MUSIC, TOURING & EXHIBITION 

818 delivers strategic publicity campaigns for the artists, festivals, exhibitions and touring productions that shape Aotearoa's cultural landscape.

From major music festivals and new music releases to visual arts exhibitions and industry initiatives, our team understands how to build awareness, drive ticket sales, create cultural conversation and connect projects with the audiences that matter most.

We work across every stage of a campaign, from announcement strategy and media relations through to influencer engagement, new music guides, playlist pitching, in studio performances and reviewers and photographers.

Our services include:

• Traditional media and publicity campaigns

• Artist publicity and profile building

• Tour announcements and artist interview programmes

• Single, EP and album release campaigns

• Festival publicity and media management

• Influencer and content creator campaigns

• B2b industry campaigns

• Event management, guest lists, RSVPs and media hosting

• Management of reviewers, photographers and content capture coordination

Recent and past projects include Dreamer, Alan Davies, Dave Dobbyn, Bic Runga, Lewis Capaldi, Pearl Jam, Live at the Domain, Rhythm and Vines, Other's Way Festival, Auckland Live's A Christmas Carol, New Zealand Music Month, Play It Strange, Splore, Laneway 2024, Big Fan, Art in the Park and the internationally acclaimed Banksy exhibition.

Whether launching a new artist, promoting a major festival or driving attendance for a blockbuster exhibition, 818 creates campaigns that generate attention, engagement and results.

GIN WIGMORE

818 led the publicity campaign for Gin Wigmore’s 2026 album Beautiful Mess, positioning her first new album in eight years as a major music and cultural moment. The campaign rolled out across key phases, from the album announcement and release of singles ‘Country Diamond’ and ‘Rodeo’ through to the album launch, combining traditional publicity across television, radio, print, digital and podcast platforms with targeted tastemaker and influencer engagement. By focusing on Gin’s creative evolution, international career and deeply personal songwriting, the campaign generated sustained national momentum around the release. The campaign secured 77 pieces of coverage, reaching an estimated 11.9 million people and generating more than 395,000 estimated views across traditional, digital and social media.

DREAMER

818 launched Dreamer, a new indoor light experience at the New Zealand International Convention Centre, positioning the immersive experience as a standout school holiday attraction for families and visitors. Following a successful inaugural Auckland season that attracted more than 20,000 visitors, 818 also led the publicity campaign for Dreamer’s expansion into Tauranga, extending the experience to a new regional audience and building its profile as a new entrant in New Zealand’s immersive entertainment landscape. The campaign overall combined traditional publicity across news, lifestyle, entertainment and culture media with strategic campaign beats spanning launch, ticket on-sale and school holiday promotion, securing 77 pieces of Auckland coverage, 34 in Tauranga, reaching approximately 11 million people and generating 321,000 estimated views, alongside a strong network of family-focused creators and tastemakers activated around opening night.

SIR DAVE DOBBYN

818 led the publicity campaign for Sir Dave Dobbyn’s Selected Songs national tour and Selected Songs – Encore at The Civic, positioning the shows as both a major live music event and a celebration of one of New Zealand’s most treasured musical voices. The campaign ran from the national tour announcement through to the sold-out Auckland Encore show, combining national and regional media across radio, print and digital platforms. By focusing on the enduring power of Dave’s songwriting catalogue and its place in the soundtrack of generations of New Zealanders’ lives, the campaign generated strong nationwide visibility and ticket demand. The 2026 campaign delivered 16 pieces of coverage, reaching an estimated 11.6 million people and generating more than 114,000 estimated views.