Strategy’s Christchurch offices took a bit of a beating after the last quake in September. But group managing partner Geoff Cranko and group creative director/founder Guy Pask have been in touch and it seems everyone is safe. Cranko: “The most important factor is that all our staff are safe and well. First advice is that our building is going to be out of commission for some time so we are looking for some new space for the studio. Thank goodness for our studios in Auckland and Sydney. I will keep you posted.” Pask: “Luckily everyone is okay. Will give you an update when we have a clearer idea of what’s happening.”

Based on a survey of 147 of the country’s leading marketers, New Zealand businesses are planning to spend more on marketing this year. And PR and experiential came out as the big winners over more ‘traditional’ forms of advertising. But difficulties around ensuring accurate measurement are still hampering the sector’s growth.

People and companies all around New Zealand are coming up with ways to try and help those in Christchurch (although it seems a few filthy bastards are trying to profit from the disaster with scams and stealing) and iSite Media is showing its support for Canterbury by offering agencies and clients the opportunity to purchase space for their logo on a 12m x 3m billboard and two Zeus Bus panels in Auckland and Wellington, with 100 percent of the donations going to the Christchurch Relief Fund.

Christchurch ad agency Harvey Cameron opened the doors of its new Merivale office last year, having—rather fortuitously, it turns out—moved away from its office in the CBD. And this is what managing director Neil Cameron had to say about the events of 22 February.

All the regulars are accounted for in this edition of Ads@6, with an array of cars, food, banks, electronics and home/DIY on offer. But it’s the battle of the male deodorants that sticks out, with the rather entertaining ‘Premature Perspiration’ spot for Lynx going head to head with the new and quite powerful All Black-laden Rexona ad. Be still our beating hearts.

Much sympathy and concern to our friends and colleagues in Christchurch. Your loss is ours. And let us know about how you and your workplaces are affected. We’re keen to hear and help. Just add your news and messages of support to the comment thread. And if you’re looking for someone or have info to share, check out Google’s people finder.

Just Juice is celebrating 30 years of Kiwi summers by dishing out a range of “sweet classic prizes” to anyone who enters their barcode online. And it’s drumming up interest in the promotion with a gloriously incongruous TVC from Colenso BBDO that shows some overly enthusiastic old folk engaging in their favourite summer activities—and all in horrible slow motion.

Jason Saunders, the creative director at Auckland-based graphic design company Everything Design, has caught the attention of the folks at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York. A piece of his “modernist design” work is to be featured as part of an upcoming exhibition titled ‘Standard Deviations: Prototypes, Archetypes, and Families in Contemporary Design.’

Colenso is always harping on about the conversation economy; about creating content that’s interesting and/or mysterious enough to get talked about by the masses. V’s Rocket Man succeeded in this regard, but the agency’s latest foray into the dark viral arts, a production/social experiment called the Rear View Girls that aims to promote Levi’s new range of Curve ID women’s jeans, has taken it to another, more international level.

The nation’s watercoolers have been abuzz with speculation for the last couple of weeks after the NZ Notworth News campaign went live. Well, the culprits can be revealed, with nzherald.co.nz, its agency M&C Saatchi and production company Small Town Media behind the satirical Anchorman-esque broadcasting network.

In an effort to capture a slice of the growing demand for online print services from smaller entities and freelance publishers and designers, Auckland based Soar Print is introducing an innovative new web-based full-colour service called PDF2PRINT, which claims to provide an easier, faster and cheaper solution for customers wanting full colour print jobs.

Consumers crave realness and human touch, according to Trendwatching.com. And Botany Town Centre is attempting to get real by performing what it describes as random acts of kindness on its customers.

RSVPs for the APN Outdoor Summer Party have closed and almost 400 industry folk have registered to attend the Friends in High Places soiree next Thursday. However, in shameless advertising fashion, sales director Kent Harrison has taken advantage of the remaining demand and opened his own unofficial RSVP list. So …

Breaking up is never easy, but for virtual sports portal Jimungo, it’s hoping there’s plenty more sponsorship fish in the sea. The website, allowing players to pit themselves against mates, work colleagues and strangers, by virtually picking sporting winners, is fresh out of a partnership with the NZ Rugby Union (NZRU)—a relationship that lasted ten fruitful years.

Following the scholarship announcement made by Derek Handley in November at the annual Marketing Association industry forum, applications for The Hyperfactory-Handley Marketing Scholarship are being accepted from now until 4 April 2011. And, after plenty of interest was shown in the opportunity from those over 35, the age restriction on applicants has been removed.

Omnicom-owned Fleishman-Hillard has jumped into bed with Omnicom-owned ELEVEN\PR in an effort to expand its extensive global and Asia Pacific footprint to New Zealand, while “broadening both firms’ areas of expertise and geographic reach”.