Colenso BBDO planning director Neville Doyle is a keynote speaker – in a joint presentation with Oliver Downs from Mars Pedigree – at the one-day Direct Marketing Conference at the Pullman Auckland this coming Tuesday (September 8). His topic is Dogs, Data, Digital and Direct.

New Zealand Optics, the monthly industry publication for New Zealand’s ophthalmic community, is under new ownership. Former owners Maryanne Dransfield and her daughter-in-law Anita Dransfield have sold the publication to business journalist and corporate PR professional Lesley Springall.

The New Zealand business landscape has long acted as a testing ground for new ventures. Its small size and knowledgeable consumer base creates a desirable environment to test ideas before scaling up overseas. A local marketing firm has done just this; using New Zealand’s startup ecosystem, the company have honed its offering and now plans to expand into Australia.

AUT Adschool CD Jane Berney writes: “In early July, we received a Just Water Filters International flyer from ceo Tony Falkenstein with a competition for ‘a creative genius to come up with a short word or picture concept that will create the need for customers’ to purchase Just Water filters.

Parnell-based strategic marketing comms agency The Business has won the National Foundation for the Deaf account and immediately started work on tackling the issue that will affect hundreds of thousands of Kiwis during the Rugby World Cup.

Snakk Media founder Derek Handley will step down as chairman of the mobile advertising technology company at the end of this year amid a boardroom reshuffle. The Handley family still controls around 15% of the NZAX-listed company.

iSite Media has switched on “the largest digital billboard in New Zealand”, The Victoria in downtown Auckland.

Colenso BBDO sits atop the Clio Awards shortlist, announced overnight, with five entries through – from a total of 11 to make the cut from NZ.