Zing

Secret Camera Business

The morning of Wednesday 21^st September saw team-Zing descend upon Sydney’s glamorous Ivy Pool and Penthouse - yellow props, pool noodles and clipboards in hand. I had no idea what to expect from the day having started as the new Zing intern a couple of weeks earlier. What I did know—from the intricate planning and attention to detail, which I’d observed from the girls around the office, and by the fantastic array of media guests who I’d helped to invite in a shroud of secrecy – was that this top secret reveal was going to be something very special!

 

The sun hadn’t quite reached the rooftop area when we took the elevator to the prestigious Ivy Pool Club, and I quickly regretted my over-ambitious dress choice for an early Spring day in Sydney (having studied in Scotland for the past four years I was living by the standard rule: if you can’t see your breath, then it’s clearly summer – and had been milking the Aussie sunshine for all its worth!) After a quick but necessary caffeine fix, it was all hands on deck to bump-in for what would be Nikon’s biggest product launch of the year.

The Pool and Penthouse were decorated to project a big and bold message: I AM Innovative, I AM Unique.  Everything was clean, crisp and shiny, with the sun’s reflection really emphasising the white and yellow theme that Zing had splashed around the pool area.

 

We had real life moving sets so the media could test the camera there and then.  The models were beautifully styled and the whole dazzling visual looked like something out of a magazine shoot. As I watched the group of male Capoeira dancers, who would act as our live performing set, stretch and limber up in nothing but a pair of tight, white pants I found myself stopping (for a little longer than necessary) to appreciate real, raw talent (ahem!).

 

At 2pm the models took their places; a family lounged by the pool, a group of stylish friends sat and chatted by the bar and the Capoeira dancers were positioned conveniently in the eye-line of every single woman in the venue - much to the pleasure of the female Ivy staff! With media poised eagerly in the penthouse suite—iPads, smartphones and laptops at the ready to tweet to the world— a presentation at 2 o’clock (and not a second before) officially launched the magnificent Nikon 1 camera.

 

The media flocked down to the pool area to get their hands on this new, sexy product and try it out for themselves with the help of our live sets and some product ambassadors. The kid models were especially cute, loving their fun day out in the pool and enjoying the focal point of the venue- a giant inflatable swan (naturally).

 

 

Handing out Nikon goodie bags in the now warm afternoon sun I lusted over the trays of canapés and Pimms, which were being passed around, and we all quickly realised that we’d not eaten all day. Everybody had worked so hard to ensure the smooth running of the event, and despite very sore feet and a grumbling stomach I felt really honoured to be part of something this big so early on in my step into PR.

 

I was amazed at how gracefully the PR and Experiential Events side of Zing were able to blend to create a wonder-team with expertise in all the right places, and couldn’t wait to see what more they had up their sleeves!

 

But first, there was a small matter of the Nikon 1 launch party to attend that night at the equally glam The Mint, where all Zingers could let their hair down and fill their glasses up, after a really successful day.

 

Roll on the next! 

Laura Cairnduff is an intern at Zing

Want to work at Zing?

We are looking for a passionate and talented senior account director/account director to join the PR team.

With at least five years proven PR experience agency side or in-house, you’ll be heading up an enviable stable of brands in a fast paced agency.  

You’ll enjoy having a considerable amount of autonomy and working with an energetic and hungry team.  This is a hands-on role for a senior account director/account director who likes to get stuck in and loves using their creativity to get big campaigns off the ground.

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, a sense of urgency and a positive can do attitude are a must.  You’ll know the Australian media inside out and have excellent contacts.  You’ll also be a digital native with a number of successful online campaigns under your belt.

If you are looking for a move to a vibrant, dynamic and philanthropic consumer PR agency with a truly diverse and high profile client portfolio, then please send your CV to claire@zing.net.au.

Tis the Season…..For A Zing Christmas Luncheon at Astral

 
With the temperature growing steadily warmer as Christmas draws closer, I’ve been finding it difficult to get into the holiday spirit. Others used to the holidays in a cold climate will agree that it’s somewhat unsettling to hear Christmas carols on the beach, or see Christmas lights blinking over sun-baked porches instead of snowy rooftops. To me, it wasn’t beginning to look or feel a lot like Christmas in the slightest. That is, until Zing’s fabulous Christmas luncheon on December 7^th kicked off that unmistakable holiday feeling.

 

Astral was the destination of choice for our celebration this year. Actually, more specifically, we settled for nothing less than the Astral Private Dining Room, and a 5-course luncheon serving up everything from marinated king salmon to jurassic quail with spinach puree to an armadei chocolate dessert. And of course, the champagne was flowing. Our dining room was on a deck overlooking a beautiful expanse of glittering Sydney water, with surrounding glass walls showcasing views to rival some of the best in the world.

 

We all enjoyed a couple (ok, several) glasses of champagne on the roof before heading into the dining room for a delicious holiday lunch. Being Zing, we couldn’t let the day go by without handing out a few well-deserved awards to some lucky staffers—among them sky diving passes for the more intrepid among us. We also bid goodbye to one long-time staffer who is off travelling, as well as welcoming some new faces to the Zing team with toasts and presents. And for the grand finale everyone presented Preya with a carefully compiled book documenting Zing’s ten years as a leading PR firm, showcasing countless pictures of memorable times over the years just like this one. 

 

That’s the thing about the holidays—there’s always an excuse for a party, and there’s always presents and surprises (especially when you work at Zing!) These surprises continued after lunch in the (in)famous Star City Casino, where money was to be won and laughter was to be had. I may just be coming around to a summertime Christmas after all, at least when it’s celebrated Zing-style…

 

 

 

Zingers Host World Schools Foundation Pub Quiz at the Clarendon Hotel

Thursday 18^th saw the Zing team and 45 of our closest friends and family together under one roof, enjoying a night of charity and trivia. The Clarendon Hotel in Surry Hills played host to our (mostly) well-behaved group, serving up typical Australian fare and a score of brain teasing trivia questions.

 

With questions like “Who said ‘I never forget a face, but in your case I’ll make an exception?” (Groucho Marx), and “Which Italian word for 'bottle' means a complete and utter failure when used in the English language?” (fiasco), it’s safe to say we left the Clarendon with heaps of random facts that will no doubt prove useful for all the holiday cocktail parties on the horizon. 

 

In addition to gleaning an impressive arsenal of information on subjects ranging from sport to history to entertainment, we also managed to raise $746.40 for World Schools Foundation to put towards building a new school in Bangladesh, which was of course the whole reason for the evening. Included in the pub quiz were several questions about Bangladesh. Did you know that the name “India” comes from the River Indus? Or that the national flower of Bangladesh is the lily? Well, now you do--you can thank me later...

 

The smallest team, headed by Broc and Lox, proved that all you needed to win was a die-hard competitive spirit and a love of celebrity gossip mags as they powered through on the last round and emerged triumphant, ultimately scoring a $200 voucher for the new Argyle restaurant, The Cut. We also held a raffle with killer prizes for the winners, such as Creative Lab speakers.

 

Overall, everybody won---although there were, of course, winners and losers, myself falling unsurprisingly into the latter category---in the knowledge that we helped contribute to a great cause like the World Schools Foundation, while at the same time catching up with friends and colleagues. And did you happen to know that the world’s longest river is the Nile? Or that the first web browser was called a mosaic? I didn’t either, before Thursday…

 

An Americain’s (Slightly Hazy) Recollections of Melbourne Cup

Until I happened to be in Sydney on Tuesday November 2^nd, I had been under the (wrong) impression that the Kentucky Derby was the Dom Perignon of the horse--racing world. Shows what I knew. Turns out the crème de la crème of the races is--surprise, surprise—the Melbourne Cup. And this year I joined team Zing as we donned our frocks and fascinators for a celebration at The Rocks’ iconic hotspot, The Argyle.

 

Since there’s nothing my fellow Zingers and I love more than a good excuse to throw a fabulous party, the Melbourne Cup provided us with the perfect occasion. We took advantage of the opportunity by cosying up in The Argyle’s The Belvedere Bar, an ornate and uber-trendy spot to see and be seen. Without a doubt the place to celebrate this year’s cup, The Argyle was teeming with beautiful people who partied, danced, drank, networked and placed bets in style throughout the day.  Although the weather was far from desirable, I consoled myself with the knowledge that it was worse in Melbourne, and that at least my fascinator was proving itself to be a sort of quasi-umbrella.

 

Leaving our Zing offices in Surry Hills at 11:30, we arrived at the newly revamped Argyle to find the champagne flowing, the women decked out in designer dresses and sky-high heels, and the men looking dashing in their finest suits. Everyone was enjoying the delectable food, which was served in darling mini picnic baskets and included a delicious rocket salad and divine lemon tarts. The Fashions in the Field competition that came later saw the chicest men and women strutting the green carpet, hoping to score some serious prizes thanks to their fashion chutzpah. And although I am not a betting sort, I must admit I found myself intrigued by the thought of placing a few wages, although I resisted the temptation. I didn’t do so well resisting the champagne though, but, well, you understand.

 

The entire place went into a total stand-still for the race, with Americain’s dramatic finish only adding to the electricity in the air. Prior to the occasion, I had clearly failed to grasp the magnitude of the Melbourne Cup and the extent to which people across Australia commit to the event. This occasion is ironic because although it is ostensibly centred on competition, it seems to me it’s actually about celebrating and coming together with those around you over some shared excitement.

 

Whatever venue you chose, whatever dress you wore, whatever horse you bet on, I hope you celebrated Melbourne Cup in style and surrounded by friends. And a little extra cash from a lucky bet couldn’t hurt either…

 

PR ACCOUNT MANAGER AND ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Attention all Zinger hopefuls!! Our award winning PR, experiential and events agency has two rare openings for passionate and talented individuals to grow its PR team.  You’d be working on an enviable client portfolio out of our warehouse space Sydney office in Surry Hills.  We are looking for an account manager and an account executive - both should be results driven, full of ideas, hungry for experience and lots of fun to work with. 

 

As an account manager, you should have approximately three years experience of working in a PR agency or in-house in a PR role. You will need to be proven in media relations in Australia (bringing your black book with you) and have social media/blogger outreach experience as well as a love of brainstorming. 

 

As an account executive, you should have six months to a year’s experience under your belt.  You should have a real ‘can-do’ attitude and be able to multitask at pace!

 

If you are looking for a move to a vibrant, dynamic and philanthropic consumer PR agency with a truly diverse and high profile client portfolio, then please send your CV to jocelyne@zing.net.au.

 

Make sure to check out www.zingaustralia.com for more information on the agency and the brands we work with!

 

Impressions of A Foreigner in Sydney

Who says people in PR are all bitches? Americans, that’s who. As an American girl straight out of college and straight off the boat, (er, plane) from just outside Washington, DC, I arrived in Sydney with a few misconceptions. The first being that, considering how difficult the current job market is for recent graduates back home, (i.e. cutthroat and basically nonexistent,) I would be lucky if I found a job as a dishwasher in a Chinese restaurant, let alone a job in a field remotely related to what I have a degree in, which is Marketing. The second being that--if I were by some fluke of humanity-- lucky enough to beat the odds and score a job in said notoriously competitive field, I should be prepared for a Devil-Wears-Prada type of inauguration into my first real post-grad job. Back home, the PR/Marketing industry is teeming with designer-clad devils dressed aggressively in black, hair slicked back, ready to terrify the newly-graduated by any means possible. Let me tell you, things in Sydney work a little differently.

 

As I write this, I sit at the front desk at Zing, which is run by the inimitable Preya McMahon, and was voted PR company of the year in 2008. (Since it’s only my fifth day, I still feel a bit like an outsider and can therefore brag about the place without coming off as self- congratulatory, right?) Under Preya’s seemingly effortless, capable management, as well as through the stellar work of her fellow Zingers, Zing is able to continuously assert itself as a long-term presence in an industry with a notoriously short attention span, an industry that slavishly worships that indefinable “next big thing.”

 

For a company that accomplishes so much, it’s refreshing to hear laughter in the offices instead of grumbling, and to hear genuine rather than intimidating or saccharine-sweet words of welcome. I can’t help but wonder-- is this company a fluke, or is everyone in Australia this happy? Or is it just—epiphany imminent—that everyone in America (at least east-coast America) is unhappy? Even the décor of the Zing offices in Surry Hills mirrors this approach to work. Everything is white, pink, and airy, with colourful artwork, glass doors, and a fun, modern feel. There’s even a fab leopard couch I can’t help but eye lustfully—it’d make the perfect ironic-statement piece for my still mostly unfurnished bedroom….

 

Zing is the type of place where you feel at home immediately. And even though a great part of my job involves maintaining the cleanliness of this home--I’ve done more housework at the Zing offices than my mother was able to get out of me in the 18 or so years I lived at home—I can already tell that what I’m going to learn from Zing will prove invaluable towards my future approach to work. And what I’ve already discovered about the Australian attitude to media, marketing, and life overall is as refreshing as the water at beautiful Bondi Beach, a heavenly mecca I churlishly refused to leave until Sunday evening rolled around and left me no choice. And come my first day on Monday, I was left speechless by the unhurried competence of the Zing employees.

 

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to down my third coffee of the day, (I just cannot get enough of Australian coffee--is there anything you people don’t do perfectly?!), and count down the hours. Apparently on Fridays there’s champagne in the afternoon…

 

 

 

 

Zing takes Rome Kanda to meet the JJJ team!

See what happened the day JJJ got up close and personal with Rome Kanda when Zing launched Telstra’s Sushi Plane campaign!

What if money grew on trees?

To re-launch online bank, RaboDirect, Zing created the ultimate fantasy – a money tree!

Zing developed the money tree experiment to identify how Australians react to money they can see and touch, compared to the way they treat their savings. Hundreds of people passed the money tree, which was ‘planted’ in Sydney’s Fleet Park and filmed by hidden cameras.  Find out what happened the day Sydney woke-up to a money tree check out the video below!

The Australian Story

Check out the promo link to the ‘Australian Story’ program we secured for our client Russell James and his project, Nomad Two Worlds! The crew followed Russell on his ‘Nomad Two Worlds’ journey in Australia last November and we can’t wait to see the show. It’s airing next Monday, 15 March, at 8pm on ABC.