Why is Christmas so special above all the other ‘new’ holidays? We might like Halloween, Easter or even Black Friday, but we don’t love them like the 25th December. The long lead-up, the decorations, music and traditions create sustained excitement, releasing dopamine and boosting happiness. It socialises you from a young age to expect and receive joy, how powerful is that?
For all of us, Christmas evokes comforting childhood memories of magic and family rituals, triggering a nostalgia that is incomparable. Social gatherings and acts of giving foster oxytocin, a neurotransmitter crucial for social bonding. This deepens feelings of love and trust. Sensory cues like lights, carols, and festive scents amplify joy, while the holiday’s timing at year’s end symbolises hope and renewal. As Albert Schweitzer said, “Happiness is the only thing that multiplies when you share it,” perfectly capturing the psychology of Christmas.
As you can see, I love Christmas. I’m a true believer. It’s an amazing time of the year we share stories, reminisce, and watch as the younger generation get transfixed into the traditions that make up this wonderfully family-orientated holiday.
Christmas is about the things that make you feel warm inside, bonding you to others and reminding you why this time of year is so special.
It is also a time, perhaps the only time, we look forward to ads. A great Christmas ad is something to talk about, something to share, and reflects the great gifting ritual of the holiday period. They remind us why we love this holiday above all others and tap into that special collective empathy that typifies what we call the Christmas Spirit. We need to remember that we are dealing with a stadium of positive emotions here, and putting your ad in this arena demands pin sharp sincerity and a little less of the overt commercialism. After all, we are inviting ourselves into people’s homes and want to be part of the conversation.
After reviewing around 50 festive ads from across the globe, I have to say that most were little more than blatant attempts to grab cash, with some tinsel thrown on top. All the ads I selected as favourites are from the UK; the Brits seem to get it right more often than others. I did look further afield, but this year there appear to be far more misses than hits.
There are several reasons for this. Firstly, most ads are simply too transactional; they are obvious money grabs, lacking any real charm. Secondly, they lack human insight and are merely a Christmas conveyer belt of goods for sale. Finally, and most importantly, they fail to deliver great storytelling - Christmas is a time for timeless stories we can all relate to.
I get it, we’ve been through hard times over the last few years and people need to sell stuff; but perhaps we need emotional closeness now more than ever. We need to see that people care and that includes marketers, by delivering the gift of great entertainment in the Christmas tradition.
Before we get into the ones that really hit the mark, there are a few noteworthy runner ups that just narrowly missed the cut. Boots the Chemist really tries with its Puss in Boots joke, but this wears a bit thin after the first 30 seconds. I bet it looked great as a script, but they really do bang you over the head with the reference. It’s beautifully produced though. The same goes for Aldi and their rather odd carrot execution; nice CGI, epic concept, shame about the story. Argos had an unusual toy ad, which could have been utterly charming, but to my mind had Chucky undertones, certainly not my cup of tea. Finally, Marks & Spencer had all the ingredients (literally everything) of a fabulous ad with Dawn French, but laid things on so thick that it just left you feeling like you had eaten too much Christmas dinner.
The Favourites
Tesco – Christmas Isn’t Perfect
A little seasonal conflict is all part of family life and it is nicely observed here. As marketers, we want to speak deeply to people and get a relationship, Tesco does human truths well told with a smile. This ad is part of a series and beautifully taps into familiar experiences that make us all dig deep with a happy sigh. The genius of it is that the executions shine a light on our imperfections. In doing this the advertiser gives us all a shared truth and meaning, the emotional benefit this brings is huge. Consumers will invariably say, this brand ‘gets me’. The Pictionary scene particularly made me laugh out loud.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=711Cq8_E0oI
John Lewis – Where Love Lives
As an exercise in brave marketing this is simply wonderful; I don’t mind admitting I had a tear in my eye for this. To get this level of emotion into a TV ad is absolute gold. John Lewis hits it out of the park with a difficult, but really commendable subject matter. Parents and kids have a long and winding road together, you might have had trying times with your kids or (like me) had a difficult relationship with your father. This ad hits the notes perfectly and still manages to get a well-placed but thoughtful commercial message in there. It works because of the amazing performances and the great writing. This is an exercise in getting a great director and being patient with the casting. The result for the brand is that a present bought from John Lewis will have more meaning and I bet a lot of people are proudly saying where they got their gift when they give them - just lovely.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1bRlnyQeDk
Barbour – Wallace & Gromit
This ad was a complete surprise to me as I researched this topic. It is super charming and who doesn’t love Wallace and Gromit? Barbour is renowned for its heritage, nostalgia, craftsmanship and meticulous detail, so this is a great brand fit. Perhaps the creator of Wallace and Gromit, Nick Park, puts it best: "Wallace & Gromit have always embodied warmth, eccentricity, and quintessential British charm, which makes them a wonderful fit for Barbour's Christmas storytelling.” It is made with oodles of love and the knowledge that these characters are part of traditional Christmas viewing. This was a risky strategy though - if they hadn’t treated the wonderful duo with integrity this could have totally backfired. As it stands, it’s a real treat and made me want one of those lovely scarves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_6xpABXBM8
Waitrose – The Perfect Gift
This is the ad everyone is talking about and quite rightly so, it’s delightful. It’s a tribute to Love Actually, which is required Christmas viewing every year in the UK. What’s amazing is that they managed to get Keira Knightley, which immediately transports you into that wonderful emotional vortex. The rather comedic bearded bloke adds a super quirky performance. This works because it doesn’t actually want anything from you other than to put a smile on your face and make you feel good, that is the strategy. Again, it is using an iconic property, but products take a back seat to the story and the master brand is the winner. This is being talked about across the UK and you simply can’t buy that kind of publicity. However, if your marketing strategy, creative agency and dream casting align, perhaps you might get it for Christmas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWeYKBXmCRs
What do all these ads have in common? They genuinely follow the traditions of the Christmas season, embracing goodwill and arriving with gifts. These ads bring people together and evoke a sense of joy about life. While they are created by commercial enterprises, we appreciate brands that make an effort to connect with us, reflect our identities, and help us understand our quirks. By doing so, they become part of the emotional tapestry of Christmas, where everyone benefits.
Merry Christmas everyone.
When the OCR dropped to 2.5% this month, it wasn’t just a financial shift, it was a signal. If you’ve got a mortgage (and believe me, I do), you felt it. That sigh of relief. But it wasn’t just about the numbers. It was something deeper. Something we haven’t felt in a while: optimism. And that feeling, more than any policy lever or economic model, is the most powerful force we’ve got to drive recovery. It’s what gets people moving again. It’s what gets businesses investing. And it’s what gets consumers spending. That’s where marketing comes in.
Let’s not sugarcoat it. This downturn has been hard. For many of us, it’s been the toughest in our working lives. My dad likes to remind me that Black Friday in ’87 was worse, but he’s like that. What we’ve just come through has tested everything, our budgets, our resilience, our creativity. We’ve had to work harder to earn attention, justify spend, and prove value. We’ve had to be more agile, more empathetic, and more resourceful than ever before. And while we’ve seen glimmers of recovery, the weight of uncertainty has lingered.
But every cycle ends. And this one is ending. Not with fireworks, but with a quiet shift in sentiment. People are starting to believe again. And belief is the fuel that powers recovery. John Key recently said New Zealanders should “believe in what they can see and be optimistic about what they can achieve.” That’s not just sentiment, it’s strategy. When people feel confident, they act. They spend, they upgrade, they invest. And they respond to brands that reflect that confidence back at them.
So what does this mean for us as marketers? It means we have a job to do. A big one. We’re not just here to sell products. We’re here to lead the emotional recovery. To be the voice that says, “It’s okay to believe again.” To give people permission to dream, to spend, and to move forward.
Consumers might have a bit more in their pockets now, but they’re still cautious. They’re looking for signs that it’s safe to re-engage. Marketing can be that signal. It can be the spark that turns relief into momentum. People are waiting for someone to say, “The tide is turning.” That’s us. Our campaigns can be the first to say, “Better days are here.” Not in a cheesy way, but in a way that feels grounded and real.
We’ve all been through a lot. Let’s acknowledge that. Let’s tell stories of perseverance, of local businesses that made it through, of families who adapted, of communities that stayed strong. This builds emotional connection and national pride. It makes people feel seen. And when people feel seen, they feel safe. And when they feel safe, they start to act.
People want to spend, but they want to feel smart doing it. So let’s help them. Position purchases as timely, meaningful, and future-focused. Make every transaction feel like a step forward, not just a splurge. Optimism is contagious. When people see others spending, upgrading, and investing, they follow. Your marketing can amplify that momentum, through testimonials, community stories, and bold creative that says, “You’re not alone. We’re all moving forward.”
We’ve seen this work before. After COVID, Air New Zealand’s “Better Days Are Coming” campaign helped reconnect Kiwis with travel and each other. It wasn’t just about flights, it was about freedom, reconnection, and hope. ASB’s “Borrow the Feeling” campaign took a different approach to finance. It didn’t talk about interest rates or loan terms. Instead, it focused on what borrowing could unlock, those emotional, life-changing moments like buying your first home or helping your kids get ahead. It reframed borrowing as a means to something meaningful. And it worked, because it made people feel something. Even Pak’nSave’s humour-driven ads kept spirits high and wallets open during tough times. They didn’t just sell groceries, they sold levity, familiarity, and a sense of normalcy. These campaigns gave people permission to feel good again.
If you’re planning for 2026, now is the time to lean in. Don’t wait for the economy to roar back, be on the front of the wave. After all, planning now means campaigns are landing in March next year. That’s when the real momentum will start to build. Use language of renewal: “You’ve earned this,” “Let’s move forward,” “It’s okay to treat yourself.” Highlight green shoots: local wins, customer success stories, community growth. Build campaigns that feel like a celebration, not just a transaction. Be bold, but empathetic. Consumers are ready to move, but they’re still sensitive. Striking the right tone for the consumer context will be key to success.
This is the moment to be brave. Because what we do now will shape how people feel, and how they act, in the months ahead. Optimism turns cautious consumers into confident buyers. It turns hesitant businesses into believers. And it turns marketing from a cost centre into a growth engine once again.
As New Zealand steps into a new chapter, marketing has the power to shape the story, spark belief, and drive real results. We’re not just selling products, we’re selling progress. We’re not just running campaigns, we’re leading a movement.
So let’s be the voice that says, “The good times are coming back, and you’re part of it.” Let’s be the signal that it’s okay to believe again. And let’s make 2026 the year we didn’t just recover, we started living again.
After 15 years running a creative and media agency, I’ve learned that no two days are ever the same. Business owners know this well, our day-to-day shifts with the economic winds, and the last five years have been nothing short of a rollercoaster. But lately, there’s a different kind of change in the air. It’s quieter, subtler, it whispers every day, you certainly cannot hide from it in your inbox. AI is slowly reshaping how we market our businesses, not with a bang, but with a steady hum. And here’s the thing: it feels good.
People are curious. They’re attending conferences, reading articles, and experimenting with tools. But most of us are still dabbling. We’re not experts, and that’s okay. What matters is that we’re leaning in, trying to understand what this technology means for our businesses, our clients, and our teams. That curiosity led me to take a deeper look at AI, not as a trend, but as a tool. A tool that, if used wisely, can help us market more efficiently, more intelligently, and perhaps even more empathetically.
When I started Contagion in 2010, we were riding the wave of the digital revolution. YouTube and Facebook were just four years old. Social media was the new frontier, and many believed it would replace everything. But it didn’t. It became another channel. TV, outdoor, and radio didn’t disappear, they evolved. And so did we. We adapted, upskilled, and learned how to communicate through screens without losing the human touch.
AI is the next evolution. And like social media, it won’t replace everything. But it will change how we work, if we let it. The headlines are full of dramatic predictions: jobs lost, industries disrupted, creativity replaced by algorithms. But the reality is more nuanced. The business environment doesn’t flip overnight. Human behaviour remains the constant. And in B2B marketing, where relationships are everything, that matters more than ever.
So the real question isn’t whether AI will change things, it’s what we choose to adopt, and what we choose to ignore. For B2B marketers, AI isn’t just a shiny new toy. It’s a strategic opportunity. It offers precision, personalization, and efficiency across the customer journey. But successful integration requires more than tools, it demands a rethink of how we operate in a data-driven world.
Before diving into implementation, we need to ask ourselves: what role should AI play in our marketing? Are we trying to improve lead quality? Personalise communications? Accelerate content production? Support sales? Without clear objectives, AI becomes a solution in search of a problem. And in B2B, where every touchpoint matters, clarity is everything.
Once those goals are defined, AI starts to shine. It enables personalization at scale by analysing behavioural and intent data to deliver tailored experiences. If you’re running Google or Meta campaigns, this is already happening, assuming your media planning is solid. Predictive analytics can forecast buying behaviour and identify high-value accounts. Messaging can adapt in real time. Automation becomes smarter. Email platforms optimise send times, subject lines, and segmentation. Programmatic advertising refines targeting and bidding. Even A/B testing has evolved into multivariate, adaptive creative optimisation.
These tools are powerful. They free up time, reduce acquisition costs, and improve conversion rates. But they’re not the endgame. They’re the enablers. What really drives success in B2B marketing is empathy. Understanding your audience. Listening. Responding. Building trust over time. AI can help us do that more efficiently, but it can’t replace the human touch.
Take conversational AI, for example. Chatbots and virtual assistants are no longer expensive experiments. They’re off-the-shelf, cost-effective, and surprisingly good. They qualify leads, answer questions, and provide instant support, creating seamless, personal experiences. Better yet, they capture valuable data to inform future marketing efforts. But even here, the tone matters. A robotic response might be fast, but it won’t build a relationship. A thoughtful, empathetic interaction, whether human or AI-assisted, can make all the difference.
And then there’s content creation. Generative AI can help draft blog posts, whitepapers, and email copy. It can summarise reports, suggest headlines, and even write code. But let’s be honest: B2B content already has a reputation for being bland. Add AI copy into the mix and you risk creating the biggest snooze fest your brand has ever seen. Creative work needs a creative director. That could be you. But please, have empathy for your audience. They’re not as interested in your product as you and your AI agent are. If it feels too long or complicated, it is. You’re here to charm, not confuse.
This is where the human touch becomes essential. AI can help us scale, but it’s our job to ensure the message resonates. To make sure it feels personal, relevant, and real. Because in B2B, we’re not just selling products or services, we’re building relationships. We’re earning trust. We’re helping people solve problems, make decisions, and move forward with confidence.
AI can distil complex reports into digestible insights, making it easier to communicate value to time-poor decision-makers. It reduces production time, improves consistency, and helps scale. But human oversight remains essential. We need to guide the narrative, shape the strategy, and ensure the message aligns with our values and our audience’s needs.
And remember: successful AI integration is iterative. Set clear KPIs, conversion rates, engagement metrics, pipeline velocity, and continuously evaluate performance. AI thrives on feedback. The best implementations evolve over time, guided by data and strategy. But also by empathy. By listening. By caring.
AI isn’t a silver bullet. But for B2B marketers willing to experiment, learn, and adapt, it’s a powerful ally. It enables smarter decisions, deeper personalization, and greater efficiency. Just don’t forget: in B2B, and especially in New Zealand, relationships still matter. AI should help deepen them, not replace them.
Because at the end of the day, what really sells isn’t automation. It’s connection. It’s understanding. It’s the feeling that someone gets when they know you’ve listened, that you care, and that you’re here to help. That’s what builds loyalty. That’s what drives growth. And that’s what makes marketing truly meaningful.
New Zealand’s business landscape is unlike any other. We’re a nation of SMEs, built on relationships, trust, and a shared sense of purpose. That means B2B marketing here isn’t just about selling products or services, it’s about solving real problems, creating genuine value, and connecting in ways that reflect our unique Kiwi culture.
Whether you're a SaaS provider in Auckland, an agritech innovator in Hamilton, or a logistics firm in Christchurch, your marketing strategy needs to speak the language of Aotearoa. I have put together a list of how to do it better.
1. Know Your Audience – The Kiwi Way
Understanding your audience is the foundation of smart B2B marketing. In New Zealand, business relationships thrive on trust, transparency, and shared values. Building detailed buyer personas helps you connect authentically.
Mapping the buyer’s journey, from awareness to decision, is key. In a market where word-of-mouth and referrals carry serious weight, your content should support relationship-building and demonstrate long-term value.
Segmentation matters. Break down your audience by:
This ensures your messaging hits home with each group’s unique needs.
2. Content That Connects Locally
Content is your voice and, in New Zealand, it needs to be authentic, relevant, and human.
Use a mix of formats: blog posts, white papers, case studies, infographics, and videos. And keep it timely; align your content with local events, seasonal cycles, and industry trends.
Pro tip: Speak like a trusted partner not a distant corporation. Embrace Kiwi values, like honesty, humility, and community-mindedness.
3. Optimise Your Website for Kiwi Users
Your website is your silent salesman. Make it work hard.
4. Multi-Channel Outreach Across Aotearoa
To reach decision-makers across the country, go multi-channel.
5. Measure, Test, and Improve
Smart marketing is never static.
Local Legends Doing It Right
Here are some NZ businesses nailing B2B marketing:
Final Thought
Smart B2B marketing in New Zealand is about understanding people, solving problems, and building trust. When you get that right, you’re not just selling, you’re helping Aotearoa win.
When was the last time a brand truly romanced you? Not just nudged you with a discount or waved a loyalty card, but made you feel something - curiosity, delight, even affection. Perhaps it was the thrill of discovering a product that seemed to understand you, or the comfort of a brand that always shows up with just what you need. Like any meaningful relationship, marketing is emotional, unpredictable and, when done well, deeply rewarding.
We often frame marketing in transactional terms: offers, conversions, retention. But beneath the spreadsheets and KPIs lies something more human. Brands are constantly courting us, using the timeless stages of romance to appeal to our emotional instincts. Because, let’s face it, we’re not as rational as we like to think. We’re wired to respond to emotion, and positive emotion is the elixir we chase, whether in love or in loyalty.
So how do brands build lasting relationships? Let’s explore the four stages of marketing romance.
The Pre-Stage: Brand Development – The Self-Discovery Phase
Before any romance begins, there’s a period of self-reflection. Brands, like people, need to know who they are before they can attract the right audience. This is the “getting ready” phase, where you define your values, polish your personality, and figure out what makes you special.
It’s not just about looking good; it’s about being authentic. What are your strengths? What makes you different? Who do you naturally appeal to? Not everyone will find you attractive and that’s okay. The goal is clarity, not universal appeal.
This foundational work sets the tone for everything that follows. Brands that skip this step risk coming across as inconsistent or inauthentic. Those that embrace it, like Dove with its “Real Beauty” campaign, build trust by standing for something meaningful.
Stage 1: Attraction – Making a Memorable First Impression
This is the “meet cute.” Your brand shows up - on social media, in a store, or through a clever ad - and makes someone stop and say, “Hmm, interesting.” First impressions matter, and they’re rarely about features. They’re about feelings.
Effective attraction isn’t about shouting the loudest, it’s about resonating emotionally. Air New Zealand’s safety videos, for instance, transformed a routine message into a cinematic experience. By infusing creativity and cultural pride, the airline not only informed but delighted, leaving a lasting impression.
At this stage, brands must speak to their audience’s aspirations, not their own attributes. It’s not about what you sell, it’s about how you make people feel.
Stage 2: The First Date – Delivering on the Promise
Once a customer engages, by trying a product, visiting a store, or signing up for a service, the brand must deliver. This is the moment of truth: does the experience match the expectation?
This stage is about consistency, clarity, and charm. Overpromise, and you risk disappointment. Underpromise, and you may never get the chance.
Stage 3: The Relationship – Nurturing the Connection
With trust established, the relationship enters a phase of growth. Brands must remain consistent, relevant, and emotionally attuned. This is where content, communication, and customer experience play a vital role.
Spotify excels in this domain. Through personalised playlists, wrapped summaries, and timely recommendations, it maintains a dynamic and responsive relationship with users. It’s not just about music, it’s about feeling understood and appreciated.
Relationships thrive on attention and empathy. Brands must stay interesting, responsive, and attuned to their audience’s evolving needs.
Stage 4: Keeping the Love Alive – Staying Fresh and Thoughtful
Even the strongest relationships need renewal. As customer needs evolve, brands must continue to surprise, delight, and adapt. Small gestures, like unexpected perks or thoughtful updates, can reignite affection and loyalty.
This stage is about deepening the bond. It’s less about grand gestures and more about thoughtful touches that show you care.
Conclusion: Marketing with Heart
Marketing isn’t just about selling, it’s about connecting. When brands approach their audience with empathy, authenticity, and emotional intelligence, they build relationships that go beyond the product. In a marketplace full of options, the brands that win hearts are those that understand the value of emotional resonance.
By thinking like a romantic - curious, attentive, and emotionally aware - marketers can create experiences that don’t just convert but endure.
Ah, love. That elusive, powerful force we humans chase all our lives. It’s not all we need - but it’s certainly up there. We admire it, we hold onto it, and we build our lives around it. But what if love isn’t just reserved for people? What if we could fall in love with brands?
At first glance, that might sound absurd. Brands are artificial constructs, right? Just logos, slogans, and marketing campaigns. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find something far more profound at play. There’s a reason we form emotional attachments to certain brands - they reflect who we are, and more importantly, who we want to be.
The Idea of Brand Love
A brand you love is more than a product or service. It’s a relationship. You trust it. You advocate for it. You remain loyal to it, even when alternatives arise. Why? Because it’s not just about what the brand does - it’s about what it means to you.
The Psychology Behind Brand Affection
To understand this, we need to stop thinking like marketers and start thinking like consumers. A good brand is an expression of your better self. It’s a wish fulfilled. It’s how you want to be seen.
Take kids, for example. They’re emotional purists. My 11-year-old wants a Santa Cruz hoodie - not just because it looks cool, but because he believes it will transform his life. And in a way, he’s right. That hoodie represents the version of himself he aspires to be. It’s not just clothing - it’s identity.
This is the essence of brand love: the brand I love is me - not as I am, but as I wish to be. Great brand loyalty, then, is an act of self-love.
Building Brands People Love
So, how do we create brands that people fall in love with?
The cardinal rule: branding should always centre on the person who uses the thing, not the thing itself. The user is the hero of the story. Your brand is the tool that helps them become who they want to be.
Think of LEGO. It doesn’t just sell bricks - it sells transformation. It turns users into creators. It builds a world where creativity is the highest value.
Think of the Liquid Death water brand, it sells the ‘living on the edge’ & being a rockstar and its water. Quite the marketing coup. You are buying rebellion.
This isn’t out of reach for any brand. Even in a uniquely Kiwi context, we have powerful examples:
The Romantic Playbook for Brands
If we were to write a romantic playbook for brands, it would include:
The Heart of Brand Love
All beloved brands share common traits:
Because when a brand truly believes in itself, we believe in it too.
If you want people to fall in love with your brand, you have to fall in love with it first. You have to believe in its purpose, its story, and its power to transform lives.
Because in the end, great branding isn’t about selling. It’s about connecting. It’s about building a world your audience wants to live in - and inviting them to become the best version of themselves within it.
When you open up emotionally great things tend to happen. People get to know the real you and they like it. People are impressed by your transparency and willingness to be vulnerable; it puts them at ease and the empathy can flow freely between you, becoming an ongoing conversation. It’s a conversation where we fill in the gaps to make a positive narrative because we believe you had the courage to be honest and lay bare who you are, without the concern of judgement or fear of rejection.
We have all experienced moments like this with friends or even a surprise moment with a colleague in a meeting. Moments of pure emotion offer a mirror up to the understanding we want and the acceptance we crave. It allows people to realise that is not only how they feel, but that you made them feel better and that is a deep connection worth fostering.
This sounds like it is straight off the psychiatrists couch but, honestly, if we are bold enough to apply this to our marketing it means we can truly connect. Great brands have cracked this code and we have our favourites; the ones we wear, we drive, brands we trust to give our kids, the ones we hold dear in our hearts. Think Toyota, Vogels, Anchor and add in the brand that moves you. Personally, I love Land Rover; it’s a car brand I keep going back to and they just have a perfect understanding of what I want and what is in my imagination.
All of these brands have something in common: they have a passionate and fearless marketer behind them. This marketer will pour their hearts into making sure the brand experience will connect on a deep level and pull triggers in our brain that really mean something for years to come.
What does it mean to pour your heart into a brand? Well, it means having an understanding of how your relationships in the real world mirror the relationship you want people to have with the product or service you are marketing.
You see, great brands are living emotional entities that forge deep relationships with their audience. For my kids LEGO has a very special place. They know LEGO ‘gets them’, and they want to spend hours on end with the brand, to the extent that they have posters on the wall and watch the videos. Having LEGO is like having a playdate; it is familiar, fun, has an emotional security and never lets them down. Those marketers at LEGO surely pour their hearts into their marketing and the products - you can’t fool a 9-year-old.
Vogels is a brand closer to home where you can clearly see the oodles of care poured into the experience from the marketers. How else could a bread embody a nation’s love, even from overseas? Each marketing chapter is lovingly crafted, it builds on the last - you can tell it really matters. It goes beyond the bread and enters into your consciousness about how emotionally close you are to your country and your family. It’s a Kiwi icon. This is a relationship that goes deep and is intragenerational. Something we can all aspire to with our endeavours. It certainly puts the pressure on when it’s your turn to take the marketing reins.
When you genuinely put your heart into your marketing, your brand becomes more authentic, which in turn builds trust and loyalty with your audience. This also means that you have meaningful, emotional messaging that resonates. This leads to a deeper connection which brings us back to fostering genuine relationships where we have moved beyond the merely transactional.
Finally, it’s clear that we live in a very crowded market place, but the one thing in short supply is passion. So, to truly differentiate yourself, the formula is pretty clear - open your heart and pour it passionately into your brand.
Afterall, what customers are really buying is you.
Over many years in strategy, I have been thrilled at the marketing campaigns I have had the good fortune to be involved with. All of us can agree that working in a team on the gem of an idea, to testing with consumers, and ultimately the big roll-out, is a hugely rewarding exercise. Creating emotional meaning is at the core of what we do.
It used to be that we began by ‘interrogating the product’ until its unique selling proposition came shining out and we could set sail. However, there are now a lot more service brands than before. If you ask yourself what products you love its easy, you have touched them, consumed them and grown up with them. However, the service economy dominates these days, with a surge in digital and on-demand offerings, leading to a plethora of service brands compared to traditional product-based companies. It’s not only SAAS brands taking the spotlight, many of your favourite products are now on subscription services, which themselves have bespoke marketing. Factor into that Telco’s, who technically offer a service, but certainly blur the lines. However, I do wonder if you love your telco the same way you love your iPhone? Probably not.
The obvious difference between a service and product is that products are tangible and services are intangible. Traditionally, a product is much easier to market as it can be shown, demonstrated, touched, and displayed. Tangible products were much easier for the audience to understand in terms of value or whether they were even needed. You can’t see or touch a service, so showing value to your audience is a very different proposition. A service is about an ongoing relationship, much more complex to navigate.
Clearly there are sub-categories here where services have a physical product - My Food Bag has a distinctly tangible (very tasty) product, but it is still technically a service. It certainly has a lot of love in Kiwi Households. Thanks Nadia.
When a business sells a product to a customer, the buyer takes it away with them. In the case of a service, you must go to the provider to enjoy or experience it. A service will always be connected to the business who provides it. In the case of My Food Bag, all of the produce in the box and the service are inseparable; tricky eh?
B2B services have some very distinct characteristics and, in many ways, are a more ‘pure service’ model. They, of course, have to sell the efficacy and values of their service, but the biggest currency they need to crack in the first instance is ‘trust’. Once they stand for this, you can move up the emotional hierarchy to like and love. As you climb, the balance sheet and sales funnel will be considerably healthier.
The traditional levers of product marketing; spreading the word, boosting sales and showing off features are clearly effective. But as markets have evolved, we see that translating features into benefits is more personal and more effective e.g. a long battery life in a phone is about freedom to explore. Service brands can benefit from this hugely.
What services and products both need is great emotional brand marketing. Work that truly understands the customer and is based on an insight that will trigger sales. Economies over the last 10 years have evolved. This means that it is not necessarily what the product or service does that will make it a success, but how it will make their customers feel.
To this end, marketing the master brand’s highly emotive appeal via a thoroughly researched insight will create a broader, more effective selling proposition. The specifics and product points underneath this master message will then be seen in a positive light, because the customer is pre-disposed to empathise with you and like you.
So back to our original question. Is it easier to fall in love with a product or service brand? Clearly in the times we live, the lines are more nuanced. The answer for me, is to market to the highest and most potent emotional need. People ‘love’ products and services that really take the time to get to know them, that really solve their emotional hopes and fears. We love products and services that actively court us with a relationship and then constantly exceed expectations. Amazon often gets demonized, as does Temu (whilst being annoying), me and my kids love it, great service and they really make the effort. With professional services you certainly have clients saying “Oh I just love my ad agency, they just get me” same goes for Insurance Brokers and Lawyers. You love the people you deal with and the best qualities of they deliver. This needs to be the core elements you amplify for the marketing. For services empathy, expertise & understanding are a winning formula. Dial up the emotion and be wildly ambitious for the needs you can not only meet but surpass. This will deliver the numbers and stand the test of time. Perhaps, it will even get you into the Marketing Association’s next 50 years of great ads.
With the times being what they are currently in Aotearoa, it’s far too easy to get a little down and just get on with the day-to-day, forgetting why you absolutely love what you do. That’s right, marketing is a passion business; we get to do amazing things and, yes, our core function is to make Kiwis and their families happy.
This is something to celebrate; let me explain.
Happy customers are the lifeblood of any business. They are the reason companies and brands prosper, they increase profit and margin - it’s a win-win.
In marketing it is our focus to build a happy customer base. We are the most qualified to do it and (dare I say) the most emotionally sensitive to the levers we have to pull to make people happy. Within this discussion it is crucial to know how we achieve customer happiness, that is to say how satisfied they are after interacting with your brand. Happiness comes when we take our clients beyond simple satisfaction. This is a winning metric every time. It will impact customer referral, brand reputation, retention rates and, ultimately, business success. It’s also a very friendly term for CEO’s, Boards and the C-Suite generally, because we all understand the nature of happiness and its impact.
Many countries now publish their happiness index and it is directly linked to how productive the country is; the figure generally correlates well with GDP. So as a nation, we need happiness to prosper.
Happiness strategies for marketing are empathy-based, so we need to delve into the emotional insights. Look at the pain points of your customers, the goals they are trying to reach, and then how your products or services can assist in accomplishing those goals. Can your product help them be a better parent, offer a reward for work well done, bring their family together, give them status? Answering any of these needs will lead to happy customers.
My goal is always to be a great Dad to my young boys, so I am constantly on the lookout for products and services that can help me. At the weekend I went to MOTAT, which was full of fun activities. It was bubble weekend and the silliness of this activity made us all happy. I saw the marketing and its promise, bought tickets, and the experience delivered. MOTAT’s marketing team made the Taylor boys very happy. They didn’t sell the product, but the benefit of the experience: happiness.
This brings me to marketing campaigns: will they make your target audience happy? Are your ads smiling? If your aim to sell happiness is genuine, then you’ve got to focus on selling the experience over the product.
Marketing to happiness, also known as joy marketing in the USA, should do what it says on the tin - create joy. It is aimed at strengthening the connection between the brand and the target audience via great emotional insights. Or what we would call good strategic planning in New Zealand.
This has definitely been in short supply over the last few years, and it feels like we have been cautious as to what we can say and whether it is appropriate to make consumers smile. This is understandable as times have been incredibly tough and this has taken its toll on the nation as a whole.
I am a big fan of the TRA (The Research Agency) and they recently published research on this very subject: https://www.theresearchagency.com/play
I thoroughly recommend having a read. They interviewed 2,000 consumers around the concept of joy and brands. They saw joy and happiness as a crucial tool and this makes sense - a moment of play or shared laughter triggered by a brand has beneficial effects for both. This is a great emotional exchange and, as we have said, happiness leads to a great place for both the business and consumer.
As we start our journey in 2025, people are seeking joy more than ever before. Pandemics and recessions have left us weary and hungry for a lightness of touch and a shared sense of humour. This is a year where things are getting better and peoples’ lives will improve. For us marketing folk, it is always easier to push on an open door, to be ahead of any wave, and what better strategy for our country right now than to be selling happiness. It’s something worth getting passionate about, and sure to bring a smile to faces.
2024 was the toughest year I have ever had in business. This says a lot as I started my agency back in 2010 during the GFC, so we have seen some drama. I am entering 2025 in a great position – the Agency has picked up a lot of new clients and staff have been simply outstanding. What this year has taught me is that marketing has changed; consumers have, in many ways, moved faster than us marketers could keep up.
This is not unusual. In recessionary times behavioural change is forced upon people simply because their resources are running out. That has been the defining nature of this ongoing downturn; it has been deep and just keeps getting harder for people. The latest GDP figures show another 1% contraction.
What is surprising is that the headlines in the press are in disbelief, and seasoned commentators have echoed this. Let’s be clear, this was forecast, it is here, and it is not going away until the second half of 2025 at the earliest. Remember the saying? Hope is not a strategy. To have survived in business over the last two years, this is most definitely true.
What has remained high is optimism; business and consumers do see things getting better and we do have a roadmap. Interest rates will come down further in February with a 0.5% reduction forecast; the aim is to get it to 3% by year-end (at this stage). All those of us with mortgages will be singing collective Hallelujahs.
Consumers have changed and so how should we change our marketing response? Consumers have been through an ‘accelerated culture’ and it has been rather profound. Many of them are on Temu now, and will never see the inside of a Warehouse or Briscoes again (go on admit it, you were shocked at the prices and have had a dabble). They have been forced to lower their horizons and have been pleasantly surprised. Online groceries and delivery has proven more cost-effective and these are only a couple of examples. We have to wonder what will change them back to their old ways.
The answer is that behaviour can always be changed, but we marketers also have to adapt. If the rules of the game change, you either take advantage of that or you fall victim to a competitor who evolved. The experiences we design for customers simply have to be better.
I don’t have a silver bullet, but as a fan of Anthropology, Psychology and Sociology I have a firm belief that the answers to our own successes lie within us all.
I took my two little boys on a camping tiki tour of the North Island over the holidays and we went to lots of different campsites. I made a point of listening to families. Really listening to their struggles and daily lives. The stories are both heartwarming and insightful. Kiwi family life is still joyful, but how and what they shop for has changed, so have their perspectives. They are hopeful, looking for things that will make their lives better, and happy to be done with 2024. They see the light coming and can’t wait. The best thing you can do as a marketer is get out of your bubble and your income bracket and interact, at length, with your target audience. They will surprise you, and the genuine empathy you will take away could be the key to your next successful launch. Remember, consumer insights are found through talking to people and understanding them, not via spreadsheets.
It’s clear that the politics of the USA and Aotearoa have changed in the last two years - the electorates have been pretty clear about that. What has been less talked about is that people have had a gut full of being told what is acceptable for them to think. Recession has shown people what really matters and they have little patience for unqualified experts preaching alien values. The politics of woke reached a zenith in 2023, the election of new governments were a clear reaction to that. People want to be able to laugh again and not have to check who is going to judge them. It is down to personal preference what you believe in, but I think Jaguar cars are certainly regretting pushing a laughable agenda down our throats. Simple rule, don’t push a narrow agenda-loaded message to a mass audience. You probably won’t sell much. (Full disclosure: I actually own a Jag). Marketers need to be ahead of trends, not behind. Inclusivity is a fundamental value we need to get across, until you push it so far that you start to exclude your core target consumers by pushing an agenda on them.
You need a live dashboard linking your marketing spend and sales data right now. This is a non-negotiable; how can you track the effectiveness of your sales and marketing efforts if you cannot see your results in real-time? Google and Meta have amazing resources you can tap into and having this at your fingertips is just a game changer. Think about it like this, if you are setting a KPI, isn’t it great that everyone who has a responsibility for it has access to the same data? It is super motivating and having visibility 24/7 is the key to evolved strategies. Accountability creates results.
We are seeing glimmers of hope on the horizon. What shape is your brand in and when was the last time you really looked at it? If we are going to win with our products and services we need to make sure they are still appealing and motivating for customers. Do we look up to date? Have we been out-maneuvered, whilst we held marketing funds back? Do our value propositions still work in this changed environment? All of these questions are absolutely valid because the playing field in which brands operate is constantly evolving and we need to adapt with it. When was the last time you sat down as a management team and really interrogated how effective your consumer propositions are? It is hugely important in today’s highly evolved digital environment that a brand’s look and feel is fit for all channels.
We recently won a large B2B retailer and, as preparation, I went out to interview customers at their workplaces. What we found was that their media habits had changed drastically compared to what was accepted. Also lots of the links that they clicked on went to the wrong web pages or simply did not work. These were relatively easy fixes, but it illustrates that you need to be constantly optimising your media channels so that they are fit for your audience. Recession changes what people watch, read and do. We need to be constantly open to what they need and how we can be ahead of the curve.
So there you have it. Not an exhaustive list, but certainly things that will help make sure you get through this recession prosperously to the other side. We are nearly there folks, good times are around the corner and we want to make sure that when the bigger customer dollars are being spent our marketing efforts are perfectly placed to help them out.
