| Winner | Pak’nSave |
| Marketing initiative | Stick to the Plan |
| Marketing partners | FCB, PHD |
| Finalists | 2degrees (two initiatives), ACC, ANZ Bank New Zealand, Fire and Emergency NZ, Powershop, Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency |
| Judges’ comments | “Best in class. A long-standing focused and simple campaign that reasonates across generations. Sticking to your plan is a case study for marketing excellence. You made this stick! Well done!” |
Stick with Stickman
Pak’nSave stuck to its core idea – using the most affordable spokesperson to illustrate its lowest food price promise for 18 years. No rebranding needed.
Pak’nSave’s motto has always been to provide New Zealand’s lowest food prices. So it keeps things simple: no fancy store layouts and a bulk-buying, warehouse-style format that helps cut costs. The savings are passed on to shoppers.
But what’s good for the wallet wasn’t always making people feel good about themselves. Low prices attracted and retained customers, yet many admitted that shopping at Pak’nSave made them feel “like a loser”.
Customers said the no-frills instore experience made them feel “they weren’t doing well, and didn’t have much money”. On top of negative perceptions around the shopping experience, Pak’nSave was up against a well-funded and rapidly expanding Woolworths. Simultaneously, external pressures such as inflation and new players like The Warehouse’s grocery in 2021 and Costco in Auckland in 2022 further intensified the challenge of attracting customers.
To turn their warehouse into a more enjoyable experience, Pak’nSave built its strategy around its brand truth: “Everything we do, we do to save you money.” In 2007, they introduced super-affordable spokesperson Stickman to make shoppers feel smart – not poor – about their choice.
They’ve stuck with Stickman ever since – instead of constant reinvention, Pak’nSave has kept its branding consistent for almost two decades.
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.
Stickman has led a marketing strategy focused on three pillars: promoting the sacrifices customers make for the lowest prices, providing evidence of the price gap between Pak’nSave and Woolworths and proving those lowest prices through promotions such as $5 Week and Meat Week.
This effective plan has helped Pak’nSave achieve its long-term goals, including growing market share to the highest it’s ever been. It has also reinforced its reputation as Aotearoa’s lowest-priced supermarket – and its relevancy by consistently appearing on TRA’s annual Favourite Ads list.
“It should be easier to stick with something successful rather than regularly reinventing it. But change
is hard to resist.
“Sticking to this strategy for 18 years has only been possible because of a sustained commitment to marketing principles over egos and a drive by our marketers,” says Pak’nSave.
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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