A blog by DDB AUNZ regional CCO Damon Stapleton
“We tell ourselves stories in order to live.” – Joan Didion

AUCKLAND, Tuesday: Well, here I go. This is the advertising equivalent of the charge of the light brigade. I am going to ride my horse of belief right at the cannons of coolness. I am about to fight for a word even I hate. Tally ho.

LONDON, Today: Respected ex-Auckland media director Paul Shearman had passed away in the UK. The date of his death was not known at the time of writing, but recruitment consultant Barry Williamson, a former colleague, said it was “recently”.

AUCKLAND, Today: Mobile advertising expert Kargo has launched Branded Takeover Interactive, a new global ad format that aims to provide NZ advertisers with a “powerful and customisable canvas to engage their mobile audiences through sequential storytelling”.

AUCKLAND, Thursday: Two former Poms, who now proudly call NZ “home”, received the Truth and Soul treatment last week from BC&F Dentsu* founder/ECD Paul Catmur (himself an expat Brit who’s put down deep roots in Godzone).

AUCKLAND, Today: Like many Kiwis, we at M+AD Daily have our own personal codes of behaviour and citizenship, and we’re largely a rather un-Christian lot – but we’re never going to turn down a few days off, and a feast of chocolate!

SYDNEY, Wednesday: Special Group New Zealand leads the Kiwi finalists at Australia’s AWARD Awards, announced today.

By Dan Bye*

As business leaders and marketers, the more we understand about consumers and their behaviour, the better we will be placed for future success. This is especially true as we look to recover from the economic and societal impacts of Covid-19, which has resulted in fundamental changes in how we all interact with the world around us.

AUCKLAND, Wednesday: Digital advertising in NZ grew by almost 7% in 2020, according to the latest NZ Ad Industry Revenue Report out of the Advertising Standards Authority.