Barnes Catmur is confident it will retain a role in the Tourism Fiji business, which has just been put out to a global pitch.

Ogilvy has launched a NZ branch of the global shopper marketing agency OgilvyAction – the culmination of behind-the-scenes work that saw the new shop win the NZ Pork account in a five-way pitch. The incumbent was UMC (now rebranded as Simpatico).

Friends and colleagues of Ogilvy senior data analyst Tom Wells, who for the past 11 years has been living in the shadow of an untreatable brain tumour, have set up a fund to help pay for his two small children’s education in the years ahead.

This fund (details at www.facebook.com – search for Tom Wells Support Page) has reached over $17,000, and the support page has been ‘liked’ by 288 people.

A key event for conference organisers comes to Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre on May 1. Exhibitors will include venues, hotels, corporate retreats, convention centres, wineries, activity operators, cruising companies, caterers, team-builders, transport operators and theming companies.

Tribal DDB CD Aaron Goldring and MediaWorks Radio national CD Tom Davidson have been named to the grand juries at the 2012 New York Festivals Advertising Awards. Goldring will sit on the Avante-Garde jury; Davidson on the Commercials jury.

And repeating the news we published last year, DDB ECD Andy Fackrell will represent NZ on The One Show 2012 jury.

.99 did the hard yards – revived the brand, put bums on seats, and helped Air NZ win 2012 Airline of the Year in London – only to be shown the door last week when the airline abruptly handed the creative side of the business to DraftFCB and Saatchi (media remains with OMD).

Already on high rotation across all the networks, the NZTA’s new Drug Driving campaign comprises four TVCs – each featuring a different drugged driver (on P, pills, Ecstasy and pot).

The Radio Network has launched the TRN 3 on 3 Classic Basketball Competition, an event open to media and creative agencies. The network’s Anna Hughes (brand sales manager – youth) says it’s hoped this will become an annual outing.

“What’s cool and unique about this event is that we are being given access to the NBL champions – The SkyCity Breakers,” Hughes says.

Meathead, a short film made by The Sweet Shop TVC director Sam Holst, has been selected to screen at the Berlin Film Festival. This achievement follows Meathead’s premiere at the Cannes Film Festival last year.

The medium is the message in Barnes, Catmur’s print work for Subaru. The ad features a lot of white space, and the words “It’s no longer this difficult to go backwards” in reverse type.

Credits: ECDs Daniel Barnes & Paul Catmur, art director Crispin Schuberth, creatives Brad Statton & Jesse Stevens, account director Jo Cheyne.

Freelance cartoonist, illustrator and writer Steve Bolton, who’s worked on ads as a designer and typographer, is looking for more ad work. His work has appeared in the Listener, Artville Times, the Sunday Times, Media Week, the Guardian and Good Housekeeping. See his work at http://steveboltoncartoons.blogspot.com.

Christchurch-based Phantom Billstickers is offering free poster space to local start-ups and people re-establishing a business, and musicians.