Who’s it for: Toyota Hilux by Saatchi & Saatchi and Thick as Thieves.
Why we like it: Advertising is, by nature, hyperbolic. But this rather surreal spot for the new Hilux takes that hyperbole to another, absurd but entertaining level. It already appears to have split the commentators …
When compiling a list of classic Kiwi TVCs, there are bound to be a few Toyota Hilux ads in there. With the likes of Bugger and the Scotty and Crumpy series, it’s a product with a rich advertising heritage, so a new campaign is always cause for a bit of excitement, both for Toyota fans and for many in the marcomms sector. And Saatchi & Saatchi has gone to great, rather surreal and comical lengths with the ‘Tougher than you can Imagine’ campaign to launch the 2012 model.
On 4 September 1991, a classic Kiwi slogan was born. 20 years later and, love it or hate it, the Absolutely Positively Wellington brand is still doing the business. So, to celebrate this auspicious anniversary, the good folk at Positively Wellington Tourism and Touch-Cast created a video charting the brand’s history.
It used to be that everyone wanted to be like Saatchi & Saatchi. But, after the recent Telecom debacle, one agency has even resorted to taking out print ads out to ensure no-one gets confused.
Moa, like many others, has already jumped on the randy bandwagon with its own pro-sex response to the widely rubbished and now-dumped Telecom ‘Abstain from the Game’ campaign. And the other most likely contender, Hell Pizza—with its agency Barnes, Catmur & Friends—has followed suit with this punny wee number.
If a sign of a successful campaign is the courting of controversy, then Telecom and partners in crime Saatchi & Saatchi are well placed. But the wealth of opinions that have gushed forth following the unveiling of the ‘Abstain for the All Blacks’ campaign seems to have those involved retreating for shelter. Meanwhile others have offered alternative campaigns of a similar vein.
With a whole stack of newbies that were well-liked by respondents and strong on their branding, it was a tough job picking this month’s Colmar Brunton Ad Impact Award winner. But it seems we enjoy having a bit of laugh at ourselves, because Goodman Fielder’s Kiwi Bacon ad by Buffalo Creative and Curious came out on top with its quirky celebration of our local importation traditions—and, by extension, our local pigs.
When Saatchi & Saatchi launched its ‘Get What It Takes’ campaign for the New Zealand Army in September last year, the campaign ended up becoming the most watched branded or sponsor channel on YouTube. Now Saatchi’s is at it again, this time with a unique, crafty and pretty entertaining interactive online game for the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF).
Ah, the food chain. It’s good to be on top. And .99’s creative interpretation of the marine pecking order in the ‘Predator and Prey’ Babushka doll print ad for Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World has also come out on top in the July NAB Newspaper Advertisement of the Month, with Saatchi & Saatchi’s Women’s Refuge Trade Me ad receiving an Honourable Mention.
Telecom and the MED released a document on Tuesday about its plan to ‘demerge’ and split into two separate entities—the network division Chorus and the retail arm at this stage colloquially known as the ‘New Telecom’—as part of the conditions imposed by the government after its successful bid to build the Ultra Fast Broadband network. And the split, which still requires shareholder and bondholder approval, has led to a fresh round of speculation that it could be a catalyst for changes to its agency roster and might spell the end of Kevin Roberts’ position on the Telecom board.
There have been a few charity auctions in recent times as various groups try to help out our beleaguered compatriots in Christchurch. But Saatchi & Saatchi has added a point of difference—and some heavy emotional resonance—to the typical charity auction for its 2011 Women’s Refuge campaign by using Trade Me as a portal both to tell the harrowing stories of those affected by domestic violence and to increase donations.
… as Saatchi & Saatchi adds two new senior hires, M&C Saatchi raids Clem’s coffers and signs up three newbies, Nick Worthington gets the nod for Spikes Asia, Kim Ellison departs Hotfoot for freelance fields anew and entries open for the New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the year.
Who’s it for: Tui Blond ‘Vortex’, by Saatchi & Saatchi NZ
Why we like it: The response to the new Tui bottle vortex bottle design has been, it’s fair to say, not overwhelmingly supportive. In this TVC the team try to sex up the vortex design in typical Tui …
As the Rugby World Cup edges ever so closer, there’s clearly no shortage of rugby-orientated marketing and promotion campaigns to be had. Sanitarium’s latest ploy is no exception, with the company last week finding the time to embark on setting a new Guinness World Record for the world’s largest rugby scrum.
Who’s it for: Telecom by Saatchi & Saatchi and Prodigy
Why we like it: It’s a fairly earnest, emotional affair, but it’s beautifully shot, well written and it uses a range of scenes and an accurate insight to show why so many different people are so …
When it comes to smartphone usage overseas, the tipping point appears to be approaching rapidly. And while New Zealand is slightly behind in the smartphone uptake stakes, Telecom and Saatchi & Saatchi are hoping to increase the numbers by tapping into the emotional appeal of the devices and promoting their ability to aid all kinds of communication with its latest brand ad, one of the first pieces of work new executive creative director Antonio Navas has his name attached to.
Not getting enough taste from your regular beer? Want more ‘aggravation’ before the sweet, sweet nectar touches your lips? Think drinking out of a glass is for losers? Well then, DB has come to the rescue with its new vortex bottle for Tui blond and the new innovation is being promoted in quintessentially cheeky (teehee) Tui fashion with the return of a scantily-clad yet awfully intelligent brewery girl.
Changes in the marketing department at Sanitarium and a desire to find more cost effective ways of promoting the smaller brands in its stable appear to be behind a decision to give a significant chunk of the New Zealand business to Assignment Group and leave Saatchi & Saatchi with the company’s big brands.
Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand has won the Pump water account after a four-way pitch, taking it off Sydney agency Smart.
We’re taking the politically correct NCEA approach today. So we’ve chosen four winners.
Who’s it for: NZTA by Clemenger BBDO and Film Construction
Why we like it: It’s funny because it’s true. Nice to see NZTA using a bit of humour to get …
…as Jim Tully and Peter Bush take their place among New Zealand’s media greats; Freeman’s Bay indie Republik opens an Australian office; the Saatchi & Saatchi regional HQ shifts to Singapore from Sydney as Chris Foster takes on a big new Asia Pacific role; Fairfax looks for some creative, integrated inspiration in its new Auckland offices; and Method Studios is acknowledged for its digital work at the New York Communicator awards.
To celebrate 60 years of the Landcruiser in Kiwiland, Toyota embarked on a quest to take a newly launched FJ Cruiser from the top to the bottom of New Zealand, but, unlike many length of New Zealand excursions, there was a point of difference: the whole journey had to be done off road. It was put on hold after the Christchurch earthquake, but it’s kicked off again and it’s going great guns.
DDB NZ turns the tables to try and up the donations for the Coastguard’s MayDay appeal; Colenso releases its first TVC for Westpac and keeps fighting the good fight for Amnesty International; the eyes have it in Saatchi & Saatchi’s latest NZ Army campaign; professional meets amateur in Publicis Mojo’s print ad for Panasonic’s new Lumix camera; TAB and Sugar follow up with another bad call; and a great new Cadbury Glass and Half Full production out of South Africa.
Creative students at Media Design School’s AdSchool have triumphed at the 2011 Bees Awards winning the award for Best Student Brief, the only Kiwi win in this year’s awards. The international awards honour the best in social media marketing practices. Ben Andrews (art director) and Craig Douglas (copywriter), won the award for their campaign ‘Dreaming in a foreign language’, created to a special brief for client Mango Languages. The campaign shows innovative use of Facebook to market language learning software.
When it rains it pours. After a brief dry spell on the new ad front, numerous newbies have recently been set free. So, for your viewing—and possibly even critiquing—pleasure, a selection of the freshest TV cuts, including Mitsubishi’s new brand ad by Clemenger BBDO, Meridian and Assignment Group’s polar expedition, TVNZ’s new patriotic promo for its news and current affairs offering, State Insurance and Colenso’s fireproof box promo, Sealord and Saatchi & Saatchi’s wonderous condiment contraptions, DraftFCB’s latest work for Genesis Energy and Gregg’s and Lumino and Wag the Dog’s extended, nationwide tonsil hockey tour.
Finalists for the One Show have been announced and 24 Kiwi entries made the cut, up from nine last year. Colenso leads the Kiwi pack with seven contenders and more recognition for both Yellow Chocolate and TVNZ’s The Pacific campaign; DDB is just one back on six, with the good old reliable Sky Arts Channel work again finding plenty of favour; and Alt Group got three shortlistings in the design category. Clemenger BBDO and DraftFCB got two, while JWT, Special Group, Saatchi & Saatchi, AIM Proximity Wellington and TBWA\ all got one each. There were no finalists in the College section.
Colenso has followed up its impressive Axis haul with four ‘in-book’ accolades at the D&AD awards, while Saatchi & Saatchi and DDB NZ scored one each. But, unlike last year, there will be no pencils handed out to Kiwi agencies as no local work was deemed good enough to make it through to the nomination stage.
Saatchi & Saatchi has been in a state of creative flux since executive creative director Dylan Harrison decided to head to Australia after less than a year in the role. While the search for a replacement was undertaken, Jeremy Taine was brought in as a part-timer to guide the agency’s creative output. But there’s no need for that anymore, because they’ve found their man: Venezuelan-born Antonio Navas, who comes to New Zealand from a role as executive creative director at Ogilvy and Mather New York.
DDB, Sky and Capital City Films’ ‘Leafblower’ spot took home the most metal of any TVC on the night, with a gold in the single television commercial category adding to its impressive haul. DDB also picked up a silver for Lotto’s ‘Lucky Dog’ (which has over 750,000 views on YouTube) and a bronze for Volkswagen’s ‘Milk Run’; Colenso picked up a silver for Vodafone’s ‘Double Back’ spot and a bronze for Frucor’s ‘Ladders’; and Saatchi & Saatchi picked up a bronze for Telecom’s ‘Sunrise, Sunset’.
Who’s it for: 2degrees by TBWA\ and Digital Post
Why we like it: Once again, 2degrees has managed to entertain and inform simultaneously with its new Pay Monthly spots. As we’ve all come to expect, they’re funny, quirky, easily understood and also quite …