Year in Review 2022: Robin McDonnell

Each year, StopPress asks a group of talented professionals in the local industry for their reflections on the year that was. Brought to you by NZME, this year we speak to individuals who made their mark on 2022 and brought us truely impactful work.

CEO Robin McDonnell takes a moment to reflect on a year that saw Phantom Billstickers become Carbon Zero certified, support up-and-coming bands in the aftermath of lockdowns, take a special build to a whole new level, and much, much more.

2022 summed up in three words…

The newest normal. 

A personal achievement I’m most proud of in 2022…

Phantom Billstickers was the first outdoor media operator in New Zealand to achieve Carbon Zero certification with Toitū Envirocare. We had to sweat all the details, right down to accounting for all our Uber rides.

That said, carbon neutrality is just the starting point because we now have a new goal, which is to be carbon negative. In other words, to take out more carbon than we generate. I’m proud that a locally owned operator is helping show how the industry can own its issues and even start to lead the way.

OOH campaigns that caught my eye in 2022 are…

Tame Iti’s I WILL NOT SPEAK MAORI posters got noticed, stirred up controversy and stimulated healthy discussion. Most importantly, they changed minds. Pretty much everything you want to see in a street poster campaign.

How did this year’s events change the way you approach your work?

We’ve taken an impact-first approach to work. With less time and resource we need to make every moment count.  

One of those moments was our 40^th birthday party in November. Yes, it’s important to work hard, but you also need to celebrate with everyone who’s been there for you. That’s how you create the energy to make every moment count, every day.

Favourite Phantom campaign of 2022?

Our special build team levelled up this year, and one of the highlights was the Amazon Prime campaign launching the new season of The Boys. Big location for impact, creative build that jumps off the wall, laser eyes and special effects. The finishing touch was a burnt-out car.

Any time you see people stopping to take pictures you know you’re onto something. Kudos to a client and agency who saw the creative possibilities and the Phantom team who made it a traffic-stopper.

Predictions for OOH trends in 2023…

Classic OOH is having a moment. Advertisers are waking up to its creative scope and flexibility, and because of all the digital conversions over the last five years, there’s now a shortage of high-impact classic sites in inventory. This means classic OOH is potentially the wow factor in our OOH schedule. It’s the storytelling layer to enrich and complement digital campaigns.  

My second prediction is that budgets will be under siege as the economy tightens. This is actually an opportunity for visionaries. Brands that are brave and boost their media schedule during a tight market are going to be rewarded, because consumers don’t forget the brands that kept the lights on. 

What was the biggest lesson Phantom learnt in 2022?

We offered free posters to bands staging their first gigs after lockdown, and we doubled down with 40 free posters for acts during New Zealand Music Month. We did it because we were gutted by the impact of Covid and wanted to do our bit to help the sector.

But it turns out that free posters aren’t just a nice-to-have – they’re actually the catalyst that performers need. We had bands putting on gigs simply because a free Phantom campaign gave them the confidence they could fill a venue.

Watch this space.

Best innovation/invention/launch of 2022…

Inject Design did a sick brand refresh for our 40 year-old brand. It was fresh, edgy and perfectly encapsulates the brand heading into our 4th decade of stick-ups. 

Biggest mistake brands will make with OOH marketing in 2023…

With consumers spending so much time on screens over the last few years, brands will need to rediscover the power of good storytelling to create lifelong fans and get punters clicking. Media mix and diversification will be critical to cutting through in such a crowded landscape. 2023 is the year of wow. 

Most satisfying ah-ha moment of the year… 

Realising the storytelling value of sequenced posters. We now offer a sequenced guarantee to ensure your story is told in the correct sequence. 

You can only offer such a package if you have plenty of high-traffic sites with lines of posters – plus a vision that sees them as potential stories rather than just blanks to be filled.

A person who inspired me the most this year was…

Tame Iti. He knows how to create a conversation with the audience and engage collaboration with five simple words: I WILL NOT SPEAK MAORI.

Quick fire 10

Most memorable local campaign: Skinny’s Phone It In campaign.

Favourite international campaign: Jack Arts campaign for Glasgow Print Fair was everything you would want it to be. 

Campaign I wish I worked on: Brandalism’s hacked ads that told the truth. https://twitter.com/BrandalismUK

Best news of 2022: 2023

Biggest flop of 2022: BK Australia – Pride Whopper 

Top artist on Spotify Wrapped: Leon Bridges 

Best part of being back in the office: Connection, collaboration and good coffee. And patting the office dogs.

A 2022 trend I’m looking forward to leaving behind: Levels (unless you’re a gamer) and traffic lights (unless you’re behind the wheel of a car waiting at an intersection).

Furthest place travelled in 2022: Toronto. Awesome city, fantastic brutalist architecture and amazing poutine. 

Best book I read in 2022: Needles and Plastic by Matt Goody 

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