Special Wins Cannes Grand Prix
CANNES, June 2010—
An international jury at The Cannes Advertising Festival awarded our Orcon “Iggy Pop” campaign the Grand Prix in the Direct category. The jury was the biggest ever assembled at Cannes, they had to judge over 1500 entries. The campaign also picked up a gold lion in the Direct section and two bronze lions in the Promo section.
The head of judging, Pablo Alzugaray said “The idea of having Iggy Pop re-record The Passenger in real time, using a band in New Zealand chosen via online auditions with Iggy Pop in Miami, was one of the very best uses of celebrity I have ever seen. It’s intelligent, experiential and response-driven.”
It was the highest awarded piece of work from the Australasian region, only NZ's 5th ever Grand Prix, and ranks us as the 'Number 8 independent agency in the world' this year. And just in case we hadn't talked it up enough, here's some comment from around the world...
AdAge
Creativity
Vanity Fair
USA Today
Stuff.co.nz
YouTube
TVNZ
The Australian
Throng
Scoop
The Inspiration Room
Ad News
Campaign Asia
NZ Herald
Adobo Online
All Voices
Media Cafe
You Mark Italy
Real Time Cannes
NEW ZEALAND, June 2010—
The British Design and Art Direction Annual (aka The Book) represents the finest creative thinking in the world each year, and is notoriously difficult to get into. And guess which New Zealand telecommunications campaign featuring a 62 year old rock legend got in? We're delighted. There's nothing like a pat on the back from the toughest creative jury in the world.
NEW ZEALAND, June 2010—
After a competitive pitch we have been appointed by Lion Nathan to handle their suite of Diageo brands: namely Smirnoff, Bailey's, Guiness and Johnny Walker. To say that we're excited about working on these world famous brands would be an understatement. The hard work of re-acquainting ourselves with them will start immediately.
NEW ZEALAND, May 2010—
We have been chosen as design and communications partner by sustainable cleaning and body-care brand ecostore. New Zealand's most iconic eco brand has big plans – they already sell in Australia and Asia and are set to take off in the US. We're honoured and excited to be part of their journey.
best ever results at axis awards
NEW ZEALAND, March 2010—
Last night, the Axis Awards 2010 gave us our best creative result to date. Namely a clean sweep of 8 Golds and the Best in Show — all for the multi-media Orcon Iggy Pop campaign. It set a new record for Axis, now in its 30th year. We won golds in the Direct Response, Social, Digital/Interactive and PR categories, and then in the big award categories — Integrated, Interactive, Titanium and Grand Axis.
Most importantly, Orcon walked away with Client of the Year. We’re still trying to remember the finer details...
FAIRFAX INDEPENDENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR
NEW ZEALAND, March 2010—
Industry recognition, beautiful people everywhere, copious amounts of alcoholic drinks — yes, this was a Tuesday night to remember. A heavyweight industry panel (including Colenso legend Roger MacDonnell and ex-Saatchi boss Cindy Mitchener) decided that our achievements over the last year warranted the title of Independent agency of the Year (and finalist for Agency of the Year, up against Colenso, Draft FCB and DDB). It’s tremendous validation of our results-focused creative approach.
Tsb bank appoints special group after pitch
NEW ZEALAND, March 2010—
We have been appointed by New Zealand’s largest independent bank after a three-way creative pitch. We are very excited to be working with these guys. They’re a unique New Zealand brand with integrity and a fantastic product. It’s a great story waiting to be told.
national business review—5 star agency of the year
AUCKLAND, November 2009—
Winning this title last Thursday closes an extremely eventful year for Special. In the words of Hazel Philips, NBR’s media correspondent…
(Click the images on the right to read.)
Thanks Hazel and team. We’re very proud of this recognition. And the fact that we were still standing at the end of the party.
MIAMI / NEW ZEALAND,
November 2009—
Our TV ad featuring Iggy Pop re-recording The Passenger (with 9 talented Kiwis via Orcon’s super-fast broadband) launched last night with a 145 second ‘full length’ version. TV3’s flagship current affairs show, Campbell Live, ran a 5 minute segment dedicated to the making of the ad.
It was the culmination of 4 weeks of national and local media coverage. Imagine paying for that.
AUCKLAND / SYDNEY / LA,
November 2009—
Richard Branson’s newest luxury airline have appointed us to launch their brand in New Zealand. We have just unveiled a new campaign across billboards, print and ambient media, extolling the virtues of their premium service. Lie-flat beds, mood lighting, boutique bars and ladies only toilets. It’s going to be a fabulous journey.
NEW SEASON, NEW SEASON BROCHURE
AUCKLAND, November 2009—
It’s that time of year again, time for the 2010 Season subscription brochure for the Auckland Theatre Company. It features the actors photographed candidly out around the city of Auckland, rehearsing their roles. It gets across the natural energy and excitement of the season ahead.
Special mention:
Heath Lowe, Richard Francis, design. Photography, Tim White.
NEW ZEALAND, October 2009—
Hot on the heels of the Max spring collection comes the ad for Max Summer. A specially composed Brazilian soundtrack, an Amazonian model, a selection of hot summer outfits being removed as she walks towards camera — go on, try and ignore it.
Production Company: Special Problems
Directors: Cam Hooper, Joel Kefali
Agency Producer: Sascha Mortimer
Music: Peter Hobbs at Harmonic Studio
NEW ZEALAND, October 2009—
Our Greens Election campaign has some new fans: the Designer’s Institute of New Zealand. Their annual awards — the 2009 Best Design Awards — recognises the best in New Zealand design. On the night we picked up golds in the Media & Website design category and in Environmental Graphics. Is it successful advertising or successful design? Yes.
NEW ZEALAND, October 2009—
Special won three Gold awards at the highly respected CAANZ Effectiveness Awards (The Effies). Our Green Party Election campaign picked up golds in the Not For Profit, Corporate Reputation and Integrated Campaign categories. That’s the most Golds a single campaign has won in the history of the awards, so we’re told. On the night it was the same as the big gun agencies (Saatchi's, Colenso and DDB) combined. That’s right, we don’t just make this stuff up about high quality creative work getting results.
Joining us on stage: Metiria Turei, Green Party Co-leader (center) and Kath Dewar, Green Party Spokesperson (second from right)
special form band with
iggy pop
MIAMI / AUCKLAND, October 2009—
Our new Campaign for Orcon has launched, through two 15 second TV spots, outdoor and a major online campaign. Iggy Pop is looking for talented Kiwis to help him re-record ‘The Passenger’, online. If you want to play guitar, bass, clap hands, take your shirt off… anything… just upload a video audition. Eight budding stars will be chosen to take part in a one-off live recording event. From their homes they will be linked live to Iggy in Miami, via Orcon’s ultra-fast broadband.
The journey starts here:
www.facebook.com/orcon
NEW ZEALAND, Sept 2009—
Our new commercial for the Max Spring Collection is now on air. A collection of stunning new outfits, three gorgeous girls, colourful flowers and the original Blondie classic ‘Call Me” as the soundtrack. Yep, winter’s fading fast.
Production Company: Special Problems Directors: Cam Hooper, Joel Kefali
Agency Producer: Sascha Mortimer
AUCKLAND, August 2009—
We’ve just won the Orcon account after a three way pitch. Orcon, for those of you who don’t know, are the country’s fourth largest telco. Our task is to change that, and help them become the nation’s communications partner of choice. They are an innovative, award winning company with a well deserved reputation for fantanstic customer service and for providing New Zealand‘s fastest broadband. It’s about time the rest of the world knew that.
michael redwood joins special as shareholding partner
AUCKLAND, June 2009—
Special is delighted to welcome on board Michael Redwood as fourth partner. Michael joins us from Colenso where he has spent 6 years as a Group Account director on Air New Zealand. His previous 5 years were at Saatchi and Saatchi Auckland. He brings to Special a wealth of experience from running some of the most high profile accounts in the country. Michael's set of skills will be a fantastic asset, helping us grow our offering locally and internationally. The fact that he also likes Neil Young is merely an added bonus.
INTERNATIONAL, May 2009—
Word of our nationwide Maxshop.com campaign seems to have spread across the world. It has been picking up praise and attention on hundreds of websites and blog sites around the globe, including Kanye West’s site. Maxshop.com is now being talked about in Spain, France, Germany, the States, the UK, Japan and Russia. The campaign also made it to the front cover of leading Australasian marketing magazine Campaign Brief, the first NZ work to be featured on the cover for two and a half years. Traffic to the Maxshop.com has surged. It just shows how much further a campaign goes when it is designed to be noticed.
AUCKLAND, March 2009—
The Green Party’s message for the Mt Albert by-election voters is loud and clear, thanks to our new billboard, leaflet and press campaign. The message is that Russel Norman is by far the most potent and effective politician in the running. To date the campaign is working well, with the Greens polling in third place, 2000 potential votes behind National.
Special Ranked
“Hottest” Independent Agency of the Year
AUCKLAND, March 2009—
Australasia’s premier creative marketing magazine Campaign Brief has just ranked us the ‘hottest’ independent agency in the country. This makes us the only indie in the top 5 ‘hottest’ agencies overall (in amongst the big $100 million multinationals like Saatchis, DDB and Colenso). Which after our first full year in business is a result we’re pretty happy about.
NEW CAMPAIGN FOR MAX ONLINE RETAIL
AUCKLAND, March 2009—
We’re launching Max’s online retail facility, Maxshop.com, with a nation-wide campaign of bus sides, billboards, magazine ads and in-store material. We’re doing it in a way that we know will create attention, and talkability (and probably get Leighton Smith hot under the collar). Most importantly they’ll drive a lot of traffic to the site.
NEW WORK FOR NEW CLIENT: FREEDOM FARMS
AUCKLAND, February 2009—
Freedom Farms are NZ’s premier producer of cage-free pork and bacon. Our first project for them was to align them with TVNZ’s screening of a 90 minute Jamie Oliver show about the plight of cage-farmed pigs. We facilitated the sponsorship and produced all the materials needed – idents, break titles and an animated 10” intro and outro spot featuring a dancing pig. Wouldn’t you be dancing if you had been spared a life in a 1x2x0.6m cage?
NEW ZEALAND, December 2008—
Life has just become a lot more glamorous at Special. We have been appointed to provide ongoing marketing services to iconic New Zealand womens fashion retailer Max. With 34 stores around the country, and plans to go into Australia and a new outdoor campaign breaking in February, it’s all go.
auckland theatre company—first work
AUCKLAND, November 2008—
Our first work for the Auckland Theatre Company is their 2009 Season Brochure.
Strategically one aim is to bring to life the unique energy of live performance, the other is to bring them in a truck load of ticket sales. Behind the gorgeous imagery (Thanks Tim) lies a sharp sales tool, taking every opportunity to get you thinking about ticket buying, discounts on tickets, group bookings, gift vouchers and donations. Ten days in, 21% of the yearly sales target had been reached.
Special guest: Tim White, photographer.
AUCKLAND, November 2008—
We came up with a low budget, topical viral idea that would showcase the immense audio visual talents of Peter Hobbs and the guys at the newly formed Harmonic sound studio. Within two days it had more hits on Youtube than the original John Key victory speech. Quite right too.
auckland festival launches programme
AUCKLAND, November 2008—
Australasia’s largest Arts Festival now has what must be one of Australasia’s largest brochures. It contains everything you need to know about what’s on, when it’s on, where it’s on and where you can book it. The essence of this job was to rationalize a vast amount of information whilst keeping the unique energy and excitement of the festival. Over 100,000 of these brochures will be enlightening potential festival-goers before March next year.
INTERNATIONAL, November 2008—
We thought it was a good time to open our popular Greens election campaign up to the public. Go to www.voteforus.co.nz and you can make your own ‘Vote For Me’ billboard. Just upload a photo from your computer. The personalized billboard can then be sent from the site to three friends by email. They can enjoy them, then easily go on to make their own ones. After the first day there were over 500 submissions from all over the world, each one spreading the word in a unique way.
green party launches election campaign
NEW ZEALAND, September 2008—
This work was designed to cut through the clutter and send a strong message straight to the head and heart. The campaign has been very well received by the press. The next, and most important audience to win over will be the voting public.
Press—
watch a review on Campbell Live
read the latest NBR critique
AUCKLAND, September 2008—
Special put together an event that united over 200 industry folk to enjoy the best newspaper ads of the year, some great student work and the spectacle of three lucky beggars walking off with a $10,000 cash prize. We also made the country’s first ‘live’ press ad, with the audience creating over 50 alcohol-fuelled headlines. The winning ad ran in all the major newspapers the next morning. It was a big night for the Newspaper Ad of the Year too, establishing it as one of New Zealand’s premier advertising awards.
special win auckland theatre company
AUCKLAND, September 2008—
After a three way pitch we were appointed to handle all design and marketing tasks for New Zealand’s largest arts organization. There are lots of productions throughout the year, which means lots of opportunities to build this vibrant and progressive brand. The show begins this week.
NEW ZEALAND, August 2008—
It’s not an easy job, trying to articulate your benefits in a clear and simple way. Maybe that’s why very few ad agencies try to. These full page ads break in the business pages of the Herald this week. They take our message of results driven advertising and creative integrity to the business folk of New Zealand.
NEW ZEALAND, July 2008—
Special has created a series of dealer showroom posters that highlight some of the individual features of a Volvo that are ‘Just Cleverer’. Photographer Paul Jones shot the distinctive images. Think of them as polite but persuasive sales staff.
NEW ZEALAND, July 2008—
You might have seen our latest outdoor campaign for AUT University (someone has to brighten up the rainy streets of Auckland). ‘The University for the Changing World’ positioning continues to gather momentum, moving into every aspect of their communications. There has been an unprecedented response to the campaign by prospective students, schools and internally among the diverse academic staff.
NEW BUSINESS –
NEW AUCKLAND FESTIVAL
NEW ZEALAND, June 2008—
Auckland Festival are re-launching their brand through Special. It’s one of the largest celebrations of the arts in Australasia (and no small project either). We kick off with a distinctive new brand identity for the organization that will last for a few festivals to come.
NEW ZEALAND, May 2008—
We’re using a mobile medium to get the Green Party’s message out into the streets. You. We created the t-shirts as a not so serious way to get a serious point across. They’re available in all sizes and in men's and women's cuts direct from the Greens frontpage, another Special project. www.greens.org.nz
NEW ZEALAND, May 2008—
The multimedia Schweppes campaign picked up three Gold awards at this year’s Axis Awards. The campaign was also awarded a silver award and six bronzes. Overseas the campaign got in to the One Show, D&AD and Clio. Our Ski Jump newspaper ad for NZski.com also picked up an Axis Silver. We also picked up several beers that night.
NEW ZEALAND, March 2008—
We’re pleased to announce that after a four way pitch, The Green Party have appointed Special to create its pre-election and election campaign for 2008. We can’t wait to get involved in what will be the country’s largest media event. A general election has to be the ultimate effectiveness test for any creative work.
NEW ZEALAND, March 2008—
The AA voted the XC70 the best Large Crossover 4x4 of the year at their latest Motoring Excellence Awards. They said, “Volvo’s marketing line claims their wagons are just cleverer. They’re not wrong”. The XC70 gave some very stiff competition a thrashing, and gave us chance to run a tactical ad in the national papers the following day.
schweppes internet short films
EUROPE, February 2008—
Publicis Mojo commissioned Special to help reposition Schweppes in Europe as the adult soft drink. The result was an internet-only film festival of adult themed films, all playing at a Schweppes Short Film Festival site. Each film was directed by a different director from The Sweet Shop. The films proved to be just the ticket, passing their 2 millionth minute of user initiated brand engagement since the launch. NB. Please ask your parents before you log on. www.schhh.eu/shortfilms
KINGSLAND, February 2008—
Designer Kelly Steven has joined the team at Special. She’s young, motivated and very talented. Kelly will be working on a broad range of projects. Bonus skills include being a dab hand at illustration and the bassist of Dimmer.
NEW ZEALAND, December 2007—
After a three way pitch, Volvo New Zealand have picked us as their agency of record. Obviously we’re delighted to have the chance to elevate this iconic brand to the position that they deserve in New Zealand. A great product, a forward thinking client and aggressive sales targets—just the sort of job we love.
NEW ZEALAND, October 2007—
We created print work for Nest that acts as up-front retail that also builds the brand. Now there’s a reason to buy Nest plates as opposed to any other old plates. Interest in the Nest brand surged during the two weeks that the ad ran. Their website received an extra 34,000 page hits.
Special guests: Alan McFetridge, photographer. Ella Willis, food stylist. The Lounge, retouching.
AUT UNIVERSITY, THE NEW CAMPAIGN
AUCKLAND, October 2007—Through Consortium, we developed a new brand campaign for AUT University, positioning them as ‘The University for the changing world’. Whereas most academic institutions talk about themselves, AUT University are talking about the exciting new opportunities that are out there. The campaign covers every touch point of the university’s communications, from brand identity through to print, outdoor, online and TV.
Special guests: Keith Syron, research. Greg Wood, director. Lewis Mulatero, photographer.
AUCKLAND, October 2007—
To make sure that the townies get properly fed, we’re running a street poster campaign for The City Farmers’ Market. The market, held each Saturday at Britomart in Auckland, is the place to be if you want to stock up the freshest local produce.
Free napkin with every newspaper
AUCKLAND, September 2007—
We did the napkin ad to get people thinking about the experience of Sabato’s authentic Italian pasta sauce. Tuck the top left hand corner under your collar and get stuck in. Over the 3 week campaign average daily sales of the sauce range were up 56%. In one major Auckland stockist alone sales of the sauces were up 66% by the end of the campaign.
SONY VAIO TX – GO ON, LIGHTEN UP
NEW ZEALAND, August 2007—
Our new work for the Sony talks to the weary business traveller, focusing on the lightweight and compact design. The campaign is running full page in national publications from Metro through to FHM. The clean, stripped down layout is designed to give the ads maximum standout in the cluttered environment they’re going in to.
SONY VAIO CR – NOT FOR EVERYONE
NEW ZEALAND, August 2007—
This is a national print and web banner campaign to launch the brightly coloured Vaio, the laptop that puts a bit of fun back into hard edged technology. If you’re not on the list, they could be for you.
NEW ZEALAND, July 2007 —
This ad uses the fold in the paper to get you thinking about what you’d rather be doing: getting in some big jumps on the most popular New Zealand ski fields with a year’s free pass that you could win if you go to the website. Over a 4 week period the ad increased traffic to the website by 72%.
AUCKLAND, June 2007 —
Our double-sided newspaper ad for Sunsense (the very first ad Special produced) picked up an Axis Award last night at the New Zealand advertising industry’s annual creative award show. When you hold the ad up to the sun, wrinkles printed on the other side show through. Sunsense, Douglas Pharmaceutical’s new anti-aging face moisturizer sold out within a week. Within two months the company had sold two years worth of stock.
New Zealand Herald commission Special
AUCKLAND, June 2007—
The Herald needed to let their clients know that, despite the changing media landscape, they were still the most popular recruitment medium. We ran a huge national billboard, Adshel, bus back and newspaper campaign to get the message across. It was very well received by the clients, and not so popular with their internet based rivals. Funny that. The Herald’s Employment Sales Manager Craig Thompson said, “This campaign re-affirmed our commitment to our client base and was hugely well-received by them”.
GLASGOW, April 2007—
We created a series of viral animations for the Scottish Labour Party in the run up to the Scottish Elections. They feature a small boy called Alex who has lots of ideas that he hasn’t really thought through. They parody the policies of SNP leader Alex Salmond. The virals got talked about in The Observer on Sunday and on BBC Newsnight in features about non-traditional electioneering techniques. No comment from Alex though.
Special guests: Yukfoo — Julian Stokoe, animator. Glen Real, producer.
NEST WINTER ‘07:
IN FOR THE SEASON
NEW ZEALAND, March 2007—
Now that nest have become the exclusive Australasian stockist for Habitat UK, our new winter brochure showcases a more International design focused collection for the New Zealand homewares brand. What better place to shoot these international stories than up in the Hokianga…
Special guests: Matthew Williams, photographer. Katie Lockhart, stylist.
NEW YORK, January 2007—
Our Sony Handycam campaign, shot by Alan McFetridge, was one of 24 advertising pieces that made it into the New York PDN Annual this year. It went on to be voted the best advertising work by visitors to the site. According to Al, PDN is one of the most highly regarded publications in the photography world. We take his word for it.