Thrive PR & Communications has announced the appointment of Rebecca Churchill as the local agency lead and Associate Director for its Auckland operations. Rebecca will focus on strengthening Thrive’s integrated communications offering in New Zealand, driving growth opportunities for clients, and leading the local team. Rebecca brings extensive experience in strategic communications to her new role, which will see her leading and growing the local team, as well as driving new growth opportunities for clients in PR, digital, social, influencer, creative, and events. In a statement to the press, expressed her excitement about joining the Thrive PR team and highlighted the agency's collaborative approach and wide range of expertise. "I have long admired Thrive PR’s work across ANZ, so I am just thrilled to now be part of the team, leading the agency on the ground here in Aotearoa New Zealand,” said Churchill." Thrive CEO, Leilani Abels lauded Rebecca's appointment and emphas

Sefiani, a strategic communications agency, has announced three new hires and two promotions to its team, strengthening its digital and corporate communications capabilities. Katrina Calvi has joined as Social & Digital Content Account Director, bringing 10 years of experience in digital marketing, user experience design, and integrated marketing strategy. She will lead the agency's digital marketing offering, collaborating with Clarity Global's digital teams worldwide. Georgia Swindley comes aboard as Account Manager, bringing experience from UK agency Citypress, where she worked with global brands like Coca-Cola and Lloyds Banking Group. Rochelle Abdallah joins as an Account Executive, supporting teams in corporate communications and public affairs. Additionally, Nick Owens has been promoted to President of Corporate & Crisis Communications, and Iain Waterman to Vice President. Owens will continue advising clients and supporting crisis response for Clarity Global, while

Earned-led culture agency, Example, has promoted Daniel Goldstein to Head of PR. In his new role, Daniel will lead the development and execution of earned campaigns for high-profile venues, precincts, and brands, working closely with the strategy and creative teams. He will also oversee the PR team, including publicity managers, Amy Chilcott and Ellie Lee, Telum Media reported. Having been with Example for over four and a half years, Goldstein has a wealth of experience having led several key campaigns for brands like Smirnoff, The Singleton, Talisker, and JW Marriott. Goldstein updated his connections about the latest advancements in his career in a short LinkedIn post stating, “I’m happy to share that I’ve been promoted to Head of PR at Example!” Rebecca Jarvie-Gibbs, Managing Director of Example, praised Daniel's ability to drive media conversations and deliver impactful results. "Daniel's instinct for what is driving the media conversation and relentless pursuit of re

Neue Media, an integrated communications agency, has announced the launch of its retail consumer arm, aiming to broaden its services beyond its existing property and design clientele, Telum Media reported. Specialising in property development, hotels, and destination events, Neue Media's new retail consumer arm will focus on collaborating with furniture and design retailers, home renovation brands, and experience providers. The agency's social media, digital, PR, media, and events specialists will now offer multi-channel communications strategies and campaigns for clients in the home and lifestyle industries. In a joint statement to the press, Directors Cara Cunningham and Vanessa Lai highlighted that many larger lifestyle brands still operate under a traditional multi-agency consultancy mix, presenting an opportunity for Neue Media to provide a holistic solution under one communications strategy. "Our combined paid/owned/earned/shared model is still the only of its kind in the prop

Cannings Purple, a strategic communications agency with over 20 years of experience, has unveiled its new brand identity as Purple. Purple Managing Director Annette Ellis highlighted that the rebrand simplifies the agency's brand while retaining its core values and capabilities. “The rebrand reflects Purple’s significant investment in new services over recent years while maintaining the trust we have built in the name over the past 20 years" The move reflects Purple's goal to reposition itself as a leading marketing and communications firm, capable of collaborating with a wide range of partners while maintaining trust in its brand. “As the communications landscape has transformed, Purple has embraced that evolution, reimagining our approach and our offerings to stay ahead of the curve," she added. The change, effective from April 16, signifies a new chapter for the agency as it continues to evolve and expand its services, including social impact and consumer marketing, and a

History Will Be Kind (HWBK), a creative communications agency, has made significant personnel changes, including two senior promotions and a new hire, to strengthen its team further. According to a press release from the agency, Rachael Gadgil and Lizzy Chadwick have been promoted to group account directors. Gadgil, who has been with the agency for six years, will focus on evolving HWBK's service offer and driving growth. Chadwick, with 18 months at the agency, will lead team expansion and oversee training and development. Joining HWBK as a senior account executive is Brooke Gascoigne, who brings experience from communications agency Adhesive, with a focus on lifestyle, technology, and wellness brands. EJ Granleese, founder and CEO of HWBK, expressed excitement about the new additions and promotions, emphasising the agency's commitment to attracting top talent and investing in the team's development. "We’re thrilled to welcome Brooke to the fold and celebrate Rachael and Lizzy�

Nova Entertainment has selected GroupM's Mindshare as its new media agency partner, taking over from Dentsu's Carat. Mindshare will manage Nova's entire portfolio, including Nova Network, SmoothFM, FIVEAA, Star 104.5, and the Nova Podcast Network, in a deal understood to be worth $9 million, according to a press release from Nova Entertainment. Adam Johnson, Nova's chief growth officer, praised Mindshare's strategic response to the brief and their understanding of business objectives. “Mindshare was ultimately selected for their strategic response [to the brief], their understanding about business objectives and how that relates to our media strategy going forward, and also, being part of GroupM, they will be a scale partner for us, which is pertinent,” Johnson told Mumbrella. Maria Grivas, CEO of Mindshare ANZ, expressed excitement about working with Nova Entertainment, noting the company's talent both on and off the air. “Throughout the process, we were excited by Nova Ente