SYDNEY, Tuesday: The world’s best known special effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, which grew out of the Star Wars franchise, has announced plans to set up an Australasian division, based in NSW.

AUCKLAND, Monday: Kiwibank has appointed 99 as its agency of record, without a formal pitch. Previously, the bank used several creative agencies. The bank also reappointed OMD as its media partner.

AUCKLAND, Sunday: Enthusiastic Kiwi headline writers on the weekend papers had a field-day, with the countdown to the Black Caps epic unfolding in London. As you’d expect, dubious puns abounded.

AUCKLAND, Friday: Phantom Billstickers has released more details about the privacy protections built into the technology it uses to track the cellphones of people exposed to street posters.

LONDON, Friday: WPP has entered into an agreement to sell 60% of Kantar, its global data, research, consulting and analytics business, to US private equity group Bain Capital.

LONDON, Today: Three AUT Adschool graduates have won prizes in the international D&AD New Blood awards. Adam Ramsdale (graduated 2017) won a Yellow Pencil with a Burger King campaign, while Sophie Aitken & Daniel van Dalen (graduated 2018) have each won a Wood Pencil for a Heinz campaign.

AUCKLAND, Today: Chinese digital marketing agency United Media Solution NZ has become an official sponsor of New Zealand China Trade Association, which sponsors business between the two countries.

AUCKLAND, Last night: Parnell-based design tech studio Rush has been recognised at the Good Design Awards in Sydney for their work with Starship Children’s Hospital.