Tag: New Zealand

Auckland, New Zealand – In an attempt to drive the message across the growing issue of plastic pollution across our oceans and seas, the New Zealand arm of non-profit organization World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has released a new campaign alongside creative agency Colenso BBDO to visualize the issue of microplastic pollution.

WWF New Zealand has released new perspective pictures of said issue through underwater photography. At first glance, the resulting images appear to be star systems, but on closer inspection, it’s revealed that the ‘stars’ are actually microplastics suspended in water.

The campaign is released as new studies have suggested that eight million tons of plastic pollution end up in the ocean each year, breaking down into tiny bits to become microplastics. This then ends up in our food systems, where it is estimated that people are ingesting around 5 grams of plastic a week.

“There’s a general awareness of microplastics in the ocean, but what we wanted to do was help people grasp the unbelievable scale of the pollution. It’s only when Kiwis really see the size of the damage being done that we’re motivated to act,” said Simon Vicars, executive creative director at Colenso BBDO.

Meanwhile, Livia Esterhazy, CEO at WWF New Zealand commented, “These images are hauntingly beautiful, and yet, it is when we look up close we discover the horror we have created. From the Mariana Trench to Mount Everest, there is not a single place on Earth untouched by plastic pollution. 

She added, “Most of this plastic was designed to be used only once, but will remain for generations. We hope, by seeing the sheer scale of the problem, people will be inspired to take action and help us ‘Stop Plastic Pollution’.”

WWF New Zealand’s nationwide ‘Stop Plastic Pollution’ campaign is asking New Zealanders to help call on their government to introduce a global, legally binding, agreement to stop plastics polluting their oceans.

Australia – InMobi, the global mobile marketing and advertising platform provider, has announced two key senior appointments to ramp up its market presence in Australia and New Zealand.

The two senior appointments are Nicholas Robson, who was promoted to the newly created role of head of agency and strategic clients, and Aimee Jenkins, who was appointed as the new sales manager. Robson was InMobi’s former head of sales for NSW and QLD. Meanwhile, Jenkins has previously worked as the NSW sales manager for mobile-only ad tech company Kargo, and was a business development manager for women’s media group Mamamia. 

Both new appointments come as InMobi doubles down on its programmatic business in ANZ via the InMobi Exchange, which is a real-time marketplace for buying and selling online media advertising inventory from multiple ad networks, exchanges, and other supply-side partners, platforms, or publishers.

Richard O’Sullivan, the vice president and general manager of InMobi, who rejoined the company in 2019 to drive InMobi’s digital transformation and growth in ANZ, believes that the appointments of Jenkins and Robson will further strengthen InMobi’s strategic sales capabilities and will ensure that they are well-positioned to capitalize on the upswing in demand for InMobi’s mobile marketing platforms and solutions, especially InMobi Exchange. 

“In the last twelve months, the InMobi Exchange business in ANZ has grown by over 350%, from a strong base, as the impact of the pandemic has accelerated mobile-led digital transformation for brands and driven significant adoption of new products such as header bidding in parallel,” said O’Sullivan.

Auckland, New Zealand – Experiential marketing solutions provider Limelight Platform has appointed Leon Hudson as its new managing director for the APAC region.

The appointment will see Hudson enabling the Canada-based marketing agency to support its growth in APAC, beginning with Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.

Hudson brings with him more than 20 years of experience in sales and marketing strategy. He has previously worked as the strategic advisor for content marketing agency IMMedia Content, general manager for technology solutions company Re-Hub, and group head of revenue for advertising technology company CtrlShift.

Hudson said, “There has long been a disconnect between online and offline marketing; Limelight helps bridge the gap. With a contactless consumer journey, personalized communication, and numerous safety-related features, the platform’s latest version is ready for the post-lockdown rebound.” 

Meanwhile, Terry Foster, the chief executive officer of Limelight Platform, shared that the decision to appoint a managing director in the region arose from the agency’s strategic planning sessions in early 2021. The chosen strategy aligns with the needs of its long-standing global client base. 

“Hudson is a 20-year Martech veteran with a track record of success, including over 15 years in leadership roles across the Asia Pacific region. His experience will be invaluable supporting our global client base which is rapidly growing in the region,” said Foster.

Limelight Platform works for experiential marketing return on investment, live event data, and insights. The platform enables marketers to create, manage and measure experiential marketing campaigns and live events; crucial as the economy continues to reopen and the appetite for safe and secure human connection.

Australia – Experiential marketing agency George P. Johnson (GPJ) Australia and New Zealand has recently appointed Adrian Goldthorp, former senior creative director of design company Imagination, to be its new executive creative director, effective 6 April 2021.

Goldthorp brings with him over 25 years of local and international experience in creatives. He has worked with top-tier brands, which includes Samsung, Telstra, and Commonwealth Bank, as well as Westpac, and Jaguar Land Rover. Goldthorp has also creatively led noteworthy projects such as Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience and Samsung Vivid. 

The newly created role is expected to move the agency’s momentum as a creative powerhouse in the ANZ region. Goldthorp will be responsible for leading GPJ’s creatives across Australia and New Zealand. 

Commenting on his new role, Goldthorp said “I’m excited to join this passionate and high caliber team of creatives, as well as the opportunity to be a part of the agency’s new growth plan.”

Caleb Bush, the senior vice president and managing director of GPJ ANZ, believes that Goldthorp’s passion to craft effective and highly engaging campaigns will help the agency in connecting with people to build positive ongoing relationships.

“As we continue to drive creativity and innovation through all our work, Adrian brings unmatched experience and skills to complement the agency; for us, it’s a natural fit. The pandemic altered the face of the events and experiential industry so as we re-align the agency for continued growth in 2021, strategic hires like Adrian give us the confidence that GPJ will continue to be an industry leader for years to come,” said Bush.

Auckland, New Zealand – McDonald’s in New Zealand has launched a new campaign created by DDB Aotearoa, in a bid to shed light on the quality of food the fast food chain assures from every raw produce used in their meals.

Titled ‘Ordered From Here’, the campaign follows the journey of four New Zealanders ordering from a McDonald’s drive-thru. When they ask what’s in the product, the group is transported to the fresh source of the items. For instance, the beef patties originate from the herds grazed at Whangara Farms in Gisborne, or the apples of the ‘Apple Pie’ from orchards in Hastings.

Macca’s, as McDonald’s colloquially known in New Zealand, is particularly proud of its long-term support for quality local food producers and this campaign stems from a desire to share that story with Kiwi audiences who may not be aware of it. Furthermore, the challenge was to tell that story in a way that was both informative and entertaining.

For McDonald’s New Zealand Head of Communications, Simon Kenny, the question of what ‘really’ goes into Macca’s menu comes up all the time, and there’s a great story to tell.

“McDonald’s New Zealand’s ‘Ordered from Here’ is a fun, light-hearted exploration of where our local ingredients are sourced. The new television commercial (TVC) takes a fantastical approach to tell our food quality and provenance story, which is a bit different to what we’ve done in the past, Kenny said.

He added, “Beyond the TVC we then have more depth to the story told across other channels for those who want to find out more.”

Meanwhile, Gary Steele, ECD at DDB Aotearoa, commented, “The fact that Macca’s get their potatoes from Ashburton is a great message but telling someone your potatoes come from Ashburton without putting them to sleep is a real task. We wanted to share Macca’s great provenance story in a way that got the point across without feeling like a guided tour of the supply chain that the viewer didn’t sign up for.”

The campaign, originally 60 seconds long, is also live as 30 and 15 second spots in mediums such as cinema, magazine, electronic direct mail (eDM), outdoor advertising, digital/web, as well as in social media, PRs, and in-store.

Australia – TotallyAwesome, the largest kids-safe digital advertising, and content platform in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, has appointed James Sawyer, former managing partner of media agency Ikon Communications, as its new managing director for the platform’s Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) operations.

The digital platform is an advanced forum for kids, teens, co-viewing families, and brands to safely interact across thousands of apps, games, and websites, enabling a youth-safe ecosystem across APAC.

The appointment will see Sawyer leading TotallyAwesome ANZ’s media and content team, helping clients and media agencies connect with kids, teens, and their families through the platform. He brings with him 20 years of experience in Australian media.

Commenting on his appointment, Sawyer said that leading TotallyAwesome ANZ to its next phase is a career changer for him and that he’s looking forward to joining the business. 

He added, “As the industry moves away from cookie-based targeting TotallyAwesome is poised for growth through its visionary kid-safe technology and privacy-compliant digital ecosystem. This ensures a safe environment for young audiences to engage with branded content.”

Meanwhile, Will Anstee, the CEO of TotallyAwesome APAC, commented, “James is the ideal executive for this key role. He is a highly respected media leader with finely tuned analytical, performance leadership, and partnership skills. The business in ANZ and across APAC has enormous growth potential and James will play a vital role in helping us realize this potential.”

The platform has also announced other new hires, namely Amanda Abel, the new pediatric psychologist, and Alice Almeida, the new regional head of data, as well as Jo-Ann Yeoh, the new head of account and project management.

Sydney, Australia – Data analytics and brand consulting company Kantar in Australia and New Zealand has recently appointed Jon Foged to the newly-created position of managing director for Kantar ANZ’s Insights division.

Prior to his new role, Foged had a 17-year tenure with Kantar and is renowned for his strategic, commercial, and people-focused leadership across APAC. He has been CEO of the company’s Insights division in Australia since 2018 and was previously chief strategic and business development officer for the APAC region and CEO for Vietnam, Myanmar, and Cambodia. He has also held managing director roles for Kantar in Singapore and Malaysia.

Wayne Levings, APAC president for Kantar’s insights division, said the newly-created managing director position is the company’s culmination of a multi-year transformation of its presence in the region.

“Kantar is at the intersection of brand building and technology, enabling our clients to deliver growth in a fast-changing environment. Jon and his leadership teams have a clear history of building strong performing businesses across APAC. He has a core mantra focused on our people, our culture and our clients and we are looking forward to his leadership to continue the growth of our businesses in Australia and New Zealand,” Levings stated.

Foged’s new position comes after former CEO of Kantar New Zealand Jason Shoebridge sets to leave the business in April, after more than a decade with Kantar and its predecessors. 

“I am really excited about working with our New Zealand team and extending the outstanding legacy of Jason [Shoebridge]. I would like to personally thank Jason for his leadership and the role model behaviors he has demonstrated over his many years at Kantar. He has always been a strong and vocal supporter of the New Zealand business and as an outcome, Kantar has the market leadership position and reputation,” Foged commented.

Meanwhile, speaking on his departure, Jason Shoebridge commented that Kantar New Zealand is in good hands with Jon, a fellow New Zealander.

“I leave Kantar in a good heart. I believe the people at Kantar are among some of the best in the business and are incredibly adept at providing our valued clients with quality insights to drive growth and success,” Shoebridge stated.

Auckland, New Zealand – The recruitment service of the Auckland University of Technology has announced a rebranding from ‘AUT Internz’ to ‘AUT talenthub’.

The recruitment service works by offering a diverse range of roles for recruited students in various sectors, including project management, software development, communication, creative technology, events and business.

The rebranding endeavor comes as the university aims to bring further focus to recruitment and placement of graduates, as well as internships into the paid New Zealand market.

“Businesses come to us because we can look after their graduate and internship recruitment for them. We give employers a free and easy way to access the large pool of graduates and do the time-consuming work for them of advertising and screening their roles, then providing a shortlist of candidates who have been well-prepped for interviews,” said Jade Bradley, candidate manager for AUT talenthub.

Meanwhile, Rachel Shareef, relationship manager for AUT talenthub notes that AUT talenthub has been widely used by organizations in the local market due to the reputation of past students recruited by the service, and at the same time AUT talenthub aids organizations to help them in the recruitment process of potential work candidates.

Some of the services AUT talenthub offers is its AUT Employability service, which helps students upgrade their CV and LinkedIn profiles and develop stronger interview skills through interview practice.

“Students tell us they like talenthub because we take the pressure off their job search and give them advice about the process of looking for their first job, whether an internship or a graduate role,” Bradley added.

For now, a focus on local graduate and internship opportunities will be prioritized by AUT talenthub to create a greater demand in the local market, according to Anna Williams, director for employability, international and recreation at Auckland University of Technology.

“This is a unique student service within the New Zealand university space, one that really gives our students unique opportunities as they enter into their careers,” Williams stated.

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Wellington, New Zealand – TTC, a global software assurance provider in New Zealand, has been approved by the country’s Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) to be the first Web Accessibility service supplier on the Government Marketplace, a platform that allows businesses and government agencies to engage with each other by facilitating the direct buying and selling of products and services between the two parties.

TTC helps organizations modify their technology deliverance, increasing the speed and quality of technology development while reducing risk and cost.

Through this initiative, TTC will be providing technology services including but not limited to accessibility testing & audit, training, and digital accessibility consulting, broadening the scale, reach, and ease of providing accessibility solutions within the government’s procurement process, and enabling the practice of greater digital inclusion and usability practices.

Grant Borrie, founder and director of technology at TTC, expressed they couldn’t be more thrilled to be given the green light to offer their services for Web Accessibility on the Marketplace.

“Creating inclusive digital experiences is something we firmly believe should be a priority for all businesses. We understand that improved digital accessibility and inclusion benefits employees, customers, and service users, so to be part of an initiative that will allow the conversation and capabilities around accessibility to expand even further is something we’re ready for,” Borrie said.