PHD New Zealand takes home a Gold and a Bronze at the Festival of Media Global Awards

PHD New Zealand has won one Gold and one Bronze at the Festival of Media Global Awards, held earlier this week in Rome. The accolades bestowed acclaim on the agency’s work for Spark Santaline: One Phone Call, Two Magical Christmases and DB Export Beer Bottle Sand.

The ‘Spark Santaline: One Phone Call, Two Magical Christmases’ campaign saw Spark recruit a team of ‘elderly elves’ from Metlifecare retirement villages to help man the Santaline phones for the first time during the festive rush. As such, the campaign encouraged Kiwi kids to continue the 24-year-long tradition of calling in with their Christmas wish list, increasing the calls by 27% in the pre-Christmas period and winning PHD New Zealand a Gold for Best Engagement Strategy.

The highly acclaimed DB Export Beer Bottle Sand campaign added another trophy to its collection – this time at the Festival of Media Global Awards. By helping beer drinkers turn their empty bottles into a sand substitute and reduce the reliance on commercially dredged sand, the campaign effectively helped to save New Zealand’s beaches – which are literally running out of the stuff. An estimated 225 million PR impressions, 7.7 million of which came from New Zealand, were achieved during the campaign, earning PHD New Zealand a Bronze in the Impact category.

Says Louise Bond, CEO of PHD New Zealand: “We are delighted that our work for both Spark and DB Breweries has been recognised on an international level.  Spark Santaline beautifully engaged the young and old with a unique proposition creating magical moments for Kiwi kids and the elderly during Christmas time. Through an effective comms strategy, the DB Beer Bottle Sand campaign achieved maximum impact about an important cause both in New Zealand and around the world. We were very lucky to be able to bring such great ideas and briefs to life.”

Colenso BBDO was the creative partner for both campaigns.

MediaCom was named Agency Network of the Year after winning 19 awards on the night.

Download the list of winners here – FOMG18-Promo-Winners-list_V2.xlsx