Last year, NBR launched a new mobile-first website that publisher Todd Scott says involved thousands of man hours. And the new features keep coming, with a personalised online radio service set to launch soon and the offer of a free six-month mobile subscription for its corporate and SME IP subscribers and, soon enough, anyone in New Zealand.
Although most consumers aren’t rushing out to purchase CDs anymore, the record industry is still chugging along. But, as illustrated by the latest stats from Recorded Music NZ, the revenue for the industry is increasingly coming from a very different source.
Here at StopPress we like our whisk(e)y to taste like the inside of a fireplace. But there are a variety of beverage predilections and Portland man Tony Peniche has made nearly $196,000 on Kickstarter by offering to cater to them with oak sticks that claim to cheat time.
In the latest edition of the ‘Rise of the machines’ series, we chat to Vodafone’s general manager of digital and social media Geri Ellis on how the rapid progression in digital technology is impacting the teams that sit on the client side of the industry.
2degrees is attempting a fairly difficult telco trick at the moment as it tries to morph from a challenger brand with lots of low value customers into a grown-up company that’s more appealing to the high-rollers—and it could be argued its agency Special Group is on a similar trajectory as it evolves from a small indie with small clients into a serious multi-national network that’s competing with the bigg’uns. And now the pair are set to launch a very grown-up stunt to celebrate Auckland’s 175th anniversary, its new phone plans and the launch of Samsung’s new Galaxy S6 by turning the Auckland Harbour Bridge into an interactive light show.
With the Cricket World Cup set to enter the quarterfinal stage next week, we thought we’d do another rundown on what the big brands and sponsors have been up to. This time we have news from the Alternative Commentary Collective, Pepsi Cola, Tui, Hyundai and a few others to boot.
Apple has once again stolen all the headlines after the announcement of its new range of watches yesterday. But wearables are much bigger than a ‘fashionable gimmick’, says Jessica Reihana.
Last month, Saatchi & Saatchi released a new Pump commercial alongside Flying Fish featuring a group of good-looking enthused water-drinkers jumping on a trampoline in an effort to grab bottles of water.
The Turing Test is often used as a benchmark for establishing the humanity of artificial intelligence and the media was frothing at the mouth last year when a chatbot called Eugene Goostman posed as a 34-year-old boy from Odessa and supposedly passed the test by convincing 33 percent of the participants they were conversing with a human. There’s no doubt machines are getting smarter (or, at least, getting better at answering questions). So can you tell the difference between human and robot writing? Find out by taking a test created by The New York Times.
Following on from last week’s release of its Infinity software suite, advertising technology company Kenshoo has now released an app update that enables advertisers to manage their marketing campaigns remotely. Added to the foundation of Anywhere app, the update enables marketers to adjust elements of a campaign in real time in response to any changes in circumstances.
The radio industry has been fizzing in recent months. MediaWorks claimed that it was leading the charge on a new research methodology, NZME then decided to independently finance an industry-wide T1 survey after it was scrapped earlier this year, and then Gill Stewart stepped down from her position as the general manager of The Radio Bureau (TRB). So is there still a place for TRB?
An awareness campaign conducted by Cancer Research UK earlier this month illustrated how people tend to ignore things that are blatantly obvious. Developed by Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO and titled ‘The Lump’, the campaign features a bulge on a busy street that grows with each passing day.
A congratulatory bum pat to Anchor, ASB, Pump and the Warriors this week.
Back in 2011, Vogel’s received plaudits for a pun-laden outdoor campaign that cheekily tapped into the hype around the Rugby World Cup, even though it wasn’t a sponsor. And it’s trying something similar during the Cricket World Cup.
Yup, you better belieb it, Justin Bieber has now parodied his own “not photoshopped” Calvin Klein ads with Jeff Ross dressed as model Lara Stone. Too soon? Apparently not.
We see them everyday. These strange, hyper-real, ultra-bright, excessively cheesy stock images. They hardly penetrate the consciousness anymore, but with a bit of tweaking and some superior photo-shopping skills, the stock photos used to promote Vince Vaughn’s new film Unfinished Business do.
Last year, New Zealand retail giant The Warehouse announced it would stop selling all R18 games and DVDs. It also announced that it would introduce a living wage for many of its staff. These moves will cost the company money in the short-term. But, as Janisa Parag writes, brands that put people and purpose first outperform those that focus on profit.
Mac’s has undergone something of facelift, which has seen the brand livery across its range of beers and ciders change. And this news has also coincided with the announcement that Mac’s drinkers will have seven new options to choose from.
The Alternative Commentary Collective has been one of the country’s recent media highlights. The witty, oft-politically incorrect or downright offensive banter, the purposeful mangling of names (RIP Mrs Mangel), the dubious factoids, the humorous nicknames and, occasionally, the cricket commentary, have attracted thousands to NZME’s iHeartRadio platform, as well as a number of commercial partners. But after the ICC got a bee in its bonnet over Leigh Hart’s appearance on Gatorade’s bottle/inflatable penis during a drinks break at McLean Park in Napier on Sunday, the team has had their accreditation revoked, leading to howls of protest from fans—and probably a bit of sucking up from NZME—to ensure the caravan of cricket can continue doing the work of God for the rest of the tournament.
Modern humans already have plenty of gadgets around them. Now they have gadgets to put on them. And Apple is the latest to enter the wearables market with the launch of the Apple Watch, which will go on sale in April 24 in nine countries and in New Zealand later in the year. And, in traditional Apple style, the product has taken centre stage in the advertising.
The way we see men and women is evolving, and many brands have started noticing and reflecting this in their advertising. To highlight some of these examples during International Women’s Day, Getty Images recently compiled short list of the international ads that are leading the charge in representing women as powerful, independent and capable. Plus: Getty looks at the growing trend of androgyny in representations of men and women.
Following a competitive pitch, Shine has won the Huawei account and will now take charge of the tech company’s creative and strategy in New Zealand.
New advances in drone technology have caused a big increase in patent applications, say AJ Park’s Anton Blijlevens and Jillian Lim.
Last year in April, Trustpower’s research team found that many Kiwis didn’t realise that the company offered services beyond energy. To counter this problem and showcase its broadband, phone and gas services to potential customers, the company launched ‘The better together’ campaign, which aimed to highlight the benefits of having a single multi-utility bill. The campaign was initially limited to Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington, but now Trustpower has launched its first nationwide campaign to share its multi-utility story with more Kiwis.
Our weekly wrap of good things, strange things, funny things and other things from inside the intertubes.
Uber has delivered kittens and ice-creams as part of its promotional activities in the past. And now, as part of a campaign via Whybin\TBWA to launch the new PlayStation 4 game The Order: 1886, it’s embraced horse-power.
Industry happenings at Clemenger, Y&R NZ, Tourism NZ, News Works, Seven Sharp, 95bFM, 8, NZRetail and eStar.
This year marks 100 years since the ANZACs got involved in Word War One. And to honour the sacrifice, an Auckland artist has embarked on the massive undertaking of creating the world’s largest poppy, which will consist of 59,000 red metal discs with contributors’ names and messages placed by him and members of the public on Auckland’s Domain in support of the RSA. PLUS: a few other ANZAC initiatives.
Huzzah! It’s reporting season. So here’s a selection of financial results from some of the country’s major media
Launched in the lead up to International Women’s Day this Sunday, a new campaign by creative agency WCRS for not-for-profit organisation Women’s Aid featuring an interactive billboard that depicts an abused woman being healed when passersby look at it. The campaign is powered by face recognition technology, and aims to encourage people not to ignore the issue of domestic violence.