LOS ANGELES / AUCKLAND, Today: Special’s U.S. office has taken out one of the industry’s biggest honours, with AdAge naming it 2026 ‘Independent Agency of the Year’.

AUCKLAND, Today: The Advertising Standards Authority has reported that advertising revenue across main media reached $4.115 billion for the 12 months ended 31 December 2025.

AUCKLAND, Today: New Zealand’s cheesemaking community had a big night at the 2026 New Zealand Cheese Awards, with the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association recognising top cheeses, cheesemakers and producers from across the country.

AUCKLAND, Today: A stronger regional brief has seen dentsu expand its work with Tapestry, Inc., taking on global agency of record duties outside the United States.

AUCKLAND, Today: Westpac NZ has unveiled a partnership with Goldilocks, a bespoke agency model built to support the bank’s next phase of brand transformation.

AUCKLAND, Today: In an industry always chasing the next new thing, experience still plays a huge role in driving real progress. While age diversity does not always get the attention it deserves, it remains an important part of a strong industry.

AUCKLAND, Today: The Attention Seeker has appointed The Optimisers as its AI search and discovery partner, bringing in support across Generative Engine Optimisation, Answer Engine Optimisation and Agentic SEO.

WELLINGTON, Today: FEDERATION has opened a Wellington office and appointed Aaron White as Managing Partner, as the independent agency expands its footprint across Wellington, Auckland and Melbourne.