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Contagion @ SXSW: Fritha Hookway on key trends, Kiwi innovation and what we can learn from China
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In what has been something of an annual pilgrimage over the last few years, Contagion’s social influence director Tom Bates headed to the SXSW festival again this year. And during the early part of his visit, he caught up Contagion alumus Firtha Hookway for a brief chat on what she’s been up to and what she thinks marketing and advertising types should be focusing on in 2016.

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Child Cancer Foundation calls on Kiwis to help kids fight the big C monster
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We often use the phrase “fighting with cancer” to describe cancer patients’ battle against the disease. And that’s because it’s perfectly accurate. These people are fighting for survival, which is one of the biggest and most important battles anyone could fight. The Child Cancer Foundation has rendered the idea of a fight as literally and creatively as it could in its latest campaign, featuring brave children battling a representation of their cancer for the Child Cancer Foundation’s annual appeal.

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Cluedo and Boobs: ‘FCBoob’ wins the Axis agency challenge
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For this year’s edition of the Axis Agency Challenge, ad folk were asked to click on the online Rand-O-Matic machine, which served up random couplings of words that had to be combined into a creative idea. An opportunity of unbridled creativity is not something agency folk shy away from, and few creatives across ad land dedicated some of their already packed schedules to finding amusing ways to combine the incongruous words spat out by the Rand-O-Matic. Of all the bizarre ideas that emerged, none entertained the judges quite as much as FCB’s titillating reinterpretation of Cluedo.

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The movement against outdoor advertising
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In both the real world and online world, advertising is rife. Billboards block the view of public spaces while pre-roll ads stand between audiences and their videos. But is there a way to stop it? A public access project, the law and even an app suggest there is.

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The dark side of SEO: reputation management, article spinners and ethical dilemmas
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In 2008 Canadian musician Dave Carroll was travelling with United Airlines. During a layover he heard a fellow passenger remark that baggage handlers on the tarmac in Chicago were throwing guitars. He arrived at his destination only to discover his $3,500 guitar was severely damaged. After an unsatisfactory response from the airline, he used his musical talent to create a song he dubbed ‘United breaks guitars’ with a music video and all. The song went viral and the incident created a PR disaster for the airline. But now, when Googling the airline, there is no mention of the incident. This is an example of the power of search engine optimisation (SEO) and its role in protecting brand reputation. We chat to Pure SEO’s Richard Conway about this idea and the threat of negative SEO.

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Borat vs. the iPhone
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In the same way Apple aims to revolutionise the world with its products, Sacha Baron Cohen wants to revolutionize the world with his characters.

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Media Munchies: Chelsea Winter
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Many MasterChef contestants quickly fade from view. But, with a big social following, the launch of a popular cookbook and a gig as Woman’s Day’s food columnist, Chelsea Winter has created her own thriving culinary empire. Here’s what she eats for media lunch.

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Special Group’s Michael Redwood: Sydney office ‘definitely on track’ to be bigger than Auckland office by end of 2016
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Special Group chief executive Michael Redwood says business on the other side of the ditch is growing so quickly that he anticipates the Sydney office will employ more staff than the Auckland branch by the end of 2016. And this rapid growth, which has seen the Sydney office grow to 30 staff within 18 months, was recently recognised by Sydney-based Adnews magazine, which declared Special Group the Emerging Agency of the Year.

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