A smaller group of Ads@6 this time round. Of note: The overly excited bacon-seeking dog that wishes it had opposable thumbs; Charting the evolution of television through Sony’s new Internet TV; some fine tic tac balancing skills and why wolf-whistling is never really a good look.
The ideal scenario for any ad is that it will leave a memorable impression on the viewer and, probably because of its “soap drama” format, most of us clearly remember Sam and her separated parents from the mini Anchor family drama that made its debut in 1989. That was more than 20 years ago, but anchor has plans to tap into the nostalgia with a new campaign to celebrate its 125th birthday in September.
It’s fair to say that South Pacific Pictures has been on a bit of a roll lately. Its success in developing likeable and sometimes dodgy characters (typically of Shortland Street origin) continues, this time with new TV ONE show Nothing Trivial. According to TVNZ, Wednesday night’s debut episode set a new millennium record for a New Zealand drama debut on television, with an average 516,300 viewers watching the first episode.
Tourism is one of Aotearoa’s biggest earners, so when volcanoes erupt halfway around the world, it tends to cast a bit of a pall over our pulling power.
Air New Zealand’s recent marketing win at the Airline Strategy Awards had some of you questioning the actual value of the campaign in regards to the airline’s bottom line. But it has continued its wit-inspired, celebrity-clad Rico videos and, much like Richard Simmons’ in-flight video appearance made some cringe, the latest celebrity to fly the online video skies with Air New Zealand could well have a similar shuddering effect. The latest online campaign sees Rico get Skycouch-cozy with a number of celebrities, first up, David Hasselhoff. That’s two seedy characters in one video folks.
It’s not always be a pretty sight, but you’ll struggle to pull your eyes and ears away nevertheless. Battle of the Ad Bands 2011 is quickly approaching and if you fancy repeating the success of last year’s winner, TBWA’s ‘Backslash’, you best get registering.
A decision to focus on the tourism sector is the main motivation behind publisher People Media Group’s decision to bid farewell to its Exporter magazine, announcing it has been sold to Adrenalin Publishing.
One glance down the toilet paper aisle reveals that, well, there’s a lot of toilet paper to be had. And so in a bid to stand out from its competition, two years ago Kleenex took its toilet paper and enlisted the help of some would-be fashion designers, asking them to make dresses out of the paper—dresses that were then modelled on the runway of New Zealand Fashion Week. And in 2011, it’s at it again.
That little man with the frizzy brown hair, squeaky voice and bright-coloured lycra might have agitated some, but he’s been part of a marketing recipe for success that has earned Air New Zealand a prestigious global win at the 10th annual Airline Strategy Awards held in London.
We know this much about Dan Carter: He likes heat pumps and certain brands of deodorant and underwear. He’s also an awesome first five-eighth. And now in his latest foray into sponsorship territory as the brand ambassador for Philips electric shavers, we’ve been told a different side of the All Black will be revealed.
This edition of Ads@6 takes a step back to mid-late June. Of note: The Electricity Authority takes creative liberty on the celebrity heads game; Westpac shows us how ambitious babies can be with their well crafted Gen W commercial; The Aussie’s continue to do their best to reel us over the Tasman for a holiday—this time with a spot of snorkeling; and MasterCard commences with its nostalgic rugby campaign.
The world of creativity is all about shaking things up and upcoming art, design and creative technologies event We Can Create is no exception. And among the shakings is an amended and expanded line-up of inspirational speakers.
Who’s it for: Tui Blond ‘Vortex’, by Saatchi & Saatchi NZ
Why we like it: The response to the new Tui bottle vortex bottle design has been, it’s fair to say, not overwhelmingly supportive. In this TVC the team try to sex up the vortex design in typical Tui …
Young person’s cancer support organisation CanTeen has named M&C Saatchi as its marketing partner and, just yesterday, it launched the first of its new fundraising concepts.
Common sense would have it that, with just about everything moving online, the role of online video advertising too will only get bigger. MSN decided to find out and conducted some modestly sized local industry research, with results indicating that the majority (87 percent) of local agencies are expecting to see bigger online video advertising budgets over the next 12 months.
Playing around with some of the nastiest dictators to have ever set foot on earth might seem a touch risky, but for online electricity upstart Powershop, it’s hoping a new campaign by DoubleFish, staring the likes of North Korea’s Kim Jong II and Saddam Hussein, will give the company a point of difference against its larger competitors.
If you want to sway the discerning public’s attention to your product, there’s nothing quite like involving them in the development of the product, risky as it may be. And, in a bid to celebrate its first year of business, that’s exactly what daily deal site GrabOne did. Harnessing the pull of its GrabOne Bottle site, Facebook fans were invited to vote on three designs by Media Design School graduate Allan Wrath, the top design earning itself prime position on an anniversary edition wine bottle.
As the Rugby World Cup edges ever so closer, there’s clearly no shortage of rugby-orientated marketing and promotion campaigns to be had. Sanitarium’s latest ploy is no exception, with the company last week finding the time to embark on setting a new Guinness World Record for the world’s largest rugby scrum.
In an effort to create a snapshot of New Zealand through the eyes of social media, Vodafone recently asked Kiwis to share their Tweets, Txts, status updates, videos, and pictures as part of Share Everything Day on 8 July. And the end result of all that sharing, a short-film created by Satellite Media, was released on Vodafone’s Facebook page today.
So, DB has trademarked the beer name “Radler” for its Monteith’s brand, to the despair of independent brewers who say “Radler” is a style of beer, not a brand, and shouldn’t be owned by a beverage behemoth. It’s a battle begging comparison to David and Goliath, but then it seems so many trademark cases are. Here’s our pick of the persnickety trademark bunch ©.
Labour’s political big wigs gathered together yesterday to fire the first election salvo and spell out the party’s intention to impose a capital gains tax if it wins power in November. And the campaign, which is being led by Image Centre Group and String Theory, hopes to persuade Kiwis to vote for the reds by playing on the ideas of fairness and ownership of the future.
We’re venturing back into May and early June for this edition of Ads@6. Of note in this bunch: Classic Hits might be trying to reposition itself as hip and contemporary, but it endorses a rather cheesy CD of soppy ballads; Mainland and Werther’s Original tap into some nostalgia; Ford’s All Blacks designed car delves into the interior aspects; some bogus surfing action for internet protection software; NZTA takes the humorous route; and the Electoral Commission does its best to get you vote savvy.
2011 Corporate Reputation Index
Reputation is everything, someone may have once said. And Air New Zealand has the best one, according to the second annual New Zealand Corporate Reputation Index.
In a move that draws parallels with the Radio Network’s recent Classic Hits’ station brand shift, MediaWorks’ More FM has also been busy on the refresh front, unveiling a new look that features a spotted logo and the positioning phrase: “Live it. Love it. Sing it.” According to More FM Network programme director Ande Macpherson, who joined the station in February to help reconnect the brand to its core values, there’s been a disconnect with what More FM actually stood for.
The awards extravaganzas are finally over for another year, as Cannes comes to a close and agencies around the world tot up their Lions and add them to their 2010/11 haul. And to celebrate the start of brand new awards year, a brand new, interactive product to ensure agencies and creatives need never miss an awards deadline called T-Minus that was created by Steve Moss and Jo Finch at RKCR/Y&R in London in collaboration with digital hotshop B-Reel has been launched.
… (except from vending machines) as Karl Fleet departs Colenso to sit on a throne in the Campaign Palace, Interbrand welcomes a new senior designer, Andrew Spear takes up the rod at NZ Fishing World, PPR shacks up with big comms behemoth Burson-Masteller, Frucor drinks in a new chief executive, Keiran Frost moves up the Orange chain and TVNZ renews its free-to-air deal with Warner Bros.
As everyone knows, the internet is a wonderful thing to waste time on and social media is often singled out as the biggest cause of this timewastery. Now comScore’s Media Metrix service has delivered some local proof, with its recent study on internet usage in New Zealand showing social networking is the most popular online activity, accounting for one of every five minutes spent online in May.
The cover. Proudly sitting there on the newsstand in amongst all the other covers vying for the attention of passersby with enticing images and catchy lines. It’s the art—some might say science—of the tease. And The Maggies, which has once again opened the gates for entries for its second year, aims to celebrate the best examples of this in New Zealand.
Part 143 in an occasional series, this time starring Tenfold Creative and Jennian Homes, Mission Hall and Arthritis New Zealand, JustONE and the Topp Twins, Levi’s and Wieden + Kennedy and a ‘social-film’ by Toshiba and Intel.
There’s been plenty of discussion about the Major Events Management Act (MEMA) and the steps being taken by organisers to limit so-called ambush marketing during the upcoming ‘Big Rugby Event’. Some say the rules are too draconian and kowtow to the corporates, while others believe they’re fair enough because they aim to protect the sizable investment of the Rugby World Cup’s official sponsors. Urgent Courier’s Mobile AdVert has already come under fire from OMANZ for a possible breach. And we’ve found a campaign on AA’s Bookabach.co.nz that looks like it’s in a very similar boat.