18-E-0116, DOC-5442983
16 April 2018
Sarah Carter
By email
Dear Sarah
Thank you for your Official Information Act request to the Department of
Conservation, dated 16 March 2018. You requested the following:
1.
Total spend on Marketing
2. Total spend on PR
3. Total spend on Promotions
for DOC for the last 10 years.
Please also supply the total spends above (i.e. marketing, promotions and PR for
pest control throughout NZ for comparison purposes.
From 2016/17 DOC created a centralised marketing and communications business
unit, the Customer Engagement Unit (CEU). Prior to this time these functions and
information on total spend was split across regional teams.
For the purpose of responding to the question asked we have answered by analysing
the information in line with the financial coding structure to record expenses paid for
marketing, communications and promotions.
Pest control costs for these expense categories is not monitored at detailed levels in
the programmes of work. However, in recent years there are dedicated internal/DOC
communications staff that provide work to support some of our major activities for
example: Battle for our Birds (BFOB), Predator Free 2050 (PF2050), War on Weeds,
Cape to City and Million Dollar Mouse.
Your questions and our responses are listed below:
1. Total spend on Marketing for the last 10 years?
The total spend on marketing includes campaigns, paid digital and social media
activities, printing, publications, paid editorials, events and promotions.
Year
$000
2016/17
1,494
2015/16
1,279
2014/15
1,217
2013/14
1,241
2012/13
1,246
2011/12
1,055
2010/11
1,373
2009/10
1,485
2008/09
1,625
2007/08
2,023
2. Total spend on PR for the last 10 years?
All DOC expenditure on communications is in-house. DOC employs communications
advisors who deliver this service across the country. DOC does not use the term
Public Relations (PR) instead using the terms internal and external communications
and the department does not engage any third parties for communications.
The total costs below are for the communications teams/personnel for the last 7 years
of data available.
Year
$000
2016/17
1,360
2015/16
1,190
2014/15
1,136
2013/14
1,273
2012/13
1,272
2011/12
1,303
2010/11
1,104
2009/10
n/a
2008/09
n/a
2007/08
n/a
3. Total spend on Promotions for the last 10 years?
We do not have a separate category ‘Promotions’. Promotions activities are included
in the Marketing spend supplied in answer to question one. We are unable to supply
this information as requested as to extract this information into its components
would require considerable time and effort.
We are therefore refusing this part of your request under section 18(f) of the Official
Information Act as the information cannot be made available without substantial
collation or research. I have borne in mind sections 18A and 18B of the OIA but
concluded that use of either provision would not assist in this case
Please also supply the total spends above (i.e. marketing, promotions and PR for
pest control throughout NZ for comparison purposes.
Marketing, communications and promotions on pest control is not recorded at
programme levels so we are unable to supply the total spends for marketing,
promotions and PR for pest control. However, recently two Communications
Managers, BFOB and PF2050 have been employed as dedicated resources to these
programmes of work.
You are entitled to seek an investigation and review of my decision by writing to an
Ombudsman as provided by section 28(3) of the Official Information Act.
If you wish to discuss this with the Department, please contact Geoff Tilbrook,
Director Finance on +64 27 772 2273 or by email [email address].
Yours sincerely
Geoff Tilbrook
Director, Finance
