NZ Marketing Issue 83 2025

When we first floated the idea of a focus on the South Island and looked around the room for a writer, Zahra Shahtahmasebi couldn’t volunteer fast enough. She grew up in North Canterbury and now calls Tāmaki Makaurau home. But the Mainland sings in her like a siren. She takes us on a whistlestop tour of Te Wai Pounamu, taking in some of its furthest flung agencies. Invercargill gets a look in, and she also tracked one of the few marketers on the West Coast. (Who was surprised to take her call, asking: “How did you find me?”) She finds dynamic people making work that reaches across the country and the globe. Treat yourself to a delightful journey and join her on page 20. The oldest members of Gen Z…

Thomas Barta CEO, Marketing Leadership Institute: “I loved advertising as a kid. I wanted to do ads, that was it. I didn’t watch movies, I watched ads.” Paul McIntyre Editor in chief, Allied Press: “What’s lost when local reporting disappears? Nuance, understanding, cohesion, integrity, democracy.” Bobbi Passau Digital business co-ordinator, dentsu: “TupuToa shows you that your identity, your culture, is a strength – it’s not something to hide away.” Lola Bellamy-Hill Recent graduate: “The rat race is already hard enough for grads as we fight over scraps of work. Let us help you make a feast with thrilling new flavours.” Rory McKechnie Executive creative director, DDB Aotearoa: “Vogel’s is unapologetically Kiwi, and challenging the status quo is quite a New Zealand trait.” Zaria Parvez Senior global social media manager, Duolingo:…

The Out of Home Media Association Aotearoa is expanding. At the end of March, the non-profit industry body announced it would be creating two new roles and recruiting for a new Tāmaki Makaurau-based CEO. “As Oohmaa continues to evolve, it’s essential that our team is well positioned to collaborate effectively and stay close to the industry we serve,” says Paul Maher, independent chair of Oohmaa and Calibre. It’s a move that the organisation describes as “a significant investment” in out of home. Outgoing CEO Natasha O’Connor has been with the organisation for over six years and has been working in advertising for 25 years. Maher acknowledges her invaluable contribution over that time. The new CEO will oversee both Oohmaa and a new unified audience measurement system. Oohmaa will license the…

New Zealand’s media landscape is facing a defining moment – and it’s all come down to Omnicom’s acquisition of Interpublic Group. The merger, currently going through global regulatory channels, would create the advertising industry’s largest holding company. In New Zealand it would potentially have an outsized impact on our small market. To be clear, I’m examining this merger specifically through a media lens – focusing on the media buying and planning operations, not creative, digital, PR or other agency services. The numbers tell a compelling story: StopPress reported Omnicom Media Group already commands nearly 48% of the New Zealand media agency market, and adding IPG’s 7.5% would result in a single entity controlling approximately 55% of our media spend. That’s not just a big fish in a small pond –…

Develop a marketing strategy. Refine our brand voice. Create engaging content. Drive lead generation across multiple channels. This was how a recent job ad for a marketing specialist began. It went on. The candidates would also craft email campaigns, manage the CRM and website, have expertise in LinkedIn ads, possess strong copywriting and storytelling skills and more. The best part? They were offering $25-$35 an hour. About the same as an entry level admin assistant. If you’ve spent time looking at job ads lately, you’ve likely seen roles like this (although hopefully not pay that low). These days, marketers are often expected to wear many hats, with businesses looking for one person to take on the responsibilities of a whole team. The myth of the marketing Swiss Army knife Over…

Everyone has an opinion on AI and the impact it will have on society and our future. I’ve read countless takes on generative AI – some say it’s going to replace us all, others act like it’s a silver bullet. The common thread? Confidence. Strong opinions. A sense that if you’re not already on board, you’re behind. I don’t feel certain and I don’t have a sweeping take on where this is all going. When the iPhone was first released in 2007, no one predicted all the ways it is used today. What I do have is a handful of personal experiences that I keep coming back to. The clearest one is this: using Chat GPT feels just like riding an ebike. If you know where you’re going, it gets…