He switched from creative agency to media agency almost three years ago, and now Mitchell and Partners managing director Philip O’Neill is set to make another switch and will step down from the role in the next few months. 

Shopping is one of the country’s favourite leisure activities. But for certain, usually non-female, demographics, the thrill of consumerism quickly wears thin. In response to this, Ikea has just developed a male creche in Australia called Manland. And, in New Zealand, as part of a programme to keep the kids entertained, Westfield BrandSpace, Persil and DNA have joined forces to create a series of new branded indoor playgrounds.

Some say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But if you work in advertising, marketing or media, you’ll know that’s not true. It’s lunch that’s at the top of the list. And Vinnies on Jervois Road in Auckland (bookings can be made online here) has referenced that with the launch of a rather enticing Friday lunch deal, where diners can get two courses and a glass of wine for just $45 (those with a meat tooth will be overjoyed to learn the lambshanks are back by popular demand). To celebrate this gastronomic arrival, we’re giving away two meals for four from the new lunch menu, one for the person who comes up with the best fictional slogan to advertise the new menu (add it to the comment wall) and one for the best rough sketch of a creative idea for a print ad (email it to [email protected] with Vinnies in the subject line).

The Fire Service and M&C Saatchi recently launched a fairly unique campaign that features revellers after a big night out discussing the perils of drinking and frying—and, by extension, celebrating the joy of takeaways. Now, in another unusual step, it’s joined forces with Hell Pizza, which is putting the ‘Don’t drink and fry’ message on over a million pizza boxes and 100,000 scratch and win tickets that will be distributed in hospitality areas at night over the next two months.

There are 21,000 weddings every year in New Zealand, and each one costs an average of $32,000. Some have margarine sculptures and chocolate fountains, some have jandals on the beach and a few burnt snarlers. But whatever the format, all of them need to be planned and Tangible Media’s New Zealand Weddings is aiming to make that process much smoother with a new annual publication.

Every year the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes Review (DJSI World) provides a global analysis of corporate sustainability leadership across 57 sectors, capturing the top 10 percent of the biggest 2500 companies worldwide. Following this year’s assessment, 41 companies will be added to the list while 23 will be deleted. Of note when it comes to the top ranked is PepsiCo, Samsung Electronics and BMW, which is the only company in the automotive industry to be listed in this family of indexes every year since it was established in 1999. 

Some said they saw it coming, but when ProDesign made the announcement in May that it would be closing its pages for good, it was a sad occasion for many. But at the end of the day, revenue is king and AGM opted to channel its energy and money to the more lucrative interior design sector, with ProDesign editor Michael Barrett taking the reins of the new venture. Last week the fruits of Barrett’s labour were displayed for all to see when AGM launched new magazine Interior.

He’s been on gardening leave since his surprise resignation from the role of chief executive at MediaWorks TV in June. And now it’s been announced that Jason Paris will take over the role of chief marketing officer at Telecom, replacing the outgoing Keiren Cooney, who took a big media battering over the Abstain for the Game campaign and is set to take up the role of chief communications officer with the National Broadband Network company in Australia. 

The DDB NZ and NZ Lotteries combo is a pretty bloody good one, as evidenced by the wins in the TVNZ-NZ Marketing Awards. And, following on from its much-loved Wilson epic, which is the most liked Lotto campaign to date, the duo are hoping to fill the coffers even further and sell the mid-week dream with a refresh of Big Wednesday.

Tui thrives on taking a slightly different approach to events or issues of national significance. So it’s not surprising to see a cheeky rugby-related billboard erection from the trickster beer brand that demonstrates the extent of Kiwis’ hospitable nature.

From psychic Kiwis to psychic cows to the TAB’s prediction chicken, New Zealand rugby augurs are looking for signs to give them confidence the All Blacks will break their 24 year Rubber Wool Cup drought. But, like GNS vs Ken Ring, we base our predictions on hard data rather than snake oil, as can be seen very clearly with the first of our weekly, alternative Rugby World Cup infographic predictions that generally have absolutely nothing to do with rugby and were created by infographics.co.nz. This week, if the RWC is to be won ‘up front’, here are the likely contenders based on average penis size, although it should be noted it may be something of a hollow victory for France as the data wasn’t available for Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Namibia.

We may have been slow off the mark here in New Zealand to adopt them, but QR (Quick Response) codes are finally making their move, popping up everywhere from outdoor advertising to shampoo bottles. Now, in a more ethical application of the technology, Kiwi company All Good Bananas has announced all its bananas will come equipped with a code, helping connect shoppers with the growers of their fruit — the first time the technology has been used in such a manner in New Zealand. 

As you may have noticed, there are a host of rugby-themed promotions and, for the sponsors, RWC ticket giveaways being offered at the moment. And nzherald.co.nz and M&C Saatchi have come up with a good’un by asking Kiwis to send in their best rugby-related words or phrases, along with their definitions. And, thanks to official sponsor ANZ, the best ‘rugbyism’ added at rugbydictionary.co.nz and then voted for by the people will get tickets to the final. But wait, there’s more. There’s an extra special treat on offer for all you creative boffins in adland. 

The call for entries for the 2011 RSVP and Nexus Awards has been put out. So marketing gurus are once again being encouraged to showcase shining examples of the campaigns and projects they’ve created that stimulate a conversation, ask for a response, prompt some deeper brand involvement and lead to a sale, lead or other measurable change in behaviour. 

70 magazine covers were entered and the seven esteemed judges have spoken, with 25 magazines across five different categories making it through to shortlist stage of The Maggies, a national poll to celebrate and award the best covers of the past year.