AUCKLAND, Today: The Pond, which modestly (but accurately) describes itself as “NZ’s foremost recruitment agency for creative & design, digital & tech, and marketing professionals” is taking recruitment to the next level by offering CliftonStrengths’ strengths-based assessments in conjunction with Jason Biggs to fully refine candidate selection alongside their standard, four-week fulltime recruitment process.

AUCKLAND, Wednesday: Off the back of recent new business wins, Mango Aotearoa is expanding with the recent appointments of three new team members. And, says MD Claudia Macdonald, “we’re looking for more”.

AUCKLAND, Tuesday: “Facebook’s worst fears have been realised by Apple’s new IOS 14.5 software upgrade, which allows iPhone ad iPad users to opt out of ads that track their online activity,” writes NZ Herald business reporter Chris Keall.

LONDON, Today: NZ agencies have five campaigns through to the shortlist of the Craft and Side Hustle categories at D&AD, announced overnight – Clemenger BBDO Wellington has three finalists, DDB Aotearoa has two, and Special Group NZ has one.

LONDON, Tuesday: Marketing budgets are expanding at a rate never seen before, following deep cuts during the initial wave of the coronavirus outbreak in 2020, according to WARC Data’s Global Marketing Index.

NEW YORK, Monday: Two NZ winners have demonstrated their prowess at two global awards programmes from the Type Directors Club in the TDC67 Communication Design and 24TDC Typeface Design categories.

AUCKLAND, Today: Following a competitive pitch, premium mixer brand Fever-Tree has appointed Boyd PR to handle its media relations and social media in New Zealand. There was no incumbent.

AUCKLAND, Today: Karangahape Road turned orange last Thursday night as local independent ad and design agency The Goat Farm celebrated its tenth-and-a-bit birthday.

AUCKLAND, Monday: “As Apple cracks down on ad trackers and subscription models take hold, all signs point to the decline of online advertising,” writes former MediaWorks head of news Hal Crawford in indie current affairs news site Spinoff.