KEY POINTS:
National says the rush to ban billboards from the Auckland central business district is politically motivated and intended to prevent a repeat of its successful billboard campaign in the last election.
The party's spokesman on Auckland issues, Wayne Mapp, says Auckland City Council plans for a ban in the Queen St valley and restrictions elsewhere in central Auckland are "anti-business".
And he targeted the councillor leading the ban campaign, planning and regulatory committee chairwoman Glenda Fryer, saying she was "dyed in the wool Labour Party" and had a history of politically motivated action.
"I would put this down to a very political beef that she has with the National Party campaign," Mapp said.
"Why would anyone stop having billboards in the city? It is part and parcel of people doing business. Obviously you need rules, but not an absolute ban.
"It is an anti-business approach but I suspect there is also a political motive as well."
Fryer could not be reached for comment yesterday.
But it would be surprising if councillors were planning such a radical change for political reasons.
Fryer's committee says the ban is motivated by a wish to turn Auckland into an "international city" - a subjective view that Communications Agencies Association of New Zealand president Mark Champion likens to Bucharest circa 1958.
Few would question that National's billboard campaign last year helped it get close to winning power.
The highly effective split-screen ads used pithy slogans comparing the Nats and Labour.
As with all billboard campaigns, the sites in central Auckland, where the ads would be seen by most people, were important.
The extent to which advertising affects the way people vote is debatable. The chief executive of one agency that has worked on National and Labour election campaigns believes ads entrench people's views.
National will almost certainly run another billboard campaign next year.
But it also seems almost certain that billboards will be banned in central Auckland by then, and the National campaign will be shut out of the place where the most people would see them.
Beer brand Tui has probably New Zealand's highest profile billboard advertising campaign, but banks are big advertisers and so are car companies such as Toyota.
The billboard industry will tell you that its products are a much-loved part of Auckland life.
But they are like many other creative efforts - some are brilliant, funny and endearing and some are instantly forgettable - urban wallpaper while running the gauntlet of city traffic.
WATCH THIS HEAD SPACE
Ogilvy advertising agency creative boss and advertising industry identity Roy Meares has anointed Damien O'Leary and Bas Christensen as his successors when he steps back from his role at the agency.
The two men were poached from their 12-year residency at Saatchi & Saatchi to be joint creative directors at Ogilvy.
Meares says he is grooming them for when he quits his role to give himself "more head space".
Meares went to Ogilvy when his creative agency Meares Taine merged with the agency.
Soon after, his creative stars Jamie Hitchcock and Josh Lancaster walked out on a shareholding and went to Colenso BBDO. So Ogilvy needed some firepower, and O'Leary and Christensen had proved their worth on projects such as the Tui brewery commercial.
Meares says "These guys will take the agency to the next decade."
He acknowledged that the merger of the ultimate creative Meares Taine and the client service-focused Ogilvy had had its ups and downs.
"We went in there with eyes wide open and we realised the difference - their university of advertising was not the same as ours. We knew the fusion would not be overnight but you get to understand one another."
And how much longer before Meares gets some head space?
He lives on Waiheke Island nowadays and headed off on holiday last week acknowledging he was enjoying island life.
NEW JOB FOR AN OLD MASTER
The search is on for a replacement for Susan Wood as co-host of Close Up, but the most obvious choice appears to have been overlooked.
One News' ratings have never matched Bill Ralston's high profile as head of news and current affairs.
And his boss Rick Ellis appears to be ignoring that Ralston is at heart a performer and not a bad one at that - John Campbell has raved about how he learned his telly skills at Ralston's feet.
Restructuring for the new digital division is expected next month, and an overall head of news operations is likely to be appointed for analogue and digital operations. So Ralston's present job may be structured out of existence.
One source says Ralston might like to run the news channel, but another says that is unlikely and Ralston has said he would probably move on.
Who would take over heading the expanded TVNZ News? Our pick would be Trish Carter, Ralston's former deputy who missed out on the top job, then lost her own job in restructuring.
Carter has led the successful start-up of the new al-Jazeera Asian bureau. With old management back in charge, she should be a sitter for the top role in the restructured organisation.
YOU HEARD IT HERE...
We have waited long enough for an official announcement, so it is time reveal our tip for the new chairman of the broadcasting funding organisation New Zealand On Air.
He is Neil Walter, a former chief executive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and most recently the New Zealand administrator for Tuvalu.
The Government traditionally appoints a former civil servant to the chairman's post for the role which has come under pressure for having a cosy relationship with TVNZ.
Walter's appointment, replacing Don Hunn, would be welcomed by the TV production industry.
... AND HERE
Who is going to replace Paul Catmur as executive creative director at advertising agency DDB?
Two names doing the rounds are Saatchi & Saatchi creative director Toby Talbot and Mojo advertising executive creative director Nick Worthington. Both are smart ad men who would be worthy of the role.
We would have thought that after preventing Talbot walking to Y&R Advertising, Saatchi & Saatchi would have secured his services with sturdy gold-plated leg irons.
Worthington has the firepower but he seems married to Mojo.
