AUCKLAND, Today: WPP media agency Ikon NZ has been appointed as the communications agency for both Zuru and Rascal + Friends, effective immediately. There was no pitch; the incumbent was Independent Media.

NEW YORK, Today: New York Festivals International Advertising Awards has appointed two prominent New Zealanders to its 2019 grand jury – Clemenger BBDO CD Emily Beautrais and McCann Australia chief strategy officer Fran Clayton.

LONDON, Yesterday: D&AD Festival 2019 has released details of its new visual identity. D&AD Festival, “where craft, creativity and culture collide”, returns 21-23 May to The Old Truman Brewery, London. Still the UK’s largest event for global creative talent. 

AUCKLAND, Today: Immigration New Zealand has appointed Tilt Digital as its global digital media agency following a competitive pitch.

NEW YORK, Today: Wunderman Inc founder/chairman Lester Wunderman – direct marketing trailblazer extraordinaire – died last week (on January 9) of natural causes. He was 98 years old. 

AUCKLAND, Today: Colmar Brunton Research – a division of Kantar NZ – appears to be cutting back on its interface with the ad sector, by cancelling production of M+AD’s popular Top 10 TVCs monthly feature.

AUCKLAND, Today: Lumo Digital Outdoor is introducing what it calls “world-first standards in out-of-home reporting data” to the NZ market through a new contract with Australian-based reporting platform Seedooh. 

AUCKLAND, Today: Just two members of the comms business – both outstanding newspaper veterans – were deemed worthy of a New Year honour in 2019. That’s right – not an ad or PR person in sight.