative director at NZME, thought about 2014.
1. Favourite local campaign that isn’t yours
Axis Awards, Share the Love (via Clemenger BBDO). New Zealand’s top agencies were coupled up and tasked with creating promotional videos to demonstrate their love and appreciation (albeit tongue in cheek) for their competitors. Personal favourite was Saatchi & Saatchi promoting Colenso BBDO.
2. Favourite campaign that is yours
Hmmm, been a busy year. Has to be the ZM ‘Join the Movement’ Campaign. Fletch, Vaughan and Megan kicked off their new gig on the ZM breakfast show with a nationwide tour, recruiting supporters, gathering 10,000 Facebook followers in 24 hours and even converting John Key into a badge-wearing follower.
3. Favourite international campaign
Virgin Mobile Australia ‘Fair go bro’, featuring Doug Pitt (Brad Pitt’s Brother). Made me laugh and stayed true to Virgin’s positioning as the customer champion.
4. Least favourite campaign
Our roadsides were littered with electoral ‘billboards’ in September. I have to say that they were all very dull. Until that is, the public took matters into their own hands and began to subvert the messages. At which point they could easily have made it into my ‘Favourite local campaign’ list.
5. Your own biggest success
Winning the media/publishing awards at the TVNZ-NZ Marketing Awards for the launch of iHeartRadio (plus four finalists). And now moving into this incredible role heading up the group creative team at NZME.
6. Favourite magazine/website/TV show/radio show/podcast/news service/app/song (name as many as you wish and feel free to add in categories).
Radio – Hauraki Breakfast with Matt Heath, Jeremy Wells and Laura McGoldrick
TV Show – Breaking Bad
Film – Grand Budapest Hotel
News service – nzherald.co.nz
App – iHeartRadio, Uber
Gig – Kate Bush, Hammersmith
Album – Royal Blood
7. Most ridiculous buzzword
Blogosphere. Really…
8. Best innovation
The Martin Jetpack. Don’t pretend you don’t want one.
9. Most over-hyped ‘innovation’
Apple Watch
10. Best brands
Lorde, Lewis Road Creamery, Spark.
11. Best stoush
The election was no match for Solange and JayZ sadly.
12. Heroes
New Zealand, Australia taking Japan to court over whaling and winning. Sadly hasn’t made much difference.
The British nurse, William Pooley, who returned to Sierra Leone to care for the sick after recovering from Ebola himself.
13. Villains
Rolf Harris. You let me down Rolf. I really didn’t want it to be true, but it was.
14. Predictions for 2015
Continuing trend in people becoming famous for no obvious reason online.
Content content content. Clients seeking partners that can help them connect in new and more genuine ways.
According to Font’s recent survey, 43 percent of marketing professionals in New Zealand are looking to change jobs next year and 65 percent will be re-evaluating career plans over the Christmas period. So check out some of the roles Font has on offer here and have a gander at the infographic based on the survey results here.
