AUCKLAND, Wednesday: Omnicom’s Hearts & Science NZ has unveiled a strategic alignment with Red Bull in New Zealand. There was a pitch – the incumbent was Dentsu (but the change does not affect Red Bull’s creative agency, Special).

THE VATICAN, Today: After receiving the Papal blessing, the Nescafé official whispers, “Your Holiness, we have an offer for you. Nescafé is prepared to donate $100 million to the church if you change the Lord’s Prayer from ‘Give us this day our daily bread’ to ‘Give us this day our daily coffee.’

WELLINGTON, Today: Clemenger BBDO NZ ECD Brigid Alkema was today named the first ever female Kiwi to be appointed to the legendary global BBDO creative board, effectively reaffirming Wellington and New Zealand’s leadership and place in the creative world.

AUCKLAND, Tuesday: Outdoor advertising has felt the full force of nationwide lockdown restrictions, with audience reach down by two thirds in Auckland, according to a report by Daniel Dunkley in online news site BusinessDesk.

AUCKLAND, Tuesday: Stuff, with Designworks, has launched a new B2B advertising campaign that aims to “demonstrate the deep connection it has with New Zealanders”.

SYDNEY, Tuesday: BestadsonTV guest judge Juan Pablo Valencia (of FCB Kazakhstan) has named DDB Aotearoa’s MacKenzie Pies NZ’s Biggest Pie Warmer as the best outdoor ad in the world.

AUCKLAND, Tuesday: Lumo and NZ Marketplace Chooice have teamed up to offer SMEs free advertising as the rest of New Zealand comes out of lockdown.

AUCKLAND, Today: The Comms Council has issued its call for entries for The Pressies 2012 – now in its 4th year – which rewards outstanding PR, social and experiential campaigns.