A blog for the New Zealand creative advertising industry, now at www.campaignbrief.com/nz. Email news to: michael@campaignbrief.com

Friday, December 30, 2005

Thank you for visiting the NZ Creative Circle blog

Unfortunately, we are closed for Jesus' birthday and the pagan New Year thing that's always a bit of an anti-climax no matter how well you plan it. However, your business is important to us and you are now in a priority queue. If you have an urgent post to make, please email it to: kiwicreatives.email@blogger.com. If your rumour is not urgent, please deposit it at the end of this post in the comments area. For all other business, press the star key twice, then press hash. Then hang up.

Neil

Monday, December 26, 2005

Please be upstanding.

Edited highlights of Her Majesty's 2005 Xmas message:

"Of the nearly two billion citizens of the Commonwealth, more than half are under the age of twenty-five. Almost 20% of these people are new or recent graduates working on placement in advertising agencies.

That provides advertising with a strong foundation for the future. Of course, we all face significant challenges. Some people live in conditions of conflict or insecurity.

Others have suffered the impact of natural disasters, such as flooding or hurricanes, or major account losses which can cause great damage to their communities and countries.

Overcoming these global challenges, whether as individuals or teams, depends on ingenuity and commitment. It involves young people in particular having the chance to develop their talents and their abilities - without being held back by inequality, or really sucky placement pay rates.

In my lifetime, I have often seen that when people are encouraged to develop their skills of writing and art direction, they are well placed to contribute their ideas and energies towards building a better future.

The key to unlocking human potential, and creating opportunity, is education. And winning awards.

Education is sometimes described as the golden thread that binds the Commonwealth. Our shared use of a common, world language - English - has underpinned a long and rich tradition of writing things that make sense to others who speak English.

Knowledge-based economies are the key to future prosperity, and overcoming technological and other inequalities will be much in the minds of Commonwealth Heads of Government when they meet in Malta in November to decide the D&AD jury for 2007.

For all of us, knowledge is a life-long journey. Education is a precious gift which should be available to everyone, young and old. Not only does it equip us with the skills and the intellect to overcome the problems we face; it also increases our understanding of - and respect for - other people, whatever our differences may be.

Perhaps Nelson Mandela put it best when he said, "education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. David Bell, I salute you."

To everyone throughout the Commonwealth who is working towards this worthy goal, I extend my heartfelt thanks.

Especially my loyal subjects Talbot, Blood, Scott-Wilson and Catmur, who are doing their bit to keep the Commonwealth together. Go you good cunts.

ELIZABETH R.
25 December 2005

Thursday, December 22, 2005

HOUSE SITTERS AVAILABLE

If you need, or know of any one needing a house sitting service (we can
also look after your pets whilst at your house) over the holiday period
and beyond by a clean, tidy
and house trained couple we are happy to help. Short or long term, any
area in Auckland.

We are available 9th - 20th Jan, and from 20th Feb onwards.

Feel free to forward this on.

If interested phone:

Steve 021 495777 or Jackie 021 343113.

Scott-Wilson bottled by Blood, Talbot wins enormous lunch

Over 300 people from the majority of Auckland’s agencies gathered at La Zeppa restaurant on Monday night to hear seven leading Creative Directors recount their most entertaining memories from their time in advertising.

 

The convivial assembly were treated to tales of incontinence, infidelity, indiscretion, fallen pride, creative gift wrapping, and a barefaced disregard for other motorists, and Andy Blood broke a bottle over Sion Scott-Wilson’s head.

 

Saatchi & Saatchi’s Toby Talbot was the winner of the $1000 lunch at Bella Restaurant. The audience was regaled charmingly with his tale about a pitch gone wrong at Saatchi & Saatchi London in the early nineties.

 

The CAANZ Kitchen Table would like to thank all those who came, as well as MC Robbie Magasiva, sponsors Tiger Beer, 3rd Eye Recruitment, Bella Restaurant, Volkswagen and Adidas, Spyglass for the sound and lighting, La Zeppa for having us, and the seven Creative Directors for so graciously coping with what Toby described as ‘the cuntiest thing we’ve ever had to do’.

 

Similar events will be taking place in 2006.

We have a winner


The unique ADWNKR vanity plates have found a temporary home and will be dispatched to the lucky winner after Christmas.

This is to allow time to have them framed - someone suggested this should be an annual honour and we thought that's actually a bloody good idea. Thanks again to Soundtrax for donating the trophy.

Thanks Lion Red

Press release: Lion Nathan New Zealand has concluded its review of
advertising creative and media agencies for its beer, wines, spirits and RTD
business.

The review results in the following appointments:
Advertising creative:
Publicis Mojo has been appointed to provide advertising creative solutions
for Speights, Lion Red, Steinlager and regional brands. Previous incumbent:
Meares Taine Group.

Shine has been appointed to provide advertising creative solutions for
Mac¹s. Previous incumbent: Colenso.
WRC retains its contract to provide advertising creative solutions for the
wines, spirits and RTD portfolios.
Colenso retains its contract to provide advertising creative solutions for
Corona and Guinness/Kilkenny.
FCB retains its contract to provide advertising creative solutions for
Stella Artois.
Media:
Optimedia has been appointed to provide all media planning and purchasing
solutions for beer, wines, spirits and RTDs. Previous incumbents: Media
Directions (beer); OMD (wines, spirits and RTDs).

These decisions take effect immediately.
For further information:
Liz Read
Corporate Affairs Director
Lion Nathan New Zealand

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

What da fuck?


Here's a question. How many creatives in the industry came from Wellington
College?

===============================================
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solely for the person or organization to whom
it is addressed. It may contain privileged and
confidential information. If you are not the
intended recipient, you should not copy,
distribute or take any action in reliance on it.

If you have received this transmission in error,
please notify the sender at the e-mail address above.
================================================

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Ad Media quiz

Good thing in Admedia, 'Love Your Work', an advertising general
knowledge test. Very well writ. However I must point out that
Question 9 is misleading... I won't spoil the fun by spilling the
correct answer, but my favourite hangout is actually in Singapore,
not KL.

LOL, Neil

Get your nomination in

Nominations for those prized ADWNKR vanity plates close at 12 noon Wednesday.

Amadeo on the Wayo

Reported today on the Campaign Brief blog: "Publicis Mojo, Auckland has scored a coup by attracting hot London art director Andy Amadeo to be based at the agency from early next year for a yet unspecified period of time. Most recently Amadeo has been ECD of Mustoes. From 1999 to 2001 he was CD at
Lowe Howard-Spink before a short stint as ECD at CDP. Amadeo has worked at most of London's hot shops including WCRS, Delaney Fletcher, Chiat\ Day and Simons Palmer. His awards haul includes the Print Grand Prix at Cannes in 2000 for Stella Artois. The campaign also won two Gold and three Silvers at Campaign Press plus a Gold at Creative Circle. He also scored a Gold and Silver Lion, a D&AD Silver, Silver at Campaign Press plus Creative Circle Silver for Nike."

He will be flying into Auckland sometime January and his awards will be arriving in a shipping container which should be here by March.

Neil.

Top new phrase of 2005?


A planner in the works, eg.

" Things were going really well and then someone threw a planner in the
works".

pitch goss anyone?

OK

Fess-up

Who scooped the Audi account then?

_________________________________________________________________
Shop �til you drop at XtraMSN Shopping http://shopping.xtramsn.co.nz/home/

Monday, December 19, 2005

Moving forward

As 2005 ends there are words we should leave there.
From midnight, December 31 the following words/ phrases are
officially obsolete:
Moving forward, over-arching, intellectual rigor, core competency,
contemporaneity, cognisant, triple bottom line reporting,
experiential marketing, centres of excellence, i-anything, brand
trajectory, counter-intuitive, zeitgeist, consumer-centric, brand
elevator, focussed investment, vertical integration, joined-up
thinking, solution neutral.

ADWNKR of 2005 wins Personalised Plates


It's that time of the year when we recognise those who have done the most to further the reputation of Advertising in 2005.

Consequently, the NZ Creative Circle is calling for nominations for Ad Wanker of the year.

The prize is a fine pair of personalised plates which read:

ADWNKR

These have been kindly donated by Jim and Stacey and the gang at Soundtrax*.

Nominations please on the comments part of this post or by email directly to neilfrench@nyc.com

The winner will be announced on Wednesday and arrangements made to deliver the plates to the lucky individual. Most nominated individual wins. Simple as that.

Good luck.

Neil

* These were bought by Soundtrax at the charity art auction earlier in the year and have yet to find a good home.

Sunday, December 18, 2005

That Campaign Brief Blog is so much easier on the eyes than this one.
It's got nice purdy background colours and each story is accompanied by
a cute little image.

Any chance we could ditch the current poo-brown in favour of something
fresh? Like urine-yellow...

For Xmas 2006

From Applied Minds in the US - Babble. A hardback-sized device that "captures the user's voice, splices it into random bits then spits out the scrambled speech in multiple streams through a nearby speaker. The result sounds like low-level party chatter where all the guests are one person". Babble renders the most sensitive or naughty conversations untelligible to office eavesdroppers and blog posters - no more locking yourself in the small meeting room to talk to Patsy. Available by mail order from CAANZ late next year.

Changes at Clems

Duster slides into the big chair as MD and ECD in March when Peter Biggs moves to Oz to be MD at Clemenger BBDO Melbourne*.

So rumours of Biggsy taking the FCB job were just that, of course - but what is happening at FCB? Will they announce a new boss before Xmas? (One thing we can confirm , it won't be Glenda.)

* full press release from Clemenger in comments.

Friday, December 16, 2005

More exotic Google ads


We had a bit of a fiddle with the Google settings and, instead of the usual
McCanns/Saatchi servings, are now getting served much more cosmopolitan fare ; eg. blog references to DB Thirstbuster appears to be exciting providers of
firefighting equipment, hoses, nozzles, reels, personal tanks etc. Is this
working for you?

Neil

Thursday, December 15, 2005

The Alarming Misapplication of a Boardroom Table and Other Wonderful Tales

<smaller>Following the press release for this event earlier on the
Creative Circle blog, there is now a site hosting an ad for the event.

www.publicisdialog.co.nz/caanz/stories

It's on the 19th of December at La Zeppa, and as well as the speakers
mentioned in the previous posting, Robbie Magasiva has just confirmed
as MC.

Tickets are limited, so those planning to attend should RSVP to
kitchentable@caanz.co.nz

</smaller>

People's Choice

From the Campaign Brief blog:

It's that time of the year when Campaign Brief gets submissions for Agency of the Year - for both Australia and New Zealand. Any thoughts on which shop deserves the title in New Zealand?

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Great minds

You've seen Mojo's ad for the Ak City Mission? Well this was done by a Phillipines agency and aired in January 2005.

http://www.bestadsontv.com/ad_details.php?id=1230

This is the latest print extension.

http://www.bestadsontv.com/print_details.php?id=1231

Admittedly Mojo goes quite a bit further but could this be another Vagina Monologue in the making?

Vocabulary Update

The editors of the New Oxford American Dictionary have announced their Word of the Year for 2005.

And the word is...Podcast. No surprises there.

Runners-up for the 2005 US Word of the Year include: bird flu,IED, lifehack, persistent vegetative state ( technically a phrase), sudoku, trans fat and squick - which apparently means to cause immediate and thorough revulsion, eg. "was anyone else squicked by that suit's arse-licking?"

It must be Christmas

Well bugger me. After four months of bitching and back-biting and shoulder-scratching and shit-stirring, there has been a veritable string of positive posts. At least a half a dozen. People with actual good things to say about other people's ads and what have you. Of course, this could just be carefully disguised onanisim from the creators themselves, but it sure lifts an old man's spirits.

Neil.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Hmmmm

So no great ads for ages and ages and then all of a sudden
we have Saatchi's latest Women's Refuge spot, Whybin's
Soccer Ball thing, Mojo's Bluebird sensations and last but
not least DDB's Darth Tater ad. All of which are bloody
great in my opinion.

I think Axis and One Show close off dates must be looming.

Xmas Message

adidas + Teamgeist launch



Shots as requested by bloggers


A decent ad on the CAANZ showcase

"Darth Tater", magnificent, brilliant and quite funny too.

Connan (actually Connan)

Supply plastic stick

Supply plastic stick

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We can manufacture products according to your sample or drawing.

Linkman: Shuilong Lin (Foreign Trade Manager)

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O.P.: 86-595-85693861/85688977/86176217
FAX: 86 -595-85693862
MSN:linshuilong353@msn.com

Email:lyjwh@public.qz.fj.cn
Alibaba Trade manager ID:jjminfeng
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邮  编: 362200

Monday, December 12, 2005

adidas - be the ball

BE THE BALL: ADIDAS NEW ZEALAND KICKS MATCH BALL FOR FIFA WORLD CUP 2006 INTO ORBIT

At a launch in Auckland on Saturday 10 December 2005 adidas New Zealand, via agency Whybin TBWA, launched the match ball for FIFA World Cup 2006 by turning a 'SKY SCREAMER' into the match ball [+Teamgiest] itself.

Situated at the 'Sky Screamer' site in the heart of Auckland City, the 2.5m high ball sits in front of a giant billboard featuring Liverpool Captain and English team member Steven Gerrard, giving the impression the footballer is kicking the adidas match ball.

Designed to create impact and a true 'Impossible is Nothing' experience, adidas New Zealand Managing Director Greig Bramwell said the ball will let the people of New Zealand be part of the World's largest sporting event.

"When the original concepts were developed, we felt it was important for people to experience the +Teamgiest, not just be there to look at. And so 'Be the Ball' was born. 'Be the Ball' lets people learn, interact and in a unique way enjoy what it is like to be kicked at over 170 Kmph by Steven Gerrard.

"When inside the ball the person will experience a true sound and visual experience.

"The ball was produced by firstly moulding fibreglass around a weather balloon. The ball was then built around an original Sky Screamer pod. We tested and tested and then again tested before being ready to launch."

Produced by Whybin\TBWA Auckland as part of 180\TBWA alliance, 'Be the Ball' was modeled from the actual adidas +Teamgiest ball. The 'Ball' and billboard becomes the largest outdoor advertising site in the country.

The launch of the Match Ball follows adidas' global launch of its campaign for the FIFA World Cup 2006: +10.

"The +10 campaign is purely about team, which is what adidas stands for. It is not about flashy individual demi-gods, it is about yourself plus 10 other team- mates who have a common purpose, working on the insight of 'Together I am Strong'"

"In football, the match ball is the central focus outside of the players. Much emphasis has been placed on the ball and also the Predator boot to enable quality fusion between both products. Combined this fusion will assist the player to perform.

New Zealanders can 'Be the Ball' from 10-27 December by buying any official adidas FIFA World Cup football or pair of adidas Predator football boots from any Auckland Rebel Sport store.

Mark Cochrane
Whybin\TBWA
Level 2, 11 Mayoral Drive
Auckland
P +64 9 366 6266
M +64 275 427 321
F +64 9 366 6110
E mark.cochrane@whybintbwa.co.nz

TBWA\ = DISRUPTION
To see how disruption has given our clients a bigger share of the
future go to www.tbwa.com/index.php/disruption

BNZ relationship marketing


I had a really amusing Xmas card from my BNZ "personal banker" at the
weekend. It had a hand written note wishing me a happy Christmas and
then it was signed with a STAMP - Lynn C, Personal Manager.
Brilliant.

Sunday, December 11, 2005

Who will be the new CD for Grey NZ?

Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.9/185 - Release Date: 11/28/2005

Guess correctly and win a Chrisco hamper.

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Link exchange with your site http://ad-rag.com

Dear Webmaster,

My name is Vit Ustinov, and I run the web site Justified Link Exchange,
Link Swap, Trade Directory to increase your Google PR link popularity:

http://ustinov.org/

I recently found your site http://ad-rag.com and am very pleased to offer
you place the link to your web site on our rapidly expanding directory.
As you know, reciprocal linking benefits both of us by raising our search
rankings and generating more traffic to both of our sites.

Please go to http://www.ustinov.org/links/addlink.php to place your
web-site under the desired category.

Then you will be able to login at http://www.ustinov.org/links/login.php
and add other web-sites in our directory to increase their rating.

Thank you very much,

Vit Ustinov

Friday, December 09, 2005

The Alarming Misapplication of a Boardroom Table and Other Wonderful Tales

The CAANZ Kitchen Table would like to invite the entire advertising industry to La Zeppa this Monday the 19th of December at 6pm to drink Tiger Beer and listen to our top Creative Directors recount their most entertaining adland moments.

DDB's Paul Catmur, Colenso's Richard Maddocks, Saatchi & Saatchi's Toby Talbot, FCB's James Mok, Publicis Mojo's Nick Worthington, Y&R's Jeneal Rohrback, Whybin/TBWA's Andy Blood and Lowe's Sion Scott-Wilson will each tell a brief story, and the best, as judged by the audience on the night, will procure for its orator a $1000 lunch tab, courtesy of 3rd Eye Recruitment.

Tiger Beer have kindly stocked the fridge to get things started, thereafter the bar will be cash.

An ad for the event will be circulated about the industry this week.

Those planning to attend are requested to RSVP to kitchentable@caanz.co.nz by Friday 16 December. The event is open to those employed by New Zealand communications agencies who are members of CAANZ.

The Kitchen Table is a subcommittee of CAANZ, created to represent the interests of those advertising people under 30.

For more information please contact Fleur Head - fleur.head@saatchi.co.nz

Ends

Thursday, December 08, 2005

FCB MD Rumour pt2

Latest rumour one from the deep dark moisty hole that is the Auckland
Ad scene.

James Hall to FCB.

Fair enough too.

It must be painful driving to work in an Aston Martin, getting the
morning coffees, the milk, and the mail for the other more senior
fellas at Assignmunt.

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Xmas Party Pics Please

Send them without delay to neilfrench@nyc.com

The most scandalous will be published in our popular Xmas-New Year double issue. First, second and third person articles are also being solicited for publication, if you know what I mean.

Neil.

Lest We Forget™

At precisely 2pm Thursday afternoon ( mid-way through the legendary lunch at Rocco) the industry will observe a minute's silence in memory of all the truly legendary work that didn't make it this year - due to fear, foolishness or marketing department relocation.

Following the minute of silence, Bugler Michael Lynch will sound the Last Post and bells will ring out all over the city.

FCB to support McCann brand: Separate brands to be maintained

FCB New Zealand today announced that it will be supporting fellow Interpublic Group companies, advertising agency McCann Erickson and media services agency Universal McCann, in the New Zealand market. Effective 1 January 2006, the McCann businesses will relocate their operations to the offices of FCB in Auckland. FCB will provide managerial as well as infrastructural support.

One of the largest advertising agencies in New Zealand, FCB has experienced significant growth in 2005 with a succession of new account wins including Prime Television, Pascoes and Prouds, Ministry of Education, Statistics New Zealand, Angus & Robertson, and NZ Steel. FCB’s operations will remain unaffected by the McCann relocation.

According to FCB New Zealand General Manager, Brian van den Hurk, FCB senior management welcomed the opportunity to work more collegially with the McCann Group, adding that the additional staff will be comfortably housed within FCB’s premises. The Universal McCann team in New Zealand will be led by Media Director Delwyn King.


Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Sorry for the outage

Apologies for the blog's unavailability this afternoon.It seems
someone attempted to post a particularly banal piece of crap and a
large piece fell off and wedged itself deep in the blog's...well,
bowels. Gummed up the works completely. The same thing happened to
our more erudite friends at Campaign Brief so clearly there's a lot
of shit being written on both sides of the Tasman.

Neil

Blog stats


There has now been more than 30,000 visits to this blog since September, now averaging around 450 a day, peaking at around 950 on several of the more controversial days.

The all important revenue generating click-through rate is a fairly unremarkable 0.3% and, frankly, we are staggered it is that high.

As a consequence, the projected earnings from Google Adsense to December 31 will be $5.50 US. Which is more than enough to buy everyone that drink promised back in September.

Cheers.

Monday, December 05, 2005

Xmas Message

"By the way if anyone here is in advertising or marketing... kill yourself.
No, no, no it's just a little thought. I'm just trying to plant seeds. Maybe
one day, they'll take root - I don't know. You try, you do what you can.
Kill yourself. Seriously though, if you are, do. Aaah, no really, there's no
rationalisation for what you do and you are Satan's little helpers, Okay -
kill yourself - seriously. You are the ruiner of all things good, seriously.

No this is not a joke, you're going, "there's going to be a joke coming,"
there's no fucking joke coming. You are Satan's spawn filling the world with
bile and garbage. You are fucked and you are fucking us. Kill yourself. It's
the only way to save your fucking soul, kill yourself."

- Bill Hicks

CAANZ Xmas Debate thing

Once upon a time it was simple consumer communication.
Has it now become all-consuming?
Join us for a great Christmas debate as our unreasonably opinionated panel
discuss whether "Advertising will eat itself".

Panelists include

Philip O'Neill, Managing Director, Whybin TWBA
Jason Dooris, Creative Director, Saatchi & Saatchi
Matt Shirtcliffe, Creative Director, AIM Proximity
Ian Power, Managing Director, Insight NZ
Daniel Barnes, CEO, barnesadvertising
Brent Smart, Group Account Director, Colenso BBDO
and more.
Brought to you by the CAANZ Indies.

The 2005 CAANZ Christmas Lunch Debate

Friday 16th December - 12pm till 3pm
VBG 279 Parnell Rd, Parnell, Auckland
Tickets $65 including 2 course lunch and drinks
Email office@caanz.co.nz or call CAANZ on (09) 303 0435

Scam of the Year

What was it? Who did it?

Best of the year?

It's that time of the year when we get all retrospective. Best NZ ads of the
year? What's going to get up at AXIS and beyond? Be charitable. And refrain
from nominating your own if possible.

Friday, December 02, 2005

Brief diversion


That Russian copy-cat site coloribus has a new blog which is kind of
interesting, if you're bored.

Www.coloribus.com/blog

How to do things right


From Fastline’s David Gapes:

The 50-odd staff at McCann were interviewed yesterday one-on-one by MD Glenda Wynyard & financial director Warwick Everall, who told each if they were staying or leaving.

It seems up to 40 staffers were made redundant.

In attendance at the agency yesterday (but keeping a very low profile, and taking no direct part in the staff meetings) were McCann Sydney executives Max Gosling & Reg Davidson.

Until these meetings started, staffers had been told nothing. Gosling & Davidson had been in Auckland for two days before the meetings, but had entered the McCanns offices only after work hours.

The NBR published a report this morning in which an unnamed McCann source played down the events of the past two days, and characterised the FCB takeover as "sharing offices". The report did not mention redundancies.

Thursday, December 01, 2005

( ) as it should be.

Has anyone noticed a slight similarity between the Coca-cola work from
last summer, and the new Heineken campaign.

An alert fellow creative told me about it this morning. I did a quick
CSI:Parnell, and I think there is a case to answer.