Nikki Grafton, PHD CEO

What’s the one word to sum up your mood as we close out 2023 and look forward to 2024?

Thoughtful.

How would you describe your year?

I would say it’s been a solid year for PHD, we have a lot that we can be proud of and we’ve delivered great work with our client partners. Our recent Campaign Asia Agency of the Year win is an excellent way to farewell 2023 and acknowledge our very talented agency team.

What’s the best initiative/project/ campaign in your own business — and one that you thought a rival did well?

There have been so many pieces of work that we feel proud to have worked on and that showcase the breadth of capability within the agency — a campaign that really stands out is the just-launched Pak’nSave Stickman Summer Internship in collaboration with TVNZ and FCB.

To highlight Pak’nSave’s low-cost positioning, Stickman infiltrates his lowcost message across the whole TVNZ business — including airtime, programming integration (linear and on demand), menu boards, classifications, social media and into the real world taking over TVNZ reception with pre-recorded messages.

A smart bit of work that has stood out from another agency is the Coloursteel campaign from Together where satellite imagery and location data helped to identify and target households with roofs that needed to be fixed.

How do you think 2024 will play out for New Zealand media — what’s the biggest priority for you?

[The year] will still have its challenges, we can expect a continued short market and it’s likely we’ll see some media partner consolidation. But there is also a lot to be excited about. For a smaller market we have a vibrant local media scene — incredibly strong radio brands, excellent local content and local tech platforms that are world-class. This is such a great industry to be part of, there will always be change and opportunity aplenty.

My biggest priority is ensuring that PHD and the PHD team continue to thrive and that we stay focused on supporting our clients through all their data, technology and media needs.

What’s the biggest issue that keeps you awake at night?

This never really changes — it’s always PHD’s people and making sure we have a happy, healthy and engaged team.

What’s the biggest mistake media/ marketing /advertising people need to avoid in 2024?

As media and audience fragmentation continues alongside cookie deprecation, ensuring our clients have a sound data and technology strategy to deliver a competitive advantage has never been more important.

Those who fail to prioritise it run the risk of playing catch-up or falling behind.

What are your plans for the summer break?

We are heading away to Thailand where I am hoping we see loads of sunshine!