INTERNATIONAL ANDYS CALL FOR ENTRIES

Picture 194.pngThe International ANDY Awards, entering its 45th year as one of the industry’s preeminent creative advertising awards shows, is reinforcing its position as the first important show of the season in its new advertising campaign. With a proven track record as the predictor of the top winners in the creative shows that follow, the ANDYs are claiming its influential role by stating “Win the GRANDY, Win Them All.”
“Given the consistently on-target evaluation of the ANDY juries, we decided it was time to proudly ‘claim’ this prescient role and remind creatives they lead the way when they become an ANDY, and especially, GRANDY winner,” says Mark Waites, Chairman of the ANDY Awards and Creative Director/Co-founder of Mother London.
Conceived by Mother under Waites, the campaign message is supported by the charting of past GRANDY winners (ANDYs Best of Show) that went on to win at Cannes, The Clios, The Art Director’s Show and The One Show. Each show is visually represented by its award, be it the ANDY head, Cannes Lion, Clio scepter, One Show and Art Director’s pencils (for print work, go to www.andyawards.com).
The Call-for-Entry online campaign satirizes the emails of websites like Friendster and LinkedIn that invite you to be part of one’s social network. The interactive piece creates a jack-in-the-box surprise by opening as a traditional “friend network” notification from one of the famous ANDY judges such as Jeff Goodby or Bob Scarpelli (http://www.creativesconnect.net).
The unexpected comes when the face of that judge appears laughing; the viewer is then reminded of their ranking in the creative food chain, mocking the idea this stellar executive would never be their friend unless they won the GRANDY. The edgy joke can be forwarded to other industry friends and colleagues as part of the campaign’s viral roll-out.
“We wanted to have fun with the popularity of online social networking and the conditional nature of ‘acceptance’ by our creative heroes,” says Waites. “We feel this Call-for-Entry will make people take notice and encourage them to spread the word about the ANDYs through sharing a relatable, comical bit of industry insecurity.”
The print campaign rolled out the last week of October and continues through December in Boards, Campaign Brief, Campaign UK, Contagious, Creativity, ihaveanidea.org and TaxiDesign. The Call-for-Entry digital piece was blasted out in early November.  


TOMPKINS WAKE vs NEW ZEALAND

Picture 192.pngKing Street Advertising's client Tompkins Wake is a lawfirm who has been having difficulty attracting top lawyers to relocate to Hamilton (Hamilton gets a hard time by the media). They came to the agency wanting a solution to their "situations vacant" ads that weren't working. This is what they came up with: www.thecaseforhamilton.co.nz

Account team: Chris Williams, Julie Townsend
Creative team/writers: Konrad Smith, Tony Aubrey
Producer: Luc McPake
Design: Megan Baker
Web: Claudia Hill
Media: Kwan Leung


The "letter" above appeared as an ad in Lawtalk and will run in the NBR tomorrow. Check out the video on the website.

GUNN-REPORT-award agencys_lores.jpgSaatchi & Saatchi and DDB are the only New Zealand agencies to make the Top 50 Awarded Agencies in the World tally in this year's Gunn Report, ranked =37 and =43 respectively.
Leo Burnett Sydney is the only Australian shop in the Top 50, ranked =24.
The most awarded agency in the world this year was BBDO New York, followed by Fallon London, DDB London, Saatchi & Saatchi New York and McCann Worldgroup/Tag, San Francisco.

McCANN BACK IN NZ

After an absence of over 3 years McCann has re-established a presence in the New Zealand market with the opening of its Auckland office.
The office has been opened to primarily service the L’Oreal/Maybelline/Luxury business which has been with Lowe but as they have now merged with Draft FCB who handle a competitor they cannot remain on the roster – so the business has been brought back into the McCann network.
Heading up the New Zealand office will be Ben Lightfoot, who brings a strong background in both creative and account/agency management. The McCann NZ agency will begin with full capabilities including ATL, BTL and everything in between.
“It is a wonderful opportunity to be joining McCann’s international network and especially being part of the team bringing them back in to the New Zealand market. And to do so working with the L’Oreal Group brands is incredibly exciting,” says Lightfoot.
Says Chris Mort, Chairman and CEO of McCann Worldgroup Australia: “Ben and his team are very impressive – and I am absolutely delighted to have them representing McCann in New Zealand.”
Ben Lightfoot can be contacted on +64 (9) 3639609 or +64 (21) 800649
Picture 160.pngAWARD and Campaign Brief to co-host a truly legendary lunch for AWARD Members,
generously sponsored by The Sweet Shop.


AWARD Members and VIP guests will be treated to a special lunch on Wednesday 26th November, the day before the AWARD Awards. Those attending from interstate and overseas are encouraged to come to Sydney a day earlier to celebrate in a two day AWARD mini-festival.  
The lunch will be held at the beautiful Wharf Restaurant at Pier 4, Hickson Road.
Limited FREE tickets will be distributed to AWARD Members on a first reservation basis. All members must complete the booking form to ensure their place.
Picture 161.pngThe AWARD Awards Presentation Evening & Cocktail Party will be held on Thursday, November 27th at The Overseas Passenger Terminal Sydney. 
Bookings for both events can be reserved and purchased by contacting AWARD:
Telephone  +61 2 9699 2999
Or download the booking form:
AWARD Members Lunch Booking form.pdf
PaulNagy.jpgdroga_1.gifAWARD School launches in Wellington in April 2009. Supported by the industry’s finest, it’s a unique part-time training course in creative advertising.

Originating in Australia, AWARD School focuses on great ideas and turning these into great ads. It’s been running in Australia for 25 years and is the premier creative education system in the Asia Pacific region. AWARD School is the only ideas based training program for aspiring art directors and copywriters in advertising.
Paul Nagy, Creative Director Clemenger BBDO Wellington (pictured above left)) has been appointed by the AWARD Executive Committee as the School Leader for 2009 and says: “As an AWARD graduate myself, I’m thrilled that the finest creative school in the region is coming to Wellington. It will give students a genuine springboard into the industry and keep the creative spirit of this city burning bright. Can’t wait.”
Students applying to do the course will have to be accepted via an application.
The application questions for the course will be available to download from www.awardschoolonline.com on 16th January 2009.
AWARD School Wellington dates: Wednesday, 8th April – Thursday 23rd July 2009.
The 16-week part time course will run from April to July in Wellington. The course consists of a Monday evening lecture and Thursday evening tutorial. AWARD school invites lecturers and tutors from some of the most talented pool of people currently working in the industry. AWARD School is completely unique. It is a course in IDEAS and how great creative thinking applies to advertising. It provides students with insight into the creative process and develops the creative disciplines of art direction and copywriting.
David Droga, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, Droga5 (pictured above right), is a former graduate of the School and staunch supporter: "I owe a great deal to AWARD School.  As an ex-student it helped propel me in the right direction fast. There are plenty of advertising courses, AWARD School is one of the few run for the benefit of its students and the industry."
To register your interest and for further information please visit www.awardschoolonline.com or contact Hannah Morden, hannah@awardonline.com or telephone +61 2 9699 2999.

Picture 183.pngA pair of gumboots set in a grassy box have been judged the supreme winner of the 2008 Art Of The Envelope Awards, held last night at Hopetoun Alpha, Auckland, hosted by renowned graphic artist Otiz Frizzell.
Mark Lorrigan, Jordan Sky, Alex Hamilton and Sarah Crimmins at Saatchi DGS created the Best In Show ‘Gumboots’ campaign for their client Gen-I. The high-impact direct mail piece was sent to more than 300 New Zealand companies to promote the new Gen-I Blackberry 8830 phone, and how the Blackberry 8830’s wireless access to the office allows employees to spend more time “in the field”.
The campaign was also judged the winner of the Avant-Garde category. The Saatchi team wins a trip for two to New York Design Week.
The Art Of The Envelope Awards are held each year by Candida Stationery and the New Zealand Post Mail Marketing Service, to showcase ground-breaking use of creativity in envelope and ‘outer’ concepts and design, and celebrate innovation in direct mail.
Picture 181.pngPicture 182.pngOther category winners, who each take home fantastic prizes to the tune of $2,000, were:
•    Mailed Masterpiece: Y&R for BNZ ‘Raincoat’ (Danny Brown, Stacey Roper, Vaughn Davis)
•    Redefine & Redesign: Madinagoodway Ltd for Fitland Auckland ‘6-Pack’ (Mari Pettersson)
•    50c Classic: TBWA\Tequila for ASB ‘Hatvelope’ (Tamryn Baumgarten, Michael Goldthorpe)
Jason Hall of Rapp also won the online voters’ prize of an Air New Zealand Mystery Break for two.
Says New Zealand Post Mail Marketing Service Marketing Manager Fiona Woolley: “More than 140 entries were received for the 2008 awards. Entries used everything from live bacteria to raincoats, hats and blenders to create ground-breaking and engaging pieces of direct mail – making the task of picking a winner extremely difficult for the judging panel.”
A second showcase event is being held in Wellington on Thursday 20th November. Tickets are available for this event, to be held at the Exchange Gallery, at www.pushtheenvelope.co.nz
 

SUMMER ARRIVES AT CURIOUS

Picture 174.pngCurious Film in Sydney has signed one of New Zealand's most hotly anticipated young directors, Summer Agnew.
Aged 28, Summer has been highly awarded for his talents as a documentary and long-format director, despite only graduating from the Elam School of Fine Art five years ago.
"More and more agencies are looking for directors who can apply their long-format experience in a commercial context. Summer is not only a prodigious director and scriptwriter, he is experimental and extremely bright – he understands where things are moving," says Peter Grasse, of Curious Film in Sydney.
In 2007, Summer snared one of the industry's most prestigious accolades by winning the Screen Production & Development Association (SPADA) New Filmmaker of the Year Award.
His documentary, Minginui – co-directed by fellow Elam graduate Adam Luxton – has screened at film festivals globally and was hailed by critics as triggering a new era in New Zealand filmmaking: "A deathly barrage of audio and visual decay … It's a partial, if not gradual step forward towards a more progressive, less conservative national cinema," wrote film and arts journal Lumiere.
Minginui offers a glimpse into New Zealand's remote Te Urewera rainforest, where the closure of a local forestry sparked a deterioration in local living standards. The documentary reveals New Zealand's landscape in a far more unforgiving light than cinema audiences typically see.
More recently, Summer's short film Patu Ihu screened at Homegrown 08 at the New Zealand International Film Festival. Featuring a core cast of children, the film has been described as "a touching exploration of memory and the lifelong influences that a particular event can have upon us" (Lumiere).
With a background in fine arts, Summer's long-format work is atmospheric and imaginative, honest and uncomfortable; while his commercial work reveals his innate understanding of the flaws and quirks that make us human.
SUMMER.jpgWith a name like 'Summer Agnew', it's perhaps not surprising that Summer (pictured) grew up on a commune in Auckland's stunning Waitakere ranges. He concedes that these unconventional beginnings may have contributed to a lateral approach to his work: "Where I grew up people were always telling stories, and I learnt there are always different ways they can be told," says Summer, whose portfolio of work demonstrates a breadth of creative abilities.
He co-founded music video production company The Pyramid Scheme in 2003 and has directed video clips for New Zealand bands including Dimmer, The Checks and Sola Rosa.
Summer won a Qantas New Zealand Television Award in 2006 for the TVNZ series Lets get Inventin and in 2008 developed and co-directed the arts documentary series New Artland for the digital network TVNZ6. Summer has just finished directing a 40-minute documentary for Kapiti Fine Foods and Colenso BBDO.
View Summer’s showreel  and for more information, contact Peter Grasse at Curious Film Sydney: peterg@curiousfilm.com or visit www.curiousfilm.com
AWARD’s long-standing tribute to unparalleled junior creative stars, the Encouragement Award, launches again this week, with the winner presented on stage at the AWARD Awards Presentation Evening November 27th 2008.
The Encouragement Award has honored young creatives since 1992, recognising those who have demonstrated an outstanding ability to answer briefs with a freshness of thought and creativity.
Previous winners include Ted Royer, Dejan Rasic, Leo Premutico and Guy Rooke.
Entries will be judged by AWARD’s Chairman Richard Maddocks, ECD of Clemenger BBDO Sydney and AWARD’s Chairman of Judges David Nobay, Creative Chairman, Droga5 Australia.

Eligibility Criteria
Maximum three years in an agency creative department
Teams and individuals can enter
Nominations taken by Creative Directors or Agency Management only
Australian and New Zealand Applicants only
Submissions – as jpeg, mpeg and word.doc/pdfs - max 4MB per file, on CD only – no email submissions accepted
Four examples of the entrant’s work; aired or published within the last 18 months
One Written reference from Creative Director or Agency Management - .doc or pdf
Entrant’s biography - .doc or pdf
 
Post or Courier CDs to:
Hannah Morden
AWARD,
Suite 43, Level 4,
61 Marlborough Street
SURRY HILLS  NSW  2010

Deadline Midday, Friday 21st November 2008 – No Extensions.
Any entries received after the deadline will not go through for judging.
 
Contact hannah@awardonline.com or telephone 02 9699 2999 for more information on the Call for Entry process.

ART OF THE ENVELOPE FINALISTS

Cutting-edge art and off-the-wall design push the envelope to new heights in this year’s Art of The Envelope Awards. The finalists were announced today by awards partners, the New Zealand Post Mail Marketing Service and Candida Stationery. Y&R lead the agency tally with six Finalists, followed by Rapp with three and Saatchi DGS and TBWA\Tequila with two apiece.
Says New Zealand Post Mail Marketing Service Marketing Manager Fiona Woolley: “The award entries this year have truly pushed the envelope. From the wacky to the beautiful and the simply downright clever, the talent and innovation demonstrated by all of our finalists shows that well-planned direct mail really can be a work of art.”  
Entries received this year included an envelope that can be worn as a dress, a pair of gumboots and the world’s first piece of direct mail to feature live bacteria.
Finalists are vying for several top prizes including the Best In Show prize of a trip for two to New York Design Week. Category winners in the Mailed Masterpiece, Redefine and Redesign, The 50c Classic, and the all-new Avant-Garde section will receive one of four fantastic prizes.
Says Woolley: “This year we’ve been able to grow the Awards with a real focus on inspiration – challenging designers and marketers to stretch their imagination and redefine the limits when it comes to the creative possibilities of envelopes and any other ‘outer’. The results speak for themselves.”
The category winners and Best In Show will be announced at a showcase event in Auckland this Thursday 13th November. A second showcase event will be held in Wellington on Thursday 20th November.
For more information or inspiration, or to purchase last-minute tickets for the Auckland and Wellington showcase events, head to www.pushtheenvelope.co.nz

TV2'S MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE

MI III Lions enclosure-WEB.jpgMI III TV3-WEB.jpgAdvertising for a Mission Impossible movie screening on TV2 tonight took on its own mission impossible twist this week with a campaign involving a rival TV network and wild animals.
In the early hours of yesterday morning, a giant billposter advertising Mission Impossible 3 was plastered over the front windows of rival network TV3 headquarters in Auckland. The billposter, reading: “Mission Objective: advertise this movie in enemy territory”, was one of several pieces of creative developed by Saatchi & Saatchi to advertise the movie.  (Mission log: There was one security guard. Fortunately she bought the clip board and orange vests). 
A second giant billposter was set up in the lion enclosure at Auckland Zoo yesterday afternoon. This one, reading: “Mission Objective: advertise this movie in a lion enclosure”, was installed with the help of zoo officials. This one was more short-lived, with the poster quickly torn apart by one of the lions. (Mission Log: Creatives were informed that they hadn't been fed yet which explained roaring, growling and salivating. Putting the sign in enclosure was truly frightening.)
An online stealth mission was also conducted on the TV3 website. A specially designed Sanyo banner, containing a built in ‘time-bomb’, was set up so the picture would morph into the TV2 Mission Impossible 3 advertising.
A series of billposters around the city, with a mission objective of being stuck up with chewing gum, completed the creative. The latest advertising was part of an ongoing campaign for TV2 movies. This has included a number of billboards for an American Psycho screening earlier this year, including an American flag with a bloody handprint, and a billboard drawing attention to a hotel with blood-stained windows.
A suitably gruesome billboard was also created for a Kill Bill screening in May, with a shot of Uma Thurman wielding a sword given an extra dimension with a large ‘blood’ splatter from the billboard down the wall and onto the footpath and several parked cars.

VIEW THE CHEWING GUM BILLBOARD
VIEW THE CHEWING GUM POSTERS
VIEW THE GUERRILA ATTACK ON RIVAL NETWORK
VIEW THE LION ENCLOSURE
VIEW THE GUERRILA ATTACK ON RIVAL WEBSITE

Creative Director: Luke Chess
Executive creative director: Mike O’Sullivan
Creatives: Matt Swinburne & Mike Felix
Interactive:  Mac Mackaskill
Interactive producer: Liz Knox
 
Account service team:
General manager: Sonya Berrigan
Group account director: Jillian Stanton
Senior account manager: Natalie Gibb
Account manager: Jody Lorimer

Producer: Conan Gorbey


Picture 171.pngColenso BBDO, Auckland has taken out the Radio Grand Prix at the London International Awards, held tonight at the Hippodrome in Leicester Square, for their 'Offensive' spot for the NZ International Comedy Festival. The spot also won Gold for Humour and Gold for Copywriting, as well as Silver for Entertainment.
Colenso BBDO also won Silver in the Digital Media category for the NZ Book Council 'Read a Book at Work' concept and Silver for Poster & Billboard, for Deadline Couriers 'Self Destruct'. In the Radio category, Saatchi & Saatchi scored a Silver for their TVNZ Movie Promotion 'An Inspirational Story', Rapp New Zealand won Silver for Direct Mail for their www.perpetualcard.com 'Perpetual Card', and Robber's Dog won Silver for Direction, for the 'Culture Change - Uncle Mark' spot for the Alcohol Advisory Council of NZ as well as Silver for Jam Sessios 'Sponge' in the Low Budget category.
Of the 17,969 total submissions from 81 countries, only five percent (5%) reached Finalist status. From that elite group, 1.4% attained Silver status and only 0.7% were awarded Gold Statues. The vast number of submissions reflects the prestige and explosive growth of the London International Awards since its inception in 1986 when 2,600 submissions were considered. 
A complete list of finalists and winners can be viewed at: www.liaawards.com 



BELL-DAVE.jpgThe AXIS Adschool end of year show on Thursday night was a corker with all the top NZ agencies represented and hundreds of guests coming through to see the culmination of a great year. It was a fantastic conclusion to David
Bell's last time as the Creative Director who is now returning full time to the business at Y&R.
VIEW THE VIDEO


COCHRANE GLAD TO BE GAD AT SAATCHI'S

markcochrane.jpgSaatchi & Saatchi has lured high flying suit Mark Cochrane home again with an appointment to Group Account Director in the Auckland office.
Cochrane, a Kiwi who has spent the past two years at TBWA\London as European Business Director, joins Saatchi & Saatchi in January. In London, he has been leading major accounts such as PlayStation UK and MARS EUROPEAN Confectionary brands, including Twix, Starburst and Skittles.
Cochrane, with multi-award winning Cannes, Axis, RSVP and Effies campaigns under his belt, will work with Toyota, DB Breweries and KFC at Saatchi & Saatchi.
Prior to moving to TBWA\London, Cochrane was a Trans Tasman account director at TBWA\Whybin Auckland, working on accounts including adidas New Zealand and Australia, PlayStation NZ, Bridgestone NZ, Firestone Direct and Woosh Wireless.
Earlier he had spent another couple of years working in London, freelancing and then as Advertising Campaign Manager for O2 – a role that included a five country brand launch, as well as managing rugby, football and Brit Awards sponsorships.
Andrew Stone, Saatchi & Saatchi CEO, says Cochrane brings a great breadth of ideas-based advertising expertise: “From our point of view, Mark has got amazing global experience working across some very high profile and innovative brands, and we are very pleased he is joining us.”
Cochrane says Saatchi & Saatchi’s inclusive agency model and commitment to continually pushing the boundaries were the big attractions for him: “I love the Saatchi & Saatchi brand, I love what they do, and I love the huge steps they have taken to integrate digital and direct as core drivers of the future. And I can’t wait to get started with Toyota, DB and KFC!”
Darryn Melrose, CEO of AIM Proximity.jpgThe Communication Agencies Association of New Zealand (CAANZ) launched the Digital Leadership Group (DLG) at a function in Auckland today.
The DLG has been established to provide a unified industry voice with the aim of helping New Zealand businesses embrace the digital environment and develop commercial opportunities.
The DLG is made up of senior digital leaders drawn from CAANZ members who are exposed to international trends and who are at the forefront of helping clients succeed in the digital marketplace.
DLG members are united in their concern with the lack of digital progress in New Zealand and are collectively charged with getting New Zealand businesses to creatively engage audiences online and to promote the digital skill set within agencies and their clients.
DLG Chair Darryn Melrose (pictured) said New Zealand may have a slightly misleading image overseas as a technologically advanced digital market. This has largely been off the back of the success of digital animation companies like Weta Studios in creating stunning visual effects for films like Lord of the Rings and King Kong.
“However, scratch the surface and there is a different reality to digital development in New Zealand. Whilst success stories do exist in New Zealand with the likes of Air New Zealand, and the ASB, the vast majority of New Zealand businesses have been slow to adopt effective ‘business to business’ and ‘business to consumer’ digital strategies commonplace in other OECD countries.
“Many New Zealand businesses don’t effectively engage the services of creative digital agencies and largely limit their online presence to ‘brochureware’," said Melrose.
The DLG believes the time is right for New Zealand businesses to make advances in developing digital relationships with local and international customers. There is a global and local consumer base that is both willing and able to transact with New Zealand businesses.
Digital advertising represents a move from traditional ‘push’ advertising to a more interactive conversation with customers.  International research shows that for advertising to be effective it must talk with someone rather than about something.
“Unfortunately, many marketers in New Zealand still view digital as a non-core advertising medium rather than viewing it as an effective medium to create dialogue, edify customers and generate new revenue streams. Creative digital content should be an integral part of a company’s marketing mix,” said Melrose.
The DLG will run a Digital Forum in February 2009.  The forum will focus attention on assisting New Zealand businesses to develop effective digital strategies.

NEWSPAPERS SELL OUT ON OBAMANIA

NZ-HERALD.jpgNewspapers across America were snatched up quickly on Wednesday, as people everywhere sought to get their hands on copies reporting on Tuesday night’s historic victory for Barack Obama (reported on a World Association of Newspapers Blog site).
“Newspapers are a major information source and highly sought after for the in-depth story,” says Lexie Ribot, Creative Manager of the NAB.  “Whilst news websites may be consulted for their headlines and immediacy, it’s the printed product that readers turn to to get the full picture.”
The blog reported that people lined up outside The New York times building in Manhattan, the line stretching down the block.  A man working at a newsstand in New York told the Financial Times he had sold out of The New York Times by 9 a.m., and the New York Post by 11 a.m.
And just like America, around New Zealand today daily newspapers are being snapped up so that Kiwis can get the full report.  Every front page features the victorious Barack Obama and details inside give the full results of the election.
Almost half the population in New Zealand will pick up a newspaper to read on an average day. Today will definitely have increased readership across every paper in the country leading with this historic story.

IT'S A RAPP

As part of a global alignment of its agencies in 45 countries, the Rapp Collins Worldwide network has changed its name to Rapp.
Effective immediately, the Australian and New Zealand agences, with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland and Wellington, will lose the “Collins” and become simply Rapp.
Along with the name change will be a new corporate identity that reflects the Rapp network’s “Customer Obsession” philosophy.
“Increasingly, our network has become closer, and we are sharing knowledge, platforms, tools and processes as well as creative strategy and product, in an ever more inter-related way,” said Rapp New Zealand Managing Director Robert Limb. “We’ve been driving connections and convergence for our clients – now we’re doing it for ourselves. Finally, and logically, we will have a single brand and corporate identity across all our countries.
“For New Zealand, it means we’ve gone from Rapp Collins Limb Walker, to Rapp Collins, to Rapp, which is a nuisance for our signwriters, but a great relief to our receptionists.”
Globally, Rapp is the world’s #1 direct marketing and CRM agency network (Ad Age 2007), delivering over 40 years experience in customer acquisition, retention and optimization to its clients.  Rapp is part of the Omnicom
Group Inc.
Rapp’s new global website www.rapp.com went live earlier this month and all offices in the network will be incorporating the new brand over the next few months. 

NOVEMBER 4, 2008

OBAMA-web.jpg
A brilliant poster created by Patrick Moberg (www.patrickmoberg.com)
AndrewM&StuartH.jpgModernista! has named two of Asia Pacific's top talents, Andrew McKechnie and Stuart Harricks, as Associate Creative Directors, it was announced today by Gary Koepke and Lance Jensen, Executive Creative Directors and Co-Founders of Modernista!
“For an agency its size, Modernista has a large pool of international talent in all departments,” said Lance Jensen.  “These guys bring a fresh perspective.  We think their work is fantastic,”  added Gary Koepke:  “Andrew and Stuart reflect our creative recruiting philosophy -- we don’t hire specialists. We like to hire the best all around creative athletes.”
During his time in Asia, New Zealand native McKechnie worked with Singapore's top creative agencies.  Most recently he was Creative Group Head at J. Walter Thompson Singapore, where he worked on the HSBC, Shell, Nokia and Nestle accounts.  Prior to that he was at BBDO Singapore, where he created the highly awarded Wrangler 'Basic Cut' print campaign.
"Modernista! is more of a think tank than a traditional agency,” said McKechnie.  “The idea, as it should be, takes precedence over everything else. Hopefully the experience we've gained in Asia will add another dimension to the agency."
McKechnie has won numerous regional and international awards, including one of the inaugural Gold Design Lions at Cannes, multiple D&AD in-books, seven Golds and the Outdoor Grand Prix at AdFest, as well as One Show and Clio accolades. McKechnie was also named the Young Professional Of The Year by the Institute Of Advertising Singapore and one of the Top 12 Young Creatives in the World by Clio.
Stuart Harricks has had extensive experience working throughout Asia as well as his native Australia.  Harricks worked at Leo Burnett, Sydney, before moving to Asia and gaining experience in agencies such as Lowe, Dentsu and most recently, Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore, where he was a key creative on the Sony Ericsson, ESPN, Guinness, Singapore Zoo, Singapore  Navy, Lexus and Toyota accounts.
With a rank of #12 in the 2008 Campaign Brief Asia Creative Rankings, he was part of the team that took Saatchi Singapore to the #1 creative agency in Asia.  Harricks has won numerous international awards including merits at D&AD, Silver and Bronze at Cannes, Gold and Silvers at One Show, Silvers at Clio, multiple appearances in Communication Arts and a Gold in Adfest.
"It's refreshing to be joining an independent agency that doesn't have to behave as part of a network - they're responsible for their own identity,” said Harricks.  “We're both just really excited to be able to take on a new set of challenges in a different market and add to M!'s unique blend of talent.”
Modernista! was founded in Boston, MA, USA in January 2000 by creatives Gary Koepke and Lance Jensen.  With additional offices in Amsterdam and Detroit, today the agency has nearly 200 employees from more than 15 countries.  M!'s client roster includes Cadillac, (RED), HUMMER, Animal Planet, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, BusinessWeek, TIAA-CREF, Hearts On Fire and Stop Handgun Violence.  Modernista! is fiercely independent.

DDB New Zealand’s ‘Old Flame’ TVC for New Zealand Lotteries scooped the top prize at the World Lotteries Association Advertising Awards held in Greece last week.
The endearing story of an old digger searching for his lost love beat out 53 worldwide entries to win gold in the ‘Numbers Games’ category. It then went on to win the Grand Global Advertising Award, recognition of the best advertisement in any category.
Toby Talbot, Executive Creative Director DDB New Zealand says: “We are absolutely stoked that NZ Lotteries has won this accolade. The standard of Lotto ads the world over is incredibly high every year so I would imagine the World Lotteries Association would be a pretty tough crowd to please. To have a New Zealand ad win best Lotto ad in the world is therefore a really big deal for us."
The WLA Advertising Awards honor outstanding lottery advertising from around the world. An international group of advertising and communication professionals shortlist the entries and convention delegates vote for the best commercials in each category. 2008 award entries came from 23 countries and 38 lotteries around the world
Todd McLeay, CEO New Zealand Lotteries says: “Globally lotteries are a huge business and all operators know that their business depends on their ability to build strong emotional connection with customers.  That is why peer recognition for having the best TV commercial is so significant.  It's an important industry award and we are honoured to have achieved it this year.”

 

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