An email tipoff led M+AD down the garden path in yesterday’s coverage of PHD’s acquisition of Spark’s $40 million advertising business.

The Tauranga arm of King St Advertising has been appointed as the full-service marketing & advertising agency for premium house building company Landmark Homes.

The Hong Kong-based Asia PR Awards has appointed Kelly Bennett (founder/MD of Auckland indie PR shop One Plus One) and Neil Green (Wellington-based ceo of SenateSHJ Australia & NZ) as judges, weighing work across a full range of disciplines, from throughout the APAC region.

Colenso BBDO has eight entries through to the shortlist stage of the Spikes Asia Tangrams Effectiveness Awards (previously branded as the Asia Pacific Marketing Effectiveness & Strategy Awards).

Station of the Year finalists The Edge, ZM and The Rock will battle it out in June for the supreme title at the New Zealand Radio Awards.

NZME’s business networking event series, PwC Herald Talks, is moving into its third year and expanding. Following its success in Auckland, select PwC Herald Talks will also be held in Wellington and Christchurch, allowing anyone looking for professional development, networking opportunities or inspiration to hear a diverse range of thought leading speakers.

Fabled Wellington recording & post studio Marmalade Audio has gone into liquidation, owing just $183,000. Director Sarah Taylor, who now lives in Australia, says Marmalade closed its doors last year, unable to pay the debts after the loss of key clients, including Clemenger BBDO which built its own in-house studio.

Ad-sector specialists Mango, Shine and Spark PR & Activate are among the finalists in the 43rd PR Awards just announced by PRINZ. This year, a record number of 29 finalists are through from a record number of 98 entries.

Spark (ratecard adspend $40m) has appointed Mt Eden-based PHD NZ as its media agency, effective in two weeks on Monday 1 May, after a closed pitch between three Omnicom agencies – Dynamo (the incumbent), OMD and PHD.