Tag: New Zealand

Australia – Independent advertising agency Thompson Spencer is expanding into Australia. Establishing a local presence in Sydney and Melbourne marks the next move for the agency, which has results-driven campaigns across 74 countries over the last 15 years.

Leading the Australian expansion is Olivia Thompson and Madison Trevella. Olivia has relocated from New Zealand after working with Thompson Spencer for six years and will head up the Sydney office. 

As a key figure in the agency’s journey, Olivia brings extensive experience from her previous role at Thompson Spencer NZ, where she spearheaded numerous large bluechip clients such as New World, Mitre 10 and The Warehouse Group in New Zealand . 

Meanwhile, Madison heads up Thompson Spencer in Melbourne working with clients such as Chartered Accountants, bringing local expertise and leadership to drive the agency’s presence in the Victorian market. 

Olivia Thompson, business director for Australia at Thompson Spencer, says, ”This is a major milestone for Thompson Spencer and I’m excited to have the opportunity to shape the next chapter for us. We’ve already built great relationships with Australian brands and having boots on the ground means we can be more hands-on and in tune with the market. We’re here to deliver creative that challenges, strategy that sharpens and media that gets business results.”

Meanwhile, Melanie Spencer, co-CEO of Thompson Spencer, commented, “Our vision has always been to build one of the greatest modern ad agencies in the world. We’ve earned our reputation in New Zealand and proven our impact globally. Now, we’re ready to take on the Australian market with the same fearless, future-focused mindset. Setting up a base in Sydney and Melbourne allows us to deliver our bold creative vision directly to Aussie brands.”

Lastly, Wendy Thompson, co-founder of Thompson Spencer, added, “Australia is a dynamic and thriving market and presents an exciting opportunity for us, as well as our Kiwi clients eyeing their own move into the market.”

It is worth noting that this market expansion comes after the recent merger between Thompson Spencer and Reacher, further amplifying its ability to deliver integrated marketing solutions to its clients. The combined agency now boasts an expanded team of over 53 talented professionals, actively recruiting to meet the rising demand and to continue their trajectory of growth across global markets.

Auckland, New Zealand – Two of New Zealand’s independent agencies, Thompson Spencer and Reason, have announced a landmark merger forming one of the largest independent agency groups in the country. 

Both agencies have operated for 15 years and established themselves as category leaders. The newly merged business will be known as Thompson Spencer Group, with both the Reason and Thompson Spencer businesses operating in market under the leadership of Melanie Spencer and Tim Pointer as co-CEOs. 

The merger expands Thompson Spencer Groups’ capabilities, combining digitally-led and ATL creative and media expertise with performance marketing to offer a fully integrated approach focused on delivering measurable results and a full-funnel service for brands looking to the future 

Thompson Spencer is a full-funnel creative and media agency, founded by Wendy Thompson and Melanie Spencer. The agency has an enviable line-up of clients including Bupa, Wattyl (Aus/NZ), Asahi, Honda, London City Airport, Mitre 10, Musashi, Seagrass Hospitality (Global) and Auckland Transport and completed four acquisitions in the last four years including The Social Club (influencer marketing agency); Flying Tiger (Chinese Social Media Marketing Agency), Magnesium (Accredited Media and Content Production Agency) and People of Influence (Talent Agency). 

Meanwhile, Reason, co-founded by Tim Pointer and Matt Rowe, has established itself as a leading performance agency renowned for propelling brands to exceptional results. Reason’s acquisition of Absolute Analytics in 2021 significantly enhanced the agency’s data and insight capabilities, further strengthening their ability to deliver performance-led strategies. Reason boasts an impressive roster of clients, including Chubb Life Insurance, Briscoe’s & Rebel Sport, Woolworths, Tourism Holdings (THL), Caci Clinic, Hirepool, CANZ, DoorDash NZ and Australia and Timely, demonstrating their broad expertise and proven track record across diverse sectors.

Melanie Spencer, co-founder and co-CEO of Thompson Spencer, said, “Most mergers happen when agencies need to consolidate to survive – this is the exact opposite with both businesses coming off the back of record-breaking years of growth despite the challenging economic environment.”

He added, “Both Thompson Spencer and Reason are at the top of their game. We’re growing, winning new business and making waves in our industry. The timing was right – this is about supercharging that momentum by bringing together two high-performing teams that share a bold vision for the future.”

Meanwhile, Wendy Thompson, co-founder of Thompson Spencer, commented, “This is a coming together of strengths. Clients no longer want their creative and media strategies sitting in silos. By merging with Reason, we’re creating an integrated powerhouse that blends world-class creativity with deep performance marketing expertise. We’re setting a new standard for what a modern, independent agency can deliver.”

New Zealand – Kiwi households are some of the worst food wasters in the world, tossing out a staggering $2.9 billion worth of food every year. That’s around three trolleys’ worth per household – much of it perfectly good but left to wilt, rot or get lost in the fridge abyss. But what if the food had something to say about it?

To highlight the need for better meal planning to stop food waste and help households save money, TBWA\NZ brought food waste to life – quite literally – by turning neglected ingredients into brutally honest food critics. 

Played by comedian Josh Thomson, these oversized, irate ingredients aren’t afraid to tell Kiwi families exactly what they think of their meal-planning skills (or lack thereof). There’s the floppy broccoli – a little past its prime and fuming about it. A grape that’s literally falling apart mid-monologue and a peeved pear with a bone to pick. 

These characters appear in the home of a well-meaning family during mealtime to promote a practical message: ‘do better meal planning’ – and ‘don’t forget your free meal planner!’

The three videos are paired with punchy print and OOH to drive the message home to all Kiwis: No one likes a bad review, but with Love Food Hate Waste’s new fool proof meal plan and simple steps, we can keep the Food Critics happy.

Juno Scott-Kelly, communications & marketing manager at Love Food Hate Waste, said, “We know that life can be unpredictable, unexpected events pop up, dealing with leftovers can feel like a challenge or you’re simply too tired to cook and opt for takeaways. By getting Kiwis to stay flexible and follow our meal planning steps, we believe we can help everyone in New Zealand to reduce their food waste and save time and money.”

Meanwhile, Shane Bradnick, chief creative officer at TBWA/NZ, commented, “We’re all guilty of buying food without a proper plan and end up throwing some away. Maybe an intervention from some angry broccoli, disgusted fruit and smelly salmon is exactly what we need to wake up and stop wasting food.”

New Zealand – Omnicom Media Group (OMG) has named PHD New Zealand CEO Nikki Grafton to the newly established role of CEO of OMG New Zealand, marking the first time that OMG’s New Zealand operations will have executive oversight as a stand-alone market, rather than under a combined ANZ leadership team.

As CEO, Grafton will lead the ongoing expansion and evolution of OMG’s future-ready business model, ensuring OMG’s New Zealand agencies OMD, PHD and Hearts & Science have the talent, tools and technology needed to drive brand growth in a robust marketplace, and tap into the dynamic opportunities available in a rapidly evolving landscape. 

In her new role, Nikki will be supported by Nigel Douglas, CEO of OMD New Zealand, and Jane Stanley, CEO of Hearts & Science, ANZ. Nikki will report to OMG APAC CEO Tony Harradine, effective immediately.

During her two decades with PHD New Zealand, Grafton played a key role in establishing PHD’s reputation for building strong client relationships, fueled by innovation and measurable brand growth. 

Meanwhile, PHD New Zealand Managing Director Abby Parkin will be elevated to CEO of PHD New Zealand, effective 1 March, working closely with Grafton to ensure a smooth transition. As MD, Parkin delivered market-leading communications solutions for clients while nurturing PHD’s talent. 

She also worked together with the leadership team to evolve PHD’s products and services to meet the industry’s evolving needs. As CEO, Parkin’s primary goal is to ensure that PHD New Zealand consistently delivers innovative and future-proofed solutions to drive results for clients and the business.

Commenting on her new role, Grafton said, “OMG has a solid bench of innovative thinkers who are passionate about unlocking new possibilities and delivering incredible work for our clients. This is an exciting time for OMG in New Zealand and I look forward to working alongside our talented teams to drive innovation, deepen partnerships and create meaningful impact in the market.

Meanwhile, Harradine commented, “As one of OMG’s epicentres of growth in Asia Pacific, New Zealand represents a crucial market for our continued progress in the region. A tenacious leader, Nikki understands what makes consumers tick and is adept at translating clients’ ambitions into tangible results. The close-knit client relationships she has forged signify brand confidence in OMG’s Agency as a Platform proposition and our talent, making Nikki a key pillar in delivering competitive advantage for our clients and the business in New Zealand.”

New Zealand – Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) has announced its sponsorship of Auckland FC with a campaign launch via marketing communications company TBWA\NZ.

The campaign aims to celebrate the new Auckland FC team, rewarding football fans through an activation. Under the ‘Auckland Forever’ platform line, TBWANZ launched the campaign across print, online, and OOH.

Drawing on fan culture, ANZ began a scavenger hunt of limited-edition Auckland FC shirts. 

Over 200 shirts were strategically placed in various locations across Auckland, free for fans who find them on a first come, first served basis. ANZ posted clues about the shirts’ location through their Instagram page.

“There will never be another day one or game one. ANZ is incredibly proud to play a role in helping all of Auckland get behind this exciting new team right from the start,” Matt Pickering, ANZ general manager of marketing, said.

“As back of shirt sponsor for Auckland FC we needed a unique way to bring our sponsorship to life and demonstrate our support for the club and the region at Large. It was incredible to see so many people in their Day 1 shirts at the match and reward the fans whom have already shown so much passion for Auckland FC. What a special moment to be part of. Well done to the agency team for sending this one straight to the back of the net!” Pickering added.

“We wanted to create something that spoke to not just football fans, but recognised the city as a whole and the buzz that exists for the club. Football is on a huge growth trajectory with a fan culture that offers us such rich territory,” Shane Bradnick, chief commercial officer of TBWA\NZ, commented.

“The integrated solve between TBWA\NZ and Eleven, with support from AO Studios, was an incredible piece of work that generated a phenomenal amount of hype whilst smartly focusing on ANZ’s back-of-shirt sponsorship placement. The activation in particular was great to see, we had people camped out for hours, driving around for miles and generating a huge amount of goodwill for ANZ. It demonstrated how a bank can show up in culture, in a disruptive way,” Bradnick added.

Auckland, New Zealand – Accenture Song, a tech-powered creative group, has appointed Storm Day as its New Zealand lead and chief executive officer (CEO) of The Monkeys Aotearoa ahead of its rebranding to Droga5 in December.

Since joining the company in 2022, Day has been leading The Monkeys Aotearoa’s marketing operations, contributing to the team’s growth.

With over two decades of experience in the marketing and consulting industry, Day has worked with brands such as Tourism New Zealand, ASB, New Zealand Story, Fonterra, Mazda, and Asahi.

Accenture Song recently appointed Bronwyn van der Merwe as Accenture Song lead for Australia and New Zealand and Matt Michael as CEO of Droga5.

Justin Mowday, country managing director at Accenture New Zealand, said, “Storm has been instrumental in expanding the team at The Monkeys Aotearoa and making Accenture Song’s global expertise relevant to the New Zealand market.”

“She is a formidable leader with unbeatable local knowledge and experience and is the best person to help steer us into the future as we continue to champion purpose-led growth for our clients in New Zealand,” Mowday added.

“I am extremely excited to be leading this very talented team and working with our clients to join up purpose and customer experience. We help Kiwi organisations put a meaningful purpose at the heart of their culture, operations and experiences to drive growth,” Day commented.

“Combined with the Droga5 name and our incredible creative leader, Damon Stapleton, we will continue to build and sustain Aotearoa’s most influential brands,” Day added.

New Zealand – Ogilvy One has appointed Aaron Goldring as creative and experience design director to boost its capabilities in New Zealand (NZ).

The position was previously held by Matt Oxley, who has moved to WPP Open X, an integrated agency model created for The Coca-Cola Company.

With more than 23 years of experience in digital, creative, and design experience, Goldring has worked with agencies such as DDB Tribal, Partners Andrews Aldridge, and Ogilvy One UK.

Goldring’s experience will  offer local brands a combined “rigour of customer experience with the vigour of brand,” Steve Kane, group managing director at Ogilvy NZ, said.

“As a strategic, creative and experience design expert, Aaron brings a strong agency pedigree working with both local and global brands. He’s a proven leader and a dab hand at helping clients navigate the ever-changing digital landscape by creating relevant solutions to complex business problems,” Kane said.

“As we look to continually build out our Ogilvy One capability in New Zealand, Aaron is a welcome addition to an already solid offering. Working side by side with our existing creative and strategic offering, we believe the NZ Ogilvy One capability can provide an end-to-end solution at a time when finding efficiencies and streamlining approaches has never been more important,” Kane added.

Goldring commented, “It’s awesome to be part of Ogilvy One again. Steve, Toby and the team have reinvigorated Ogilvy in New Zealand. Backed by a formidable network, we have the capabilities to help our clients deliver impactful brand experiences.”

Australia – Accenture Song, a technology-powered creative group, has appointed Bronwyn van der Merwe as Accenture Song lead for Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) and Matt Michael as chief executive officer (CEO) of Droga5, an advertising agency under the company.

In their new roles, van der Merwe and Michael is set to lead Accenture Song’s ANZ team in driving growth.

Currently the service practice lead at Accenture Song ANZ, van der Merwe’s new position is effective starting Oct. 15, 2024. She was also the design lead at the company for the Asia-Pacific region. Before working at the company, she served as the vice president of design at Culture Amp. She also established Fjord, a design agency, in Australia.

Meanwhile, Michael’s position is effective starting Dec. 1, 2024, while retaining his leadership in the company’s marketing practice for ANZ. Michael was previously the managing director at The Monkeys, which he held for more than 10 years. He has worked with various brands such as Telstra, Qantas, Amazon, and NRMA Insurance.

Mark Green, global CEO at Droga5, said “This is a great moment for two truly brilliant people, both of whom I have had the pleasure to work with for many years. Bronwyn was part of why I was keen to join forces with Accenture in the first place. Seeing what Bronwyn helped create with Fjord in Australia was a brilliant insight into the potential of creativity, consulting and technology. Bronwyn will lead Accenture Song into a new era and the team in Australia and New Zealand are in good hands.” 

“It is great to see leaders grow and expand and it has been a privilege working with Matt Michael for over 14 years. Matt’s elevation to CEO of Droga5 in ANZ is an absolute no brainer and a great reward for someone who has been instrumental in the success of not only The Monkeys but Accenture Song as well. I cannot wait to see where Matt can take Droga5 in ANZ and I look forward to continuing our long partnership,” Green added.

“How lucky to be going from strength to strength in ANZ leadership. Bronwyn’s integrated expertise and perspective, coupled with her deep commitment to both our people and our clients, makes her the ideal leader for this next chapter. At the same time, Matt who has a history of leadership and excellence is uniquely poised to lead Droga5, and will shape a local perspective that will undoubtedly have an impact on the agency and its clients globally,” David Droga, global CEO of Accenture Song, said.

“I feel incredibly honoured to have the opportunity to lead Accenture Song’s next chapter, alongside Matt and the rest of the Song leadership team in Australia and New Zealand. We have incredible talent and capabilities in Song, including our recent acquisitions of Fiftyfive5 and The Lumery. The launch of Droga5 in this market will further strengthen our ability to deliver purpose led growth for our clients,” van der Merwe commented.

“The opportunity to work so closely with David and Mark to re-launch Droga5 in Australia and New Zealand is something I couldn’t back away from. I look forward to building on everything we have done over the past 18 years with The Monkeys to take the business to new heights, here and globally, under the Droga5 moniker. It is an exciting time for Song and I look forward to working with Bron to continue taking our full-service suite of services and bring the provocative thinking and creativity of our outstanding team to our clients,” Michael said.

New Zealand – Dairy brand Anchor has launched a campaign with TBWA\New Zealand to remind consumers of the health benefits of drinking real milk. The campaign, titled “Real Milk. Real Good,” aims to elevate milk as a daily beverage over plant-based alternatives.

The dairy industry in New Zealand has faced challenges due to changing consumer habits and the rise of plant-based alternatives. Anchor’s campaign seeks to address this decline by encouraging New Zealanders to embrace milk as a staple in their diets.

The campaign features a diverse range of individuals, including Olympic hero Dame Valerie Adams and dancer Lance Savali highlighting milk’s benefits. It even features the cartoon character Popeye, who switched to drinking milk from eating spinach.

Anchor’s campaign will be available for viewing through various channels, including television, social media, and in-store promotions.

“Drinking milk by the glass is not something seen as much anymore. The campaign is based around bringing back that visibility and permissibility. Cow’s milk is the G.O.A.T. A true original superfood. It builds bones strong. Grows muscles big. Makes hair fabulous. It can help you take your first steps. And prolong your last. It is pure, simple, and healthy. This campaign sees Anchor in its role as category leader encouraging consumers to reappraise milk and take note of its benefits as the real superfood made right here in New Zealand. If the category grows, Anchor grows, New Zealand grows,” Shane Bradnick, chief creative officer of TBWA\NZ, said.

“To help stop what is a global decline in milk is a big brief. Where we’ve netted out is a campaign that’s simple and powerful, not unlike the milk itself. We’ve celebrated milk drinkers of all ages and stages, and even got Popeye to swap out his spinach for a glass of the good stuff. Now that’s real good,” Bradnick added.

Lucy Bailey, group marketing manager at Anchor, said, “In year one alone Anchor will make a significant investment for the category, with a highly visible and iconic campaign that aims to champion the goodness of dairy. Letting every New Zealander know that nothing beats real milk. Per capita consumption has been declining for years, which is a big concern. To get these lost audiences to consider milk again, we needed to take a confident, category leadership position.”

New Zealand – After a rigorous and highly competitive review process, Lion New Zealand has appointed PHD Aotearoa as its new media agency partner, tasking the agency with driving media strategy and enhancing brand impact across its diverse portfolio of alcoholic beverage brands.

As part of this appointment, PHD will take a central role in shaping Lion NZ’s media strategy, overseeing planning and buying for its key beer, wine, spirit, RTD, and coffee brands. Lion has a licencing agreement with Diageo in New Zealand.

PHD will lead the execution of integrated media campaigns across all channels, harnessing data-driven insights and cutting-edge technology to elevate Lion’s brand presence in the marketplace. By leveraging its industry expertise and innovative strategies, PHD is poised to enhance brand performance and drive significant impact.

Annemarie Browne, marketing director at Lion NZ, said, “We’re thrilled to welcome PHD as our new media agency partner. Our goal is to elevate Lion’s brands’ presence and cultural impact with New Zealand audiences. This partnership aligns perfectly with our strategic vision and will focus on optimising our entire portfolio. PHD’s leadership in the media industry, collaborative approach, and innovative solutions were key factors in their selection. We were extremely impressed with their team and look forward to creating culture-defining work together.” 

Nikki Grafton, CEO at PHD Aotearoa, added, “We are so happy to have the opportunity to partner with the Lion team and their portfolio of iconic brands. Lion’s passion for market-leading innovation and smart media thinking is exciting, and the PHD team cannot wait to get stuck in and deliver great work and business results together.” 

PHD’s appointment underscores Lion’s commitment to leveraging new media opportunities to stay ahead in a dynamic market. With Speight continuing to be a large alcohol brand in New Zealand and Steinlager’s 65-year legacy of excellence, this partnership is set to drive continued growth.

Effective 1 November 2024, PHD will take over as Lion NZ’s new media agency partner, succeeding EssenceMediacom, which has held the role for the past five years.