Branding for the North
As the region's economic development agency and regional tourism organisation, Northland Inc had a recognition problem. It carried two distinct mandates under a single name. Research and stakeholder feedback consistently showed the brand was confusing, undervalued, and disconnected from the people it existed to serve.
The decision was made to unify the organisation under a new name, Northland NZ, with a brief to create a brand that could hold both economic and tourism ambitions, speak to Te Tai Tokerau’s distinctive identity, and command credibility nationally and internationally. The new brand needed to feel like it belonged to the North.
bigfish led the full rebrand, from strategy and brand architecture through to a cultural narrative built around the promise Mō Te Tai Tokerau, for the North. We worked with the team to shape an identity that reflects the voyager spirit at the heart of the region, drawing on the Aramoana pattern, the steering paddle of the waka, and the valleys and waterways of Te Tai Tokerau. A flexible brand system now gives Northland NZ’s own initiatives a home under one roof, with enough room for partner and community programmes to sit alongside them. The result is a brand as connected as the communities, industries and people it represents.
Our work with Northland NZ extends into destination marketing, including Northland Style, a campaign identity grounded in the idea that Northland does things its own way: a little different, always rooted in real people and real places. Instead of one broad campaign, we built creative against seven distinct audience motivations, from Adventure & Challenge to Wine, Food & Music, each with its own imagery, headline and call to action. Professional photography and video sat alongside content from local operators and visitors, allowing the region’s own voice to carry each authentic story.
The campaign delivered results, even within a small market. Users grew 142%, up to 8,000 from 3,300 in the prior period, and sessions grew 138%, up to 10,000 from 4,200. Paid social achieved a 2.8% click-through rate against a 0.65% travel and tourism benchmark, across more than 739,000 impressions. Proof that an authentic, locally grounded story can outperform a bigger, blander one.
