Ad agency takes on high flier

Hamilton advertising agency King St has employed a heavyweight advertising executive responsible for introducing iconic characters including Vince Martin of Beaurepaires and the old men from the Mainland cheese ad "Good Things Take Time".

Chris Martin, an award-winning creative director, has been appointed a creative mentor at King St Advertising in Hamilton to help it compete against larger advertising agencies in Auckland and Wellington which also service rural and educational clients.

"We decided over the last few years we wanted to be the best in our category in our country," King St Advertising managing director Chris Williams said. "We wanted to open doors to major opportunities so we decided to invest in our infrastructure."

When Mr Williams bumped into his former colleague at the launch of his art career in Auckland last year, the two saw it as a great opportunity to work together again.

The role of creative mentor also suited the Wellington-based Mr Martin, who had earlier decided to leave advertising to get a better work-life balance.

Mr Martin said in his role overseeing the creative team, he planned to help it lift its creative turnout "another notch".

As Mr Martin starts to put his mark on the agency, King St Advertising's creative campaigns are likely to have more of a New Zealand theme and a strong emphasis on high production levels.

Although he never thought he would be working with a Hamilton agency, he said there was no reason why King St Advertising also could not produce great work.

Mr Williams and Mr Martin said although businesses were suffering in the economic downturn, it was even more important for companies to make sure their advertising was right.

"People will get nervous about spending money in difficult times, but the companies that decide to bite the bullet and push hard will do incredibly well in the next 10 years," Mr Martin said.

Mr Martin will sit on the board of King St Advertising with other external directors Fonterra chairman Henry van der Heyden and Carlos de Silva of Deloitte.

- © Fairfax NZ News