Ogilvy & Mather has won July’s Newspaper Ad of the Month award with another of their Rebel Sport National Pride ads.

Judges Rob Longuet-Higgins (Barnes, Catmur & Friends) and Peter Wujkowski (Geometry Global) agreed it “immediately stood out on the judging table with its strong visual lead idea”, but its success was ultimately because “it was topical on two fronts”.

Facebook has unveiled new communication features for Pages, making it easier for people and businesses to connect through private messaging.

NZME has refreshed The Weekend Herald – and will relaunch the new-look broadsheet this Saturday (8 August).

Spikes Asia has named the juries for the Creative Effectiveness, Innovation, Healthcare and Integrated categories, which complete the line-up for the 2015 Festival. Just one from NZ this time – but Colenso BBDO ceo Nick Garrett (soon to be ceo at Clemenger BBDO Melbourne) is a jury president (on Creative Effectiveness).

NBR Online is to eliminate all advertising spots on its home page – with the sole exception of the banner that runs across the top of the site – from Monday 31 August.

justONE has tasted success at the Colloquy Recognises Awards, for Foodstuffs’ New World Clubcard programme.

CAANZ has appointed London-based Effectiveness Partnership strategic consultant Ali Bucknall as its international judge for this years’s Effie Awards (held in association with TVNZ).

When it comes to marketing, people are key. After all, it is to customers that the value of a product, service or business needs to be communicated. But even the best marketing campaign in the world cannot overcome a less-than-desirable customer experience, especially if the brand promises being made are not being met on a personal, face-to-face level in store with retailers.