To celebrate the launch of a new book featuring a who’s who of the marketing world sharing their stories about the ‘larger-than-life and times of David ‘Devo’ Walden”, we’re republishing the entry from his long-time partner in crime at Whybin\TBWA, Andy Blood.
Following the news that one of the ad industry’s most loveable rogues David Walden went to, as his good friend and rival Mike Hutcheson said, “the big restaurant in the sky” over the weekend after a short battle with cancer, we’re republishing a story that originally ran in the March/April 2012 edition of NZ Marketing. When Walden opened Whybin\TBWA in 1997, Vincent Heeringa wrote an article predicting its swift demise. At the time, the big man joked he’d sue unless he was taken out for lunch. So Heeringa finally did the honourable thing around 14 years later and chowed down on some (typically expensive) humble pie.
After establishing the New Zealand arm of Whybin\TBWA around 15 years ago, David Walden resigned from his post last year and made way for Todd McLeay. And now he has officially announced his first new role: chairman of The Family, the agency set up by ex-Ikon leaders Tom Davidson and Lee Parkinson.
What sorcery is this? Six of the country’s most experienced admen—Mike Hutcheson, Ross Goldsack, David Walden, Peter Cullinane, Sandy Moore and Roger MacDonnell—were spotted feasting at renowned advertising haunt Cibo on Friday. This gathering certainly wouldn’t have happened a few years back. So what’s brought them together? The only logical explanation is the launch of a new advertising agency.
There’s been plenty of change at TBWA\ over the past few months, with Todd McLeay and Toby Talbot coming on board to take over from David ‘I’m not fucking retiring’ Walden and Andy Blood. And now there’s some more change, with Eleven PR’s founder and managing partner Kelly Bennett leaving to set up his own corporate public relations business.
As the recovery mission for the submerged plane thought to be holding the bodies of Eric and Kathy Hertz kicks into gear, tributes are flowing for the 2degrees chief executive—and plans have been put in place by the company to continue his mobile mission.
David Walden stepped down as the CEO of Whybin\TBWA yesterday, after 14 years at the agency’s helm. Although many had predicted his resignation following a massive sell off of shares last year, very few picked former APN chief operating officer Todd McLeay to replace him.
Resigning Whybin’s boss David Walden scotches rumours he’s retiring, predicts tremendous years ahead for agency and self.
Big news in ad land today, with the confirmed resignation of David Walden as head of the agency he helped set up 14 years ago. Toby Talbot steps down as executive creative director.
After seven years with DDB Group, and three in the role of experiential creative director, Steve Kane has taken a role as “a senior, multi-faceted creative director” at Whybin\TBWA, where he will work under executive creative director Andy Blood.
2012 was a comeback year for the Whybin\TBWA Group after something of an annus horribilis in 2011. It put Middle-earth into New Zealand, oversaw the biggest thing in banking with the surprisingly smooth National Bank/ANZ fusion, launched the Digital Arts Network by merging Shift and Tequila\, and its PR arm Eleven won a couple of PR agency of year awards. So chief executive David Walden, who sold a few shares and began the hunt for a successor, ended the year a pretty happy chappy.
When David Walden left the relative safety of the multinationals to set up the Auckland office of Whybin\TBWA back in 1997, there were more than a few doubters predicting its swift demise or claiming it would simply be a postbox for the international network. Those doubters were wrong, of course, and the agency has become firmly ensconced in the upper echelons. But he’s not going to be around forever, and Walden, one of the most enigmatic characters in the ad industry, is making preparations to hand over the reins. PLUS: Vincent Heeringa’s NZ Marketing profile republished.
TBWA\ has been cranking out the work for ANZ since ‘The Announcement’ of the new—and, if you believe the ads, improved—bank. And, with plenty at stake, it’s no surprise that no expense has been spared and the doctor has been well and truly gone for. And now it has moved into the final phase of the campaign to show what products and services it can now offer its customers.
The trusty Huntaway took the departure of the National Bank brand in his stride, and last night saw the launch of the first brand campaign for the new ANZ since the big announcement was made a few weeks back, with a Kiwi-specific cameo from Aussie actor Simon Baker back in character as The Mentalist’s Patrick Jane. And while we’re impressed with his use of two tea bags, a classic trick used by tea-nerds who like a stronger brew without the ‘nyertch’ factor of tannins, we fear our fictional friend may be stretching the truth a little.
The fusing of two financial entities that between them have nearly half of the population on their books is a massive—and massively complicated—task, both logistically in terms of back-end systems and emotionally in terms of assuaging customers’ fears through communications. It’s been in the planning for a while, of course, and in response to yesterday’s official announcement that ANZ would be phasing out the National Bank over the next two years, Whybin\TBWA is about to launch a big integrated campaign that “heralds the start of a new era for ANZ and reassures customers they will be getting the best of both worlds”.
As Lion says goodbye to one of its prize marketers, Frith Morrissey joins TBWA\, Will Seal shifts from PR to media and JWT’s Rod Prosser heads for France.
Kelly Bennett, the founder and managing partner of Eleven PR New Zealand, has been tapped on the shoulder and will lead the expansion of brand activation, experiential and PR services for the TBWA\ network throughout Asia Pacific.
As part of the Ad Impact Awards, Colmar Brunton asked approximately 4000 Kiwi consumers for their thoughts on all of last year’s new brand ads and the top six were announced a couple of weeks back. But the big annual winner is 2degrees and TBWA\’s ‘Mission HQ’, which scored significantly above average across the board in all the key impact measures.
2degrees and TBWA\ claimed victory in the March 2011 edition of Colmar Brunton’s Ad Impact Award with its animated ‘Bruce & Brian’ spot. And it’s come out on top again with a brand ad that trumpets the continuation of ‘the 2degrees Mission’.
Mercury Energy is celebrating New Zealand’s “good energy” in its latest TVC. Tiki Taane has that in spades, and has happily lent his talent to the ad, which was made by TBWA\Tequila, with the Always On My Mind singer recording a new version of Over the Rainbow and donating all proceeds from the sale of it to Starship Hospital. What a good country!
Naked announced the appointment of Guy Cousins as its managing partner last week. And as he comes in the front door, highly regarded strategist and planner Simon Bird has snuck out the back for a role as the head of planning within Whybin\TBWA.
As 2degrees closes in on its millionth customer, Whybin\TBWA launches its latest 60 second brand TVC for them, The Mission Continues, with the inimitable Rhys Darby.
As two doors open, another one closes for TBWA\ Group: business strategist and online specialist Bonnie Frankland and Victoria Graves have added their names to the roster, while Ron Fielding and Tracey Fox have said their goodbyes.
![](https://i0.wp.com/stoppress.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/converted_files/tumb/images/uploads/2009/12/200x200_5a72a09d82bd02b87e4c7f118f0b75cb.jpg?resize=200%2C198&ssl=1 "Changes as good as holidays at TBWA\")
TBWA\ is ringing in the new year with a host of new appointments, promotions and unbridled optimism.
Advertisers and agencies smell a cost increase behind TVNZ’s bold move to cut agency commissions to 10 per cent by 2011.
TVNZ yesterday announced the results of a review into agency remuneration. The proposal to halve media commissions to 10 per cent, in January 2011, was met with swift …
Andy Blood (L) and David Walden
TVNZ’s proposed cut to agency commissions will shift power and creative leadership to Australia, warns CAANZ president David Walden.
“We have for a long time punched above our weight in attracting top talent like Andy Blood, Nick Worthington, Toby Talbot and others. That …
A huddle of industry bodies met yesterday to discuss TVNZ’s provocative ‘review’ of its advertising commission structure.
Representatives from the Marketing Association, CAANZ and ANZA gathered together in Auckland to form a coordinated response to TVNZ.
While no TVNZ documents were tabled, StopPress understands CAANZ president David Walden relayed …
David Walden, president of CAANZ, says TVNZ’s ‘review’ of commission structures is a thinly disguised move to improve its margins.
“As far as CAANZ is concerned, this is a TVNZ initiative aimed at improving its financial performance,” he writes in a formal response from CAANZ.
TVNZ claims the industry …