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Wondering how Apple’s iOS 14 Privacy Update will impact your Facebook advertising?

It’s old news to digital marketers but it only hit mainstream media recently – Apple’s iOS Privacy Update is now in full force. What it means in a nutshell: for iPhone iOS 14 users who don’t opt in to be tracked by Facebook, ads personalisation and reporting will become limited across conversion events (including purchases, subscriptions, making contact etc.). Data tracking will still work on Android devices, desktop and for people who don’t opt out. So, what does this mean exactly for...

Bull burps could hold answer to breed climate friendly cows

The opportunity to breed more climate friendly cows is one step closer for New Zealand dairy farmers after a Waikato trial finds a possible link between a bulls’ genetics and the amount of methane they produce. The pilot trial, by artificial breeding companies LIC and CRVwith funding from the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre, measured feed intake and methane emissions – in the form of burps – from 20 young bulls destined to father the next generation of New Zealandâ€...

Nido shows mortgage lending a less risky option for investors

One of New Zealand’s leading non-bank mortgage lenders says the recent collapse and mortgagee sale of large-scale Auckland homeware store Nido, illustrates the caution commercial property investors need to take when putting their money into new developments. Alpha First Mortgage Investments Director Scott Massey, says the mortgagee sale of the building which housed Nido in west Auckland, showed investors who choose to put their money directly into commercial property, whether through a syndica...

Elephants, monkeys, bears & camels - Gallagher fences keep exotic animals safe

From creating elephant corridors in Sri Lanka to monkey control in Saudi Arabia or keeping bears out of huts in inner Mongolia, NZ-made Gallagher electric fencing is being used in novel ways around the globe. While New Zealand farmers trust Gallagher electric fences to safely contain their stock on our green pastures, around the world the same Gallagher technology is being used to exclude exotic animals from villages and homes - keeping both the animals and local residents safe. Gallagher Busi...

E Tipu sets the scene for 2021 Sustainable Irrigation Awards launch

The gathering of primary industry leaders this week at E Tipu sets the scene for the launch of the 2021 Zimmatic™ Trailblazer Sustainable Irrigation Awards. Held in Christchurch from 11-12 May, E Tipu promises to tackle the big questions that exponential change presents for our primary industries and explore ways to become more innovative, sustainable and collaborative. Zimmatic Strategic Adviser Stu Bradbury says finding new ways to protect and efficiently manage water as one of our mos...

Out of the box thinking diverts plastic from landfill

Gallagher is diverting more than 700 tonnes of single-use plastic from landfill each year by using cardboard waste to safely package its animal management products. Gallagher Logistics Manager Rick Scandlyn looks after all the company’s domestic and international dispatch. He says products were historically packed with non-biodegradable plastic air pillows or polystyrene nuggets to ensure they arrived at their destination safely. “We knew there had to be a better way, so we went in search o...

Opportunity knocks for first home buyers as residential property investors digest policy changes

A cooling in the New Zealand residential property market on the back of the Government’s investor-targeted tax changes has left an opening for first home buyers as residential investors take stock. Lodge Real Estate Director, Jeremy O’Rourke, says there has been a temporary and short-term investor retreat from the residential property market as residential investors assess what the new rules, introduced in March, mean for them. One of the biggest changes, removing tax deductions on interest ...

Genetics helps secure a premium for sustainable, high value milk

Genetics will play a key role in helping farmers achieve a premium for their milk as part of Fonterra’s new Cooperative Difference Programme.   CRV Managing Director James Smallwood says it makes sense that farmers - who have invested in tools and solutions, such as genetics, to produce sustainable, high value milk from healthy and productive herds - are rewarded. “The Co-operative Difference Payment programme aligns extremely well with what farmers can expect from breeding with C...

Covid-recovery climate: Waikato HR company near-doubles its recruitment team

Hamilton-based human resources company Everest People has announced the appointment of two new recruiters this month, expanding its core recruitment team from three to five. Managing Director Senga Allen says the dual appointment of Pavan Benepal and Carly Apps is a necessary response to the steadily growing number of Waikato companies employing staff post COVID-19. “This time last year was an incredibly scary time for businesses. COVID-19 hit and we saw recruitment come to a grinding halt, no...

Using PR stategies to leverage your marketing campaigns

If you are launching a new company, new product or new service you need to consider putting a PR plan alongside your marketing plan to amplify your results.   However, we would recommend this only applies if your new ‘thing’ has news legs.  PR isn’t appropriate if, for instance, you are simply launching version 10 of your widget originally developed in 1995. However, if your launch has news legs and is something that will have a major affect within your industry and extraord...

Cut the bull! Building trust with farmers

Our agricultural industry contributes billions of dollars to our economy each year. Its farmers rely on quality goods and services to help them run profitable and sustainable businesses. It’s no surprise then that farmers are bombarded every day with messages designed to influence their decisions about who to trust and what to buy. You can’t blame them for being sceptical. Most farmers are smart, savvy business people. So how do we grab their attention and build trust with them? How do we c...

Sticky buyers and cautious investors could give Hamilton home buyers a brief respite from record-breaking prices

Lodge Real Estate Managing Director Jeremy O’Rourke says ‘sticky’ home buyers and cautious investors could combine to give Hamilton buyers a break from record-breaking house prices in the city. “Hamilton experienced a record number of homes sold in the city during March.  It’s likely to sit around 460 once final numbers are confirmed later this month.  The Lodge Real Estate team saw our median house price soar above $800,000 for the first time ever and our mean house price br...

Latest bull team offers more than just high index

CRV New Zealand’s latest bull team offers more than just high index, responding to farmer demand for genetic solutions to tackle challenges around the environment, herd efficiency and animal welfare. CRV has introduced a wide range of new sires to its portfolio for 2021, with 22 newly graduated sires and 15 new genomic InSires, in addition to 13 new sires in its global portfolio. CRV is encouraging farmers to get orders in early for sexed semen, as availability is limited due to increased pop...

Leading non-bank lender urges Government to rethink Kainga Ora $2B support plan to get new affordable houses built quickly

Scott Massey, Director of non-bank lender Omega Capital, says the Government’s new housing package announced last week does not address one of the biggest barriers to housing supply: developers’ access to finance. “Omega Capital is talking to developers around the country every day who cannot gain access to bank funding for their housing projects.  “When developers are forced to alternative finance sources, they add 6-8% to their funding costs.  This dramatically affects housi...

Business and industry awards – why you should take the time to enter

Have you thought about putting in an application for an industry award or competition? Keen to add something to your company’s ‘trophy cabinet’? Most major industries will have a governing, regulatory or advocacy organisation that organises annual awards, often accompanied by a conference and awards dinner or ceremony. For us comms people, it’s the PRINZ awards held each year alongside the annual conference, but if you’re in tourism it might be the Qualmark awards or Dairy Woman of the...

Thanks for the reminder

By Heather Claycomb If you follow this column you’ll know I’m all about sharing practical PR tips and advice you can use in your organisation. This month, I’m sharing four unrelated lessons my team’s client projects have reminded me about as we kicked off 2021. Communicate to Staff First We’ve had a few clients making significant changes to their businesses at the start of the year, including a CEO suddenly stepping down and an acquisition taking place.  Remember, that these sort...

Could cow’s milk help in the fight against COVID-19?

Research commissioned by New Zealand company Quantec has found that its patented New Zealand milk-derived ingredient IDP® (Immune Defense Proteins) is effective at protecting cells against COVID-19. The research, completed by an independent US laboratory, shows IDP® has the ability to protect cells from COVID-19, but it may also reduce the severity of COVID-19 symptoms, a key concern particularly for sufferers of ‘long COVID.’ CEO of Quantec, Raewyn McPhillips, says these results suggest t...

Hamilton residential housing market gears up for a record-breaking March

Historically, March is always the busiest month of the year for Hamilton with more homes being listed and sold than any other month of the year.  But this March is set to be a game changer. With 24 years of real estate industry experience under his belt, General Manager of Lodge Real Estate Jeremy O’Rourke says the historical data coupled with current market statistics combine to predict a March like no other. “March is always the most active month of the year in the real estate market....

Feilding software engineers help mastermind game-changing irrigation system

A team of Feilding-based software engineers has helped mastermind a game-changing irrigation prototype that diagnoses its own operating faults, can launch a drone to manage crops at leaf level, and can even tell a few dad jokes. Lindsay, which produces the Zimmatic™ brand of pivot irrigators, has just introduced the concept of the world’s first ‘smart pivot’ to its markets around the globe. Now, they are inviting New Zealand farmers and irrigation industry colleagues to give feedback...

Lessons on the intersection between PR, advocacy and fundraising

We recently completed a major piece of work with Habitat for Humanity NZ, a national organisation with seven regional affiliate offices.  It required a communications strategy that would intersect with its fundraising and advocacy plans, while providing a roadmap to build the organisation’s reputation and relationships.   Heather led this work, as she knows the organisation well from serving on the board of the Habitat for Humanity Central affiliate for 20 ye...

Let's Get Personal

If you want to make one high-impact change this year in the way you present your organisation, I want to challenge you to ‘get personal.’ While I haven’t done comprehensive formal research, I’ve certainly noticed a general shift in the type of social media posts, media stories and general conversations that are currently exciting and engaging people.  And that shift is all about personal, real, emotive stories.  During times of stress and upheaval, like we’ve been through th...

Mystery Creek Predator Free Community Hub helps further Waikato’s conservation goals

Mystery Creek has been designated a predator-free hub and is now joining forces with local protection groups to extend its reach and help further the Waikato’s conservation goals. Conservation and protection have been a large focus for the NZ National Fieldays Society over the past 12 months. With an investment programme and support from DOC and the Waikato Regional Council, the Society undertakes predator control on the entire 114-hectare Mystery Creek property. Now the Society is teaming up...

Why 2021 should be the year you get on the digital content train

At HMC, we see it every day: a business has plenty of knowledge and stories to share, but their website text (bar product information for e-commerce/catalogue sites) could fit on one piece of A4 paper. They might have explained who they are, what they do and how customers can get in touch, but it stops there. If there’s one communications action you focus on in 2021, jump on the digital content train. And don’t package up your thoughts and knowledge into an e-book, then hide it behind a $10 ...

Easy 100-day comms plan formula

If 2020 taught us anything, it is that we do not know what is around the corner.  So that brings up a good question: how do you plan for 2021 when there is so much uncertainty?  When it comes to communications planning I believe it’s essential to keep your plan simple, focused on core actions and short-term.  That way you can remain nimble and change when circumstances require. I find, however, most people run out of planning gumption by 1 December.  And with the exceptiona...

Research shows patented milk-derived ingredient IDP® effective against influenza virus

Research commissioned by New Zealand company Quantec, and completed by an independent US laboratory, has found that its patented milk-derived ingredient IDP® (Immune Defense Proteins) is effective against influenza virus species. At a time when there is an intense global focus on viruses, Quantec commissioned the independent in vitro study to see if IDP® had antiviral activity, and if so whether its formulation, which contains over 50 bioactive proteins, provides greater antiviral activity tha...