| Winner | Vogel’s |
| Marketing partners | DDB, MBM, Mango |
| Finalists | 2degrees, Bonkers, KFC New Zealand, Kiwibank, Pak’nSave, Toyota New Zealand |
International judge Thomas Barta’s comments | “Judging the 2025 YouTube NZ Marketing Awards was tough – because all entries were very good. But Vogel’s stood out. Their brave creative work didn’t just move customer hearts, it moved wallets. This team achieved what real marketing leaders want: profitable growth. Congratulations Vogel’s team! Brand of the Year. Well deserved.” |
Live, laugh, loaf
The length Vogel’s lovers go to for the perfectly toasted slice are well known. Goodman Fielder’s entertaining campaigns leaned into this devotion and proved their bread is worth an extra dollar.
Vogel’s knows it occupies a special place in Kiwi hearts. On the packet it boldly claims to be: “The bread for New Zealanders.”
Amid a cost of living crisis, a single dollar matters more to grocery buyers than you might think. Yet Vogel’s asked for a dollar more, just as Kiwis across the country were cutting back in every way they could.
Meanwhile, the rise in gluten-free consumption over the past decades has added pressures to the traditional bread market – and even beloved brands like Vogel’s aren’t immune to macro market forces.
To help convince consumers that an extra buck on a loaf wasn’t too much to swallow, Vogel’s introduced a new brand platform: “Nothing Compares.”
“Sure, the brand is the only NZ bread with a wet bake formula. But that doesn’t sound very sexy or valuable,” says Vogel’s.
What makes it one of a kind is the sacrifice people make before they eat it. “It demands more effort and patience than any other bread in the aisle.”
Vogel’s lovers know the key to truly enjoying the bread is to have it toasted, but one click of the toaster is never enough to perfect that crunch. Still, says Vogel’s, it’s worth the wait – because that dense, moist texture is exactly what Kiwis love and crave.
Emotional connection
World-renowned expert in marketing effectiveness Les Binet says: “Getting people to pay more for the same old shit is not a rational thing. It’s emotional. The key to pricing is to get people to feel strongly about your brand. To disengage the rational and make people want the thing at any price.”
Vogel’s took that advice to heart, translating consumers’ sacrifice into irrational loyalty and creating two
hero campaigns that celebrate the lengths Vogel’s lovers will go to for the perfect toast.
“In our first story, we asked the question, ‘What would you do if this was interrupted?’” says Vogel’s.
The 2020 ad features local musician Troy Kingi on an epic adventure after the power cuts out partway through toasting his Vogel’s. Determined to finish the job, he charges through his house, down the street and across backyards and social divides – all in his pink dressing gown.
Another ad from 2023 follows the same narrative: proving Vogel’s lovers’ loyalty beyond reason by sending them on a hyperbolised mission, and rewarding them with a happy, toasty ending.
Who won, who they were up against and what the judges had to say.
We bring you all the details for every category in the YouTube NZ Marketing Awards 2025.
This time, fate takes an unexpected turn when a grocery order is accidentally dropped off at the wrong address. Gareth, a true Vogel’s loyalist, finds himself facing a crew of intimidating neighbours. He pushes through the awkwardness and any potential threat, all to get his loaf back.
“Our hero AV was upweighted across digital and TV channels prior to our price increase, reminding New Zealanders that no matter the price, Vogel’s is worth it,” Vogel’s explained in its awards entry.
By focusing on what makes Vogel’s unique – and its lovers unapologetic and heroic – the brand not only successfully took the price over the $5 cliff in March 2023, but also cemented its place in New Zealand culture.
“Our ads were loved and effective, reaching the top 10 of NZ’s Favourite Ads Survey within six months of launch.
“Both our hero brand-equity building TVCs earned Ad Impact Awards upon their launch, acknowledging their difference, memorability and impact,” notes the brand.
As a result, Vogel’s brand power grew, and market share rose to a dominating position during 2024.
Compare these stats to when Vogel’s raised prices by 20c in 2018, and unit sales dropped.
This time, however, despite inflation still squeezing grocery shoppers up and down the country, the price increase on a loaf coincided with a healthy rise in average monthly unit sales.
This story comes from NZ Marketing magazine issue 84, Sept-Nov 2025. Why not subscribe? Get four issues a year for just $50 (including delivery) if you autorenew.
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