In 2026, Insight Creative turns 50. To mark the milestone, the agency has released a series of short articles sharing practical lessons from five decades in business.
Creative and communications agency Insight Creative turns 50 this year, making it one of New Zealand’s longest-running design agencies.
Established in 1976 by Mike Tisdall, Insight Creative delivers design solutions for companies and government agencies across Australasia. Operating from offices in Auckland and Wellington, it also owns the fast-growing playtesting service Playful.
To mark the milestone, the team will celebrate its 50th anniversary throughout the year with past and present staff and clients. A key part of the celebration is ’50 years forward’, a series of short articles.
“We’re marking it by looking forward: sharing what 50 years of doing this work has taught us about helping organisations move people, build trust and deliver results, especially as the pace of change keeps rising,” says the agency.
With experience comes perspective
Reflecting on the past five decades, founder Mike Tisdall says: “The tools and channels have changed dramatically, from print to digital, from static to interactive, from single messages to whole ecosystems.
“Insight has adapted through every shift, staying curious about new technology and new ways to reach audiences, while reinforcing the fundamentals: get the thinking right, design with intent and focus on client results.”
Managing director Steven Giannoulis adds: “With experience comes perspective. For us, turning 50 isn’t just about reflecting on what we’ve achieved but using the lessons learnt to keep us and our clients moving forward, as the rate of change gets even faster.”
Practical lessons from five decades
’50 years forward’ brings together insights from Tisdall, Giannoulis and others as the year unfolds, offering different perspectives with a shared focus: practical thinking grounded in real client work.
The series draws on five decades in business to explore what has changed, what has stayed the same and what it takes to stay relevant through disruption, downturns, new technologies and shifting expectations.
It’s designed for leaders and organisations who value clarity, trust and work that delivers.
The first articles are live now, with more to follow throughout the year.
