Sky TV and Vodafone dropped their $3.44 billion merger bid and Commerce Commission appeal because of the estimated cost of at least $1 million each and an estimated one-year timeframe, Sky ceo John Fellet has told NBR’s Chris Keall.

Eden Park has signed a new five-year partnership with Samsung Electronics – and announced the news bang in the middle of two Lions Tests being fought out at the national stadium.

Cannes, June 22: The only global creative awards judged by journalists officially has launched its 31st year at the Cannes Lions Festival, revealing the ceremony venue, new categories, conference speakers, additional jury members and the jury president.

In Cannes, the second-guessing has begun as the Lions Advertising Festival organisers form a committee in response to Publicis’ move to pull out of global create awards next year. There’s even talk that WPP may follow, with ceo Sir Martin Sorrell telling Variety that the Lions’ focus has become too diffuse — and too sprawling.

Y&R New Zealand has scored Gold and Silver Lions for their Burger King McWhopper Proposal in the Cannes Creative Effectiveness Lions, presented in France over the weekend.

Colenso BBDO, which except for a stake in the ground by Y&R NZ, has been grabbing the lion’s share of the metal at this year’s Cannes Advertising Festival – has picked up a Bronze Lion for DB Breweries Beer Bottle Sand in the Promo category.

Wellington/global digital agency Resn partnered with Droga5 New York to create the digital components of the multi-platform campaign Did You Mean MailChimp? which claimed a Cyber Lions Grand Prix at the festival.

Clemenger BBDO Melbourne has been crowned Agency of the Year at the 64th annual Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity over the weekend.

The Cannes Lions last night presented Aussie expat David Droga, founder & creative chairman of Droga5, with the Lion of St. Mark Award, arguably the highest honour in world creative advertising.