| Winner | Zuru Group |
| Finalists | ANZ Bank New Zealand, DB Breweries, Farrah’s, Goodman Fielder, My Food Bag, New Zealand Olympic Committee, Restaurant Brands – KFC NZ, Toyota New Zealand |
| Judges’ comments | “This year’s entrants demonstrated an increasingly significant role in the strategic contributions to their business. The sheer degree of difficulty of disrupting on a global scale made the Zuru marketing team stand out. They successfully compete with the world’s biggest multinationals in toys and consumer packaged goods. Their passion and energy are fuelling this New Zealand-based team to win on the world stage. They’re laser focused on commercial outcomes and impress with the level of trust they have with some of the world’s largest retailers. Their ‘win or you learn’ culture to drive fast, smart and defensible decisions, fuelled by data, is the secret to their phenomenal success. It highlights the impact an innovative New Zealand marketing team can have internationally.” |
World-class marketing, made in Aotearoa
A nimble team of 60 marketing experts is proving what a creative and collaborative culture can achieve. Unafraid to challenge the status quo, Zuru is redefining what’s possible in the global FMCG landscape.
A close-knit team, driven by speed, agility and innovation, has proven that world-class marketing can be built right here in Aotearoa and scaled globally.
Founded in 2003 by Waikato-born siblings Nick, Anna and Mat Mowbray, Zuru has rapidly expanded across categories such as toys, beauty and wellness products, pet care, baby care, household items and confectionery. Today, the company operates across three core divisions: Zuru Toys, Zuru Edge (consumer goods) and Zuru Tech (construction).
Creativity is at the centre of everything they do. It inspires a team unafraid to “challenge legacy thinking and inject radical innovation, value, quality and delight into categories that are overdue for disruption,” says Zuru.
An entirely in-house agency, every framework, process and tool was built from the ground up. This enabled pace, precision and creativity at scale.
Zuru’s purpose-built approach also allows it to turn cultural trends and customer insights into action at speed, optimising in real-time and driving more effective decision-making across the business.
“Kids’ tastes change very six months, more or less,” CEO Nick Mowbray has been quoted as saying. “So you’re constantly changing products, running at a pace most industries can’t imagine.”
At Zuru, “each team member is empowered to think like an entrepreneur – bold, resourceful and relentlessly curious. The culture thrives on constructive candour, ambition without ego and constant iteration,” says Zuru.
“We love ideas with real imagination. We’re always asking, ‘What if?’ or ‘Imagine that,’” says Zuru Toys creative director Adam Woods.
Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and a ‘win or you learn’ culture, Zuru’s marketing team has reached several milestones over the past year.
US recognition
The team was awarded ‘Overall Supplier of the Year’ for Consumables and ‘Supplier of the Year’ for Price Excellence by Walmart US.
They were also recognised by Target US as ‘Demand Generation Supplier of the Year’ for their pet treat brand Bonkers and luxury diapers Millie Moon.
Rascals and Millie Moon even became the fastest-growing nappy brands in North America, each earning a spot on Bain’s Insurgent Brands List for growing at 10 times the category average – Rascals for three years and Millie Moon for two. Zuru’s Monday haircare joined the list in 2025.
With Zuru’s track record, strong teamwork is key. The marketing team stays nimble and aligned, uniting internal teams spanning brand, design, creative and performance.
They use a ‘cross-pollination’ model where insights, learnings and strategies are shared across verticals. This collaboration comes to life through creative jams and ‘Brains Trust’ meetings.
With 60 marketing experts under one roof, the approach enables swift action and learning. It also fosters healthy internal competition to keep improving and innovating, says Zuru.
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.
Partnerships bring insight
That collaborative ethos also extends beyond internal teams.
Zuru has fostered crucial partnerships with key players such as Google, TikTok and The Trade Desk, providing the company with first-in-the-world access to exclusive data, formats and insights.
For example, TikTok’s exclusive Trends API provides trending hashtag data that directly influences product development and content creation. In addition, Google’s Meridian code has significantly enhanced Zuru’s Marketing Mix Modelling tool, driving smarter and more efficient marketing investments.
By continuously evolving with their partners, using data-driven insights and sharing cross-functional expertise, Zuru’s marketing team is driving change and transforming the FMCG landscape, all from the heart of Aotearoa.
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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