Freemans Bay indie Republik and client Fuji Xerox NZ have bagged four gongs – including two Golds – at the 2016 International Echo Awards held last night in LA. No other NZ winners had been reported by press time (and the US DMA had yet to update their own site).

Qrious, the big data business borne out of Spark Ventures, has announced it is making a push into the marketing sector to help businesses, agencies and government transform their marketing with knowledge and insights from customer data.

After a competitive pitch, Fletcher Building has appointed Auckland-based Dentsu Aegis media agency Vizeum New Zealand to manage its media strategy, planning and buying globally.

Nadia Lim – celebrity cook, qualified dietitian, entrepreneur and mother – can now add publishing to her growing list of achievements with the launch of her new magazine, Nadia, which hits all magazine retailers today.

Two Auckland ad agencies – Colenso BBDO and Special Group – were among the stars at the Best Design Awards, unveiled on Friday night.

Rumours are flying across the Tasman that Dave King, the ECD of Innocean Sydney will leave the agency at the end of the month. At press time, his destination was unknown.

Kiwi creatives Ben Polkinghorne and Scott Kelly, now at Wieden + Kennedy London, have joined an ambitious campaign to convince Americans of the need to vote at their upcoming election.

AWARD School Australasia has named Gigi Lee its top student at New Zealand’s 2016 AWARD School graduation ceremony, in Auckland last week. Ryan Hobbs was #2, and Lucy Galbraith finished the course at #3.

Bob Dylan has won his ultimate accolade – the 2016 Nobel Prize for Literature. The announcement came from the Swedish Academy at mid-morning NZ time today.