LBB AUNZ Spotlights Creativity At Auckland and Perth Immortal Awards Showcases

LBB’s Immortal Awards roadshow has made stops in Auckland and Perth, bringing together some of the sharpest creative and marketing minds to discuss the industry, and enjoy the best work in the world.

The events were hosted at DDB Group New Zealand in Auckland and Palace Raine Square Cinemas in Perth, and were fronted by LBB’s APAC managing director Toby Hemming, and AUNZ managing editor Brittney Rigby, who hosted a panel discussion in each city.

In Perth, the panel featured Beautiful Pictures executive producer Kate Downie, 303 MullenLowe executive creative director Sara Oteri, Rare managing director and ACA WA chair Callum Mackenzie, and St John WA head of brand and marketing Smiljka Dimitrijevic.

Kate spoke frankly about the labour-intensive pitch process production companies are subject to, despite few active shoots happening locally. She asks agencies to be transparent about her likelihood of success, “because it's an expensive process … [and] at the moment, there's not a lot of funds floating around. So if we're not preferred– I'm happy to do a check quote at any time, but the pitching process is quite laborious.”

Sara noted that pressure is felt most acutely by businesses like Kate's. “Production, obviously, feel it the worst, because they're the makers. And so if we're feeling the pinch, then obviously people like Kate feel it even more.”

​She added, “I’m all for ditching the pitch, personally. You know if you want to work with someone or not. Just back them. They'll back you, and let's get on with it and make good work.”

Callum echoed the calls for change, pointing to shortened timelines and a lack of transparency as major pain points. “You've got agencies that have got a great desire in a small marketplace to pick up the business that you need or want to grow, or pay the bills,” he said. “You’ve got clients [who] might be being forced to go through the process… A lot of it is a lack of confidence.”

​Smiljka emphasised the importance of injecting more fun and entertainment into work, citing campaigns from Kitchen Warehouse and Bankwest, led by east coast agencies, as strong examples. “I think there's an increasing number of organisations that are starting to recognise the ROI of fun and entertainment.”

Over in Auckland, LBB’s showcase was hosted at DDB Group New Zealand, with the panel bringing together DDB Group AUNZ CCO Matty Burton, Thinkerbell GM Jessica Allison, Colenso BBDO group CD Duncan Bone, and Sweetshop co-CEO Melanie Bridge.

Matty spoke to the need to “uncomplicate the shit,” naming space, time, talent and relationships as the key ingredients of great work rather than money -- although that certainly helps. “Our business is very, very, very simple, but we make it fucking hard and complicated.”

Jessica, who is back in New Zealand after a decade in Australia, highlighted the benefit of fewer layers of bureaucracy. “It would be great if [understanding the long-term ROI of brand-building] was the norm, rather than the gold standard.”

​Colenso group creative director Duncan Bone, who helped lead the Immortal Award-winning ‘Adoptable’ campaign, said New Zealand felt like a “secret place where great ideas can happen.” He added, “It’s small enough to get the right ideas through the door, but big enough to actually execute it properly.”

The local sponsors for this year's Immortal Awards are ARC, Bear Meets Eagle On Fire, and The Sweetshop.