Contagion
Contagion is a privately-held, Auckland-based integrated marketing agency founded in 2010 that delivers brand strategy, creative, media, digital, design, website, and B2B marketing services to New Zealand SMEs and enterprises.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Contagion does
Contagion is a full-service integrated marketing agency headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, founded in 2010 by Dean Taylor. The firm operates from a single office at 4 Murdoch Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland, and employs approximately 10-12 staff organized across strategy, creative, media, digital, design, website development, and client services functions. It delivers seven core service lines: brand strategy, creative production, media planning and buying, digital marketing, design, websites, and B2B marketing, positioning itself as an 'all under one roof' alternative to larger holding-company agencies.
Its technology stack consists of standard third-party marketing platforms (Google Ads, Meta, TikTok for Business, programmatic ad networks, SEO/SEM tools) rather than proprietary software. The business model is professional services revenue generated through project-based fees, retainer arrangements, and scope-based pricing for NZ clients; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is sales-led, direct-to-client, with inbound demand supported by a content marketing engine (weekly blog, eBooks, SEO-optimized service pages). Customer segments are NZ SMEs and enterprises spanning financial services (Finance Now, NOW Rewards Visa), insurance (AMI), government (Tourism New Zealand, NZ On Air), retail (Paper Plus, Placemakers), and nonprofit (Surf Life Saving NZ, MOTAT, Toitu) verticals. Contagion is privately held, founder-owned, and has not raised institutional funding.
Contagion firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Contagion
- Legal name
- Contagion
- Website
- https://contagion.co.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Contagion is a privately-held, Auckland-based integrated marketing agency founded in 2010 that delivers brand strategy, creative, media, digital, design, website, and B2B marketing services to New Zealand SMEs and enterprises.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Contagion industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marketing Services
- NAICS
- Advertising Agencies (54181)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)
Keywords
Where Contagion is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auckland
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Contagion business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Marketing Services Revenue: Professional services revenue from providing integrated marketing services including brand strategy, creative campaigns, media planning and buying, digital marketing, design, and website development. Revenue generated through project-based fees, retainer arrangements, and scope-based pricing for ongoing client relationships.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Contagion product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Contagion is a full-service integrated marketing agency that delivers brand strategy, creative campaigns, media planning and buying, digital marketing, design, website development, and B2B marketing services to New Zealand businesses. The agency operates as a unified team combining strategy, creative, media, and design under one roof to develop campaigns, content, and digital experiences that grow brands, generate leads, and create revenue.
Product overview
Contagion is a full-service integrated marketing agency based in Auckland, New Zealand, founded in 2010. The agency operates as a unified service offering rather than a software platform, combining eight core service areas: Brand Strategy (including Brand Key, Planning Wheel, Needs Hierarchies, Archetypes, and NeedScope Mapping), Creative (integrated campaigns, TVC, social content, film, animation, photography), Media (strategy, planning, buying across digital and traditional channels), Digital Marketing (SEO, SEM, Google Ads, Meta Advertising, TikTok for Business, Programmatic, CRO, ROAS optimization), Design (website, logo, digital, iconography, illustration, merchandise, packaging), Websites (UX, UI, development, prototyping, e-commerce, front-end), and B2B Marketing (research, personas, strategy, content, social, media planning, analytics). These services are delivered by an integrated team of specialists who work collaboratively across disciplines to develop campaigns and content that grow brands and generate revenue.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Brand Strategy Strategic brand development service that uses proprietary frameworks (Brand Key, Planning Wheel, Needs Hierarchies, Archetypes, NeedScope Mapping) to create compelling customer propositions and brand narratives for New Zealand businesses.
- Creative Full-service creative offering encompassing integrated and brand campaigns, TVC production, social content creation, film production, branding, animation, and photography for New Zealand brands.
- Media Media strategy, planning, and buying across digital and traditional channels, including SEM, SEO, analytics, and bespoke visual dashboard reporting with a focus on ROI and lead generation.
- Digital Marketing Performance-focused digital marketing including SEO, SEM, Google Ads, Ecommerce Marketing, Meta Advertising, TikTok for Business, Programmatic Marketing, Conversion Rate Optimisation, and ROAS optimisation reporting.
- Design Design services spanning website design, logo design, digital design, iconography, illustration, merchandise design, and packaging design for New Zealand brands.
- Websites Website design and development covering user experience, user interface, web design, prototyping, landing page design, e-commerce, front-end development, and digital publishing.
- B2B Marketing Business-to-business marketing services including research and insights, customer personas, marketing strategy, content creation, social media, media planning, digital marketing, SEO and SEM, and analytics and reporting for New Zealand B2B companies.
Quantifiable outcome
- 5-10x ROAS (Return On Ad Spend) for digital marketing clients
Companies that use Contagion
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Contagion technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Contagion partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Contagion competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Special Group: Award-winning independent New Zealand creative agency offering brand strategy, creative, and integrated campaign work, competing for similar SME and enterprise clients as Contagion.
- Ogilvy New Zealand: Auckland-based integrated marketing agency providing brand, creative, digital, PR, and media services to NZ and regional clients — overlapping directly with Contagion's service offering.
- DDB New Zealand: Auckland-based full-service creative and media agency under the DDB network, offering integrated brand, creative, and media services to NZ businesses — a direct competitor to Contagion.
- FCB New Zealand: Auckland-based full-service creative agency under the FCB network, offering integrated brand, creative, and media work to NZ enterprises — closely comparable to Contagion.
- Colenso BBDO: Auckland-based full-service creative and media agency and one of New Zealand's most awarded independent-network shops, directly comparable to Contagion as a local integrated agency serving enterprise and government clients.
- Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand: Auckland-headquartered full-service creative and media agency serving major NZ brands, competing with Contagion across brand strategy, creative, and integrated campaigns.
- YoungShand: Auckland-based independent marketing and creative agency providing brand, advertising, digital, and media services to NZ businesses — a direct local competitor with similar integrated offering.
- The Agency (formerly known as The Edge): Auckland-based full-service marketing and creative agency offering integrated brand, digital, and media services to NZ clients — directly comparable to Contagion's model.
- Chemistry Interactive: Auckland-based digital and creative agency providing digital marketing, design, and integrated campaign services to NZ businesses, overlapping with Contagion's digital marketing service line.
Broad incumbents
- VMLY&R New Zealand: Global integrated marketing network with NZ presence, offering brand strategy, creative, digital, and media services at scale — a larger incumbent that competes with Contagion for enterprise and government accounts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Contagion social profiles
Digital presenceContagion financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Contagion leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Contagion funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Contagion M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Contagion
What does Contagion do?
Contagion is a full-service integrated marketing agency that delivers brand strategy, creative campaigns, media planning and buying, digital marketing, design, website development, and B2B marketing services to New Zealand businesses. The agency operates as a unified team combining strategy, creative, media, and design under one roof to develop campaigns, content, and digital experiences that grow brands, generate leads, and create revenue.
Is Contagion a public or private company?
Contagion is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Contagion founded?
Contagion was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Contagion based?
Contagion is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Contagion make money?
One revenue line is on record: marketing Services Revenue.
Who are Contagion's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Special Group, Ogilvy New Zealand, DDB New Zealand, FCB New Zealand, Colenso BBDO, Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, YoungShand, The Agency (formerly known as The Edge) and Chemistry Interactive. VMLY&R New Zealand is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Contagion have an API?
No public API is recorded for Contagion.
What industry is Contagion in?
Contagion's product category is Marketing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAAAAA, Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies. Its NAICS code is 54181 and its SIC code is 7311.