| Winner | Ecostore |
| Marketing initiative | Ecostore Dr Michelle Dickinson partnership |
| Marketing partners | OMD, Thompson Spencer |
| Finalists | Auckland Transport (three initiatives), Chiefs Rugby Club, Lewis Road Creamery, New Zealand Rugby League, NZME, Sharesies, Shotover Jet |
| Judges’ comments | “This campaign was strategically clear, creatively strong and commercially effective. This entry demonstrated a very clear insight and strategy to solve a significant brand and business challenge: closing the gap between ecostore’s strong sustainability credentials and consumer perceptions of product performance. “The partnership with Dr Michelle Dickinson was a smart and credible creative execution, bringing science, trust and accessibility together in a way that felt highly relevant to the audience. The judges were impressed by the consistency of the entry, the clarity of the thinking, and the strength of the results delivered across brand perception, commercial performance and ranging. This was a well-defined campaign that took on an enormous challenge and delivered exceptional outcomes.” |
Here comes the science bit
After finding sales of its household cleaners in decline, ecostore set out to challenge the belief that ‘eco’ products aren’t as good as chemical cleaners.
In early 2025, ecostore found sales of its household cleaning products were in decline as supermarkets rationalised ranges and scrutinised underperforming lines.
And while ecostore has strong associations for sustainability and safety, it was a common belief that ‘eco’ products are not as effective as chemical cleaners.
Research confirmed that shoppers look for effectiveness and price first, with sustainability coming in second.
So to prove its plant and mineral-based products are up to the task, ecostore’s in-house marketing team forged a partnership with science educator Dr Michelle Dickinson.
Together they created a campaign to educate the public about ecostore and the ingredients it uses. The goal was to empower people to make more informed decisions and ultimately choose ecostore.
All about credibility
The campaign consisted of a series of eight videos released throughout the year. Each video dealt with a different topic.
Credibility, rather than celebrity, was the objective. In the videos, Dickinson acts as an independent interrogator, rather than an endorser, putting each claim to the test like a mini episode of Mythbusters. She would show the results then explain the science behind it in plain language.
The long-form hero videos were used to create trust and shift belief, then cut-downs and proof snippets were used for shorter formats across channels to reinforce the message. Conversion was the third layer, achieved through email communications and retail-ready proof points that helped people act.
Ecostore also built a supporting knowledge hub to ensure the campaign had longevity.
Genuinely useful
Dickinson, a long-time ecostore user, also shared little anecdotes during the videos which added genuine authenticity to the campaign. This included feeling comfortable to use washing up water on her vegetable garden because she knows the products don’t contain harsh chemicals.
“Most importantly, the partnership felt genuinely useful, not promotional,” says ecostore. “That authenticity helped the in-house team deliver evidence-led education in a way people could trust and it created a campaign we can keep building on with new topics over time.”
The campaign delivered a 12.4% increase in ‘makes effective products’ perception as well as lifts in brand awareness, consideration and preference.
Paid media and the hero videos reached nearly three million people, with the videos delivering 4.3 million impressions.
Ecostore went from decline to improved performance for household cleaners, while also growing share in the toilet cleaner category.
This story comes from NZ Marketing magazine issue 88, Sept-Nov 2026. Why not subscribe? Get four issues a year for just $50 (including delivery) if you autorenew.
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