Executive Chairman of Y&R New Zealand has today announced his retirement from Y&R.
This announcement is the culmination of a succession plan put in place by Goldsack soon after he moved to Auckland in 2003 to lead the Y&R business in New Zealand.
In 2005 Ross hired Jon Ramage to become CEO and since that time the two have worked as a team and the business has enjoyed year on year growth.
“I have been in this business long enough to realise that most agency businesses go through a huge amount of turmoil when the CEO departs," said Goldsack. “Not enough agency principals understand the importance of having a succession plan, especially in a talent-critical industry, worked out well beforehand.
 “I am leaving a business in very good heart," said Goldsack. “Jon is a very talented individual and is surrounded by very good people. It was always my plan that when I left the business there would be minimal disruption.  The team is in place and under Jon’s leadership Y&R will continue to go from strength to strength."
CEO Jon Ramage adds: “Ross is the reason I came to Y&R.  His high integrity approach, coupled with business and strategic smarts have laid the foundation for the agency we are today. From the outset we planned for this time and he leaves us in great shape.  He’s been an inspiring mentor and partner and a genuine friend.  We’ll miss really him."
Goldsack is moving to the UK in late October to look after the running of a NZ-based business (in which he has a significant shareholding) involved in the global super yacht industry and he plans to base himself there for the next 6 – 12 months.
He leaves the agency at the end of September.

Over the past 10 weeks, 10,000 mashup ads have been created by viewers, 2000 Friends have been added on their Facebook page, 1.8 million page views have been recorded on their website and almost 1.3 million people have been watching each week….
This Wednesday at 9pm on ABC1 is the final episode of THE GRUEN TRANSFER for 2008.
Wil, Todd and Russel are joined by special guest Bridget Taylor from DDB New Zealand.
Finally, New Zealand takes revenge…On the Pitch, Simon Rich from Grey Melbourne and Matt Devine from The Glue Society Sydney, acting on behalf of the New Zealand government to try to discourage international tourists from holidaying in Australia.  Baz Luhrmann may be flogging Australia to the rest of the world, but Gruen does the anti-ad. 
Also, Gruen has a look at the world’s hottest ads from Cannes, what's wrong with the Cheerios ad and Ad of the Week is Fox8’s Football Superstar.
 
Who needs Baz Luhrmann to sell Australia?.... a sneak preview of the final episode:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=281ZavSKfoA

Watch the full episode (later this week) and see previous episodes.

Gruen will be back early 2009

M&C Saatchi New Zealand has secured the services of one of Asia Pacific’s outstanding creative talents, appointing former BBH Asia Pacific Creative Director Todd Waldron as executive creative director.
Born in the United States but resident in Asia for much of his life, Waldron has created award-winning work for clients such as Levi’s, Axe (Lynx), McDonald’s and Reebok. Under his creative leadership, BBH Asia Pacific was twice named Agency of the Year, in 2004 and 2006.  
Says M&C Saatchi CEO Nick Baylis: “We’ve been very deliberate in our search for a new ECD, and that patience has paid off in spades with Todd’s appointment. He has a track record of producing quality work that can transcend traditional advertising and incorporate digital and interactive in a fresh, innovative manner. That 360° approach is integral to our thinking moving forwards."
Says Waldron: “Nick laid out a vision for M&C Saatchi that offered me an opportunity too good to turn down. Some of the best work is coming out of this part of the world at the moment, so moving to New Zealand is exciting for me from a creative perspective. It will be a great environment to work in."
Adds Baylis: “I like the fact that, as an American who’s lived in Asia most of his life, Todd‘s appointment is a bit of a departure from the typical creative director profile in New Zealand. You only need to look at what he’s accomplished internationally to recognise that he’s capable of making a big impact on the industry here." 

Proximity iD, specialist in the integration of technology and marketing, has made five new key appointments as the company experiences burgeoning growth in its core competencies: Dave Mansfield has been appointed General Manager Customer Insights, Anna Reid joins as Client Services Manager, Rodney Greenfield as Technology Manager, and Shanika Yapa and Nicki Gearing as Data Miner/Analysts.
Announcing the appointment of the group today, CEO Geoff Cooper said the new team members came from a diverse range of backgrounds, but the most important factor they had in common was a true customer focus.
“The appointments are spread within Proximity iD’s central skill sets: data-driven strategic solutions and world-class data-mining, market research, email marketing, online communities and data analytics. They provide a wealth of experience and expertise, and further increase our capabilities of providing award winning campaigns for our clients," says Cooper. 
“Making life easier for our customers and their customers is a big part of what we do. The sorts of people we attract are pivotal to achieving this. We’re extremely fortunate to have amassed such a good team to date, in such a tight labour market it is comforting to be able to attract and retain the types of highly skilled employees we have at Proximity iD. The past 12 months have been a time of real growth for our organisation, this has an obvious flow on effect; the need for more specialised expertise, these appointments certainly reflect this."

Pictured from left: Anna Reid, Client Services Manager; Nikki Gearing Data Miner/Analyst; Dave Mansfield, General Manager Customer Insights; Shanika Yapa, Data Miner/Analyst. Absent - Rodney Greenfield, Technology Manager


  

This spot is the latest installment of the Lift Plus campaign from Publicis Mojo that started in 2001. 
Same agency. Same director. Same cast. Poo on a stick is probably a first for commercial advertising.





Title: New Car
Client: Coca Cola Oceania - Lift Plus
Agency: Publicis Mojo
ECD: Lachlan McPherson        
Copywriter: Guy Denniston
Art Director: Darran Wong Kam
Agency Producer: Julia Ryan
Production Company: Curious Film
Producer: Seth Willson
Director: Robin Walters
Director of Photography: Adam Clark
Editor: Will Roberts

http://www.curiousfilm.co.nz/user/latest/walters/Liftplus-dircut.mov 

Sydney based thebrandshop is set to bolster its creative department with the return from NZ of one of Australia’s most renowned creative directors, Rodd Martin.
He joins thebrandshop from his position as associate creative director and head of art at Saatchi & Saatchi Wellington, a short term gig he took in January this year. At Saatchi's he worked on such campaigns as NZ Post, NZ Army, Wellington Zoo, TVNZ and 4-Square supermarkets.
“We’re all incredibly excited by Rodd’s impending arrival," said thebrandshop’s ECD Monty Noble. “He brings to the agency a wealth of experience, tremendous craft skills and his recent work shows that he’s lost none of his passion for big brand ideas." 
Earlier in his career, Martin played a major part in establishing the New York offices for both Mojo and Omon. Back in Australia, he was also instrumental in the creation of Brandhouse which grew to a staff of 75 people in Sydney and Melbourne before being sold to Havas’ Arnold US network. His award tally includes seven AWARD pencils, four Clios as well as multiple recognition at Cannes and The One Show. He has also directed many commercials.
"thebrandshop is on a roll right now," said Martin, “In the last 2 years they’ve doubled in size and their work is receiving an enviable amount of praise from both the industry and consumers. The last year at Saatchi NZ has made me match-fit and I now look forward to helping thebrandshop team lift the agency to the next level and beyond."
Martin is set to join the agency on August 11 and will work across the majority of thebrandshop’s impressive client list which includes CommSec, Sanitarium, Valvoline, ACP, Kimberly-Clark and Coca-Cola Amatil.

Saatchi & Saatchi DGS has snared Westpac New Zealand’s direct and digital marketing business from AimProximity, as the bank looks to streamline its communication to customers.
Westpac’s General Manager of Marketing and Brand Experience, Ian Sutcliffe, says the bank has undertaken a review of services provided to the bank in order to simplify the number of agency relationships it maintains.
“Our goal is to achieve improved efficiencies and coordination as we continue to refine communication with our customers," says Sutcliffe.
“We have a long-standing relationship with Saatchis and believe there will be benefits to consolidating our direct and digital marketing with them."
Sutcliffe says AimProximity had been a valued partner with Westpac for the past 18 months and has contributed to the success of many initiatives that the bank has introduced over that time.

"I think you'll find this is what rugby is all about," says Paul Taylor about this video on YouTube, in response to the recent 'Kiwis to be stitched up by Adidas' article on the blog.

You’ve had the sex, you’ve done the drugs, now it’s time to rock ‘n’ roll:
Start practicing your stage dive for the Battle of the Ad Bands live at the Kings Arms Tavern on August 28.
Each band must perform one cover and one original song (yes, finally a chance for some agencies to do something original).
The band left standing wins the glory, the groupies, and the grand prize including a music video produced by Flying Fish.
So round up anyone in your office who can almost play an instrument and REGISTER NOW
Brought to you by CAANZ, Flying Fish and the Radio Network.

The 2008 Caxton Awards Call for Entry is closing on Friday 1 August (no extensions).
It’s easy to get your entries in on time! Entries can be completed and uploaded using the online entry system, thanks to sponsor AdStream. Simply complete your details, upload the artwork and submit your entry. Visit www.thecaxtonawards.com.au and follow the prompts.
To be eligible to enter, ads must have appeared in Australia and/or New Zealand newspapers between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2008. A full list of categories can be viewed on the Caxton Awards website.
Winners and finalists will be acknowledged at the annual Caxton Weekend seminar being held 24-26 October. Now in its 34th year, this year’s weekend venue is the beautiful Sea Temple Resort in tropical Port Douglas.
Bookings are now open – the registration form can be downloaded from the Caxton website: www.thecaxtonawards.com.au .
For all Caxton Awards inquiries contact Jacinta Mann at Two de Force on +61 2 9281 8788 or email jacinta@twodeforce.com.au

Thousands of kiwi All Blacks fans will get the chance to have their name stitched into Richie McCaw’s All Blacks jersey, as part of a campaign to celebrate the famous black jersey, from sponsor adidas. Using state-of-the-art ‘Fibre Imprinting Nanotechnology’, adidas will literally write up to 100,000 All Blacks fans names onto a single thread – adiThread - that will be stitched into the Silver Fern of a special All Blacks team jersey.The jersey will be presented to Richie McCaw as a symbol of the nation’s support.
The scientists spiel: This Fibre Imprinting Nanotechnology was developed by Professor Richard Blaikie of the University of Canterbury and the MacDiarmid Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology.  The technology has been commercialised by Canterprise Limited, the Commercialisation and Technology Transfer Company of the University of Canterbury.  Canterprise CEO, Raiyo Nariman says “Adi Thread demonstrates how state of the art technology coming out of the University can be incorporated into innovative applications in fields outside technology-based products." 

Following winning the Pizza Hutt business last week, Barnes Catmur has hired former Axis Adschool creative team Jesse Stevens and Matt Weavers. The pair had been on placement with the agency for a couple of months.
Says creative managing partner, Paul Catmur: "As well as being being talented their attitude and work ethic is fantastic. They are also either really nice people or very good at pretending that they are. Either way this should set them in good stead in their career."

If you haven’t already, now’s the time to start crafting your EFFIE entries for 2008.
It’s your chance to show clients and peers alike that you’re delivering great work that actually works.
ENTRIES CLOSE 25 AUGUST 2008.
Download your entry forms at www.caanz.co.nz/effies

The debate on whether Australia should really invade New Zealand has been raging since Wednesday night, when The Gruen Transfer on ABC-TV laid down the gauntlet between two Sydney advertising agencies to come up with a mock TV ad to promote an invasion. The 'call to arms' was watched by 1.3 million people, making it the most-watched episode in this current series.
As part of the popular The Pitch segment, Neil Mallett from Marmalade and John McKie from 303 came up with two very different and funny ads, which, since airing has been a massive hit online and generated media interest in New Zealand.
The clips have been viewed over 50,000 times on the shows website (an increase in traffic of over 30%), as well as another 12,000 on YouTube.
One YouTube viewers said yesterday; “Isn't this a call to arms? Shouldn't it be seen as an act of terrorism? NZ govt needs to look at the legal consequences of this idiocy. I as Maori will not stand to be invaded by ANYONE! BRING IT ON!!!"
Over 6,000 people have voted for their favourite ad so far, with 303’s 100% for the Taking, attracting 70% of the votes. Intriguingly, Gruen’s panel of advertising professionals saw it the other way, handing the coveted Gruen trophy to Marmalade’s ad proposing an new Australian national holiday to celebrate our all-to-easy conquest of New Zealand.
Meanwhile, TVNZ’s The Close Up screened the clips and the New Zealand Herald featured articles.
The Gruen Transfer's regular New Zealand panelist, Bridget Taylor, from DDB New Zealand said: "When ads become entertainment and spark debate, you know you’ve done your job as an agency.  These campaigns hit the spot and have got everyone laughing, nervously for more than a few kiwis."
In the final episode to air on Wednesday, July 30 the tables are turned, with two competing ad agencies acting  on behalf of the New Zealand government to discourage international tourists from holidaying in Australia.
Kiwis can view The Gruen Transfer episodes online

Roger MacDonnell (above) will step down from the leadership of Colenso BBDO and Clemenger Group New Zealand after 40 years at the helm at the end of this year. He will continue in a part time capacity and remain a Director of Clemenger Group Ltd.
Taking over from MacDonnell and assuming the role of CEO Clemenger Group New Zealand and Chairman of Colenso BBDO, effective January 1, 2009, will be Jim Moser who is currently managing director of Clemenger BBDO Sydney.
MacDonnell has enjoyed a magnificent career with the Clemenger Group dating back to 1969 when he co-founded Colenso. Colenso quickly became one of New Zealand’s top agencies and has since assumed the mantle of New Zealand’s No 1 home grown iconic agency brand.
Colenso BBDO has consistently been rated as New Zealand’s most creative (Campaign Brief) and New Zealand’s most effective (Effie Awards) advertising agency.
MacDonnell’s achievements are numerous, he has been one of the most important and influential Industry figures in New Zealand. His personal achievements include: Advertising Professional of the Year in 1995 and 2004 and Member Clio Copywriters Hall of Fame New York. He is also a Trustee of the Auckland Festival.
“The success of Colenso has to a very large extent been built by Roger MacDonnell. His inspiration and passion for creativity and sheer drive has been the single most important ingredient to Colenso’s success," said Robert Morgan, executive chairman of the Clemenger Group .
“That Jim’s succession can take place so seamlessly demonstrates the Clemenger Group’s commitment to the development and promotion of the best people in our industry. That we do not have to go outside for such important appointments is proof of that."
Jim Moser (left) joined Clemenger BBDO Sydney as managing director in 2000 after already proving himself as an excellent agency MD for BBDO in Europe. During his time at Clemenger BBDO Sydney Jim has created a wonderful culture during the most successful period of the agency’s history. Amongst many accolades the agency has received under Moser’s leadership is winning more AFA Effectiveness Awards than any other agency in Australia for the past decade, winning agency of the Year from B&T in December 2004 and winning Adnews Campaign of the Year for RTA this year.
“This is a well deserved promotion for Jim who has proven himself as an excellent leader during his career with Clemenger BBDO over the last nine years in Sydney. Our business in New Zealand goes from strength to strength and I am certain that this will continue long into the future under Jim’s leadership," said Morgan.
Andy Pontin will be taking over from Jim Moser as managing director of Clemenger BBDO Sydney effective August 1, 2008 and will continue to have responsibility for Clemenger Proximity in Sydney

When you're with Vodafone you can do more with your mobile than with anyone else. The spot, on air on both sides of the Tasman, was created by Colenso BBDO Auckland and directed by Patrick Hughes via @radical.media.

View the commercial


Executive Creative Director: Nick Worthington
Creatives: Sarah Longworth and Mick Stalker
Agency Producer: Jen Storey
Director: Patrick Hughes
Production Company: @radical.media

The deadline for the AWARD Call for Entries has been extended to Tuesday, 15th July – LESS THAN 1 WEEK LEFT TO ENTER!
Please note that late fees apply to all entries submitted online after 5.00pm Tuesday, 8th July 2008 (+ 15%). Late fee charges will not apply if your entries have been submitted online and paid for by 8th of July. Artwork must be received by 5.00pm Friday, 11th July.
AWARD accepts work that has appeared anywhere in the world, with the following requirements:
    A - In all non-craft categories; the work must have originated and been completed in Asia, New Zealand or Australia.
    B - In craft categories; the work must have been completed by an Asian, New Zealand or Australian supplier, even if originated elsewhere.
Community Service and Charity ads are eligible in Television Craft
Special offer: If you enter one or more than one entry into the Design category you’ll receive one free entry in Design.
AWARD Call for Entries Link: www.awardonline-cfe.com
AWARD is included in Campaign Brief and Campaign Brief Asia Creative Rankings
For further information please contact AWARD on +61 2 9699 2999 or email callforentry@awardonline.com

CB hears there's a changing of the guard at one major agency group, with the MD of its main Sydney shop moving across the Tasman to head up the group's New Zealand operations. Apparently the Sydney MD's role will be filled by an exec already within the group. More on this hopefully tomorrow morning.

KODAK and AWARD have announced the salubrious panel of judges and the Call for Entry launch.
Designed to recognise and promote exceptional new commercial directors in the Asia Pacific Region, the KODAK AWARD New Director Of The Year will honor outstanding commercial directors whose fresh thinking and creativity sets them apart from the rest.
“Kodak and AWARD are honoured to have such high-ranking members of the advertising sector generously provide their time to judge the entries," says Greg McKibbin, Regional Business General Manager, Entertainment Imaging, Asia Pacific Region. “Offering new talent the chance to get noticed in this way is one of the core goals of the competition that can have a significant and positive impact on their careers."

The Judging Panel:
Joel Limchoc, Creative Director, BBDO Guerrero Ortega Philippines
Michael Ritchie, Managing Director, Revolver Films
Patrick Hughes, Director, @radical.media
Corey Esse, Head of TV, Publicis Mojo Melbourne
Jagdish Ramakrishnan, Creative Director, BBDO Singapore
Masako Okamura, Creative Director, Dentsu Japan
Cameron Blackley, Creative Head, Droga5 Sydney
Andrew Lok, Creative Director, Ogilvy & Mather Greater China

View the viral ad promoting the Call for Entry.
 
Eligibility
All entrants must be current commercial directors, and have only been in the commercial production field for a maximum of three years.
You are eligible if you have been directing other material previous to your commercial work.

Preparation of Entry Material
All Entries are FREE and are due on 8th August 2008
Entrants will be required to submit the following requirements:

1. A one-page word.doc file of their resume.
2. Three selections of their best work, anything for broadcast directed by 
yourself at any point in your career. Moving image only – ie. art pieces, 
animation, commercial art, music 
videos, shorts, viral design.

The Rewards
The winning KODAK AWARD New Director Of The Year will be awarded a prize of 10 x 400’ loads of 35mm Kodak Motion Picture Film valued at approximately $4,000.00. This prize will allow the filmmaker to express him/herself with high quality film images and subsequently build upon and enhance their show reel.

The New Director Award’s night will be held in Sydney on September 17th.
The winner will also be introduced and recognised at the AWARD Presentation Evening to be held on November 27th 2008 and attended by up to 800 of the finest industry members from the region.
For further information check the website www.awardnewdirector.com
 

Looking to grab attention with thinking a little outside the traditional media square? Check out the work of new Pond member Hadleigh Averill. The art director, artist, streaker and Himalayan cave dweller has used his shock tactics to good effect all over the show, including Blueberryfrog (Amsterdam), Saatchi's (Los Angeles) and Cunning Stunts (London).  
From creating ‘living rooms’ in 8.5 m parking spaces for Ikea, launching Sony Ericsson’s new PC card and, more recently in NZ, recruiting Russian agents for Smirnoff – Hadleigh’s work shows that guerilla has become less 'scambient' and more strategically sound ambient media – with impressive results.
Hadleigh’s keen to chat guerilla marketing opportunities, so check out his folio at www.thepond.co.nz  and if you’d like to meet him, call The Pond on (09) 373 3791.
More about The Pond
The Pond is a consultant creative department, consisting of talented writers, art directors and designers who work together to offer creative services to the advertising, design, interactive and PR industry.

Katy Clook of Wilson Advertising, Christchurch has taken out the TRB's June Orca with a radio campaign for Four Square called Lucky Locals.
Clook wins $250 in music vouchers, as well as a $5000 radio campaign for her client, and entry into the Grande Orcas. The prize is a trip for two to the 2009 Cannes International Advertising Festival plus a $50,000 radio campaign for the client.

DDB's recent Lotto print campaign has won the NAB June newspaper ad of the month, eligible to win the $10,000  NAB Newspaper Ad of the Year.
The work, also picked as Best of the Week on Bestads, was selected by judges Chris Swift from TBWA\Whybin, Dave Brady and Joe Hawkins from DDB and consultant Jeneal Rohrback.



Agency: DDB New Zealand
ECD; Toby Talbot
Head of Art: Mike Davison
Creatives: Carlos Savage, Damian Galvin and Regan Grafton
Ad Designer: Karla Burke
Senior Account Manager: Joni Rogers
New Zealand Lotteries General Manager Interactive: Evan Lawry

Tourism Australia has announced the selection of DDB Worldwide as its new global creative services agency for the next three years.
Marty O’Halloran, CEO and Chairman, DDB Australia and New Zealand, said: “This is a tremendous win for DDB and we are really looking forward to working closely with the Tourism Australia team to build an energetic and dynamic brand.  The response to Tourism Australia was an integrated approach that reflected the creativity, connectivity and collaboration of the DDB Global Network."
Tourism Australia Chairman, Rick Allert, said DDB Worldwide was chosen following an intensive and highly competitive selection process involving many of the world’s best creative agencies.
“In appointing DDB Worldwide we have chosen an agency partner that not only provides the requisite international network and infrastructure credentials, but is also, most importantly, at the top of the creative game globally," Allert said.
Tourism Australia’s Managing Director, Geoff Buckley, thanked all of the agencies who participated in the tender process for their time, effort and commitment.
“In particular, I would like to thank the other short listed agency Saatchi & Saatchi for participating in this exhaustive selection process. We congratulate them on reaching the final shortlist of a very competitive tender."
Mr Buckley said that Tourism Australia’s focus in the coming months is on maximising the global marketing and promotional opportunities presented by the Baz Luhrmann movie Australia due for release in November 2008. 
“DDB Worldwide will be assisting Tourism Australia to maximise our promotional opportunities around the movie which offers huge potential to put Australia in the spotlight globally and ignite the Australia brand to motivate people who will see the movie to then see the country," said Buckley.
The appointment of DDB Worldwide completes a global tender process that commenced in February 2008. The final two short-listed agencies – DDB Worldwide and Saatchi & Saatchi – participated in extensive in-market reviews. The process concluded with final presentations in Sydney at the end of May. The selection of DDB Worldwide was unanimously approved by the Tourism Australia evaluation committee and endorsed by the Tourism Australia Board. The tender process was conducted in accordance with Commonwealth Procurement Guidelines and was overseen by the Australian Government solicitor as Probity Advisor, and KPMG as Probity Auditor. 
Tourism Australia is currently finalising the selection of an agency to provide media buying and planning services. 

Barnes Catmur & Friends has won the Pizza Hut business in a pitch that included JWT. The incumbent was M&C Saatchi which did not participate in the review.

Saatchi & Saatchi today announced the launch of a significant business to offer New Zealand’s most powerful ideas in the digital and direct space.
Saatchi & Saatchi DGS will bring together three of the industry’s most respected players in partnership with Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand: Interactive Creative Director Aaron Dustin and Digital and Direct GM Tony Gardner are joining forces with Creative Director Matt Shirtcliffe to form the new venture (pictured).
Shirtcliffe, who is returning home from Toronto for the new role at Saatchi DGS (Dustin, Gardner, Shirtcliffe), led the Creative Department at AimProximity Auckland between 1999-2007 before moving to Proximity Canada. Other key members of the Saatchi DGS team will include Jen Rolfe (currently on maternity leave) and Executive Producer Teina Herzer.
Mike O’Sullivan, Saatchi & Saatchi Executive Creative Director says the group is delighted to bring Shirtclife on board: "Matt is arguably New Zealand’s most successful and high profile direct creative director – he’s created great ideas for clients such as Air New Zealand, Bank of New Zealand and Telecom and he has an impressive record at all the international and local awards, including Cannes, ECHOs, Caples. He is also the first Kiwi to ever be recognised with the Wunderman Award.
"We're thrilled with his appointment and with the formation of Saatchi DGS, which is a logical move to expand our specialist offering. We were the first agency to offer digital more than ten years ago, and in the last four years we have expanded our digital and direct team from 10 to more than 30 people ... and there are another 58 people within the agency with significant digital and direct experience," O’Sullivan says.
Being named the number three agency in the world in direct at Cannes earlier this month further supported the agency’s credentials: "Virtually every major brief we are working on now has elements of digital, direct, shopper marketing and sustainability. We are passionate about seeing the world through New Zealanders eyes and understanding the most powerful ways to effectively engage people, not just to connect with them ... or, even worse, interrupt and annoy them," O’Sullivan says.
Saatchi & Saatchi DGS will operate out of the top floor of the Saatchi Parnell building. It will start with 32 specialists in digital and direct strategy, data analytics, creative, production and account service. It will continue to service current digital and direct clients of Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand including Telecom, AA, Contact, Toyota, Daihatsu, NZ Post, NZ Army, TVNZ, Griffins, New World and WWF.
Saatchi & Saatchi DGS GM Tony Gardner says the new business shows Saatchi & Saatchi’s ongoing commitment to offer the big ideas for the future: "That future includes digital solutions that appropriately combine ideas with data of various types, from more traditional CRM to online and mobile behavioural data. The open web is becoming a mass marketing tool and redefining customer engagement.
“We are in expansion mode and are committed to offering our clients the best user-centric digital and direct solutions, backed up by bullet proof systems and capabilities. The launch of Saatchi DGS dovetails with a global move by our network deep into the digital space, a move which has included the acquisition of Digitas – the global digital giant that has transformed from a direct background to one of the world’s top digital solutions providers, for US$2.5b 18 months ago. Saatchi DGS will partner with Digitas and the Saatchi Global Digital team, which is creatively led by Tom Eslinger, ex-Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand."
Shirtcliffe says Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand has a global reputation as one of the very best ideas companies, with an unparalleled ability to marry creative with channel capabilities: "Agencies can pride themselves on having experts in channels and technology. But judging Direct Lions at Cannes this year was a pertinent reminder that, regardless of the channel, work will only succeed if it offers true emotional engagement. And that's where I think Saatchi & Saatchi already has an unbeatable reputation. So I'm stoked to be joining them when they’re at their best and with a clear ambition to create the new ideas company of the future," he says.
“I believe the future of communications is around that partnership between digital and direct smarts and emotionally compelling content. We can do all of that with Saatchi DGS. Plus there's the added benefit of fishing for snapper with Mike off Waiheke. Not bad considering you mostly need an ice-saw to go fishing round here."
 

CB heard an overnight rumour that the high profile former AimProximity NZ Creative Director, Matt Shirtcliffe may be returning from his year with BBDO North America (based at Proximity, Toronto). Rumour has it he is joining a new venture associated with one of the main NZ agencies. Shirtcliffe is one of NZ’s most highly awarded creatives with a raft of Cannes, ECHO’s, Caples and local awards to his name on high profile Clients including Air NZ, BNZ and Telecom. He was also the first Kiwi to be recognised with the Wunderman Award. More news as it arrives.

The punters following spareroom.co.nz have words to say about Telecom NZ's latest ad.

Rapp Collins & Tribal DDB New Zealand have won Silver and Bronze Medals at the New York Festivals International Advertising Awards, announced in New York last night (Monday June 30). Both awards were for their work for Rapp Collins 'Perpetual Card' (pictured). Curious Film won a Bronze for AMI.
In contrast, Australia won 7 Golds, 6 Silver and 8 Bronze World medals. Leo Burnett Sydney was the big winner, picking up 3 Golds for Earth Hour, 2 Silvers (for WWF and Bundaberg Rum), and 3 Bronzes (for MacDonald’s, Bundaberg Rum and WWF).
Clemenger BBDO Melbourne also picked up a Gold for Carlton Draught 'Skytroop', as did JWT Sydney for Thrifty, Fin Design & Effects for Toyota and Song Zu for Coco Cola.
For the full list of winners and finalists go to www.newyorkfestivals.com