AUCKLAND, Today: Kiwi dairy just entered the fantasy sports arena with Meadow Fresh Fantasy Herd, believed to be the world’s first fantasy league powered by real cows.
Created for Meadow Fresh by McCann New Zealand, the game lets players draft actual cows, track real farm data, and compete for a $20,000 top prize.
Like fantasy football, Fantasy Herd runs on real performance stats, pulling milking output and behavioural data from Nottingham Dairy Farm’s North Otago herd.
Players can build lineups from more than 500 cows, including Spotty Pippen, Phillipa Tanker, and Pasture Shredder, each fitted with a solar-powered smart collar from ag-tech company Halter.
The game launched nationally during the Super Bowl LX halftime broadcast on TVNZ1 through a first-of-its-kind partnership with Together and TVNZ, turning the global spectacle into a live draft moment.
Support includes an exclusive Meadow Fresh broadcast sponsorship, teaser content with TVNZ’s marketing team, and weekly updates running within the 1News sport segment.
“On the surface, Fantasy Herd is playful and fun, but underneath the banter is a bigger purpose.” – Gary Steele, Chief Creative Officer at McCann New Zealand
“On the surface, Fantasy Herd is playful and fun, but underneath the banter is a bigger purpose,” said Gary Steele, Chief Creative Officer at McCann New Zealand.
“Dairy remains one of New Zealand’s most important industries, yet most people only ever see the finished product. Fantasy Herd uses genuine data and Kiwi humour to show the care, innovation and technology behind modern dairy.”
Meadow Fresh Marketing Manager, Jen Jones, said the aim is to bring dairy farming into popular culture in a way that feels unexpected and entertaining.
“Fantasy Herd celebrates modern dairy, it’s high-tech, competitive, and a bit cheeky. Partnering with TVNZ and launching during the Super Bowl created a shared national moment, turning a global sporting event into something uniquely Kiwi.”
Together Client Principal, Jess May said the partnership behind Fantasy Herd showcases Together’s creative bravery in media.
“The cows don’t know they’re athletes yet, but we’re already debating who should be captain.” – Tim Richards, North Otago farmer
“Local NZ partnerships are at the heart of the campaign, including a deep collaboration with TVNZ – spanning cobranded launch assets, a live-cross 3-minute halftime takeover and TVNZ+ audience engagement – alongside locally backed integrations such as the travelling fanzone with MediaWorks and weekly updates on The Crowd Goes Wild. We can’t wait for the world to see it!”
North Otago farmer, Tim Richards, whose cows feature in the league, says the concept is already sparking debate on farm.
“The cows don’t know they’re athletes yet, but we’re already debating who should be captain,” Richards said. “If a bit of friendly competition helps people appreciate the work that goes into producing great milk, that’s a win.”
Draft Week opened 9 February, giving players time to study stats, build their herds, choose a captain cow, and join leagues ahead of the first competition round.
After six rounds, the highest-scoring herder will be crowned Fantasy Herd Champion and take home $20,000*.
Players can register and build their herd now at fantasyherd.co.nz
*T&Cs apply. NZ residents 18+. Commences 26/1/26. Ends 30/3/26. Full T&Cs available at fantasyherd.co.nz
CREDITS
Danielle Dyson: Head of Marketing, Dairy
Jen Jones: Meadow Fresh Marketing Manager
Harriet Munro: Meadow Fresh Brand Manager
Michelle Petry: Category Activation Manager – Dairy
Creative Agency: McCann New Zealand
Film Company: Sweetshop New Zealand + The Gardening Club
Media Agency: Together
PR Agency: Mango Communications
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