AUCKLAND, Today: The NZ Comms Council, the Australian Communications Council and Linkedin have forged an alliance to launch AUNZ Advertising Effectiveness Rules – Winning or Losing in a Recession, a major new report by Melbourne marketing consultant Rob Brittain and UK adman Peter Field.

LONDON, Today: D&AD ceo Patrick Burgoyne has voluntarily stepped down from his role to protect the awards show’s finances, severely diminished by Covid-19.

AUCKLAND, Today: There’s just two days to go until The Comms Council’s virtual 2020 Beacons Awards (with oOh!media) conducted in full online at 4pm this Wednesday 10 June.

AUCKLAND, Today: FCB has confirmed that chief creative officer Tony Clewett has accepted a redundancy package, and actually left the agency a full two months ago– reportedly to set up his own creative consultancy.

AUCKLAND, Today: Local ad agency/production house Augusto has optioned Ass, a new comedy series from Kiwi comedian Cori Gonzalez-Macuer and US-born Auckland-resident screenwriter Louis Mendiola.

LONDON, Saturday: Eight NZ agency brands are through to the extended D&AD Awards 2020 shortlist for an additional 13 categories, resulting from the third stage judging – Colenso BBDO, Special Group, TBWA, Klim Type Foundry, YoungShand, Impact PR, Clemenger BBDO, and DDB.

LONDON, Sunday: The boss of the world’s biggest media company, WPP ceo Mark Read, has vowed to take action and oversee change within the organisation following the death of George Floyd in the US and the worldwide protests that have followed.

AUCKLAND, Today: WPP AUNZ’s Sydney-based PR division has requested that M+AD amends its provocative earlier story (‘Australia’s 7th State’), giving more emphasis to its Wunderman Thompson NZ leadership under its “campus structure”.

AUCKLAND, Today: FCB is reported to have made its CCO, Tony Clewett, redundant. He has now announced a move into a consultancy role.