The Warehouse, a retail chain of 84 budget-friendly stores, has been a stalwart of New Zealand life since 1982. No other retailer has the same footprint, reach or connection to New Zealand communities. And its new platform, This is Warehouse Country, by TBWA\New Zealand intends to make that its drawcard, celebrating the many ways The Warehouse shows up in everyday Kiwi life – like learning to drive in its car park and using its famous red bag for everything (even as an improvised sick bag on road trips and an umbrella in the wet).

This is Warehouse Country, a series of vignettes from The Warehouse lore (TVC & digital), and OOH, blends humour, warmth and nostalgia with a reminder of the breadth and value offered by The Warehouse today. The campaign kicks off a broader business transformation, that includes the evolution of the customer experience, an expanded store network, new merchandising initiatives, and category growth opportunities.

The campaign also reflects The Warehouse’s founding spirit. It was founded on an entrepreneurial ambition to make desirable products more affordable, and became a champion for everyday New Zealanders. This is Warehouse Country aims to reconnect with that legacy and restore the retailer to its number one position.

For TBWA\New Zealand, the challenge was to create a platform capable of helping a national retail icon rediscover its distinctiveness in a category increasingly defined by transactions rather than human connection.