APN’s first half figures for 2014 for the six months ended 30 June show that the company’s overall revenue across its Kiwi and Australian offerings climbed three percent, rising from AU$394.6 million last year to A$405.9 million this year. Statutory net profit after tax followed the revenue trend rising 77 percent from A$12.8 million from the previous year to A$22.6 this year. But it wasn’t all good news, with several of the Kiwi categories suffering year-on-year dips. PLUS: we look at Fairfax’s figures and the News Corp debacle.

Just as spring follows winter, so too do parodies follow election ads. There’s been plenty of billboard ‘art’ (some of it quite funny). There’s been a song about John Key (that’s been banned from being broadcast by the Electoral Commission). And there’s been a satirical Colin Craig website (that can’t be shut down because it’s outside New Zealand jurisdiction). And now YouTube user Gabriel Page has tweaked National’s first campaign TVC to show a slightly different type of rowing.

At a time when Spark’s Digital Ventures unit is currently trialling a SmartHome system with a view to launch it in the market in early 2015, we are stepping ever closer to a time when our homes become automated entities that respond to what we are doing and where we are. So, in an effort to see what all the hype is about, Vanilla Brief director Ben Slater recently underwent a smarthome trial.

There are a few brands that are excellent at taking the piss. Newcastle Brown Ale is most definitely one of them. In their latest campaign for the US market, the beer brand is asking fans to send in their mediocre photos because they blew their marketing budget on “paying celebrities to pretend to drink our beer”.

As part of an experiment to gauge the utility and efficacy of the technology, Vanilla Brief Director Ben Slater has had an NFC-enabled RFID chip inserted into his left hand. PLUS: see what other tech-related project he is currently involved with.

After a competitive pitch, Dentsu Aegis-owned iProspect has won the digital media account for Bigpipe, a stripped down naked broadband offering that’s part of Spark Ventures. Plus: chief executive Rod Snodgrass on the thinking behind the Spark Ventures strategy.

As the greasing up kicks into high gear for the upcoming election, there are a range of digital tools being put to use, either to tempt youngsters out to vote, give guidance or join parties. Here are a few of them.

We rely on technology for so many things, but from time to time that reliance goes comically awry. That happened when Spark used find and replace to get rid of the mentions of Telecom on its website and, in a classic case of the law of unintended consequences, ended up creating a new word: Sparkmunications. But there are plenty more entertaining find and replace oopsies.

National released its first campaign TVC this morning and there was plenty of discussion about it—and its soundtrack—on social media afterwards (as Tim Denee wrote on Twitter: “National STRONG like SPORTS TEAM. Other party weak like baby in lifejacket”). Now Labour’s followed suit and launched the TV execution of its Vote Positive campaign.

The National Party has been forced to make a few rugby analogies in recent days as it deals with the fallout from Nicky Hager’s Dirty Politics. But it’s used a rowing analogy in its new TVC to try and show Kiwis it’s a smooth, well-oiled, economic machine that’s taking the country in the right direction and that its opponents are bumbling idiots.

Information released by Statistics New Zealand recently revealed that the extent of the nation’s multiculturalism. And given that we could very well be in the proximity of one of the 4,593 people who identify as French in the nation, it pays to ensure we’re pronouncing words borrowed from their language correctly. So, with the launch of its latest French-inspired burger, Wendy’s has assembled a troop (or is it troupe?) of Vodafone Warriors players to discuss exactly how the word ‘brioche’ is pronounced.

While Tinder’s main purpose is well-known, a number of brands and agencies are using it in interesting, slightly subversive ways, like increasing dog adoption or raising awareness of women’s issues. Now Jacinda Ardern is embracing the medium—for politics, of course—in a continuation of her Ask Me Anything campaign.

Given that Gatorade has come under significant criticism for selling its high sugar energy drinks to people who don’t necessarily need them, the company has now launched a tongue-in-cheek campaign that depicts a possible step in-store staff could take to ensure that the products are only sold to the right people. Rather than just pandering Gatorade to anyone who enters his store, the clerk in the ads requires customers to be sweaty before agreeing to sell the product to them. And to ensure that no violence ensues on account of the ridiculousness of the request, the campaign also features a series of cameos from NFL greats Peyton Manning and Cam Newton.

On Sunday, 17 August, APN launched ShopViva, a fashion e-commerce collaboration between GrabOne, the third biggest e-commerce platform in New Zealand, and Viva, the New Zealand Herald’s flagship lifestyle magazine. The new venture is based on the premise that readers should be able to purchase the items that are displayed editorially in the popular inserted magazine, which is circulated every Wednesday.

Skinny Mobile’s attempt to draw attention to the supposedly profligate ways of Vodafone has backfired slightly after it was forced to modify its campaign and remove pointed references to Vodafone’s sponsorship of the Warriors.

It’s Madden Season, which apparently turns actor Kevin Hart into a complete psychopath.

The All Blacks are attractive endorsers, and they spruik everything from undies to batteries to deodorant. Hell, even the coach Steve Hansen is the (relatively surprising) face of Kitchen Things. Now Repco has enlisted the services of Cory Jane for its father’s day-related Dad of the Year campaign.

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