A collaboration between Fullers ferries and Newmarket-based digital agency Motion Sickness Studios has produced documentary-like content illustrating that – when it involves the Hauraki Gulf – the journey is just as important as the destination.
Over a four-month period, Motion Sickness identified and realigned Fullers’ brand values from a transport provider to a story maker, through redeveloping its website, tweaking the brand positioning, and producing video content that explores Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf and the characters and experiences that make it so special for both digital and social.
Samuel Stuchbury, creative director and founder of Motion Sickness Studios, says that the new campaigns and social direction for Fullers are a result of identifying the locals and regular commuters most impacted by Fullers’ on-board (and online) services and highlighting these Hauraki folks’ connection with the islands and its waters by telling their stories.
“It was important that what we created wasn’t a cheesy conventional tourist ad, but instead focussed on the locals and the real people getting amongst all that’s on offer,” he said. “What resulted was more authentic, raw, like a short documentary.”
Izania Downie, Fullers general manager, says that the new direction for the Fullers brand is part of its overhaul in improving its complete service offering, where they worked with frequent travellers to identify their top priorities when making the Gulf crossing.
“We wanted to show Fullers’ ability to unlock the Hauraki Gulf for its travellers, and allow them to begin experiencing their own adventures. On top of this, we identified the main triggers for a satisfying journey and went about making it happen on our ferries,” she says.
As part of the commitment to improvements, Fullers most recently revealed a $16 million investment for two new ferry builds and has this month introduced a new summer timetable with half-hour sailings for its Waiheke Island wine tourers and commuters alike.
The half-hour sailings coincide with a revamped on-board menu showing a focus on New Zealand sourced goods including some of the Island’s most moreish artisan products. The comprehensive timetable for the Waiheke crossing sees services starting at Auckland from 5:35am and the last late night service departing Waiheke at 12:30am, with over 400 journeys in any week coming to and from the Island.
“Reliability and a comprehensive timetable was seen as an absolute necessity to improving our offering over summer and the mix of food suppliers and options have been selected following many, many taste tests and a commitment to fresh products and natural ingredients,” Downie said.
Fullers, Downie says: Fullers boasts more than 25 years of investment in maritime transport and operate as part of the InMotion group of transport assets, and has placed a continued importance on customer satisfaction and evolution of its offer across the past six months.
The Fullers Waiheke Island and Tiritiri Matangi videos were produced in-house at Motion Sickness Studio Auckland.
About Fullers
The Auckland based company Fullers Group has been New Zealand’s leading ferry operator for over 20 years offering a range of ferry trips, tours and charters around Auckland Harbour and the islands of the Hauraki Gulf.
About Inmotion Group
InMotion Group represents the New Zealand operations of the Souter Investments portfolio. With a strong focus on growth, InMotion Group incorporates a diversified portfolio of transport assets across New Zealand. These assets include a number of well established companies – Fullers, 360 Discovery, Howick & Eastern buses, ManaBus.com, Mana Coach Services, Nakedbus.com and Reesby Buses – all with a strong market presence and successful operating models.
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