However you say it, and whatever you think of it, Cannes has become the high water mark of global commercial creativity and pretty much every agency (and, increasingly, every tech company) worth its salt seeks validation through victory at this huge annual festival in the South of France. This year, there were more than 43,000 entries and more than 15,000 attendees, celebrating both the best ideas and the fact that the company is paying for their potentially debauched and very expensive trip. Contagious, which, according to its blurb, helps brands across the globe to achieve the top 1% of marketing creativity, was there, as it is every year, and Simon Kemp, the head of its consulting division Insider in the Asia Pacific region, looked at some of the themes linking the award-winning campaigns. He visited recently as a guest of FCB and he sat down with Ben Fahy, the publisher and editorial director of StopPress and NZ Marketing, to discuss the impact of technology, advertising as a fashion show, the declining impact of creativity, the idea of purpose washing, and plenty more.

The impact of the US election has ramifications across the globe. And while non-US citizens might not be able to vote in this major decision, a pair of Kiwi creative exports reckon that we should do everything we can to ensure Americans head to the voting stations on 8 November.

You don’t need to look far to find detractors of influencer marketing. Campaigns are difficult to track, audiences are spread across the world and every celebrity is only one faux pas away from a downfall. However, as Kiwi entrepreneur Iyia Liu tells us, influencer marketing also has the the potential of spreading a brand’s message rapidly. And it’s something the 23-year-old has harnessed frequently in building a multi-million-dollar enterprise from the comfort of her Auckland home.

Mexican brewery Cerveza Cucapá has responded to Donald Trump’s wall rhetoric in the most entertaining way: by tricking the politician’s supporters into funding a fiesta.

NZ On Screen is clearly looking for a fight. To mark the 120th anniversary of the first public film screening in New Zealand, the industry body has compiled a list of the top ten Kiwi films ever made. Let the arguing commence.

In a bid to woo more Australian passengers, Air New Zealand has launched a new campaign to change the airline’s perception with its neighbours across the ditch.

Skinny. Seductive. Photoshopped. These three elements have over years become the mandatory approach for the vast majority of lingerie advertising. But inclusive lingerie brands, looking to target women who have grown tired of being reminded of their imperfections are making a stand against this approach. And among those challenging the standard approach is New Zealand label Lonely, which recently released a beautiful body positive campaign for its latest collection.

Active wear, active wear, doing just about everything in my active wear. TRA’s Antonia Mann runs through some recent exercise fads and looks into what they tell us about millennials.

If you’re going to run an organisation representative of best marketing minds in the industry, then you’re going to have to show off your creative chops from time to time. And this is exactly what the Marketing Association with a recent campaign designed to draw attention to its short courses. Rather than just sending out yet another email calling on potential students to attend its courses, the industry body is instead hosting a game of Tetris on its website.

Its October, The Warehouse and supermarkets are filling with candy and pumpkin themed decorations are hitting the shelves. However, the night of dress ups and and tick or treating is still weeks away. So why have creepy clown sightings suddenly taken off around the world, and most recently in New Zealand? We take a look at the phenomenon as a PR stunt for the remake of Stephen King’s It.

KFC’s Colonel has a new, younger look to mark the return of the Nashville Hot Chicken to the menu.

The New Zealand Comfort Group has channeled Sleeping Beauty in a new campaign for its Sleepyhead Sanctuary bed range, via Special Group, in which a bed meets high fashion.

Len Potts, the creative mind behind some of New Zealand’s most memorable ad campaigns, died peacefully at home on 5 October after a short illness, only a few days short of his 75th birthday. We remember the legend.

Russia’s S7 airline has released a beautiful spot that traverses the depths of the earth to the highest of points to celebrate the ‘best planet ever’.

Our weekly wrap of good things, strange things, funny things, inspiring things and other things from inside the intertubes.

Loyalty programmes are the latest brand experience to feel some disruption, as brands collaborate or diversify. Elly Strang takes a look New World’s roll out of a nationwide clubcard, and Countdown and AA Smartfuel’s joint loyalty scheme.

It’s been over a week since Spark launched Spark Jump, an initiative to provide subsidised broadband to families in need. We chat to Spark’s GM of corporate relations Andrew Pirie about the telco’s wider social strategy, its purpose and using technology to make a difference.

Instagram ads have only been available in the local market for the last 13 months, and in that time marketers have started to identify some do’s and don’ts on the platform. Here are ten tips from the team AdRoll.

iProspect New Zealand has just added to its client list, following the win of the Les Mills International global performance digital account.