Radio New Zealand has blown out 50 candles this week to mark Checkpoint reaching half a century of current affairs reporting. It’s now the longest-running news and current affairs programme on local radio and television with no sign of stopping. We talk to head of content Carol Hirschfeld about maintaining its remit as a serious news programme, radio with pictures and Checkpoint with John Campbell.

We’ve seen KFC’s chicken-flavoured nail polish and chicken-scented sunscreen, and now Burger King’s getting in on the action by promoting a Whopper toothpaste to mark April Fools’ Day.

Kudos to Lotto NZ, ATEED, CleanPaleo and AIG.

Introducing NanoDrop, because sparkling water is so 2003.

Allpress Espresso may be doing well for itself with roasters in six countries, but to bring its brand into the digital world, it teamed with digital innovations agency Gladeye to launch a new website.

Ahead of the Lions tour which kicks off in June, a few All Blacks have taken a break from training to show visiting fans what’s on offer in Auckland as part of a ‘Secret Training Ground’ campaign for Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) by Augusto.

It’s been nine years since mens’ clothing label I Love Ugly shook up the fashion scene in New Zealand and since then, there’s been highs and lows along the way. After keeping a low profile for the past year, the brand is back with a vengeance – and a collaboration with global sneaker giant Onitsuka Tiger.

As daylight savings messed with our minds, did any brands catch you off guard with an April Fools’ Day prank? We take a look at what local and international brands got up to over the weekend.

Running around the house and backyard in search for chocolate eggs has long been the definition of Easter. Now, New World and 99 have given the popular past-time a modern day twist by putting it into an augmented reality game.

Snapchat has announced it’s available to partner with New Zealand brands and Air New Zealand is the first to get on board.

Donned in flat cap, cardigan and salt and pepper beard, CleanPaleo director Art Green fronts up the company’s first major ad campaign as Grandpa Leo. We talk to the health food entrepreneur and former Bachelor star on filming, the company itself and leveraging the ‘Art Green’ brand.

As the smartphone market continues to heat up, Spark and Apple have teamed up to launch a new Trade Up campaign showing that all you need for a good time is an iPhone and a dog.

Using an influencer is nothing new in advertising. But in the past few years, the definition of the role has expanded to YouTubers, Instagrammers, bloggers and vloggers, and brands have been jumping on the bandwagon to be mentioned in newsfeeds. However, with the online space comes a new set of challenges from selecting an influencer to measuring results. We chat to Fuse content and brand experience director Holly Lindsey about choosing the right influencer for the brand, understanding the grey areas and generating organic engagement.

‘I’m waiting for it, that Creme Egg, I want it!’

The Clemenger Group New Zealand is future proofing its marketing offering, with the announcement it’s merged Clemenger BBDO, Touchcast and Proximity to create a ‘new age’ agency with what it believes to be the resources, talent and capabilities required to go forward.