The unlucky contestants weren’t named and Mango’s managing director Claudia Macdonald doubts they’ll be revealed any time soon. She says there was no incumbent, “or at least not for four years”, and the airline didn’t have an agency in Australia either as it’s all been done internally up until now.

Mango, which has a good travel heritage through clients like Tourism Malaysia and Tourism Victoria (it still has Air New Zealand listed as a client on its website), will handle PR, media relations and events for Qantas, working closely with the airline’s teams in Auckland and Sydney. And, with the ‘Spirit of Australia’s’ reputation faltering recently after strike action grounded planes and the #QantasLuxury Twitter competition backfired, Macdonald says “it’s going to be very interesting”.

“Qantas is one of those brands you dream about working with,” she says. “There is so much more to the Qantas story in New Zealand than has been told in recent years and we’re very much looking forward to partnering with them. It’s very exciting.”

Qantas’ regional general manager for New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, Rohan Garnett, says the airline, which has served New Zealand for over 50 years, has “a clear focus on the premium market” and part of Mango’s role will be to help strengthen Qantas’ reputation as the leader for trans-Tasman business travel.

“Mango will also play an important role in publicising Qantas’ community activities and sponsorships in New Zealand,” he says.

Mango joins a global roster of PR agencies representing Qantas in Europe, the United States and across Asia.

As part of a campaign developed by Mango, between January 2-13 More FM listeners were encouraged to enter online and nominate a town or tourist attraction they wanted radio host Clarke Gayford and the Pascall team to visit during their two-week road trip in a pair of branded Britz campervans (all entrants went in the draw to win their own road trip in a Britz campervan, as well as $5000 cash, and the prize will be drawn after the tour finishes on Jan 30).

Gayford is broadcasting his drive show each night from one of the campervans and, in typical PR style, the road trip is getting a good, regular airing on the station, with trailers, mentions and ad libs.

During many of the adventures, which are all being filmed by a videographer and posted on the More FM website and Pascall Facebook page, a local resident has the chance to be Gayford’s adventure buddy by entering regional text-in-to-win competitions. And, as you’d expect, lots of free Pascall treats are being handed out along the way.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Social media is becoming an increasingly important channel for FMCG brands (especially if you’re trying to attract the ‘bored mother’ demographic), and the promotion also aims to build up the Facebook fanbase. And, after soft launching its page two weeks before the promotion kicked off, it has added over 6000 fans in one week through tactical ad placement (including ads on Facebook), on-air promotion and Facebook updates showing the itinerary and sampling details for each location, plus an update of every adventure.

Pascall brand manager Will Radford says the key objectives behind the campaign are to promote Pascall as New Zealand’s favourite lollies, link the brand with the fun of going on a road trip with family and friends over the summer (and promote the classic Pascall varieties like Pineapple Lumps, Jetplanes and Milk Bottles as the ones to be eaten on the way) and ultimately increase sales.

“I guess the key out-take is that we are integrating our comms from above with radio and outdoor through to instore, resulting in increased sales and improvements in our instore brand health metrics.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper FMCG campaign without some instore action, and it currently has five Road Trip-themed promotions created by Apollo Promotions happening across Countdown, New World, The Warehouse, Shell and BP (another Britz camper holiday is being offered in Countdown supermarkets nationwide).

1) Favourite campaign that isn’t yours: Pedigree Doggelganger by Colenso. I’m a sucker for dogs and this was actually fun to play with a great message.

2) Favourite campaign that is yours: 

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

3) Least favourite campaign: 

Click here to view the embedded video.

4) Best brand: Steinlager. Best comeback brand.

5) Best stoush: Adidas vs. the New Zealand public. A badly handled PR issue.

6) Heroes: John Kirwan for Depression. Love that man.

7) Villains: Legal departments that won’t let you do or say very much at all – just in case.

8) Most memorable marketing moment: Telecom’s Abstain campaign. Never before has so much been said about so little. A classic media beat up that once again proves why PR people are needed in advertising. Second favourite is National and Act’s Teapot Tape. Unbelievable carelessness that allowed a corpse to be revived.

Return of the Mack

David MacGregor has left BrandWorld and launched his own company, Macgregor Media, a business that aims to create integrated commercial formats and products across all media platforms, from TV programming and advertising to mobile applications for phones and tablets.

He says the move is a response to the increasing demand for useful, engaging content, free-for-all opening of media channels and the inexpensive digital means to fill them with compelling stories.

“If it’s media, it’s me,” he says.

MacGregor’s career began in the early 1980s as an award-winning creative. In the mid 90s he launched BrandWorld and created one of the world’s first syndicated, multi-advertiser platforms, Family Health Diary, a business model that continues to be highly successful for BrandWorld, one of TVNZ’s biggest advertisers, and has spawned other masthead brands such as Eating Well and Discover. MacGregor has been working on new product development with the BrandWorld, which remains a client, for the past four years and he sold his stake in 2002.

He is also co-founder of and advertising columnist in Idealog magazine, which has won business publication of the year in each of the five years of its life.

He has been blogging since 2004 and his ThoughtSpurs blog has been read by hundreds of thousands of people. This week marked his fourth anniversary on Twitter.

“You should never take advice about social media from people with fewer than 15 followers on Twitter—or anybody under the age of 26 and a half, about anything,” he says.

Shoemack makes tracks

Dave Shoemack has left his role as DB Export marketing manager for a plum gig in Amsterdam as senior brand manager for Sol beer at Heineken International.

His replacement is Russell Browne who was the Monteith’s marketing manager.

Shoemack was promoted to the role soon after winning the Rookie Marketer of the Year category at the TVNZ-NZ Marketing Awards in 2009 and was instrumental in last year’s slightly controversial ‘Beer: The Untold Story’ campaign.

Cooney hangs up

Kieren Cooney, Telecom’s head of marketing and, more recently, national punching bag, has left the company to take up a role as chief communications officer with the National Broadband Network company, the organisation building Australia’s ultra-fast internet infrastructure.

“It feels like a real privilege to be involved with this type of initiative, which is truly about nation building and building the next capability for Australians,” he told the Brisbane-Times. “To be able to lay such a strong foundation in Australia’s future is amazing, this is probably only once in a generation in terms of scale and impact.”

The Australian-born Cooney was originally appointed as head of Telecom’s mobile division last April and took over as head of marketing in June last year. His resignation was finalised before the Abstain for the Game campaign was leaked.

Cooney was also general manager (new markets) at Vodafone and was a presenter on music channel Max TV and Juice TV.

Echo location 

Republik’s direct mail Fujikistan campaign for Fuji Xerox enjoyed four finalist spots and took home two Gold at this years RSVP awards and it’s set for some international success at this year’s DMA International ECHO Awards.

“We received notification to say that we had placed and we were to be awarded at the event in Boston on October 4th and were pretty chuffed at that. A couple of days later received further notification that in addition to the category awards, Fujikistan has been selected as one of the top four overall campaigns of 2011 and will form part of a newly formed, ‘Peoples Choice ECHO Award’.”

Republik’s creative director Andrew Sims has been invited to the conference to present a case study of the campaign highlighting its strategy, creative, innovation and results.

“Fujikistan was created to launch and sell a specialist hi-end digital colour printing press, The Color Press 1000. The DM campaign formed the back-bone of the launch strategy. After breaking all New Zealand, APAC and International sales targets, it’s nice to be enjoying success on the awards circuit,” says Sims.

Sacre Bleu!  

Click here to view the embedded video.

The 3 News team has also got involved with an online only show ‘One Off The Ruck’. Check out the first two episodes here.

On the PANPA podium 

The Press was a popular choice as Newspaper of the Year with a circulation between 25,000 and 90,000 at the Pacific Area Newspaper Publishers’ Association (PANPA) Awards last week.

Fairfax New Zealand chief executive Allen Williams attended the awards and was delighted to see the industry recognise the work done by the The Press team under extraordinary circumstances surrounding the Christchurch earthquake.

“The audience at the gala dinner gave The Press team a standing ovation and I was very proud to stand alongside them. It was a well deserved win and I am extremely proud of The Press team,” says Williams.

Press photographer Iain McGregor also claimed a major award for his quake photography, sharing Photograph of the Year with Craig Greenhill from Sydney’s Daily Telegraph. 

Fairfax New Zealand’s digital head, Nigel Tutt was awarded the 2011 Hegarty Scholarship for young executive of the year and Stuff’s Rugby Heaven iPhone app took away the Specialty site award.

“Its the second year in a row that a young Fairfax executive has won the Hegarty Scholarship and I would like to congratulate Nigel and his team on the wins for their market-leading work,” says Williams. “Our updating of technology and systems has resulted in the growth and enhancement of Fairfax Media’s news gathering and reporting. We’ve got the right people and the right technology to deliver top news around the clock, ahead of the competition.”

Other winners included The Dominion Postfor Audience/Circulation 25, 000-90, 000 and Events 25,000-90,000.

Not too much to write home about for APN, although The New Zealand Herald won the Lifestyle section National/Metropolitan and nzherald.co.nz won the branding section for digital for the “creative and sassy” NZ Notworth News campaign by M&C Saatchi.

“What the campaign delivered was something bold, unexpected and unlike anything else seen before,” says APN Online Marketing Manager, Sarah Kenny. “Yet it was completely relevant to the brand and its position. It was born from strategic thinking and it focused on a single minded proposition: if you want news you can trust, then head straight to nzherald.co.nz.”

The Bay of Plenty Times and Mountain Scene also took category awards. Check out the full list of winners here.

Events, dear girl, events

Mango Communications today announces the appointment of Amy Hayden to further bolster its Events team.

Hayden has sharpened her events and sampling skills at Phenomenon Promotions where as a senior account manager she developed, presented and executed inspiring concepts for clients and managed her own team.

An activation expert, she will be working across sampling, events and brand experiences.

“This is the year we hone in on brand experiences that cut through the clutter every time,” says Mango managing director Claudia Macdonald. “What better way to do this than by bringing in an events and sampling pro that has the experience and courage to take our clients to the next level.”

Traill mix

CAANZ has appointed Lisa Traill, who has a background in project management and marketing at commercial and not-for-profits, as industry development manager, replacing Dean Howie.

Orange cake

Wellington and Auckland-based mailhouse Orangebox has just blown out the candles for its 8th birthday and business partners Stephen Bennett and Thomas Subritzky got all emotional and delivered a speech.

“It’s been an adventure every step of the way, as we’ve expanded and grown our offering and services,” they say. “We have to give thanks to the fantastic clients we have formed partnerships with over the past eight years. Their loyalty and support has been unwavering and much appreciated. In addition we want to applaud our outstanding and talented staff who regularly pull out all the stops to make it all happen for our clients. We’re totally committed to further growth and we’ve got lots more exciting things planned for the future. After all, we love direct.”

Kordia accord

Kordia, New Zealand’s only telco dedicated to the business sector, and a significant player in the local telecommunications scene, has announced it has appointed Professional Public Relations New Zealand (PPR) as its communications partner.

“We chose PPR because of its leadership in business and corporate communications, its approach to strategic advice and its full service offering,” says Kordia’s general manager of sales and marketing, Drew Gilpin.  ”We’re really looking forward to working closely with the PPR team to further develop our position in the market.”

“Many people will have seen our new marketing campaign and it’s fair to say we mean business. We are committed to providing New Zealand businesses with the kind of solutions and service they just don’t get from any other telco. We understand the needs of businesses and create solutions that will make a difference to how they operate. Our customers get more out of their networks because they have true visibility and control over what’s going which creates greater efficiencies and benefits both of us in the long run.”

General manager of PPR New Zealand, Jonathan Tudor, says working with Kordia is an exciting opportunity to build a brand in an industry that is at the heart of New Zealand’s economic success.

“Kordia is making important inroads in the telecommunications industry in this country and we welcome the chance to help them take even bigger strides into the network and technology solutions sector. Telecommunications services are no longer just business enablers; when implemented and managed effectively they become strategic assets for smart businesses. Kordia’s services make this a reality, and although top brass CIOs and IT Managers are aware of these services, PPR will help Kordia communicate with a much wider audience and as a result grow their business.”

Point and Glick

The Economist Group has appointed Miriam Glick to the position of associate director, marketing and sponsorship, Asia Pacific, from 8 September.

Glick will be responsible for formulating The Economist’s regional strategy to drive growth in advertising and sponsorship revenue. She will work closely with the sales team to expand The Economist’s exciting new programmes around social media.

While most Australian newspapers’ circulation figures are down, The Economist’s circulation in the Asia Pacific, which includes Australia, is up 6.1 percent on the year before, at 143,000 copies per week. Revenue figures in the Asia Pacific region grew by 32 percent, reflecting strong economic growth in Asia.

Prior to joining The Economist Group, Glick worked at General Electric where she held positions in the company’s global marketing/communications and product marketing.

“She will be instrumental in helping us expand The Economist so that it becomes more than a leading weekly print platform,” says The Economist sales director Rob Ferguson. “Our aim is to develop creative advertising solutions and integrate them across various social media platforms for our advertisers. The Economist is at the forefront of delivering thought leadership programs and this approach has been very successful in other markets.”

Sixteen years ago when I joined DDB and got involved in the marketing communications side of PR, New Zealand agencies and clients largely thought PR was corporate communications, reputation management and responding to pesky journalists. Using the dark art to promote an advertising campaign was fairly rare.

How times have changed. Today some of the best campaigns, such as the NAB’s Break Up and Decode Jay-Z with Bing, both Cannes Grand Prix Lion winners, are crawling with PR references. Of course, this awakening has been coming for a while. Yellow might never have cleaned up at our own EFFIEs and Axis Awards two years in a row if the campaigns hadn’t been covered on the 6pm news or the front page of the NZ Herald.

Ask any ECD worth their salt what makes a campaign a success and puts the icing on the advertising cake and the answer is getting positive media coverage, preferably worldwide. Air New Zealand’s Nothing to Hide campaign anyone?

Of course there’s good PR and bad PR, as a few Rugby World Cup sponsors have discovered lately. I lost a bet with my husband that Telecom wouldn’t pull the ‘Abstain for the Game’ campaign. More fool me. I misjudged the mood of this pious nation.

Of course, it all goes to prove my point: that well managed PR can make or break a company’s marketing.

We always advise our clients that the media is unbelievably powerful—as are consumers—and it’s best to engage someone with a good understanding of both media and consumers to take a look at any slightly risqué marketing campaign before you invest your dollars.

Imagine if adidas had supported the launch of its All Black jerseys with a PR campaign talking about the support it gives to grassroots rugby here. Or if Kiwis found the tongue-in-cheekiness of Sean Fitzpatrick in a pink bumper car relevant because he’d told us that the intensity of a world cup campaign meant we all need a little light relief.

Wouldn’t we all love them that much more. And buy their products more readily?

Personally I’m glad the penny has dropped. It makes it a lot easier to convince companies to ensure their marketing generates good PR by investing in marcomms PR upfront. Using PR to leverage your marketing campaign is doubly powerful but, like marmite, it’s not for everyone.

It’s time now to learn our lessons from the past few months and turn that lonely penny clanking in the bottom of the communications tin into a steady tinkle of PR gold.

Bullet, which recently joined Greg Partington’s Ogilvy family, did a good job of telling 2degrees’ business story, a task made easier because the third telco entrant was more successful than most had anticipated and took over 11 percent of the consumer mobile market within its first two years. And, with the impressive creative work of TBWA\ and a sizable media spend, it certainly made for a pretty good combo.

2degrees’ director of corporate affairs Matt Bolland was keeping fairly schtum about the reasons behind the pitch and said it had simply decided it was time to review the account (the creative or media was not up for pitch).

He wouldn’t reveal the agencies involved due to commercial sensitivity but said “Bullet had played a big part in getting 2degrees to where it is now”.

Word is the process was quite a drawn out affair and 2degrees spoke to a number of agencies around town before whittling it down to the top five.

Spark Activate’s first experientially-led effort was the old ‘let’s strap a man to a billboard’ trick to launch its new Business offering.

In other PR news, Impact PR has added a few new brands to its sizable FMCG portfolio, with Frucor’s Just Juice, MARS’ Pedigree, Fressure Foods, Mud House Wines & Waipara Hills joining Procter & Gamble brands Olay, Pantene, Gillette, Clairol, Venus, Herbal Essences, Vicks, Head & Shoulders, Ambi Pur, Wella Pro Series and Oral B.

“We are finding marketing managers want more of a return dollar for dollar than ever before and that has meant we’ve had to get really smart about how best to leverage PR opportunities for them,” says managing director Fleur Revell.

The agency has also recently won the Domino’s Pizza, Rinnai, James Hardie and ECCO shoes accounts.

Back on the shelf

Foodstuffs has appointed ex Air New Zealander Steve Bayliss as the new group general manager marketing of Foodstuffs New Zealand.

As general manager marketing for Air New Zealand, Bayliss played a key part in helping the airline recover from the aftermath of near bankruptcy to become the Best Airline in the World last year, as judged by Air Transport World.

The bold marketing approach seen in Nothing to Hide and Cranial Billboards netted it a host of awards and viral success and the airline created a whole new media channel with its inflight videos. But the ‘we’ll keep a lead agency and use anyone else that has a good idea’ approach was questioned, as was the creation of an internal creative department.

Last year, when marketing and PR collided and the airline created the new role of general manager marketing and communications, Bayliss decided not to apply for the job. Mike Tod, head of public affairs, took the role in April last year.

Bayliss began his marketing career with international brewer Lion Nathan, where he had a variety of roles before heading to the US to work for Suntory. He then returned to the Southern Hemisphere to head up the Australian Coca Cola business development group, including non-carbonated beverages, new product development, and mergers and acquisitions.

He will be responsible for the strategic development and implementation of key national marketing initiatives across the New World, PAK’nSAVE and Four Square brands.

It’s Keats on the radio

The big news from the MediaWorks towers this week was that TV chief Jason Paris resigned, but there’s some new life elsewhere, with Steve Keats being appointed to the position of retail sales manager for Mediaworks Auckland.

Keats has extensive experience in local and international media. He began his career as a creative writer for Radio New Zealand and was later appointed as group creative director for The Radio Network before becoming an account managers. Keats also manages Smith & Keats Music, an international award-winning production company specialising in creating original music for multi-media broadcast.

“MediaWorks has a reputation for being a young, progressive company,” he says. “I’ve always admired their culture and I can’t wait to join their management team to contribute ideas that help lift revenue and set new world standards for radio and digital.”

Director of sales Paul Hancox says Keats has one of the best minds in the business and securing him is of significant advantage for MediaWorks Radio.

He begins at MediaWorks Radio on 1 August.

Two new fruits

Senior Mangosteen Alice Moros is soon to depart, but DDB’s PR and events arm has shored up its ranks with a couple of recent arrivals.

Bob Glancy joins as group account director, bringing onboard impressive PR and marketing communications skills that have been fine tuned during his 15 years in the industry in New Zealand and the UK.

Glancy has worked with a range of clients both in agency and with his own marketing and PR business, including Tourism Western Australia, New Zealand Rugby League, Motorola NZ, Xbox and Barclays Bank (London).

Amanda Fifield has also joined as senior account manager. Formerly a journalist at The Aucklander and The Press, Fifield joins from PR agency AMG Group Ltd where she was responsible for the communications of a range of FMCG and pharmaceutical clients.

“The longer I am in business the more I realise clients want experience and the smart thinking that comes with it,” says Mango’s managing director Claudia Macdonald. “Bob and Amanda are two passionate PR professionals and I am thrilled to have them join our team. Bob’s exceptional strategic approach to PR and Amanda’s nose for news will strengthen our service to clients immensely.”

Good Young Lions

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and YouTube have revealed the winners of the two dedicated YouTube Competitions: the YouTube Cannes Lions Good Work Competition and the YouTube Cannes Young Lions 48 Hour Ad Contest.

Launched this year to provide a global platform and bring together creative minds, the YouTube Cannes Good Work competition exceeded expectations receiving hundreds of entries. The competition saw a dedicated channel, set up in collaboration with creative agency Ralph, which worked around the “blank page” concept showcasing briefs from 278 global non-profit organisations seeking creative support to increase public engagement. The competition issued a call to arms to creatives around the world inviting them to submit a one-minute (or less) video to address one or more of the briefs.

Check out the winners at www.youtube.com/goodwork.

1. Aaran Hughes

2. David Alonso Arias Moreno, Senior Copywriter, DraftFCB Chicago, USA

3. James Crawley, Digital Creative, Ogilvy Sydney, Australia

4. Orel Bitan, Copywriter, BBDO Israel

5. Sandro Pizzichelli, Daniela Dragonetti and Maria Chiara Pizzichelli, Orbital Studio, Italy

Running for a third year, the 48 Hour YouTube Cannes Young Lions Ad Contest asked young talent, aged between 18 and 28 years old, to create a video to fit a brief set by charity Save the Children. Competitors were given just 48 hours to create an online video that would drive people to petition world leaders to invest in health care for newborn babies, little children and pregnant moms in struggling countries. After uploading their video to YouTube, competitors were given one week to drive people to their video. The number of public votes received was then taken into account by the dedicated jury who have now chosen two deserving winners.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

YouTube will fly the winners of the 48 Hour Ad Contest on an all-expense-paid trip to Cannes Lions where they will be given the much sought after opportunity to compete in the Young Lions Film Competition as “Team YouTube”. The competition will be judged by the Film Lions jury and the winners announced at the Film, Film Craft, Creative Effectiveness and Titanium & Integrated Awards Ceremony taking place in Cannes on Saturday 25 June.

What you talkin’ bout Willis?

Colmar Brunton has appointed Spencer Willis as new national qualitative director.

Willis’ new role is all about bringing clients closer to the reality of consumer decision making and centres on the development of new approaches that “breathe fresh energy into more traditional research methods”.

He will, where relevant, leverage Colmar Brunton’s quantitative team to meet the ever-increasing demand for mixed methodological solutions.

Previously, UK-born Willis worked in financial services for over eight years in New York, London and Hong Kong before moving to New Zealand and setting up 18 Limited, a youth market research company. Willis also worked at Brand Spanking and has now been in the research industry for almost a decade in New Zealand and at Colmar Brunton since November last year. His specialist area is youth and gen Y and he also has the role of youth insights specialist at Colmar Brunton.

Willis will integrate new technologies such as Colmar Brunton’s social media tools, online qualitative products, mobile research products and other online partnerships, but he believes the trick is bringing other tools like ethnographic and immersion techniques into the mix and incorporating the nationwide field team to provide a more comprehensive offering.

Willis wants to respect the norms and traditions of market research by providing strategic direction and innovation into qualitative research, but also ask if  there is another way of looking at the question.

“Our first step was to launch our new satellite office in Christchurch, which gives us a unique piece of local understanding. It’s not always about the shiny new stuff, but also expertise, the quality of the researcher and their skill set. Whether that be youth, shopper, brand or geography, I want to ensure clients know that Colmar Brunton is a hub of research expertise.”

Sure to rise

Porter Novelli, which was ranked in the top 10 best small workplaces by JRA last year and is part of the BBDO network, has won the Torpedo/1-Day and DB Breweries business recently, adding to the likes of Visa, Vodafone, Yellow, Microsoft, Turners Car Auctions and Fuji Xerox. And, as a result of this strong business growth, it’s announced a change in leadership structure, a new brand proposition and a strategic focus on growth sectors and leading businesses.

Strahan Wallis has been appointed as general manager, after joining Porter Novelli a year ago. He brings 15 years of national and international experience to the role, having joined Porter Novelli from KPMG where he was responsible for national marketing, communications and research, and he will take on increasing responsibility for the day to day running of the business.

Valerie MacKenzie has also been named as chief operating officer. She has more than 25 years experience in finance and accountancy in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, specialising in media, and joins from Fairfax Magazines, where she managed all financial reporting and process improvements for a range of lifestyle, business, specialist and contract publishing titles. Mackenzie will assume responsibility for providing strategic financial support to the company as well as general office management oversight.

On the departure front, Kyra Holland has departed for some maternity leave, and PR for the Clemenger Group including Colenso/AIM,.99, Raydar is being taken care of by Joanna Glover, while Andrew has departed for Sydney to take up a role with Visa as the corporate relations manager for Australia/New Zealand.

“We’re finding that post-recession companies are focusing on reputation more than ever, and are keen to present a holistic view of their business that really stands out to their key audiences,” says Porter Novelli’s managing director Jane Sweeney. “Chief executives are taking ownership of the corporate brand and aligning their marketing communications and corporate affairs wherever possible… Our brand proposition is about transforming the way people think about companies and brands, what companies stand for and how organisations operate. For us at Porter Novelli, the future of PR is an incredibly exciting one.”

Mango’s Moros stricken with Haystacfever

Alice Moros, Mango’s senior account director, committed Nordic walker*, famed breeder of Angora rabbits* and passionate ITM400 fan*, has taken up a role with Haystac as a senior account director. She will also be a member of the New Zealand management team.

“Alice needs little introduction within the industry. She’s an award winning consultant who brings with her many years of PR and marcomms experience on some of New Zealand’s and the world’s best brands,” says Haystac’s New Zealand general manager Fleur Postill. “She shares our strategy-led creative approach to business, and is a seamless fit with our down to earth agency culture.”

Moros begins on July 1 and will be heading up some new accounts for Haystac that will be announced in the coming weeks.

Moros joined Mango in 2005, working on the Vodafone account, having come from a communications manager role at AJ Hackett Bungy Group, where she oversaw adventure tourism, wine and apparel brands.

*Lies.

Virgin sacrifice

Sir Richard Branson will visit Auckland in October for his first major speaking event in New Zealand. And, conveniently, it’s scheduled during the World Cup.

The event, which is being sponsored by BNZ and underwritten and organised by Duco Events, will see Branson talk about his journey of “Making it to the Top” at a fundraising gala dinner for Outward Bound to launch the charity’s 50th anniversary year.

“Hosting a business leader of this calibre is a huge coup for the Auckland business community,” says BNZ chief executive Andrew Thorburn. “We are a nation of entrepreneurs and adventurers, it’s in our DNA and reflected in the fact that 97 per cent of Kiwi businesses are SMEs. Right now New Zealand businesses are poised, ready to expand, and we know they will benefit from the spark of inspiration Sir Richard can bring.”

Forbes placed Branson as the the fifth richest man in the UK and he has founded companies including Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Blue, and Virgin Active, which employ 50,000 people across 30 countries with revenues exceeding $NZ25 billion. He’s also a philanthropist and adventurer and has embarked on successful world record attempts at the fastest crossings of the Atlantic Ocean, by boat and balloon, and has the record for crossing the English Channel in an amphibious vehicle.

“Auckland is a great place to visit but I can’t imagine a better time to be there than during rugby’s World Cup,” Branson says. “With the All Blacks expected to do well at the tournament and a general election coming up in November, it will be an especially exciting time. I am also excited this event will mark the launch of the 50th Anniversary year for Outward Bound New Zealand, an organisation that I understand has challenged over 50,000 New Zealanders to achieve their dreams.”

The global entrepreneur and founder of Virgin Group will give guests a unique insight into how to spot business opportunities and help them grow and succeed.

“For the new Auckland to prosper we need to embody the spirit of entrepreneurship that Sir Richard has made famous. We have an opportunity to showcase our city and what Auckland can deliver,” says Auckland’s Supermayor Len Brown. “Sir Richard’s visit fits well with our events calendar and creates an opportunity for Auckland’s business leaders to engage with one of the world’s leading entrepreneurs.”

The event is also supported by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development, TVNZ, Audi, The New Zealand Herald and MediaWorks Radio. The event will be held on Thursday, 20 October at Auckland’s new Viaduct Events Centre.

Strictly limited corporate tables and VIP seats will be on sale from the 20 June. Interested parties can register on the waiting list for further information at www.duco.co.nz.

Happiness opened

After sixteen years with Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd (CCA), Paul Fitzgerald has been named as general manager of Coca-Cola Oceania.

He has extensive experience within the Coca-Cola system across numerous markets and disciplines and has worked in Sydney, South Australia and New Zealand and held a series of roles in finance, trade marketing and sales.

“To have the opportunity to move to Coca-Cola Oceania and be involved in a business that sets the benchmark in terms of consumer and brand marketing is fantastic,” says Fitzgerald.

2011 is shaping up to be a big year for Coca-Cola Oceania with its involvement as Official Supplier for Rugby World Cup 2011, as well as its ongoing sponsorship of the All Blacks.

“The local team has developed a comprehensive marketing programme for 2011 that offers consumers ‘money can’t buy’ experiences. We look forward to revealing them over the coming months,” says Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald has had prior experience in New Zealand where he last held the role of general manager sales and supply chain for Coca-Cola Amatil (NZ) Ltd. In March 2005 he returned to Australia to the role of commercial director for CCA Australia, and in September 2006 was appointed director of the licensed division. This was formed as a result of CCA’s joint venture with SABMiller and an agency agreement with Maxxium. The business experienced exponential growth during his four-year tenure and established itself as the third player in the Australian market.

“I’m looking forward to contributing significant value to a well established business which currently looks after 14 brands in New Zealand,” he says.

Dunning deal

Professional Public Relations (PPR) has appointed Clara Dunning as account manager in its business communications and health team at the Auckland office.

She comes to PPR from her role as marketing and corporate communications coordinator at Sony New Zealand, where she worked across PR, events, promotions, above the line campaigns, merchandising and sponsorship.

She began her marketing career at Sony after graduating from the University of Auckland with a master of commerce degree in marketing, where she researched location-based services in the tourism industry.

Getty gets its guy

Getty Images has completed the acquisition of Photolibrary, adding its renowned collections from the likes of Peter Arnold and Oxford Scientific to the roster.

“The demand for compelling creative content continues to increase around the world and it represents a vital part of the imagery industry. This acquisition positions us to meet and exceed our customers’ demand for this unique content, across both the Asia Pacific region and globally,” says Jonathan Klein, co-founder and chief exec of Getty Images.

The acquisition was driven by customers’ growing appetite for a greater choice of both local and global content. The content will be supported by Getty Images’ website and worldwide imagery distribution platform, which features search in local languages and purchase in local currencies.

Peaks and troughs

Anita Waugh and Natasja Barclay

After an ASB-related trough, TBWA\ is currently in an ANZ-related peak. It’s already made a couple of significant hires and Anita Waugh and Natasja Barclay have been signed up to fill two of the three new group head roles.

TBWA\ recently adopted a group head structure to give the agency a flatter and more direct reporting line and previous general manager Aaron Taylor declined to take up the group head role he was offered.

“Anita and Natasja will effectively run a group of accounts with a team each underneath them,” chief executive Dave Walden says. “I’m just delighted to have this calibre and quality of talent joining the agency. We made a strategic decision to invest at the top level and these appointments follow the addition of talent such as planning director Tracey Lee and the new managing director of Tequila\, Geoff Devereux. The third group head will work primarily on ANZ and we are still searching for the right person. There’s a great sense of renewal and rejuvenation within the company after the disappointment of ASB last year. However, winning ANZ has brought with it a great shot in the arm and now, with the talent line-up that we have across the group, things are looking very positive.”

Waugh is a seasoned suit who joins TBWA\ after three years’ maternity leave. She led the Vodafone account at JWT Sydney and has worked as a group account director at M&C Saatchi Sydney and at Ogilvy London.

“The momentum around the addition of new experienced people, new clients and office renovations bodes well for enjoyable and exciting times ahead for our team and our clients,” she says.

Barclay has spent the past three years as group account director at Saatchi & Saatchi Auckland where she worked on accounts such as Telecom, Sanitarium, Sealord, Breast Cancer Research Trust and Griffins.

Tyranny of Distance?

Radio New Zealand’s has made some changes to its flagship news show Morning Report and it is now being co-presented from Auckland and Wellington.

Simon Mercep, who began his career with Radio New Zealand in 1983 and has worked in radio and television for five different public service broadcasters in New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Britain, started broadcasting from Auckland on Monday, while long-time Morning Report host Geoff Robinson remained in Wellington.

“Simon is a seasoned broadcasting journalist and has tackled his new job [which he started in January] with energy and enthusiasm. He and Geoff make a great team,” says Radio New Zealand’s head of news, Don Rood. “Having Simon in Auckland will give Radio New Zealand more flexibility on news coverage, and provide the programme with studio quality interviews on major issues and stories in the region.”

“Morning Report’s large audience demonstrates that New Zealanders have an appetite for high quality, serious news. The public expects Report to keep them informed and Simon and Geoff do that every morning, holding people to account by asking the tough questions.”

Radio New Zealand already has significant resources allocated to its Auckland operations with a fully staffed newsroom of 15 journalists and specialist correspondents based at Radio New Zealand House in Hobson Street. So it’s not a huge stretch for the public broadcaster to make it work. Added to that, Jim Mora’s four hour Afternoons programme comes out of Auckland on week days, some of the regular Summer programming is based in the city, there is a features producer and Kathryn Ryan’s Nine to Noon has an Auckland based executive producer.

Quail hunting

Ryf Quail has swapped general manager roles, shifting from Carat to ZenithOptimedia.

The move comes at an interesting time, after Carat took the Nissan media buying account off Mitchells at the start of April. Carat’s parent company Aegis purchased Mitchells earlier this year for around AU$363 million.

Quail joined Carat in February 2009. A search is currently underway for a replacement

Bright young things

In January, ten graduates from universities around New Zealand were selected to join the inaugural Clemenger Group Graduate Programme and all of them have now been placed within Clemenger agencies on six-month paid placements in their chosen agency.

Each graduate was rotated through the majority of Clemenger companies in Auckland and Wellington and given exposure and training in the advertising, direct, digital and public relations fields.

“We have always strived to gain an unfair share of exceptional talent in our Clemenger Group companies by nurturing and hiring smart, passionate and creative people,” says Jim Moser, chief executuve of Clemenger Group.

For graduate Bethany Omeri, the programme has provided the perfect platform to begin a career in advertising.

“The programme really fosters your development. I was given the opportunity to get involved rather than just sitting back and passively observing. I felt like we were given a great deal of trust and responsibility which was the best way to learn. Clemenger Group wants you to be good at your job and they put everything in place to make sure that you can be.”

At the end of the six-month placement it is expected all ten graduates will be offered full-time positions within the Clemenger Group. And, as a result of the successful first edition, the Clemenger Group Graduate Programme will be run annually.

Lightning Bolton

Experienced art director Dave Bolton, who worked at Walkers for over ten years and co-founded agency Work, is the latest old hand to join the Pond’s freelance collective.

“I’ve worked in some good agencies around town over the years. I was creative director at Walkers for a long time. In 2003 I formed an agency called Work, recently sold that, went freelancing and now here I am writing about myself as an art director in a Pond… and loving it.”

Mango trio

Fresh from hiring three new fruits, Mango, DDB’s PR, experiential and events agency has added three more, with Katie Hogan joining as an account manager from Total Events, Sarah Batley joining as talent manager and Justine Kinsella joining as account executive – events.

Hogan has worked in both events and PR in New Zealand and the UK; Batley, who has a diploma in event management, was most recently at Vector Arena as an events assistant and previously at Carat New Zealand; and Kinsella was a booking agent for some of New Zealand’s top talents, a tour manager and media runner for the Big Day Out.

Ehh Me Julie

New Zealand Major Events (NZME) has welcomed Julie Davidson on board as an advisor. She will be working with the Major Events Development Fund, which provides government funding to help attract, deliver, and grow high quality events that deliver lasting benefits for New Zealand. NZME works in close partnership with the events sector and is based within the Ministry of Economic Development.

Davidson was the former managing director of Current Events Limited and brings strong business and industry experience to complement the current team.

She will be missed

Much-loved and respected broadcaster Kerry Smith has passed away after a courageous battle with melanoma.

Smith took medical leave from her role as 10am–2pm announcer on MediaWorks radio station The Breeze in January to focus on treatment and recovery. And, according to her co-host of popular magazine-style TV show Weekend in the 80s, Gordon McLauchlan, she felt she would make it through, so the news came as a bit of a shock.

Smith was a foundation member of The Breeze, which kicked off in 2006, and she also worked as a presenter on Radio Pacific and RadioLIVE. Her extensive television career included the role of sharp-tongued deputy editor Magda on classic 80s TV Series Gloss and she also worked as a television continuity announcer, a weather presenter and the host of home improvement show Changing Rooms.

MediaWorks group managing director Sussan Turner said: “Kerry was a respected broadcaster and a very treasured member of the MediaWorks family. Our thoughts are with Kerry’s family and close friends at this incredibly sad time.”

The Breeze Programme Director Ian Avery said: “Kerry was a hugely talented radio host, the ultimate professional, and a dear friend. “Listeners loved her, and her colleagues loved her dearly. She will be greatly missed.”

Smith’s family expressed their appreciation of the thoughts and condolences they have received and they will be respecting her wish for a family funeral. A celebration of her life will be broadcast on The Breeze in the coming days.

On the Tequila

Seasoned digital media professional and Kiwi expat Geoff Devereux has been signed up to join Tequila\Auckland as its managing director, working alongside creative director Ross Howard, executive creative director Andy Blood and fellow Kiwi expat Charles Clapshaw, president of Tequila\Asia Pacific, who is based in Sydney.

Devereux, once a station manager at bFM, is returning home after 13 years in London, where he started digital consultancy Paperaeroplane, which later joined forces with Delete to become one of the most well-respected digital creative agencies in the UK (check out some of his work and his predictions on the future of digital media in this StopPress interview from 2009).

As managing director and chairman, Devereux grew Delete from a two-person creative agency to an innovative company with more than 20 employees and a strong international reputation for delivering outstanding work for leading global brands such as Red Bull, Westfield, BaByliss, Ministry of Sound, Virgin Atlantic and Universal Music.

“I’m really excited to be coming home and to such a great agency. Tequila\ New Zealand has a history of creating award-winning digital campaigns which I look forward to being a part of,” says Devereux. “Furthermore, I’m excited to be a part of a great network which has a strong reputation for collaboration. We’re engaging with our counterparts around the world to leverage a global talent/knowledge-pool. The internet has no borders.”

Since Tequila\ shifted its focus last year from offering DM and digital to becoming a purely digital agency, TBWA\Tequila chief executive Dave Walden stressed it was very important to find someone with the right digital experience.

“It’s a role that’s been vacant for a while. We’ve taken our time finding just the right guy, so it’s a great coup for us and we’re very excited about securing his talents and enticing him back to New Zealand,” he says. “Geoff comes with a well-established track-record of working successfully alongside top creative and technical teams. Professionally, personally and culturally, I have every confidence that he can spearhead the continued growth and development of TEQUILA\,” says Walden.

Sweet Meats

Sweet Shop director Sam Holst’s short film ‘Meathead’ has been selected for a worldwide premiere at the 64th Cannes Film Festival and will compete for the celebrated Palme d’Or. The only New Zealand film in this category, it will be screened along with eight others from all corners of the globe.

This year Robert De Niro heads the main jury, with Michel Gondry judging the short film category.

Australian Sam Holst has been directing films and commercials (most recently some kerrazzee spots for Eclipse breath mints) for several years and ‘Meathead’, a tension-fuelled drama set in rural Waikato about a 17-year-old boy’s first day on the job at the meat works, is his latest major project.

Shot entirely on location in a fully operational factory, the combination of real life layered with a dramatic narrative (based on Mike Robinson’s original story) is visceral.

Holst predominantly cast non-actors from the region and stayed true to the factory’s daily processing. He attributes much of the film’s success to his team, especially producers Desray Armstrong and Chelsea Winstanley, editor Peter Sciberras from The Butchery and funding from NZFC.

“Sam Holst is an extraordinary young film maker,” says The Sweet Shop’s chief executive/founding partner, Paul Prince. “His ambition to tell stories that hold authentic truth to one’s context, revealing truths universal, even in the gritty reality, only confirms him as a filmmaker to watch. This is great recognition for Sam and confirms his beliefs. We congratulate him and his team.”

The festival runs from 11 May until 22 May.

Fruits of their labour

Mango Communications, DDB NZ’s PR, experiential and events agency, has taken on three new pyars, with Ana-Mari Gates-Bowey joining as senior account manager, and Kimberley Sullivan and Anna-Louise Hoffman joining as account executives.

Gates-Bowey has had an extensive career in the public sector, including the New Zealand Police, Ministry of Social Development NZ, Hampshire Constabulary and the Home Office in the UK, while Sullivan has worked with JML Communications and the Arts Channel and Hoffman worked at Simply You magazine, Spice Communications and Southern Public Relations.