In the June-August 2026 issue of NZ Marketing magazine, we asked agency founders to tell us the story behind why they started their agency, their favourite thing, what they’ve learned and their best advice.
WPR
- Founder: Jacquie Boer
- Year founded: 2012
Tell us the story behind founding your agency.
With the wind under my wings of winning a Public Relations Institute of New Zealand award for post-earthquake marketing and communications work for the University of Canterbury, I moved to Nelson as a newly single parent of two kids (aged four and five) and started my agency. It was a way to fully support my family, work flexibly and apply my skills to a wide range of client work.
Early clients included the largest forestry company in the region, Port Nelson, Pic’s Peanut Butter and independent science research institute The Cawthron Institute. Since then, WPR has worked with more than 160 clients around NZ and in Australia.
Current clients include Wilsons Abel Tasman, Gearshop, Hayden Brown and Maruia River Retreat. Last year we were a finalist in the community relations category of the International Public Relations Awards.
What’s your favourite thing about running your own agency?
The variety of work we can get involved in and the flexibility to choose who we work with.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received or given out?
We work best with people and businesses whose values we share. When values are aligned, ideas blossom, decisions are made easily and great results flow.
Best advice?
Consultancy is about demonstrating value, not justifying cost.
Anything else we should know?
I particularly enjoy uplifting other practitioners. It’s been a real job to nurture other talented people in my consultancy and see them go on to shine in their work with our clients – and their work in their own consultancies and in roles after they leave WPR.
This story comes from NZ Marketing magazine issue 87, June-August 2026. Why not subscribe? Get four issues a year for just $50 (including delivery) if you autorenew.
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