DB’s new marketing director, changes at Lion, DraftFCB recognised as one of the country’s best workplaces, Cooney heads for Swaytech, Media Design School grads go fulltime at Sugar & Partners, Marc Ellis swaps More for less and Auckland Airport brings a digital boffin into the fold.
Charlie’s has been fighting the good fight against its much larger, some would say much less principled competition since it kicked off in 1999. And, with its newish agency Assignment Group, it’s launched the first campaign for a couple of years in an effort to retell its story and show New Zealanders that the brand is “on a mission from good”.
Marc Ellis has carved out a good niche as a loveable Kiwi rogue and, as a result, he’s certainly not unaccustomed to working as a corporate mascot. Most recently that’s meant work for Toyota’s Top to Bottom and HRV and now Christchurch agency Simpatico has harked back to his mischievous laddish heritage in a campaign for classic Kiwi brand Swanndri.
…as More FM welcomes a new breakfast trio, Christchurch mayor Bob Parker gets something to smile about, Young & Shand add two more to the growing flock, Adshel appoints an interim chief exec, ZenithOptimedia sends one of its own to China and Phantom Billstickers moves its HQ north to Grey Lynn.
Hardly a day goes by without someone announcing another journey that will see the protagonists walk/run/bike/kayak/forward roll the length of New Zealand to raise awareness for something (StopPress is considering driving half the length of New Zealand to raise money for McDonald’s). And, to celebrate 60 years of Land Cruiser, Toyota is getting on the bandwagon, taking the newly launched FJ Cruiser truck on an epic journey. But the difference with this journey is that it will all be done off-road, with Marc Ellis bouncing around in the driver’s seat.
Having recently given away a host of free beverages to celebrate its launch in Australia, Charlie’s will be following suit in the homeland and giving away bottles of its old-fashioned Honest Quenchers to overworked corporate slaves in Auckland next week. The crux, however, is that the request for freebies has to be made via its Facebook page.