Spark PHD & Disney turn a bad day into good

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Spark PHD has turned a bad day into a good day for unsuspecting motorists in an engaging parking ticket stunt, as part of its promotion for upcoming Walt Disney Studios film Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

To promote the launch of the film, Spark PHD placed hundreds of what looked like parking tickets onto cars at Auckland’s Sylvia Park shopping centre – upon closer examination, the ‘ticket’ turned out to be one free ticket to see the film, or a plane ticket with a value of up to $200.

“We all know the feeling you get when you see that white piece of paper tucked under your windscreen wiper, so we wanted to take that emotion and flip it on its head,” said Spark PHD media director Kelly Beange. “Across the agency we are always looking for creative ways for our clients to engage with audiences, and we knew this was an opportunity for us to have some fun.”

The stunt – and the public’s comical reactions – was caught on film, and Beange says the promotional activity struck a chord with motorists who were all too familiar with the dreaded feeling of being hit with a fine.

Susan Leigh, marketing manager at Walt Disney Studios NZ, said: “We had a great reaction from motorists on the day, who were all great sports, and we’re thrilled with the response from people who have seen the video.”

You can view the video here: https://

The movie stars Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner and follows a boy named Alexander and his family who find themselves living through their own nightmare-ish day. It’a released nationwide on Thursday 4 December.

Spark PHD is an award-winning agency with proven expertise in meeting the business needs of a wide range of local and international brands. As part of PHD Group, Spark PHD delivers a depth of expertise and integrated media, digital, and PR and activation solutions that set it apart.


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