Insight Creative
Insight Creative is a New Zealand creative agency founded in 1976, delivering strategy-led brand, employee engagement, digital, corporate reporting, and immersive experience services to enterprise and government clients from offices in Auckland and Wellington.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Insight Creative does
Insight Creative is a privately held New Zealand creative agency founded in 1976 by Mike Tisdall, operating from offices in Auckland and Wellington with a team of 11–50 staff. The firm delivers strategy-led brand, employee engagement, digital, marketing and communications, corporate reporting, and immersive experience services to large New Zealand corporates and government agencies. Long client relationships — many spanning 10–20+ years across names such as NZ Super Fund, Ravensdown, Reserve Bank of New Zealand, NZ Post, Genesis Energy, and Mercury — anchor a project-based professional services revenue model with consultative, workshop-driven selling rather than transactional volume.
The agency's technical and product surface extends beyond traditional creative services through the Mīharo innovation lab (established late 2021), which has produced proprietary offerings including Colorway Antics — a VR coloring game distributed globally on Steam, Oculus (Meta), Pico, and PlayStation — and Playful, a structured playtesting service for game studios launched in 2024. Complementary capabilities include interactive digital documents (PDFs augmented with embedded video, animations, and interactive maps), AR/VR/360° immersive experiences built on Unity, and EVP development grounded in te ao Māori frameworks. Revenue derives primarily from custom professional services engagements, supplemented by a modest licensing stream from Colorway Antics (notably a partnership with Minifunkids for therapeutic/educational use with neurodiverse children).
Insight Creative firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Insight Creative
- Legal name
- Insight Creative
- Website
- https://insightcreative.co.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Insight Creative is a New Zealand creative agency founded in 1976, delivering strategy-led brand, employee engagement, digital, corporate reporting, and immersive experience services to enterprise and government clients from offices in Auckland and Wellington.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Insight Creative industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Creative agency services
- NAICS
- Graphic Design Services (541430), Graphic Design Services (54143), Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Creative & Brand Campaign Development (BPAFAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Creative Concepting & Campaign Development (BPAFAEAD), Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD), Brand Activations & Experiential Campaign Design (MPAAAGAA), Visual Identity & Brand Design Systems (BPAFAEAC), Event Strategy & Experience Design (BPAFAGAA)
Keywords
Where Insight Creative is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auckland
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices2 records
Markets served
Insight Creative business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Creative Agency Services: Project-based professional services including brand development, digital design, employee engagement programs, corporate reporting, marketing communications, and immersive experiences. Revenue is generated through custom client engagements with pricing based on project scope and complexity.
- Product Licensing: Revenue from licensing proprietary products including Colorway Antics VR game distributed through gaming platforms (Steam, Meta, Pico) and licensed to third parties like Minifunkids for educational applications.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Insight Creative product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Insight Creative is a New Zealand creative and design agency that delivers strategic communication services for enterprise and government clients, including brand strategy and identity development, employee engagement and Employee Value Proposition (EVP) programs, corporate reporting (annual and integrated reports), digital experiences, marketing and communications campaigns, and immersive VR/AR/360° experiences. The firm supplements client services with an internal innovation lab (Mīharo) that builds proprietary products such as the Colorway Antics VR game and offers a structured game playtesting service called Playful.
Product overview
Insight Creative is a New Zealand creative agency offering a comprehensive suite of strategic communication and engagement services. The core portfolio includes Brand Services, Employee Engagement (including EVP development), Digital (website design), Marketing & Communications, Immersive Experiences (AR/VR/360°), Corporate Reporting, and Interactive Documents. The agency operates Mīharo, an internal innovation lab exploring emerging technologies and developing new products and IP. Notable products include Colorway Antics, a VR coloring game, and Playful, a game testing service. The agency was founded in 1976 and has offices in Auckland and Wellington.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Mīharo: Innovation lab established in late 2021, exploring solutions to communication and engagement challenges through digital and technology-led innovation.
- Colorway Antics
- Playful
Products and services
- Brand Services Strategic brand development and design service helping organizations define positioning, visual identity, and messaging to build strong, differentiated brands that resonate with target audiences. Includes brand strategy, brand refresh, and corporate identity programs.
- Employee Engagement Internal communication and employee engagement programs that align staff perception and behaviour with strategy, culture, and performance, including Employee Value Proposition (EVP) development, values programs, and culture initiatives.
- Digital (Web Design and Development) Digital communication services including website design and development, creating brand-aligned online experiences that engage audiences with intuitive and rewarding digital interactions.
- Marketing & Communications Communication and marketing program development driven by clear insights, designed to engage audiences towards desired actions and behaviours.
- Immersive Experiences Multi-disciplined physical and digital immersive experiences including AR (augmented reality), VR (virtual reality), and 360° environments that engage audiences and reinforce brand and culture for training, marketing, and stakeholder engagement.
- Corporate Reporting Annual report, integrated reporting, and climate disclosure design and production services that communicate organizational value creation to investors, stakeholders, and regulators.
- Interactive Documents Digital documents that combine traditional PDF structure with website functionality, including clickable menus, embedded video and audio, animations, hover effects, carousels, timelines, and interactive maps, built using Adobe InDesign and online publishing platforms.
- Colorway Antics Virtual reality colouring game where players color virtual worlds using various techniques (paint, stickers, paintballs) while adding creative flair. Distributed globally via Steam, Meta/Oculus, and Pico platforms, and licensed to Minifunkids for educational use with children with disabilities or neurodiversity.
- Playful Structured playtesting service connecting indie and mid-sized game developers with engaged players to test ideas, prototypes, and builds, delivering actionable feedback grounded in real player experience.
Quantifiable outcome
- Employees embraced values with great enthusiasm, with 'WE' becoming part of everyday vernacular as both rallying call and accountability mechanism (Ravensdown case)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Insight Creative
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Insight Creative technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Insight Creative partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Mīharo Innovation Lab PartnersminorMīharo innovation lab operates as an internal capability but collaborates with external partners for specific projects and challenges. The lab runs team challenges that involve cross-functional collaboration and explores partnerships for bringing innovations to market.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Insight Creative competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand: Full-service creative agency in Auckland serving major NZ corporates with brand development, advertising, and digital. Directly comparable offering across the same enterprise and government client segments Insight Creative targets.
- YoungShand: Independent Auckland-based creative agency with a similar boutique full-service positioning. Comparable in scale, client caliber, and integrated brand + digital offering to Insight Creative.
- Colenso BBDO: One of New Zealand's most awarded full-service creative agencies with comparable brand strategy, advertising, and integrated marketing capabilities. Both agencies serve major NZ enterprise and government clients from Auckland.
- FCB New Zealand: Full-service creative agency operating in the NZ market with overlapping capabilities in brand development, corporate communications, and digital. Direct competitor for enterprise pitches in Auckland and Wellington.
- DDB New Zealand: Network-affiliated NZ creative agency providing brand strategy, advertising, and digital services to major domestic clients. Competes for the same enterprise and government brand and reporting engagements.
- Ogilvy New Zealand: Global network's NZ operation providing brand strategy, advertising, PR, and digital transformation. Competes with Insight Creative for large enterprise and government mandates requiring strategic and creative services.
- Special Group: Award-winning independent creative agency operating across Australia and New Zealand. Comparable boutique positioning, brand and creative capability, and enterprise client focus.
- Republik: New Zealand-based independent creative and brand agency. Competes with Insight Creative for mid-to-large NZ enterprise brand, digital, and content engagements.
- Assignment Group: Independent NZ creative and brand consultancy with comparable strategic brand development capabilities. Overlaps with Insight Creative on enterprise client work and integrated brand engagements.
Broad incumbents
- Within: Global experience design and immersive content agency. Relevant peer for Insight Creative's Mīharo lab output (AR/VR/360° experiences) and Colorway Antics-adjacent immersive work, though operates at much larger scale internationally.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Insight Creative social profiles
Digital presenceInsight Creative financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Insight Creative leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Insight Creative funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Insight Creative 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 Insight Creative
What does Insight Creative do?
Insight Creative is a New Zealand creative and design agency that delivers strategic communication services for enterprise and government clients, including brand strategy and identity development, employee engagement and Employee Value Proposition (EVP) programs, corporate reporting (annual and integrated reports), digital experiences, marketing and communications campaigns, and immersive VR/AR/360° experiences. The firm supplements client services with an internal innovation lab (Mīharo) that builds proprietary products such as the Colorway Antics VR game and offers a structured game playtesting service called Playful.
Is Insight Creative a public or private company?
Insight Creative is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Insight Creative founded?
Insight Creative was founded in 1976. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Insight Creative based?
Insight Creative is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Insight Creative make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Creative Agency Services are the primary driver. The others are product Licensing.
Who are Insight Creative's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, YoungShand, Colenso BBDO, FCB New Zealand, DDB New Zealand, Ogilvy New Zealand, Special Group, Republik and Assignment Group. Within is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Insight Creative have an API?
No public API is recorded for Insight Creative.
What industry is Insight Creative in?
Insight Creative's product category is Creative agency services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAAAB, Creative & Brand Campaign Development, with a secondary code of BPAFAEAD, Creative Concepting & Campaign Development. Its NAICS code is 541430 and its SIC code is 7311.