MEDIA RELEASE: New Zealand Elite Triathlete Tony Dodds (aka Doddsy) remarkably unscathed after crash in Germany

New Zealand Elite Triathlete and Wanaka local Tony Dodds has been involved in a car crash in Germany whilst training for this weekend’s ITU World Series race in Hamburg. 

Tony was out training on his own on the narrow European roads when a car unexpectedly braked in-front of him. Tony has flown through the back windscreen.

Tony has emerged miraculously well considering the potential of the situation. He has 12 stiches to his arm, nicked an artery, but thankfully no broken bones.

“I was concerned about overtraining in the lead up to the London Olympic trials. So I’m seeing the silver lining in the situation! Potentially this is actually an opportunity to rest and be well prepared for August” said Tony with his characteristic optimism!

More updates on Tony’s progress will be posted to www.tonydodds.com, or via his Twitter account @doddsy_nz.

END

MEDIA RELEASE: 2011 Dunedin Midwinter Carnival Update

Public Lantern Making Workshops Booked Out for the first time ever!


If the uptake of this year’s public lantern making workshops is anything to go by, the 2011 Midwinter Carnival Procession promises to be one of the best ever!

“The response to the workshops is unprecedented. We have had to work hard to fit people in by asking them to make fewer lanterns per family and many people have had to miss out, but we just can’t fit anyone else in!” said Festival Event Manager Paul Smith.

Over 150 brightly coloured bumble bee and lady-bird lanterns have been made by local children and their parents over the last two weekends. Insect ‘cocoons’ are being made at the St Paul’s Cathedral Crypt this weekend.

Everyone who makes a lantern will proudly carry them around the Octagon as part of the 2011 Midwinter Carnival Procession – showing off their achievements to thousands of other Dunedinites.

The Dunedin Midwinter Carnival will take place at 5.30pm on Saturday 25th June in the Octagon. The theme is ‘Night Creatures’, New Zealand’s unique insect fairytale, featuring giant moths, spiders and slaters, spectacular stilt walking creatures, street performers and hundreds of community made lanterns.

“Last year we had a record turnout so people will need to get there early to get a good spot,” said Mr Smith. “We have also put on extra stalls as there was such high demand for them.”

People are encouraged to come early to soak up the carnival atmosphere provided by braziers, live music and food stalls. World music act Mama Yeva, from Dunedin, will be performing prior and following the Carnival Procession.

A community run event the Dunedin Midwinter Carnival brings families together to celebrate winter and the creative culture that is so unique to Dunedin. The lanterns aptly represent returning light, creativity, and community. The Dunedin Midwinter Carnival is organised by the Dunedin Midwinter Celebrations Trust. Spectators are requested to support the sustainability of this event by making a donation as they arrive or leave the event.
www.midwintercarnival.co.nz 


END
PHOTOS: Children and their families busy making ‘Buzzy Bees’ at the Dunedin North workshop on Saturday 12th June.

Tourism Dunedin - Campaign Creative

Dunedin - the preferred short holiday destination for South Island families...

Over the past few months we have been working with  Tourism Dunedin to create a winter marketing and advertising strategy aimed at families within 1 -4 hours drive from our fantastic city. We want to entice families to discover what Dunedin has to offer including the abundance of events throughout Winter. 

Along with our design partner Demografik, Immersion Marketing has created a stunning and emotive creative, that will be deployed from Christchurch south, via inserts, print and online advertising, social media and direct e-marketing.  

While putting together the visuals Sarah and the team got resourceful and, if you look closely, you may just see some Immersion staff, friends and families turned models for the on location photography! Click here to see more campaign imagery.

Hats off to our Christchurch Clients!

Thankfully since the devastating earthquake in February, all of our Christchurch clients have found their feet. How on earth we would cope in their shoes we will hopefully never have to find out - our hats are off to their perseverance and resourcefulness.

Eastgate Shopping Centre has suffered extensive damage, however the team were back onsite immediately and are working out of office containers in the carpark. Over 30 stores have had to be demolished, however everyone is safe, there were only relatively minor injuries considering the damage. Much of the centre will reopen in May and the remaining stores will be open in stages over the next six months.

We quickly wrote some editorial which Strategy Design & Advertising (from home, the Strategy building sadly has been demolished) worked their design magic on - see the full article here.

True Grit hair spa are back up and trading on Tuam Street in the CBD, Jacqui and her team are invincible. Thank goodness they had left their Manchester Street location and are now in their beloved 'concrete bunker', Manchester Street was sadly completely flattened by the February quake.

Colombus & Ware have bounced back and will be reopening in Merivale Mall. After 65 years in their iconic Colombo Street location it's a massive change for them, but a really exciting one. We think they'll go gangbusters at Merivale and look forward to rolling out their opening campaign over coming weeks!

Superior Motorcycles has reopened with some fantastic improvements instore. Structurally they were very lucky with no major damage to the building, however much of the stock and fitout was damaged.

Lastly, what's really evident with all of our clients is how much their clients are rallying around them! Many are as busy if not busier than ever and there's a real sense of loyalty and team spirit in Christchurch. If you haven't been back up there yet we recommend it - apart from the central city it's business as usual and every visitor goes towards helping the recovery.

2011 Dunedin Midwinter Carnival - Media Release

Saturday 25 June, 5.30pm, The Octagon, Dunedin

On June 25^th 2011, the lights will be turned off in the heart of Dunedin city and ‘Night Creatures’ will take over. The iconic Dunedin Midwinter Carnival returns in 2011 with ‘Night Creatures’, New Zealand’s very own insect fairytale.

The Octagon’s Victorian streetscape and St Paul’s Cathedral will be brought to life, with braziers and giant lanterns, stilt walkers, musicians and dancers, who will circumnavigate the Octagon, joined by hundreds of smaller hand-made lanterns carried by local children. The lanterns represent returning light, creativity, and community.

Juliet Novena Sorrel, the carnival’s Artistic Director described the moment when the lanterns are lit just before the parade starts as “truly magical”. The magic must be powerful as an estimated 10,000 people attended the Midwinter Carnival in 2010.

The Midwinter Carnival art team works hard to make each event unique with a new theme, different costuming, lanterns and performance every year. Sorrel explained that “Dunedin has some very talented people and it is great to be able to bring them together to celebrate winter, the longest night and the rise of Matariki.” This year promises to be just as magical. Expect giant lanterns created by Dunedin artist Katrina Thomson which will represent features in the night sky, giant puriri moths the moon, and wetas.

Spectacular costumes are another essential element of the Midwinter Carnival. Well  known Dunedin fashion designer Fieke Neuman is working on the Carnival art team to create extraordinary stilt costumes with an insect theme. The costumes will be performed in by a group of young women stiltwalkers trained by Novena Sorrel, who was herself a professional stiltwalker. The stilt characters have names such as ‘Girly Long Legs’, ‘Mosquitoes’ and ‘Beetle Girls’.

Last year saw 70 costumed performers and this year’s procession promises additional “feature characters” who will showcase their individual talents. International stiltwalker and aerialist Rhys Latton has joined the Midwinter Carnival team this year and will perform as a giant spider on four legged stilts. Sorrel described Fieke Newman’s creations as “So unique that audiences are in for a real treat, while actors like Rhys ‘become’ the creatures they portray”.

The first midwinter celebration was held in 1997 and over the last decade the Midwinter Carnival has left indelible memories in the minds of Dunedin’s younger generation. Hundreds of local families will be part of this year’s parade with their own hand-made lanterns. Lantern making workshops for all ages will take place on 4-5^th June, 11-12^th June, and 18-19^th June, in South Dunedin, North East Vallery, and the central city. The cost is $5 per lantern and participants must register online at http://www.midwintercarnival.co.nz/.

The Midwinter Carnival event is suitable for all ages with organisers requesting a donation or gift of koha from attendees. 

For more information contact:

Sarah Girvan                                                    Juliet Novena Sorrel

Publicist                                                              Artistic Director

Immersion Marketing                                          Dunedin Midwinter Carnival

03 479 2036                                                       03 477 3350

021 552 240                                                       027 565 7713

sarah@immersionmarketing.co.nz                        info@midwintercarnival.co.nz        

http://www.immersionmarketing.co.nz/                          http://www.midwintercarnival.co.nz/

Eastgate Bounces Back - Star Communities advertorial

Concept, copy writing and coordination - Immersion Marketing
Graphic Design - Strategy Design & Advertising