As a new company with a small budget and giant competition, TRUESTOCK was able to achieve a large return on investment for a business that meets the demand for local stock imagery.

Building a unique brand

Stock image company Truestock was founded with the goal of authentically representing a diverse and multicultural Aotearoa. In preparation for its launch in October of 2021 the Truestock team devised a successful marketing strategy to get the business off the ground. 

Marketing was needed for the launch of the business to achieve three goals at a national level. These were to create brand awareness, attract customers and attract top local photographers. 

Truestock was a result of growing demand for more local and authentic stock images that reflected New Zealand. With this in mind, this integrated in the businesses marketing campaign. 

As a new company, Truestock’s marketing campaign had a very small budget of, covering the top three goals in the wake of the launch.

Truestock recognised the demand for its services would land across the creative, business and government sectors. To tap into these markets, Truestock realised that to get across to these sectors the campaign would have to resonate with them authentically at a diverse and high-quality level. 

Prior to launching, Truestock was set to enter a market run by giants such as Shutterstock. To set itself apart, the business made sure there was Tangata Whenua, Pasifika and ethnic minorities represented. 

In order to differentiate themselves, Truestock needed to market its brand by promoting its ethos, ethics and unique products. 

To market the company and meet its three goals, the brand sent out a number of press releases within the creative industry and mainstream media to further reach its target audience. 

The company was able to successfully get picked up by major media outlets to promote Truestock, increasing its engagement on channels such as LinkedIn. 

By marketing across Instagram, Truestock was able to reach and attract photographers, receiving hundreds of applicants, including multiple award winners. 

With this traction even before the company launched and the ability to acquire equipped photographers, Truestock achieved its marketing goals at a national level but needed to further its success. 

Since the launch of the company, Truestock garnered over 11,000 new users in seven months, with an average engagement of over three minutes. The company was able to optimise its Google SEO’s, making it rank in the top three search results for relevant keywords. 

Following this, Truestock was able to identify the major demands from its consumers and expand further to include Tangata Whenua, Diverse Workplaces Diverse People, Young at Heart and Whānau Diverse families. 

Immediately within seven months of launching, Truestock was able to receive 10 times the return of investment from its initial small budget. 

By recognising and filling a gap in the stock image market, marketing the new company Truestock was successful in ensuring brand awareness whilst also attracting customers and photographers in an industry run by giants.  

Category
Excellence in New Brand Development

Company
Truestock

Marketing Initiative
Truestock – Authentic Aotearoa Stock Images

Judges’ Comments
“Impressed with the thoroughness of the marketing strategy, based on strong research and insights. All elements were well connected, with a truly integrated marketing approach. A bold market move where you’ve found a clear gap and market opportunity has been identified and captured. Strong and quick results. A genuine care for the greater good, that has translated into commercial success. Clearly understood brand values and brand purpose that has resulted in a really unique commercial approach.”

Finalists
J.H. Whittaker & Sons; Lion; Smith&Burton; SRW Laboratories

Enter the 2023 TVNZ-NZ Marketing Awards

Got a marketing strategy worthy of this award? Enter it into 2023 TVNZ-NZ Marketing Awards today. Entries close at 5pm on April 28, 2023.

This article was originally published in the September/October 2022 issue of NZ Marketing. Click here to subscribe.