Punk partnership

Independent Auckland advertising agency Special Group’s musical collaboration with punk icon Iggy Pop and eight local musicians has won a Grand Prix Award for direct marketing at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival in France. The advertisement appeared on television and laptop screens late last year to promote internet provider Orcon. Special’s creative director Tony Bradbourne says the award “exceeds all we’d ever wished for”. Bradbourne says the event is the advertising equivalent of the Cannes Film Festival and only four other New Zealand campaigns have ever won Grand Prix Awards before. The category had over 15 entries from around the world. Jury members called the “Together Incredible” campaign one of the best uses of celebrity they had ever seen. They also deemed it a “fantastic product demonstration” that showed the public the reliability and strength of the internet service in real time. It also picked up a gold award in the same category and two bronze awards in the Promo & Activation category.