Bayliss moves on

Air New Zealand has disestablished the job of its general manager marketing, Steve Bayliss. The airline has merged its top marketing and public relations roles and appointed Mike Tod, head of public affairs, to the newly created position of general manager marketing and communications. Tod starts in the new job tomorrow.

Bayliss decided not apply for the role, chief executive Rob Fyfe said in an announcement to staff.

The new position was created to "bring together the marketing and public affairs functions to harness the synergies that are emerging globally in the new media environment", he said.

Tod and Bayliss had each told Fyfe it was time for new challenges. "It's great to be able to give Mike an opportunity to build on the outstanding work our marketing and public affairs teams have been doing and work with Steve to help take his career to the next level," Fyfe said.

The roles had not been merged for any cost-cutting reasons, a spokesman said.

Bayliss joined Air New Zealand from Coca-Cola Australia, where he headed the business development area. He has held senior marketing and business development positions with a US bottled water and coffee company and Lion Nathan.

During his tenure, the airline ran its hit advertising campaign "Nothing to hide", featuring staff, including Fyfe, wearing body paint.

The commercial and in-flight safety videos became a YouTube phenomenon, and in January had clocked up more than 11 million viewers.

Bayliss told the Herald at the time: "We think the days of the big brand ad, the $4 million production on TV, are gone forever. We talk a lot about the notion of lighting a lot of small fires then watching the fires that people want to warm their hands beside, then throwing petrol on the buggers.

"To some extent the online environment allows you to test ideas more frequently."

Also during Bayliss' time at the marketing helm the airline discontinued the practice of retaining one advertising agency. Instead, it used a lead agency and took creative input from other suppliers.

Tod will be responsible for Air New Zealand's marketing, sponsorship, public relations, internal communications and philanthropic activities.

Bayliss said he had nothing to add to Fyfe's statement.