TimeZoneOne is an independent agency. So what does this mean? I think it ultimately means ‘what you see is what you get’. There is nothing or no one behind the scenes pulling the strings, shortening the strings, taking the strings away or turning the strings in to knots.

So, here is a stab at the top 10 reasons to choose an independent advertising agency such as TimeZoneOne…

Here today and here tomorrow
The senior partners and founders will actually work on your business. You will also work with the same people you saw at the pitch.

Do Digital
Modern, integrated and efficient with no silos such as DM, interactive or brand. Indies are quicker on the uptake in the digital age.

You
Indies are less obsessed with themselves (eg creative awards) and are more directly focused on client business outcomes.

No mid-management meetings
Fewer layers, less politics and time-wasting inter-agency agendas.

Au revoir les dollars
No profits rebated back to London or Paris. You can do more with less.

Ready, Set, Go
A faster, no-fuss and reliable turnaround, Indies are quicker to adapt and focus on the project.

A reed in the wind
Politically-free and with lower overheads, Indies are more flexible in both pricing and urgency.

You bleeding matter
Owning the agency means caring and bleeding about the account

Where did Bob go?
Indies tend to have lower staff turnover.

Clean white board
Indies are not precious about where the ideas originate and collaborate with the best specialists available.

A wee update on Tuesday’s post. The first shipment of Ranfurlyâ„¢ samples is on it way.

It’s an exciting week for TimeZoneOne this week, with the shipping of our first range of samples for our new apparel brand Ranfurly™

The collection, which will launch in North America to be sold all over the USA and the West Coast of Canada will hit the stores in fall 2011.

Our line, which at this stage is focused around women’s sweaters, tunics and cardigans, is a Merino story which is New Zealand inspired, designed and made.

Featuring New Zealand’s most beautiful Merino wool and workmanship, this better end line has been well received by wholesalers and we expect sales in the New Year to be strong.

Check out a few of our garments below…

It’s not quite Wall Street, but over the last year Zoners have been competing against each other on NZX virtual trading to see who can grow a biggest virtual share portfolio. The virtual shares are based on actual NZX-listed shares. Each of the six teams started with 50,000 virtual dollars (v$). Several teams lost interest and were taken out of the running for not submitting their financial reports in time, while the winning team, Foley Contractors, was able to grow their virtual wealth by over by over v$25,000. My team, VeldCorp came in a close second after a strong rally in the final quarter while the Codd Squad were able to pick up the bronze medal, despite barely making enough to buy a virtual cup of coffee, because nobody else finished the race. Click on the graph to embiggen.

David McLeod

At TimeZoneOne we often talk about flying kiwis. Kiwis can’t actually fly, in fact, as birds go the kiwi probably isn’t the most impressive, they’re kind of odd really – they sound like this…

…they’re nocturnal, they have little stubby wings, stubby legs, a round body, a long awkward beak and they lay eggs that are 20% of their own body mass, which is like giving birth to a 4-year-old. But maybe it’s that kind of can-do attitude that has seen it become a national symbol.

The story goes that once upon a time the kiwi was an impressive, colorful bird, with large impressive wings who soared above the forests. One day the god of the forest gathered the birds together and told them that the bugs on the forest floor were killing the tree roots and that if someone didn’t go live down there and sort it out the forest would die and they would have no home – however, whoever went to live on the forest floor would need to adapt to that environment and they’d have to leave behind their beautiful feathers and they would never fly again. As you can imagine, there weren’t a lot of wings being raised or feathered heads nodding, but the kiwi volunteered and was transformed into the odd little creature he is today. The other birds got to keep their pretty feathers, but they all owe a debt to the humble kiwi who scurries around in the dark cleaning up the forest floor. Kiwi’s are modest creatures, we don’t need to show off with bright plumage, we just like to get the job done and focus on the bigger picture.

Here’s a wee game I whipped up that doesn’t illustrate any of the points of that story, but it does have flying kiwis (the bird) dodging flying kiwis (the fruit) for people who are into that sort of thing. I didn’t bother to set up a high score thing, but feel free to leave your score in the comments so that everyone can know how awesome you are, try to be honest or, if you’re going to lie, be epic and say you got over a trillion points.

(if your reading this through an RSS feed click here to join the fun)

David ‘kiwi as*’ McLeod

*As  (particle – intensifier)

1. too, indeed, really, so, very, quite – an intensive particle following immediately after the word it relates to. It may be used after all types of bases, but particularly with negatives, adjectives and verbs as described below.
Sweet as = That is quite satisfactory!
Na, sweet as, I’m full as = No, indeed, I have eaten too much!
2. very, extremely, so, most – when preceded by an adjective preceded by hard out it expresses the superlative.   This place is hard out beautiful as. = This place is extremely beautiful.
3. best , accomplished – when following wicked or mean.
MJ was wicked as at basketball = Michael Jordon was the best basketball player.
MJ was a mean as singer = Michael Jackson was a very accomplished singer

Origin:
bef. 1000; ME as, als, alse, also, OE alsw�, ealsw� all so, quite so, quite as, as; c. MD alse (D als), OHG als� (MHG áls�, álse, als, G also so, als as, as if, because) circa 1960; Nu Zild BRO  sweet as, bro.

Augmented Reality (AR) is the newest form of digital communication…and it is astonishing.
AR is the overlay of graphics onto a video stream or other real-time display.  It moves the digital experience from the online environment into the real world. AR will change the world of marketing in the same way that social media has and will open up a world of possibilities in terms of how brands can market to savvy, younger consumers.

TIMEZONEONE AND AUGMENTED REALITY
TimeZoneOne worked with the U.S. Army to create an interactive experience that engaged viewers and promoted recruitment. We initiated an event based and online augmented reality campaign to support U.S. Army NASCAR sponsored events. We created a unique interactive event and online brand experience supporting the sponsorship in which a NASCAR is steered across a desert racing Army vehicles.

Powered by the augmented reality technology D’Fusion, users can now race the Army sponsored NASCAR and also educate themselves on Army vehicles online. The augmented reality application is complemented by content on FaceBook and YouTube allowing for a prolonged PR effect and strong viral potential.

AR is in its infancy but we believe that AR will become a very important way for brands to engage with customers and fans.

goarmy.com/raceforstrength

With more than seven years worth of successful brand building and marketing success in America, TimeZoneOne has decided we’ve got so good at it (nothing like giving yourself a good old pat on the back every now and then), we’re going to start adding some of our own brands to the client roster.

One of these brands to launch in the next 12 months will be a range of New Zealand inspired and designed apparel. It’s too early to reveal all yet. But needless to say once our North American friends learn to embrace the ever evolving world of Merino yarns and uniquely New Zealand tran-seasonal designs that make up the bulk of most kiwi women wardrobes we’re certain they’ll wonder how they ever lived without them before.

In line with the New Zealand’s edge of the world positioning on the world map, our fashion tends to have an edgy, funky look that give our garments a very distinctive, highly creative style.

Check out this link to be introduced to some of New Zealand’s most interesting fashion designers.

http://www.fashionz.co.nz/

Raewyn Topp – Professional shopper and clothes crazy kiwi

The start of my NHRA career?…(this is my staunch look…certainly ain’t no Blue Steel)

Hamish McDonald

At TimeZoneOne, we are very proud of the handsome logo we designed for the American Medical Association. Is it becoming world famous?

The Zone

We are into month three of our investment game and the design studio has been converted into a share trading room with regular crys of buy 2,000 AMP and sell 1,000 WHS.

Recent chatter from the traders

Well yesterday when you sent this email it sat at about $48,500 and was similar when I looked again in the afternoon. Then on the news it said one of our shares had increased in value by $4, so now our fund is worth $52,500. Not bad for one afternoon!
Liz had this to say: Booze is good.Luckily alcohol is addictive so should ride out the recession….yipee!

Codd account is valued at $51,746 with $35,883.50 worth of equities held. Although slightly down on our last update the fund is holding steady. Still got some $ in the tank for the next big thing…

Fisher and Paykel Health Care is our worst performer over the past 2 months of trading. We are hoping the worldwide swine flu scare will benefit F&P Health! ,

“Pork bellies are soooo passé, the future is in TV!”, We lost nearly $3000 in one day early in the month, still licking our wounds, a bit reluctant to make any more big investments.

Andy