Campaign Overview

Kim Crossman and Ido Drent celebrate with young friends after finishing the Fit2Fly adventure course. Image courtesy of the Western Leader, By Luke Parker

This July the school holidays were a buzz with excitement over the Botany Town Centre and LynnMall Shopping Centre Fit2Fly adventure course. In conjunction with the Foundation for Youth Development (FYD), the malls help launch the Fit2Fly campaign for the second year running.

The adventure course was set up to encourage kids’ activity and to put their skills to test, all for a good cause; the $1 entry fee went directly to the FYD’s Project K programme. 

The two week campaign gained positive media attention, especially with some celebrities who showed their support.  Studio 2 and Shortland Street stars Faye Smythe, Kiel McNaughton, Kim Crossman and Ido Drent all tested their adventure skills as did sporting stars from the NZ Breakers Acadmey and Steelers Counties Manukau.

Results

The Fit2Fly adventure course drew crowds of excited school holiday children; over 2700 children tested their skills on the specially built course and $2900 was raised for FYD’s Project K Programme. 

Sunrise TV included four live crossover weather segments, several ad-lib presentations and interviews from Botany Town Centre, concluding with Josh Aston giving it his all on the course. 

The NZ Women’s Weekly featured a lovely story about Shortland Street’s Faye and Kiel’s involvement in the campaign.

Howick & Pakuranga Times, Eastern Courier and the Western Leader were just some of the community papers who covered the Fit2Fly campaign with articles and great action images of children out on the course. 

Fit2Fly also received great radio coverage with the ZM Black Thunders visiting Botany Town Centre on two different occasions, the two Robbies from The Breeze testing out the Lynn Mall course and Desiree Clark securing an interview on Big FM. 

We also gained great online media coverage hitting both social and educational sites.  The holiday event could be found on Eventfinder and on supporting radio station’s websites, Shortland Street’s network as well as school and educational websites.

Manu Vatuvei and students from Ranui Primary school share a good book. Image courtesy of Photo Sport

In June 2009 Konica Minolta together with the Vodafone Warriors launched Rugby League Reads in Auckland.

The AC team was challenged to show kids that ‘reading is cool’ and to encourage them to learn that reading is a valuable life skill whether they dream of becoming a rugby league player, doctor, fire fighter or dancer.

Children were invited to write a short story or poem about their favourite Vodafone Warriors player for the chance to win a reading session at an Auckland library with some team members. There were four select libraries who hosted RLR 2009, a big thank you to Pakuranga, Waitakere, Glenfield and Manurewa libraries.

Konica Minolta received an overwhelming response from 50 Auckland schools and over 500 individual entries; unfortunately, they could only select eight winning schools.

In addition to the library readings, RLR 2009 included a surprise school visit from Manu Vatuvei. Dropping by Room 11 at St Thomas’s school, winner Zac Chan was presented a signed Warriors shirt by Vatuvei.

Results

The local community newspapers were very supportive and super keen on the involvement of the Vodafone Warriors. We achieved excellent coverage in the East and Bays Courier, Howick and Pakuranga Times, North Shore Times and the Western Leader.

The Vodafone Warriors Community Ambassador Manu Vatuvei was especially appealing and gained coverage in the New Zealand Herald on two occasions; Warriors fire young literary imaginations and Warriors at school spread the words.

Select Vodafone Warriors were also interviewed on radio; Kevin Locke and Manu Vatuvei featured on Newstalk ZB with Mike Hosking discussing their views on literacy and joking about each others reading skills.
Brent Jameson was interviewed on both BigFM and Radio Rhema regarding the RLR programme.

Online media also played a role on helping generate awareness about RLR with articles featured on times.co.nz, nzherald.co.nz, stuff.co.nz, infonews.co.nz and voxy.co.nz

Jonelle Phillips from Smartbox is featured in the cover story of the September NZ Business Magazine

Jonelle & Steve Phillips were interviewed by Business to Business recently. The level of enthusiasm and optimism of the couple has to be seen to be believed. Working diligently to achieve their goals, nothing seems to hinder their determination to succeed.

Jonelle was also profiled as a cover story on the September NZ Business Magazine, in an interview where she talks about how she escaped corporate life and got in touch with her “inner entrepreneur.”

Steve and Jonelle Phillips started the Smartbox venture in 2006, after spending about 18 months working hard on developing the concept more…

See Jonelle Phillips chat with Corin Dann on NZI Business TV about the novel storage service that takes the hassle out of moving.

Since 2008, Paper Plus has held a series of successful Books & Bubbles events across New Zealand.  Alexander Communications have assisted Paper Plus in bringing these events to life, together with the marketing team, since the very beginning.

Paper Plus Books spokesperson, Kerre Woodham features as host in these events with (usually) one to two guest authors. This year, Alexander Communications was briefed to take these events to the next level with five high profile ‘metro’ events in the main centres.

Tarts for Tea was the first of the five metro events, held on Mother’s Day, Sunday 10th May 09 at SKYCITY. Proceeds from each event went to Cure Kids, Paper Plus’ chosen charity.

Kerre Woodham had the entire venue in stitches of laughter with her witty, but highly appropriate sense of humour. The marketing team headed up by Lyle Hastings have enjoyed an excellent relationship with Kerre Woodham. Kerre has a natural affinity for books. She throws herself  at the task of being the advocate of  good reading on behalf of Paper Plus. Kerre interviews Stephanie Jones from Alexander Communications on Newstalk ZB “Kerre’s Cafe” every three week on her favourite pics too.

High profile authors Mary Lambie, Denise L’Estrange-Corbet, Suzanne Paul and Wendyl Nissen were invited to take part in the event as guest panelists and to promote their books.

Alexander Communications distributed a media release together with a box of tarts to mainstream and local media, inviting them to attend the event to which we had a positive response. New Zealand Woman’s Weekly featured the event with five double passes to giveaway on their website. Denise, Suzanne and Wendyl were each interviewed by Kerre Woodham on NewsTalk ZB and Mary by Mel Homer on EasyMix. The event was also featured online on eventfinder.co.nz, classichits.co.nz, thebreeze.co.nz and coastfm.co.nz, Scoop, Voxy and InfoNews.

Ticket sales went extremely well with the event becoming a sell out and having to turn away people, and the online ticket purchasing website shut down. More than 500 guests filled the room and had a roaring good time as each author and Kerre spoke about their books. Each guest was treated to a goody bag including a full size product from key sponsor L’Oréal Paris. Prizes included a $500 pamper pack from L’Oréal Paris, a ‘Mother Daughter’ necklace from Pascoes and a hamper from Dulcie May Kitchen.

A Prime News reporter attended the event to film the guest speakers and featured a segment on the Sunday 10th May news at 5.30pm.

Many of the guests on the day indicated that they would definately attend another event. Watch this Space!

Alexander Communications was briefed to assist the Brokers’ Independent Group (Big)  to communicate some of their big goals around supporting New Zealanders – when it counts -at claim time.

Nicola Smee was originally interviewed by the Inspired People blog on the New Zealand Herald online business site. Here AC got to understand how the two founders of Solutions Financial Services had big ambitions to launch a nationwide brand that would support many other insurance broker brands in New Zealand- with training, inspiration and back-office support.

“One of the goals for BIG is to use our leverage as an industry body to promote more high-quality insurance advisory services,” said Kevin Smee. This and some of their other ambitions were outlined in an article in Good Returns.

Part of the differentiation in both of these brands is Kevin and Nicola’s focus on “people” and having a values-driven business. Yes, a relentless focus on “the fit” both with their own management team and with brokers they choose to take on is a vital part of their success, along with the quest for balance in all things. Despite being very focussed people, both directors try to keep balance with family where they can. In fact NZ Business interviewed them for there exceptional ability to take regular breaks away with family and focus on what counts- leaving them fresh to tackle business challenges during the year.

As part of their strategy for putting something back into the risk insurance industry, Big brought out Li Cunxin. Li has a really inspiring and relevant story.

He was born into bitter poverty in rural China, when a chance discovery by Madame Mao’s Beijing Dance Academy put 11 year old Li on course to become one of the best ballet dancers China has ever produced. He later went on to defect to the U.S., tour the world as a guest performer with some of the world’s best ballet companies, win medals at international competitions, marry and move to Australia until at the age of 34, Li started to plan his life after dancing and a radical shift in career. He began studying accounting and financial courses by correspondence at the Australian Securities Institute with a view to becoming a stockbroker.

Nicola saw how apt his story was because they were about to launch the Broker Academy. An initiative that will see many more brokers upskilled and prepared to help grow the under-insured New Zealand Market.

A new insurance broker academy could not have come at a better time says one of Australia’s top stockbrokers, Li Cunxin (pronounced “Lee Schwin Sing”) at the official opening in Auckland’s North Harbour. The message was placed across the web on Infonews, Scoop and Voxy and was picked up by Mortgage Broker Christchurch and Business to Business as well.

“This academy has been founded at a time a lot of professionals particularly in the investment, mortgage broking, banking or accounting industries really need it. It provides a fresh set of options and could open new doors for those who may have found themselves surplus to requirements, or need greater security or better prospects in today’s uncertain market.”

He said there was a real need for industry to rally to support skilled but displaced or vulnerable people in their ranks who needed to upskill or retrain. Companies also needed to encourage the pursuit of higher standards in the current recession, he said.

Li Cunxin was interviewed on the morning of the Brokers’ Independent Group Networking Breakfast by ASB Business breakfast TV where he told his inspiring story. Li was also interviewed by the Inspired People NZ Herald blog and Livemygoals.com with a message for all people during a world-wide recession – that it’s never too late to start again- and retrain yourself.

Li was also interviewed for the Dominion Post – republished on the Stuff, Business Day websites where Big received a mention too.

This story is only just beginning. We look forward to being a part of the growth of small and medium business in the risk insurance market in New Zealand.

PublishMe was created in May 2007 by Jane and Graeme Beals who established Zenith Publishing Group in New Plymouth 17 years ago. They identified self-publishing as a growth area due to the impact of digital technology and the internet on traditional publishing methods.

We interviewed Graeme for the nzherald.co.nz Inspired People blog last year and discovered what a wonderful business model he and Jane had.

The internet has made self-publishing much more exciting and accessible. With PublishMe’s wider goal of lifting the quality of self -published books, we could not resist working with them to tell more people about it.

Jane’s opinion piece Note to Self : Write my Book featured in the online Herald business section and was very well received and republished on getfrank.co.nz , grownups.co.nz and livemygoals.com.

Jane was invited to talk on TV1 ‘s Breakfast programme after this. She presented a great case for why folk who wish to write a book, whether for pleasure or for business – should self-publish. 98% of unsolicited manuscripts are rejected. PublishMe received unprecedented hits to their website after that interview adding around 300 new sign-ups to publishme.co.nz.

Jane has also been interviewed on Kiwi FM – Radio Wammo, EasiMix, NewstalkZB as well as having been featured in the Herald On Sunday and quoted in Unlimited and NZ Marketing magazines. NZ Business mentioned PublishMe in a review of ‘Deliver’ – Ray White NZ CEO Carey Smith’s first book, which he chose to self-publish and was pleased with the end result.

We introduced Carey to PublishMe, and he continues to be a good advocate for the business. He mentions PublishMe in his media where appropriate.

Of course we share their ongoing story to interested online communities on Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin.

It does not end there. Jane and Graeme will continue to benefit from the growing numbers of businesspeople writing a book. Their website now caters for this growing sector .  Fred Stewart, Dr Tom Mulholland and Fiona Christie are also recent ‘featured” business authors.

Enquiries continue to grow. Many people are realising they have a book inside them. The Sunday Star-Times Magazine Sunday is currently interviewing a few of PublishMe authors.

This online community will continue to benefit from the confluence of new technology (like the Oce printer- an Amazon.com like super-printer), the world-wide-web as well as the growing feeling that self publishing is a viable, quality option for authors.

Thankyou YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and WordPress for making self-publishing accessible, easy and the creating confidence in authors of today to persue this route.

The Botany Angels show off their goody-gift baskets

Campaign Overview

Christmas, can often bring stress onto families as they battle the queues at supermarkets and shopping centres, looking for inspiration for that perfect gift for family and friends.

Botany Town Centre took the unusual step of hiring two ‘Botany Angels’ to circulate the centre, committing random acts of kindness onto shoppers to try and make the shopping experience a little less stressful.

Alexander Communications (AC) was briefed to develop a PR campaign to launch the Botany Angels and create awareness of the activities in centre. Glossy feathered wings were imported from the USA and the Botany Angels descended on Botany Town Centre daily between 11 – 24 December.

Results

Reaction to this campaign could have received scepticism; however the concept was taken whole heartedly by both media and the public with an overwhelming response.

 AC created beautifully packaged ‘Angel Packs’, filled with an angelic feather, candle and chocolates which were distributed to key media. Included in the pack was a media release announcing the arrival of the Botany Angels, highlighting the purpose of the Angels as rewarding customers and showing the spirit of goodwill.

The Botany Angels were interviewed by TV One’s Breakfast on the first morning (11 Dec), announced on The Breeze and Easy Mix and local papers Howick & Botany Times and the Eastern Courier visited the centre to photograph and interview the Angels.

The Botany Angels became famous in their own right with shoppers stopping to mention they had seem them on Breakfast – Paul Henry even mentioned “that is a nice thing for a shopping centre to do”.

Results.com deals with approximately 200 small and medium businesses on a weekly basis. Ben Ridler, MD was acutely aware of what is on their minds as they came back this new year to work on their businesses.

Ben is a real character, a straight-shooter and a boxer in his spare time. He regularly goes overseas to keep his thinking fresh.

He did a snap survey with a small portion of his clients last year and the results were shared in an article called Trial Period Promise Tops List.

The above was in response to another short opinion piece by Ben Ridler the week before in an -Open letter to John Key  from small business. This in turn  was a follow up to the article ‘John Key looks at ways to help small businesses cope’

Background

• Results.com  were featured on TV3 News last year for their listing in the top 10 Fast50.  And also on TV1  NZI Business Breakfast recently for their opinions on how small and medium businesses are responding to the recession
• Ben Ridler has also shared his opinions fairly regularly on  nzherald.co.nz
• Results.com have nine practices across New Zealand and now have a additional three offices worldwide with Canada already lifting their revenues by 20%.

Paul Winton from Temple Capital Investment Specialists on NZI Business giving his analysis on the crown plan for broadband

Paul Winton is also an opinion leader in the broadband space and has recently been asked to be a speaker at the “Fast-Tracking National Infrastructure Summit in April (Wellington).

Dr Paul Winton heads up Temple: Capital Investment Specialist firm.  A Kiwi educated in New Zealand and Canada, he holds a PHD in Electronic Engineering and BE in Mechanical Engineering.  Before founding Temple in 2003, Dr Winton worked with global strategy consulting company McKinsey & Company, serving clients in Australasia, Asia, USA and Europe across multiple industry sectors.

Dr Winton comments on a variety of sectors and most recently on broadband issues. Here are a few selected pieces of coverage.

 •   Paul was featured on NZIBreakfast TV in April.  Here is the accompanying video.
• Paul was featured in a few articles in nbr.co.nz (online)
• He was also in the Dominion Post about how the Lines Companies can assist to make the broadband roll-out a   reality 
• He wrote a few articles here in the NZ Herald
• He was also featured in the  Unlimited Magazine in our media gallery.

We interviewed Carey Smith for our “Inspired People” Blog on www.nzherald.co.nz about 12 months ago. In this interview he mentioned how he had planned to write a book.

So many people do. But Carey delivered on his promise. We feel proud to have been part of the team that helped to make it happen.

• We encouraged Carey to create a web 2.0 social networking & sharing enabled site
• We linked him up with another client of ours www.publishme.co.nz who helped him create and publish the book.
• We worked with his great web team – Big Fish Marketing - to assist him in creating a site that would display his media links and enable people to read up great testimonials and download chapters
• We syndicated some of his content onto mainstream online media to generate some hype
• We shared our enthusiasm for his book and the content on Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin
• We networked him into Unlimited, (the mag), NZ Business, NZ Marketing , ASB Business Breakfast TV and also press and mentions on radio and other online sites.
• We have bought some of his great books and plan to share them amoung our other clients – the people who can benefit – leaders.
• It was a great project to work on from beginning to middle. The end is no where in site as his books are now selling on www.publishme, www.trademe.co.nz, www.nile.co.nz  and a host of other sites.
• We are encouraging him to write again.

About Carey Smith

The basis of many of my achievements has been an annual letter that I write to myself. The book Deliver is part of one of those promises, and I have had great enjoyment in bringing it together. I hope that it becomes something that I can continue to build on.

At a Glance

• Chief Executive of Ray White New Zealand. Ray White New Zealand has more than 125 offices nationwide, transacting approximately $5 billion worth of property sales per annum.
• Chief Executive of The Loan Market New Zealand. The Loan Market New Zealand has 38 brokers facilitating $600 million in loans per annum.
• Entered the Real Estate Industry at the age of 17 and joined Ray White Group in Australia in 1990 as an Auctioneer and Development Associate
• Assisted in the changeover and conversion of United Realty to Ray White Zealand, which I have led for the past 10 years
• Currently involved in the international expansion of Ray White
• Inaugural recipient of the Chairman’s Cup 1996 and White Family Trophy 2005.
  Author of the book Deliver.
• Ex-Rugby League player and current referee.
• Proud, family oriented Father