Glass Tower has been helping New Zealand businesses of all types and sizes to connect and engage with customers, staff, stakeholders, the media, and communities of all kinds since 1997.
We’ve seen communications trends come and go, new channels emerge and disappear again and communications and marketing disciplines evolve and mature to meet the needs of the times.
Over the years, we’ve embraced the tools and technology that enable communicators to reach more of the right people more directly, and with messages that resonate more deeply, along with the magic of measurement made possible by the digital age.
In the decades since we started, the way the world gets information and engages has changed beyond recognition, but some things remain the same: people are still people, driven by the same needs, desires, wants and fears they have been for a millennia, effective communication still requires strong strategy and stand-out creative, and trust drives everything.
As a new generation add their skills to Glass Tower, they bring the same commitment to taking good care of our clients, help them navigate a constantly changing, confusing communications and marketing landscape, and continue to produce fresh, exciting work that connects, inspires, and gets the job done.
Susi started her working life as an ad agency copywriter in 1986 before moving into radio. After doing the rounds of the regions, she joined Blackie’s breakfast radio team on Radio Hauraki, and went on to become newsreader and co-host of the award winning Morning Pirates. In 1990, she moved to Christchurch to form a new breakfast radio team with Phil Gifford and Simon Barnett. She began the next chapter of her communications career in 1995 doing freelance promotions, PR, and events management. As the client list grew, so did the need for staff, and within three years Glass Tower had been formed, and grown into one of New Zealand’s largest public relations companies, launching a Casino, an airline, and a town, and working with organisations of all sizes to deliver targeted and effective public relations services and crisis management.
Susi and Douglas married in 1995, and found themselves working together often on the same clients and, as new digital channels emerged, began to see the huge benefits that a truly integrated marketing service could bring. In 2000, Douglas joined the company as Creative Director, enabling Glass Tower to offer truly holistic solutions, based on what was best for the client, rather than being driven by the narrow focus of a consultancy or agency with a narrow and limited skill set.
Over the years, Susi returned to radio for stints as a morning talkback host for Newstalk ZB, and today explores the world of podcasting.
Susi works with clients to help them set strategy, plan campaigns and projects, navigate difficult communications situations, develop values and engagement programmes, and become better communicators. She is in demand as a speaker and coach, has been an evaluator for the international IABC Gold Quill Awards for a number of years, and is an engaging and skilled group trainer.
Douglas has worked in the advertising industry since the mid 1970s, with stints at several major agencies (including McCanns, Saatchi & Saatchi, DDB and Ilotts) and has numerous awards to his name. His most recent role prior to joining Glass Tower was 15 years or so as Creative Director at Strategy Advertising and Design. He was listed in Campaign Brief’s 2006/7 Hot 200 Australasian Creative Directors list.
In 2007 he won the only Silver Clio in Australasia for his work on the Giacommetti campaign for the Christchurch Art Gallery. He’s been a Senior Judge at both the Axis and NZ BeST Design Award events and set up the SIAA for the Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies.
Douglas has won a number of key industry awards, including:
Silver & Bronze Clio
A.W.A.R.D Silver Pencil (Australia)
New York Type Directors’ Club
ADC (Art Directors Club of America) awards
Axis awards
The One Show
M.A.P.D.A (Museums of Australia)
S.I.A.A
NZ Best Design Awards
Glass Tower Communications
Contact: susi@glasstower.co.nz
PO Box 2930 Christchurch 8140
New Zealand
+64 3 365 1445
Areas of Expertise
Brand Development and Refresh
Content, Creative and Campaigns
Email Marketing and Database Management
Internal and Stakeholder Engagement
PR and Media Training
Social Media Services
Strategy Planning
Training and Coaching