Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 83 2025 i NZ Marketing

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 –…

In Christchurch, being embedded in the community is a key part of MintHC’s business strategy, says Alice Moore, director of communications. “In a relationship-based business ecosystem, word spreads fast when you do good work and just as fast when you get it wrong. That accountability keeps us sharp.” MintHC formed seven months ago, after Mint Design acquired Christchurch stalwart, creative agency Harvey Cameron. Alice Moore set up Mint Design, a digital marketing agency, with her husband Shayne in 2010. While digital is Mint’s strength, the pair always knew they needed a creative arm. Creative firepower They had long admired Harvey Cameron and its “creative firepower”, so when the opportunity came up to merge last year, they seized it. “And with Harvey Cameron’s legacy and its track record, it was a…

The South Island is a really different market to Auckland, says John Plato. He founded Christchurch-based Plato Creative with wife Lisa in 2007. Now it’s the Mainland’s largest independent integrated marketing agency. “It’s a harder market just to come in and trade. But down here if you form a partnership or a relationship with a client, and you do a good job, you will be there long-term.” In short, there’s less turnover and clients stay longer. Some of Plato’s clients have been with the agency for a decade or more. Valuable insight Its team of 60 cover strategy, brand, creative, websites and technology. Plato manages some of the agency’s biggest clients and also sits on their advisory boards. “You get shared information, not just on how marketing or brand is…

“So many times I see ads and I’m like: if only they showed this to a Gen Z person.” Andrew Eiserman got into marketing and advertising by accident. Now he’s in love. He’s an experience designer at dentsu Aotearoa, a role he applied for without realising what the agency did. He had just returned to Aotearoa after freelancing overseas. “I got the job, came in and I was like, ‘Oh shit, this is an advertising company.’ “The fact that I get to do my nerdy design alongside kooky creatives makes for a wildly interesting collaborative process. Now I don’t think I could leave advertising. It’s been such a cool experience, and I definitely want to lean more into the creative side of things.” A colleague, dentsu digital business co-ordinator Bobbi…

What do One New Zealand CEO Jason Paris, ASB Bank CEO Vittoria Short and New Zealand business trailblazer Dame Therea Gattung have in common? They all started out as marketers. Despite these high-profile success stories, a glance at the NZX50 index of New Zealand’s biggest listed companies shows CEOs with marketing backgrounds are still heavily outnumbered by those from finance or operations. Marketing Association chief exec John Miles is on a mission to get more marketers into those top jobs – a crusade he believes could be good for not just the marketing industry but NZ Inc overall. “I think Australia is starting to have a bit more growth in the area than we are. In my opinion, New Zealand suffers because of the lack of marketers in CEO positions…

When you think of Donald Trump, penguins aren’t top of mind (unless perhaps the macaroni species with their orange quiffs). But in April that all changed, as news of the US president’s tariffs – imposed everywhere, including Heard Island, inhabited only by penguins – hit headlines all over the world. Heard Island, located 1,700km from Antartica in the Southern Ocean, is among the remotest places on Earth. It’s home to… not much, really. But this didn’t stop the volcanic island from being hit with a 10% tariff on April 3. While the Australian territory is uninhabited by humans, it has a large population of penguins, including gentoo, macaroni, king and eastern rockhopper. Trump’s trade tax caused chaos and stress across the globe. But for these birds, it was a wake-up…

Connor Ayliffe says transport is the No 1 issue for Aucklanders You might have noticed a change in Auckland Council’s socials over the past year. Some posts – specifically from mayor Wayne Brown – are actually entertaining. It’s a radical thought for council content which, on the face of it, doesn’t sound thrilling: roadworks, bins, planning decisions. There’s a lot to cover across Tāmaki Makaurau. So while other comms departments deal with libraries and parks or events and emergency response, the mayor has his own four-strong team. “Well, for social media, it’s just me. It’s just the one person,” says Connor Ayliffe, advisor – policy and communications at the mayor’s office. He creates and manages mayoral content across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, YouTube and Reddit. No TikTok? “We’re not on TikTok.…

It’s high time advertisers talked about the value of frequency in out of home, says JCDecaux’s Victoria Parsons. The outdoor advertising company has conducted new research here in Aotearoa showing just how powerful this metric is for campaigns. “We find there’s an obsession with reach, which might be right for television, but for a channel like out of home – where there’s these short sharp moments and you’re in the middle of a commute – frequency is a really important aspect that is being undervalued,” says Parsons, who is JCDecaux’s brand strategy and insights director. Watching TV on the sofa is a completely different environment to being out in the world, she adds. “When you’re watching TV, you’re not thinking, ‘Am I going to be hit by a car? Is…

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:…

Conscious consumerism is flourishing, and garden centres like Palmers are rethinking not only the products they sell – but how they market them. For Mother’s Day, Palmers wanted to communicate their commitment to sustainability at the point of sale. The solution? Fiberskin, an innovative and eco-conscious paper alternative designed to weather the elements. A material designed for the outdoors “We were drawn to Fiberskin because it’s waterproof, cost-efficient and better for the environment,” says Cecilia Chan from Palmers. “It feels like thick paper, but it isn’t plastic – and that really stood out to us.” Palmers used Fiberskin outdoors – a space where traditional paper struggles. Unlike synthetic signage that can feel plasticky or rigid, Fiberskin is smooth and tactile, mimicking premium paper stock. “We’re impressed with how well the…

Marketing feels easy when you are working in an “insanely desirable” place like Nelson, says Zest marketing director Mike Kumagai. Take the view that greets travellers as they fly in: the ocean on one side and the mountains on the other. Incidentally, the airport is one of Zest’s biggest clients. “It’s very, very easy to market those guys,” Kumagai laughs. Being based in a small place means being nimble and having a diverse set of skills is a must, he says. It means clients have a one-stop shop, and somewhere to build long-lasting relationships. In general, budgets, or the lack thereof, remain a challenge. “My background in marketing is in Auckland and some in Japan as well, where audiences are much larger. The clients have a lot more money,” says…

When people ask where Ryan McDonald’s agency is based, he usually says Christchurch. Not many know where Rangiora is. Luckily, the North Canterbury town is my old stomping ground. Thirty minutes’ drive from Christchurch, the place has changed a lot post-earthquake, from quiet and rural to a bustling hub of cafes and retail. McDonald started MoMac as a one-man band in his parents’ lounge in 2007. Now with a team of 18, it has grown considerably, but never lost its small-town charm or location. “When we started growing, my parents said, ‘OK, well you can’t have any more employees in the house. You need to find somewhere else,’” laughs McDonald. So he converted a house into an office and renovated as the agency gained more staff. About a year and…

Various tertiary routes lead to marketing and advertising. Students at the Auckland University of Technology can do a Bachelor of Communication Studies, majoring in advertising and brand creativity, or a business degree, majoring in marketing. Advertising and brand creativity lecturer Dan Fastnedge says this course has two focus areas. The first is advertising creativity, where students learn to understand audiences, crack briefs, generate big ideas and problem solve. This path aims to lead to roles like art director, copywriter, content creator and designer. Strategy is the second focus. This covers audience insights, strategic approaches and account services – leading to roles like planners, strategy or account roles. Traditionally most graduates landed in ad agencies, but this has changed considerably, says Fastnedge. “A group from 2023 came in to share their…

Thirty days ago, I kicked off an exciting new chapter as a junior copywriter at Chemistry – an independent, powerhouse creative agency that punches far above its weight. It’s been fast and slow, filled with small wins and plenty of hard-earned mistakes. I can’t believe I’m here. Let me tell you all about it. The deep end isn’t always comfortable One thing I quickly learned working in an agency is how much trust is dealt to you straight off the bat. I wasn’t just running around and getting coffees – I was actually writing. Not long after my first day, my first official brief landed in my inbox. A couple of social posts for a sunscreen brand. I thought to myself, how easy. So I took that week slow, getting…

At NV Interactive, this legacy has been built, quietly, over 25 years, and it’s always been focused on a commitment to delivering exceptional digital experiences that don’t just work well – they deliver, beautifully. NV Interactive’s foundations were founded in positivity. Geoff Cranko met brothers Matt and Gus Pickering while lecturing on strategic and business planning as part of a 16-week MBA programme for tech companies. Geoff quickly identified Gus and Matt as the smartest, most technically capable people in the room, and then he made them an offer they didn’t completely appreciate at the time. In return, their business-savvy father gave Geoff a grilling. Together with Geoff’s business partner in Strategy Creative, Guy Pask, they formed a plan to create what would become NV Interactive – a company that…

‘Support local.’ You see it everywhere: café A-boards, tote bags, loyalty cards. I back this sentiment 100%, but here’s my question: if we care so much about where our bread comes from, why don’t we apply that thinking to where our marketing dollars go? The marketing industry doesn’t talk about it much, but every time we hit “boost” or run a campaign through global ad networks, a piece of our budget disappears into the abyss offshore. It’s seamless, scaleable and completely disconnected from the communities we claim to champion. But, there is another way. When you use local media, you’re doing more than advertising. You’re investing in people, culture and visibility that gives back. It might not be as flashy as an algorithmic dashboard, but it’s real. Just like the…

How does RNZ unite Kiwis through significant national events? It’s about being there every day. We want to keep New Zealanders informed through our quality journalism, great radio programming and digital products. We want to give people what they need to play an active part in society but also to be a companion – there when people need us. Often, it’s during the big events when people need us the most – to give them information that keeps them safe, help them make sense of what is happening and provide that connection. We’ve seen it time and again through RNZ’s 100 years – whether it be life-changing events in NZ or overseas. A recent example was Cyclone Gabrielle, where our AM service and coverage was absolutely essential to those in…

Emissions from the advertising industry are much larger than most people think, says Comms Council head of sustainability Jennifer Gunn. “Right now, the estimate is about 2 to 3% of global emissions is related to advertising – that’s equivalent to some of the larger industries that get a lot of attention around the climate crisis, like aviation. “So we have a lot of opportunity within advertising to do our part when it comes to the climate emergency.” Five pillars In August 2023, Aotearoa adopted Ad Net Zero, a global five pillar framework set up in the UK, centred on the decarbonisation of the advertising industry. The Comms Council is on the steering committee leading this initiative. The first pillar deals with operational emissions. “Before you even sell to clients, what…

Carla Forbes is proudly Southland’s loudest cheerleader. She’s the director of Naked Creative, an agency she set up after moving to Invercargill for a short stint 21 years ago. “I was going to live here for two years and then it’s the famous story, I’ll be the last one to turn off the lights,” laughs Forbes. “Twenty-one years ago in Southland, marketing felt like an add-on, not a line item. Now I think more people are saying we’re in the business of people, we need to sell our product or service. “I saw it as quite an opportunity to come down here and carve out a little position in the Southland market.” Here, a handshake still matters, she says. “I have clients that ring up wanting big projects done, and…

Disney had a political and box office debacle with its 2025 Snow White remake. Critics hated it – “tedious”, “sappy” and “the look of an AI-created migraine” read the reviews. These flaws alone might have sunk the film, but its ‘woke’ approach saw Snow White become a battleground in the culture wars that exemplify today’s American zeitgeist. There was criticism from short-statured actor Peter Dinklage regarding dwarf tokenism and cultural correctness, and there was debate about the Snow White role being played by a Hispanic actress. Then there was the movie itself. Instead of being a faithful live-action remake of Disney’s beloved animated feature, the 2025 version bent over backwards to tick all the contemporary DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) boxes. If that wasn’t enough, Prince Charming became a forest…

Fav campaign Stef: I’d probably say ‘Share a Coke’. I think Gen Z is really into personalisation, and that campaign taps into it perfectly. Ethan: The Toyota Hilux ad – seeing all the different people in their different trucks makes it really memorable. Jack: ‘I think of you (dying)’, for a brand called Life360. What makes it great is that it’s relatable and funny. Bobbi: It’s so hard to pick just one!  Andrew: ‘Unfiltered history’. It showed me that when great ideas, design and tech come together, they can shift culture. Something that would surprise others about Gen Z Stef: We’re genuinely committed to our work – it’s not just a 9 to 5 for us. Jack: I admire their strong sense of self-worth and balance – they are willing…

If you don’t know how to market to over-55s, it’s going to get increasingly difficult to succeed in business in New Zealand. As of June 2024, New Zealand already had around 1.5 million people aged 55 and up, accounting for about 28% of the total population. And the proportion is tipped to rise over the next few years. They’re also a wealthy group: according to the most recent Stats NZ data from 2021, the median individual net worth was $363,000 for ages 55-64 and $424,000 for 65 and over, compared to just $34,000 for ages 25-34. And experts warn that the marketing industry needs to change how it operates, if it is to connect effectively with the growing number of older New Zealanders. Ad industry ‘ageism’ One issue the industry…

Outside of work, Samantha Osborne enjoys the simple pleasures of rural life. Lately, she’s been filling her pantry with homemade preserves, including a crab apple jelly she’s particularly proud of. When she’s not picking, pruning and bottling, Muriwai Beach on Auckland’s west coast is her go-to spot – especially with her surf enthusiast sons. She also has a keen interest in renovation and interior design, a hobby she picked up during the pandemic and put to good use doing up the family beach house. Osborne’s willingness to try new things saw her seize the opportunity to join Cartology when it launched five years ago – a time when retail media was a new concept in New Zealand. Established by Woolworths Group, Cartology uses insight-driven advertising to help brands connect with…

‘News is a public good funded by a commercial model.” That’s how Grant McKenzie, CEO of Allied Press, sees it. In recent years, much has been written about the commercial side of journalism, a business model that sits somewhere between vulnerable and endangered. We know the recent casualties. Fair Go. Newshub. More than a dozen community newspapers. But has enough been said about journalism’s essential function as a public good that keeps communities informed and connected? Allied Press, soon to be Allied Media, has 163 years under its belt. The Otago Daily Times was the country’s first daily newspaper when it launched in 1861. Today, Allied Press publishes more than 20 newspapers across the South Island, it runs five magazines and major local events. It’s behind ODT.co.nz, the online news…

When we meet, it’s eight days since Thompson Spencer and Reason made it official. Already, the pace at newly formed Thompson Spencer Group has quickened. “The energy just coming out of the room, the speed, is quite crazy,” says co-founder Wendy Thompson. On March 19, creative and media agency Thompson Spencer merged with performance agency Reason to form Thompson Spencer Group, one of the largest indies in Aotearoa. Both parties are clear the agencies are combining strengths, rather than scrambling to survive. “We are really lucky. We both had very strong years and improved considerably from the year before,” says Spencer. The agency will be led by Melanie Spencer and Reason’s Tim Pointer as co-CEOs. Meanwhile, Thompson and Pointer’s co-founder Matt Rowe will continue their roles as executive director and…

To progress is to be human. It’s at the core of who we are. Our species survived by being adaptable. In the face of an abnormally cold winter, a drought, or food shortages, early humans didn’t just give up. They adapted and made progress towards an evolved way of living. Progress makes people feel in control of their lives. It feeds an internal narrative about our identity as someone who makes progress, grows and succeeds. So, duringtimesofuncertainty, progress is essential. A gap in optimism For our first temperature check on the mood of the nation in 2025, TRA investigated how New Zealanders and Australians view progress. Across both countries, the picture isn’t positive at a national level. In Aotearoa, only two in 10 think the country has progressed in the…