This short write-up, penned by Michael Durie, CEO & Founder of Durie Hill & Associates, provides a recap of July month's 'Off the Clock' event in Christchurch, where the marketing community gathered for an evening of networking and insights. Read on for the full details.

Christchurch's marketing community recently gathered at the Marketing Association's members' July 'Off the Clock' event, with aspiring YouTubers and industry professionals joining for an evening of networking, insights, and learning.

Hosted at The New Zealand Merino Company's elegant Victoria St office, the event featured a keynote presentation by Reuben Halper, YouTube's NZ country manager. His topic, "How Not to Suck at YouTube," resonated with many attendees.

The key takeaway was simple yet powerful: Rule #1: Create great content consistently Rule #2: Refer to Rule #1

Halper shared impressive statistics:

  • YouTube boasts 2.49 billion monthly active users worldwide
  • In New Zealand, there are 4.13 million users (78.7% of the population) as of early 2024
  • YouTube's ad reach in New Zealand equates to 82.2% of the country's total internet user base

He noted that YouTube is particularly popular among younger demographics, with the largest user group typically between 25 to 34 years old in many countries.

Before Halper's address, Maria Ryan-Young, NZ Merino's brand and marketing leader, presented an overview of how technological innovation is transforming traditional wool exports with The New Zealand Merino Company leading the way.

Marketing Association CEO John Miles also attended, providing guests with updates on the latest marketing trends and highlighting the success of MA workshops and events, many of which are fully subscribed both nationally and in Christchurch.

The evening concluded with networking, learning, and collaboration, complemented by generous food and beverages sponsored by local videographer and content creator Kaushik P. Kumar of Dark Matter.

I extend my sincere thanks to Marketing Association Southern team members, Jo-Ann Austria-Richardson, Clare Burgess, Ning (Chris) Chen and Lily Newrick for their hard work on the registration table and especially the drinks & food spread and NZ Merino's Mikaela Dewar for ensuring the venue was perfectly set-up. It was an evening full of inspiring stories, industry opportunities and fun and will be a hard act to follow but plans are underway for upcoming 'Off the Clock' events for local members that promise to be just as appealing.

Picture Credits: Kaptured

Source: Michael Durie, 29 July 2024