It’s that time of year again, when journalists and editors who can see the Christmas lights at the end of the tunnel start compiling end of year lists on a vast array of topics. StopPress is even lazier than that, however, because we haven’t created our own (yet) and instead we’ve just decided to point out lists that have already been created. Still, research suggests there’s nothing better than a good list, and these two compilations are most definitely in that category.

World-first alert! The next piece in the rather large ASB puzzle was released on Sunday, with 50 New Zealand consumers playing their part in what the campaign creators believe to be the world’s first-ever ‘mobile ad-venture’, an “immersive film” called Lost that was created to promote its new mobile banking services.

Not surprisingly, ’tis very retail heavy on the ad front this week and there’s not too much that’s rising above the rabble in the lead-up to the festive season. In fact, the most notable feature of the week was the decision by ONE news not to run any ads during its coverage of the Pike River Mine disaster.

New Zealand has one of the highest rates of per capita magazine consumption in the world. And, despite plenty of crowing from the online sector about increasing revenue—and more than a few digi-evangelists still predicting the demise of paper—the domestic magazine market continues to grow.

As we all know, it’s the thought that counts. But that really doesn’t matter at all if it’s a crap thought. As such, the amount of cash you splash is what counts in these consumerist days. And Kiwis’ Christmas shopping habits have been unwrapped (geddit?) in a new survey that has discovered stuff you probably already knew.

The 2011 Axis Call for Entries has gone out. And, in keeping with the event’s unashamed focus on creativity, new convenor of judges Tony Bradbourne says there are a few exciting innovations, like the move from a Word file to a PDF, the change from Times to the more modern typeface Gotham and a couple of subtle changes to some of the categories.

There’s nothing better than making fun of twee town slogans (aside perhaps from coming up with your own). And a contest run by grabaseat and BillieTees called ‘Love Your Town’ has unearthed a few crowd-sourced beauts, with Cecilia of the West Coast and her ‘She’ll be Whitebait’ effort chosen as the worthy winner.

You might know them as the directors of the uber-summery, very New Zealandy commercials for Tip Top and the Interislander. But before Louis Sutherland and Mark Albiston sold their souls to the Sweet Shop and got into directing ads, they made a couple of short films. And their last effort, the Six Dollar Fifty Man, has made the Academy Awards long-list.

The hype was real: there was indeed a genuine news item from yesterday’s Marketing Forum, the annual knees up for senior marketers held by the Marketing Association. And the news is the Hyperfactory Handley Future Marketing Scholarship.

Hark! The finalists for the 2010 RSVP & Nexus Awards have been announced, with DraftFCB, justONE, Rapp Tribal, AIM Proximity, Affinity ID, Colenso BBDO, Federation and Tango Communications leading the charge. So read on and marvel at their response-driven brilliance.

“A local shop for local people” may come from the excruciating comic genius of The League of Gentlemen, but it’s a mission statement that has worked wonders for Flooring Xtra. And now, following a rapid rise up the Kiwi carpeting ranks, it’s set to become a local company for Aussie people.

It’s all well and good attracting eyeballs to your website. But do you know what will help the wallets of those visitors creak open while they’re there? Well, according to new research by Experian, nearly two thirds of Australian marketers have never heard of or don’t understand conversion optimisation, the process of refining a website to help increase the conversion rate of sales, leads or subscribers, with almost half of those surveyed spending 40 percent or more of their budget driving traffic to their website.

Despite some strong rumourmongery that claimed ex Clemenger BBDO Wellington managing director Peter Biggs was set to return to a role in New Zealand after five years spent successfully running the show at Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, the man himself has quashed those rumours and says he’s staying put.

‘Tis the season to embarrass yourself at the workplace Christmas party. ‘Tis also the season to think about presents for your loved—or, if Secret Santa’s on offer, unloved—ones. And while it’s tempting to get everyone you know a life size cardboard of yourself, charities are making their annual call for us to resist our childish, consumerist urges and instead be more grown up in our approach to giving.

nzherald.co.nz has been given a bit of a spruce up, with a revamped homepage, an improved navigation menu and easier access to opinion pieces, forums, editor’s picks and other content. And, slightly ironically, the e-sprucing was announced just after the old version was awarded a silver medal for best newspaper website at the Asian Digital Media awards.

This week on the telly, Rhys plays with his baubles; find out who wins in a fight between the Warehouse family and Countdown Colemans; look at all the pills, potions and lotions on offer for hayfever season; Farmers, Briscoes, Harvey Norman and pretty much every other retailer get into the festive spirit; the return of James Blunt leads to hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders being sick in their own mouths; and, having already launched online, ASB’s new ads finally reach the TV screens, which, if you believe the front page story on the Sunday Star Times yesterday, led to “a flurry of complaints” to the ASA about the IVF assistance ad (in media land, it seems seven complaints constitutes a flurry).

Absolut has released its latest limited edition seasonal bottle design and it’s packed some extra stylish bling this summer with Absolut Glimmer, a retro crystal-patterned bottle that “harks back to an era dominated by classic cocktail culture”. We’ve got two of the sparkly numbers to give away. But you must be 18 or over to enter and you must enjoy Absolut responsibly. So tell us the most responsible way to enjoy it and to the most responsible will go the liquid spoils.