7 October 2021
David
[FYI request #16599 email]
Ref: OIA-2021/22-0243
Dear David
Official Information Act request for the total spend on COVID-19 related advertising
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request transferred from the
Ministry of Health on 9 September 2021. You requested:
“Could you please detail the total spend by the last 12 months for all COVID-19 related
advertising/public adverting.
Could you advise the spend by media company.”
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s (DPMC) COVID-19 Group spent a total
of $24,124,628 on advertising over the 2021/21 financial year and a total of $11,324,394 on
advertising to 31 August 2021 for the 2021/22 financial year. These figures are inclusive of
the costs for the Vaccination Campaign.
Please see below for a table, with a breakdown of costs, based on how much DPMC’s
COVID-19 Group paid to each advertising agency.
Advertising Agency
Total spend
OMD
$29,431,280
Clemenger
$5,332,655
Bright Sunday
$452,725
The Media Dept
$2,072
Creative Native
$75,000
Stuff Media
$163
DIA (Gazette Notices)
$209
Te Amokura Productions
$70,000
Platform Advertising Limited
$73,312
Other (mostly one-off minor vendors)
$75,615
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
4440002
64 4 817 9698 www.dpmc.govt.nz
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review my decision under
section 28(3) of the Act.
This response will be published on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s
website during our regular publication cycle. Typically, information is released monthly, or as
otherwise determined. Your personal information including name and contact details will be
removed for publication.
Yours sincerely
Cheryl Barnes
Deputy Chief Executive, COVID-19 Response
4440002
2