New Zealand was the eighth-ranked creative country in the world, according to Australia’s Bestads rankings out of Campaign Brief (the rankings are based on global awards wins).

Increasing numbers of New Zealanders are reading newspapers online, and intend to do more in the coming year, according to research by a local PR agency.

Calls by the well-intentioned (but slightly barmy) Ministerial Forum on Alcohol Advertising & Sponsorship to ban sponsorship by alcohol brands and further limit advertising are an extreme position which have discounted significant global evidence to the contrary, says Assocation of NZ Advertisers ceo Lindsay Mouat., backing the many industry groups that have already criticised the Forum’s findings.

The Marsden Inch Scholarship has been awarded to Julie Koch and Tania Menzies from the Adschool at the Media Design School. Marsden Inch has also awarded a second female team, Liz Henwood and Lowri Pountain, with the new Inch Perfect Award for most improved team.

This is the last 2014 edition of the M+AD daily newsletter. We’re taking a break and will return on Monday 12 January.

Instagram has announced the release of five new filters, fetchingly named Aden, Crema, Ludwig, Perpetua and Slumber.

Westpac has unveiled the Westpac Giving Tree in Takutai Square, Britomart – a launch that DDB says is the first Christmas tree installation to be powered by public donations.