By Bill Binch, ANZ MD at Sydney-based global marketing software provider Marketo: In a busy, bustling online world full of texts, snaps, pings and chats, marketers and ad agencies need to be strategic when developing email content that will break through the noise and resonate with their target audiences.

The Outdoor Media Association of NZ (OMANZ) reports that OOH investment in New Zealand climbed beyond 100 million dollars for the first time in 2016.

At midnight last night, TV3’s transformation into Three went live. “With a new brand and new look it’s unlike anything we’ve done before,” says MediaWorks corporate comms manager Will Seal.

Six months after launching a New Zealand office, independent Australian PR agency Thrive has acquired Auckland-based PR agency, East Agency, and East Agency NZ founder/director Lucinda Kennedy, who consulted to Thrive during its set-up, has joined Thrive full-time as the on-the-ground New Zealand lead. Kennedy will manage the company’s expansion plans, leveraging Thrive’s three Australian offices and ANZ resources.

Trans-global creative agency Resn (offices in Wellington, Amsterdam and the US) has been named Agency of the Year at two big annual shows – the 2017 Awwwards Conference in London, and Canada’s CSS Design Awards.

Most of New Zealand’s top social media rock stars will be headlining the first 2017 #SMCAKL event – just one week away on Wednesday 15 Febrary, from 6-9pm at a new location, the IAG Building on Fanshawe Street.

Avalon Group NZ ceo/content director Ryf Quail writes exclusively for M+AD: Back in the dark ages, when we confirmed our media buys by fax (a really long time ago) we still used media programmes to plan. We had tools like Media Gardens, TV MAP, RadioScope – all good platforms to build a robust schedule. We got our reach and frequency right and built a balanced schedule to support the media strategy and gave our traders the confidence to go out and weave their magic.

The global ad industry’s largest annual event and awards programme, The Cannes Lions, has agreed to caution jurors not to recognise work that reflects gender bias, according to a report in Ad Age.

The New Zealand Herald – with Auckland-based producers Greenstone TV – debuted their first foray into long-form documentary-making yesterday with Under The Bridge, an immersion into a world most New Zealanders have not experienced. Through the eyes of three students and their principal, the documentary tackles key social issues such as child poverty, housing and education.