Does Saatchi & Saatchi Get The Net?

Advertising agencies are often cited as examples of wild creativity and innovation -- but do they "get" the Net? Based on recent events it appears that Saatchi & Saatchi still have a way to go before they can make such a claim. Two of their proposals for the net-based promotion New Zealand Tourism have been unceremoniously rejected by the NZ Tourism Board. Saatchi_s originally planned to create a multi-media campaign based on the character of Xena Princess Warrior. This was to have involved an NZ$3 million web site, a special episode of the series and some TV commercials. When that campaign was rejected, Saatchi_s came back with another proposal which would have seen a number of web-cams placed in scenic locations around New Zealand - beaming their images to huge electronic billboards placed in strategic cities around the world. While the involvement of Saatchi & Saatchi in the tourism deal has become a political issue in New Zealand, detractors of the second scheme pointed out the huge costs involved and the potential for the cameras to be hijacked by activists and protest groups who could use the live worldwide coverage to promote their cause at no cost. In rejecting the proposal which contained this last option the NZ Tourism board simply stated that the total costs involved in the campaign would have significantly exceeded the budget and that it did not meet key objectives.