Special named Independent Agency of the Year at Spikes Asia for the second year in a row; DDB Group Aotearoa named NZ Agency of the Year

Special New Zealand was named ‘Independent Agency of the Year’ for the second year in a row at the Spikes Asia Awards. DDB Group Aotearoa named New Zealand Agency of the Year.

It is the third consecutive year Special has held the title after Special Sydney won it in 2020, and Special Sydney took second place for Independent Agency of the Year this year too.

Special’s success was driven by work from Smirnoff, MND, Tourism New Zealand and Every Kiwi Vote Counts.

Special saw considerable success (A gold and 5 silvers) with a campaign with “David’s Unusables” for Motor Neurone Disease New Zealand where someone living with MND auctioned off personal items that correlated with the deterioration of their body, and with “Meddle in the New Zealand Election” for Every Kiwi Vote Counts where overseas Kiwis were asked “meddle” in their own election with the help of a cheeky fictional Russian called Viktor.

Says Tony Bradbourne, founder and CEO/CCO Special New Zealand: “For Special to be awarded ‘Independent Agency of the Year’ three times in a row is pretty amazing. And a great reward for all of the hard work over the past 3 years from everyone at Special New Zealand & Australia and all of our visionary clients and collaborative partners. In addition to our ‘Independent Agency of the Year’ win, we were ranked third in Strategy and Effectiveness across Asia Pacific, which speaks to our belief that the best creative work leads to the best effectiveness results.”

DDB Aotearoa Group has also had major success at Spikes Asia, taking away Agency of the Year NZ title as well as 2x Grand Prix, one for the Steinlager All Blacks campaign and the other for Tribal Aotearoa’s Samsung iTest.

Says Priya Patel, Group CEO, DDB Aotearoa: “We’re incredibly proud to have been named Spikes Agency of the Year NZ, and recognised for some of the game-changing creative work we have produced across the Group.  I’d like to thank all of the talented, hardworking people within DDB, as well as our production partners and our amazing clients – without whom none of this would be possible.”

Says James, managing director, Tribal Aotearoa: “Samsung iTest demonstrates the power of a good idea, and how utilising creativity and technology to tap into the human experience can really deliver results. Seeing this campaign gain global momentum and reach 10 million users around the world has been so rewarding for the team at Tribal. We’re incredibly proud of the work we produce with Samsung New Zealand and also grateful to them for giving us the freedom to turn these ideas into a reality.”

Says Simon Smith, head of corp marketing, Samsung New Zealand: “When we briefed Tribal to help us launch a new smartphone in New Zealand, we never expected they would deliver a campaign so innovative that it would gain global recognition. This campaign shows how great creative has the ability to cut through even the most hard-wired consumer behaviour. Tribal Aotearoa have become integral to our success in New Zealand – their ability to deliver unforgettable digital experiences has completely changed the way people are able to experience Samsung and this award is well deserved.”