The Auckland CBD was abuzz with dancing and frivolity today as a host of flashmobbers descended on the city centre for a little bit of very well-organised corporate-funded pseudo-spontaneity.

Town branding, as Jonathan Dodd pointed out in the Herald, has a nasty habit of being exceptionally easy to ridicule, particularly if the slogan that eventually makes it onto the welcome sign is based on lies, unrealistic expectations or blatant straw-clutching.

Of course, town branding can work. But the message …

The auditions have closed and Iggy has spoken.

As part of a promotion from telecommunications company Orcon for its next generation broadband, New Zealand musicians were offered the chance to lay down Iggy Pop’s renowned solo track ‘The Passenger’ online.

We had many excellent entries in our Finish the line cartoon contest, thanks for your wit. We’re spreading the love (beer, actually) with two winners.

From Philip O’Neill: Actually I’m in charge of subscriber-only content at NBR.From Mike Hutcheson: No I’m an Art Director, that …

Nick Baylis, chief executive of M&C Saatchi New Zealand, is now Nick Baylis, former chief executive of M&C Saatchi New Zealand.

He says the decision was formalised this morning.

Asked for the reasons behind his departure he says: “I don’t really want to comment. You’ll have …

Telecom said their new whatchamacallit logo could literally be anything we wanted it to be. They told us, in rather non-committal fashion, it was our job to attach meaning. And attach meaning we did. Some thought it was expressive, floral and energetic. Some thought it was an “arseterisk”. Some thought …

The US Magazine Publishers’ Association does a ton of great research about the power of magazines to deliver hearts, minds and eyeballs. Ironic that the message is being delivered via online video.

After successfully polarising the nation on its new “self-expressive” logo, Telecom has delivered with its new TVC, featuring eight everyday Kiwis, whiz-bang graphics and a bright, positive attitude.

Several graphic and multimedia artists created original artwork to help illustrate the ‘heroes’ and what makes them spark. The images are effectively …

San Francisco’s Salt has analysed the key trends that businesses must understand to build brands in these testing economic climes.

Of course, social media is in there, as well as the importance of trademarking, mobile marketing and ethical consumerism.

It’s sober, essential reading. Visit www.trendsinbranding.com.

Salt …

A unique evaluation of the economic contribution of events to the Auckland region has shown that they contributed at least $479 million of consumption to the Auckland economy in 2008.

This equates to at least a $440 million contribution to Auckland’s GDP in 2008 and 7,227 full-time equivalent …

Rapp NZ took a couple of trophies home from the International Echo Awards in San Diego last week.

It won silver in the financial section for ANZ’s ‘GettingUthru’ campaign, which consisted of asking students to send in their dollar-saving tips by email or YouTube. Students were further targeted with …

Following Conde Nast’s decision to shred five of its magazines this year, including Gourmet and Modern Bride, the publishing giant has introduced an iPhone application for its top male style title, GQ.

For only US$2.99 you can download the entire contents of the magazine, starting from the …

“Doing things differently leads to something exceptional,” says the new ‘Anthem’ TVC for Absolut Vodka. It is very cool, as you can see.

In Auckland, the launch was hyped in conjunction with Absolut Collaboration, a virtual exhibition housed in an inflatable cube in Ponsonby’s Western Park last …

Jim Wheeler – 'Golden Bloom' (edition of 150)

It’s a win-win situation – buy exquisite NZ art to help the Breast Cancer Research Trust find a cure for breast cancer by 2018.

Art for a Cure is a one-of-a-kind exhibition featuring well known NZ artists, all inspired by their favourite NZ …