Upcoming events
Being a member of IABC Aotearoa New Zealand gives you access to a range of local events and workshops, as well as discounted pricing for IABC International masterclasses, webinars, and conferences.
November 2021
Meet PR and communication professionals from around the globe as we talk about our careers, discuss triumphs + challenges, and share updates from our corner of the globe. Bring a drink, and brace yourself for the unexpected twists and turns of the conversation flow as you expand your network. Open to all communication professionals, at no cost.
Go over to the IABC Asia/Pacific website to register.
December 2021
We know that this year has been a challenging one for communications professionals across New Zeaoland as we've dipped in and out of COVID-19 Alert Levels like kids at the public pool on a hot summer day.
It's time to pause, open a bottle of wine, and let it breathe while we catch up on the comms highlights from 2021 across each other's spheres of influence.
So, join us for our IABC Aotearoa End of Year Extravaganza on Wednesday 1 December as we toast to the year that was with an online guided wine tasting evening.
Our host, Helen, will walk us through three very different vintages - a Sauvignon Blanc, a Pinot Noir, and a cheeky bubbly number - which will arrive right to your doorstep prior to the event.
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic options are available.
All you have to do is open the wine, dust off your favourite wine glass, and put your feet up. We'll do the rest.
Resister now: www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/end-of-year-extravaganza-tickets-199616386987
Thank you to our sponsors Momentum Consulting and Isentia for making all our events possible.
November 2021
- IABC - Asia/Pacific Midweek Comms Drop-In - every Wednesday at 10pm NZDT - Free Join your colleagues from the IABC Asia/Pacific Region on a regular Midweek Comms Drop-in zoom call.
Meet PR and communication professionals from around the globe as we talk about our careers, discuss triumphs + challenges, and share updates from our corner of the globe. Bring a drink, and brace yourself for the unexpected twists and turns of the conversation flow as you expand your network. Open to all communication professionals, at no cost.
Go over to the IABC Asia/Pacific website to register.
December 2021
- End of Year Extravaganza - Register by 17 November 2021! - 2 December 2021 - $15+bf for members, $30+bf for non-members
We know that this year has been a challenging one for communications professionals across New Zeaoland as we've dipped in and out of COVID-19 Alert Levels like kids at the public pool on a hot summer day.
It's time to pause, open a bottle of wine, and let it breathe while we catch up on the comms highlights from 2021 across each other's spheres of influence.
So, join us for our IABC Aotearoa End of Year Extravaganza on Wednesday 1 December as we toast to the year that was with an online guided wine tasting evening.
Our host, Helen, will walk us through three very different vintages - a Sauvignon Blanc, a Pinot Noir, and a cheeky bubbly number - which will arrive right to your doorstep prior to the event.
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic options are available.
All you have to do is open the wine, dust off your favourite wine glass, and put your feet up. We'll do the rest.
Resister now: www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/end-of-year-extravaganza-tickets-199616386987
Thank you to our sponsors Momentum Consulting and Isentia for making all our events possible.
Past networking events
Living with giants - our relationship with social media - November 2021
It’s hard for us to remember a world without social media; Google answers our every question, Facebook connects us to friends around the globe and YouTube can teach you how to fix a leaky toilet or indulge your nostalgia for tv shows from your childhood.
The world is at our fingertips but is this a healthy relationship or an abusive one? And how do we, as communicators, navigate this when it’s changed the way we engage with our audiences?
We had a conversation with Duncan Greive, Managing Editor of The Spinoff, who has been researching and reporting on this topic. We discussed the rise of these technology giants as a source of news, what’s that done to amplify misinformation and the polarisation of discourse, and the question of regulation, both here and overseas, to bring some accountability to these corporations. What sort of relationship should we be having or can we have with these organisations, and what do we need to be aware of as professional communicators when engaging via social media?
Duncan Greive is an award-winning journalist and writer, and founder and publisher of The Spinoff, a subscriber- and sponsor-funded online media outlet.
The Art and Science of Storytelling
Over the past decade, business storytelling has emerged as a powerful communication skill and leadership competency.
In this virtual discussion, international speaker and communications educator Gabrielle Dolan will provide compelling reasons and insights for why leaders need to embrace storytelling to connect, engage and inspire. You will experience first hand the power of sharing personal stories to communicate business messages. Gain valuable insights on what makes a story a story and how to avoid the most common mistakes when sharing stories in business.
Gabrielle Dolan is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker and educator on real communication and business storytelling. Her dedication to the industry was recognised when Gabrielle was awarded the 2020 Communicator of the Year by the IABC Asia Pacific region.
Tough Talk: Tackling challenging topics
Replay video: https://event.webinarjam.com/replay/13/09gxqt3hqavclx
Password: N/A
When we’re communicating about challenging topics, there’s a fine line between getting it right and getting it horribly wrong. It’s important that we find ways to communicate effectively, even when emotion sends reason out the window. So, how are others using tough talk to challenge misconceptions, historic abuses, and hate?
In this webinar we’ll be joined by two people at the forefront of tough talk:
It’s hard for us to remember a world without social media; Google answers our every question, Facebook connects us to friends around the globe and YouTube can teach you how to fix a leaky toilet or indulge your nostalgia for tv shows from your childhood.
The world is at our fingertips but is this a healthy relationship or an abusive one? And how do we, as communicators, navigate this when it’s changed the way we engage with our audiences?
We had a conversation with Duncan Greive, Managing Editor of The Spinoff, who has been researching and reporting on this topic. We discussed the rise of these technology giants as a source of news, what’s that done to amplify misinformation and the polarisation of discourse, and the question of regulation, both here and overseas, to bring some accountability to these corporations. What sort of relationship should we be having or can we have with these organisations, and what do we need to be aware of as professional communicators when engaging via social media?
Duncan Greive is an award-winning journalist and writer, and founder and publisher of The Spinoff, a subscriber- and sponsor-funded online media outlet.
The Art and Science of Storytelling
Over the past decade, business storytelling has emerged as a powerful communication skill and leadership competency.
In this virtual discussion, international speaker and communications educator Gabrielle Dolan will provide compelling reasons and insights for why leaders need to embrace storytelling to connect, engage and inspire. You will experience first hand the power of sharing personal stories to communicate business messages. Gain valuable insights on what makes a story a story and how to avoid the most common mistakes when sharing stories in business.
Gabrielle Dolan is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker and educator on real communication and business storytelling. Her dedication to the industry was recognised when Gabrielle was awarded the 2020 Communicator of the Year by the IABC Asia Pacific region.
Tough Talk: Tackling challenging topics
Replay video: https://event.webinarjam.com/replay/13/09gxqt3hqavclx
Password: N/A
When we’re communicating about challenging topics, there’s a fine line between getting it right and getting it horribly wrong. It’s important that we find ways to communicate effectively, even when emotion sends reason out the window. So, how are others using tough talk to challenge misconceptions, historic abuses, and hate?
In this webinar we’ll be joined by two people at the forefront of tough talk:
- New Zealand Green Party MP Chlöe Swabrick talks about how she’s leading the conversation about the upcoming cannabis referendum.
- Clemenger BBDO Strategy Director, Bethany Omeri, shares insights gained from starting a national conversation for the current Human Rights Commission’s campaign, Give Nothing to Racism.
Dead Air: Communicating as the mediascape suffers and channels disappear
Replay video: https://event.webinarjam.com/t/click/8rg0wt7bntzszofybgpio
Room password: N/A
In ‘Dead Air: Communicating as the mediascape suffers and channels disappear’, award-winning Stuff journalist, Andrea Vance, shares the good, the bad and the ugly of being a journalist during the COVID-19 crisis. Massey University journalism lecturer, Dr James Hollings, provides his perspective on how journalists performed during this time and what it will mean for the profession going forward. Their insights are woven together by host, Arrun Soma, a former TVNZ and BBC journalist and current IABC Wellington Board member.
Replay video: https://event.webinarjam.com/t/click/8rg0wt7bntzszofybgpio
Room password: N/A
In ‘Dead Air: Communicating as the mediascape suffers and channels disappear’, award-winning Stuff journalist, Andrea Vance, shares the good, the bad and the ugly of being a journalist during the COVID-19 crisis. Massey University journalism lecturer, Dr James Hollings, provides his perspective on how journalists performed during this time and what it will mean for the profession going forward. Their insights are woven together by host, Arrun Soma, a former TVNZ and BBC journalist and current IABC Wellington Board member.
Budget 2020 exclusive event with Newsroom's Bernard Hickey
Replay video: https://event.webinarjam.com/t/click/m2nkrt7t4t3t9gfnb4h4
Room password: N/A
COVID-19 may have turned 2020 into a bit of a dumpster fire, but what does it mean for New Zealand's economy and the 2020 budget?
Newsroom's Bernard Hickey continued his annual tradition of bringing IABC Wellington's members his unique blend of financial insight, insider knowledge, and humour to this not-to-be-missed event.
Proudly sponsored by Momentum, this annual event is always one of the most popular on the IABC Wellington calendar.
Replay video: https://event.webinarjam.com/t/click/m2nkrt7t4t3t9gfnb4h4
Room password: N/A
COVID-19 may have turned 2020 into a bit of a dumpster fire, but what does it mean for New Zealand's economy and the 2020 budget?
Newsroom's Bernard Hickey continued his annual tradition of bringing IABC Wellington's members his unique blend of financial insight, insider knowledge, and humour to this not-to-be-missed event.
Proudly sponsored by Momentum, this annual event is always one of the most popular on the IABC Wellington calendar.
Communicating in crisis — a New Zealand perspective
Replay video: https://event.webinarjam.com/t/click/gqo98f6i8iqimkiz5c4an
Room password: N/A
The webinar is hosted by IABC Wellington Board member and former TVNZ and BBC journalist, Arrun Soma. He facilitates a fascinating discussion about communications in COVID-19 Aotearoa with expert health communicator and award-winning former TVNZ health correspondent, Lorelei Mason, and Director of the Science Media Centre, Dacia Herbulock.
Throughout the webinar, both Lorelei and Dacia describe how COVID-19 is highlighting the value of communications and media professionals. Both agree that it has never been more obvious that what we do is essential, and hopefully this will prevent people taking these professions for granted in future.
Lorelei credits Jacinda Ardern and Ashley Bloomfield with providing a “communications masterclass.” She says it is their combination of clarity and compassion that has instilled public confidence in their decision making and what they’re saying. She believes they are giving people what they look for during a crisis – hard and fast messaging – with key messages packaged into three to four word sentences like “Go home, stay home,” and “Be strong, be kind.” However, she does feel that they have glossed over some things in terms of detail, and left some key questions unanswered, for example, how much PPE there is in the country. But, their ability to tag team with each other and sing from the same song sheet means there is no mixed messaging and no divergence from the chosen communications path they’ve been given.
Dacia describes how COVID-19 is forcing communications professionals to examine the playbook when it comes to releasing information. She emphasises the importance of releasing information in real time as much as possible during a crisis, to minimise the delay in getting it into the public domain. She says that people can handle more uncertainty than we give them credit for, and that panic and hysteria are often used as an excuse for holding on to information. She believes that, if we are honest about what we know, what we don’t know, and when we will know more, this will help to maintain people’s trust.
Thank you again Lorelei and Dacia for taking the time to speak with us, as well as our sponsors Momentum Consulting Group and Isentia for making the webinar possible.
Replay video: https://event.webinarjam.com/t/click/gqo98f6i8iqimkiz5c4an
Room password: N/A
The webinar is hosted by IABC Wellington Board member and former TVNZ and BBC journalist, Arrun Soma. He facilitates a fascinating discussion about communications in COVID-19 Aotearoa with expert health communicator and award-winning former TVNZ health correspondent, Lorelei Mason, and Director of the Science Media Centre, Dacia Herbulock.
Throughout the webinar, both Lorelei and Dacia describe how COVID-19 is highlighting the value of communications and media professionals. Both agree that it has never been more obvious that what we do is essential, and hopefully this will prevent people taking these professions for granted in future.
Lorelei credits Jacinda Ardern and Ashley Bloomfield with providing a “communications masterclass.” She says it is their combination of clarity and compassion that has instilled public confidence in their decision making and what they’re saying. She believes they are giving people what they look for during a crisis – hard and fast messaging – with key messages packaged into three to four word sentences like “Go home, stay home,” and “Be strong, be kind.” However, she does feel that they have glossed over some things in terms of detail, and left some key questions unanswered, for example, how much PPE there is in the country. But, their ability to tag team with each other and sing from the same song sheet means there is no mixed messaging and no divergence from the chosen communications path they’ve been given.
Dacia describes how COVID-19 is forcing communications professionals to examine the playbook when it comes to releasing information. She emphasises the importance of releasing information in real time as much as possible during a crisis, to minimise the delay in getting it into the public domain. She says that people can handle more uncertainty than we give them credit for, and that panic and hysteria are often used as an excuse for holding on to information. She believes that, if we are honest about what we know, what we don’t know, and when we will know more, this will help to maintain people’s trust.
Thank you again Lorelei and Dacia for taking the time to speak with us, as well as our sponsors Momentum Consulting Group and Isentia for making the webinar possible.
- You can find free resources on communicating about COVID-19 from IABC by visiting the IABC international website.
- You can also find more information about the Science Media Centre by visiting its website.
- Our sponsor, Isentia also has some fantastic resources available, which you can access here.
FUSION Regional Conference 2020
Fusion Regional Conference has been postponed due to COVID-19.
Upcoming local workshops
We will be hosting one professional development workshop in 2020. Stay tuned for more details.