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New name takes out i-SITE New Zealand pitch
Wednesday, 1 July 2009, 2:42 pm
Press Release: Relay Communications

New name takes out i-SITE New Zealand pitch

One of the newest names on the communications scene has beaten out some of the biggest to win i-SITE New Zealand’s creative, PR & media advertising pitch.

Relay + Partners is a consortium comprising Relay Communications, TOUCH/CAST NEXT, Mitchell & Partners and digital direct response agency Catch Media. The consortium was assembled by Relay’s Greg Forsythe, who founded his agency just 11 months ago following 26 years in Wellington agencies.

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David Wilks, i-SITE New Zealand, Executive Manager, said "we were impressed by the strategic insight Relay provided and the innovative approach to communication solutions for the network. We want both International and New Zealand travellers to use an i-SITE to find out what a region has to offer. This is what i-SITE people do best. They provide the most up to date information available”.

David also said “The interactions that visitors have with staff within an i-SITE plays a major role in the types of experiences they end up having and therefore how satisfied they are with their New Zealand holiday”.

Mr Forsythe was understandably chuffed. “Our aim has been to carve out a position as a new breed of communication agency – focused on maximising engagement between our clients’ brands and their customers. Our approach is to assemble the best team possible around each client – based on their individual needs not simply due to an accident of our history. To win a government tender against all comers less than a year after first putting up the Relay shingle vindicates our approach and is more than a little gratifying,”

TOUCH/CAST NEXT Creative Director and founder Andrew Hawley says, “We’ve worked collaboratively with Greg on a number of projects and, having always being totally in sync with him on using an engagement-based model, teaming up with him to provide creative strategy on the i-SITE pitch was a natural fit. The team is really excited about this new stream of work and can’t wait to bring its innovative thinking to bear on the creative challenges ahead.”

The Mitchell & Partners team includes two names very familiar to Tourism New Zealand. New MD, Philip O’Neill was International Account Director on the 100% Pure New Zealand campaign between 1999 and 2006, when he was at M&C Saatchi, while GM Cushla Baggott was Global Media Director from 2004.

Mr O’Neill said, “We’re thrilled to be working with i-SITE. The network plays an important role in helping to get the most out of New Zealand. We’re excited to be able to help.”

ENDS

BACKGROUND INFORMATION


i-SITE New Zealand is an established, credible organisation representing 88 visitor information centres throughout New Zealand. The i-SITE Network plays a fundamental role in delivering on the promise made through Tourism New Zealand’s (TNZ) 100% Pure New Zealand campaign. By guiding their customers to quality experiences, i-SITE’s help to ensure that visitors are highly satisfied with their New Zealand holiday.

The i-SITE brand is owned jointly with Tourism New Zealand and marketed and administrated by i-SITE New Zealand. The i-SITE Network has been operating since 1990 and was established by the New Zealand Tourism Board (now TNZ).


Relay Communications is a fresh new name on the capital’s marketing communication scene.

Relay was established by Greg Forsythe, follow a 26 year career in the Wellington advertising industry, during which time he worked on countless campaigns for many of New Zealand’s leading advertisers including many major government organisations, most recently, EQC, New Zealand Police, Te Mana and Buy Kiwi Made. He was involved with Tourism New Zealand during the formative stages of the 100% Pure New Zealand campaign.

Relay Communications provides strategic, media-neutral marketing communications advice and its implementation for all disciplines – including advertising, web and public relations – based on the extensive experience of its principal and delivered through an established network that includes some of the countries’ leading marketing and communications practitioners.

This combination of extensive experience and an established network of ‘best in class’ providers enables Relay to offer our clients superior, up-to-the-minute communications advice and implementation. Better still, this independent network can deliver these services at a significantly lower cost than would be expected from a traditional, high cost, advertising agency model.

Relay’s focus is on delivering result for our clients by creating superior engagement between our clients’ brands/messages and with their respective target audiences.



TOUCH/CAST NEXT (TCN) is a full-service brand activation shop, where ‘digital’ is the glue that holds any campaign together.

Led by Creative Director Andrew Hawley, the seven-person agency prides itself on being nimble, innovative, cost effective and passionate about delivering for its clients.

TCN have a wealth of specialist knowledge and experience in providing innovative and effective brand activation solutions with outstanding, measurable results and were amongst the first to recognise that this is the age of consumer participation – marketers now having to provide the environment and motivation to encourage consumers to interact and have a meaningful experience with their brands.

This is not just talk - in a very short time, TCN have proven that thinking to it’s clients with results and have been recognised by our peers with many industry awards, within New Zealand and internationally.

TCN’s clients include Telecom, New Zealand Post, New Zealand Police, Weta, Beacon Films and Contact Energy.




Mitchell Communication Group is Australia’s largest independent communications group.

They work with their clients across media planning & buying, strategy, digital media & marketing, branded entertainment, public relations, brand experience, sponsorship, sports ground marketing, direct marketing and corporate social responsibility.

ASX listed, Mitchell Communication Group comprises 22 companies across five major business divisions. Four MCU companies are operating in New Zealand: Mitchell & Partners, MPG, The Internet Bureau and Catch Media.



Mitchell & Partners is Australasia’s leading media planning and buying agency and has offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Gold Coast and Auckland.

Founded in 1976 by Harold Mitchell, we were the first media independent in Australia and one of the first in the world. The launched in New Zealand with the purchase of M for Media (established 1988).

Mitchell & Partners is ranked the top billing media agency in Australia and tenth in New Zealand. They placed $78 million ratecard billings in NZ in 2008 (source: Nielsen Media Research). They have 14 full time staff (including digital and TV specialists) in their Auckland office.

Their mission is to deliver your communication to the right people – at the right time, in the right place with the right message at the best possible price.

Catch Media is New Zealand’s only fully digital direct response agency.

Founded by New Zealand online advertising pioneer, John Schofield, the business was born out of client demand for accountability and the growth of acquisition focused digital channels. With over 20 years of combined digital advertising experience, they are uniquely positioned to use the optimum mix of acquisition channels from Search Engine Marketing (PPC and SEO), low cost media buys, email & performance networks.

They offer the measurement tools, planning models, media independence and most importantly the experience to create the most effective digital response campaign for your business.

And they don’t just stop at media. They also offer a consulting service to ensure your acquisition campaigns are on the right track, as well as a creative production, testing and optimisation service for ad copy, banners and landing pages.

If your marketing success can be measured by making a sale online, signing up a subscriber, sending a brochure, taking a test drive booking or receiving an enquiry, then chances are that Catch Media can help!

source http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0907/S00033.htm