Blackwell and Ruth

What Blackwell and Ruth does

Blackwell and Ruth is a New Zealand-based creative studio founded approximately 25 years ago and headquartered in Auckland (PO Box 37692, Newmarket). The studio operates an integrated practice spanning custom book publishing, film production, and international exhibition curation, delivering projects for corporate clients (Rocket Lab, Boeing, Westpac, Oprah Winfrey Network, NRMA Insurance, Britomart), global publishers, private individuals, and non-profit organizations. Its underlying capability combines art direction, design, editorial, production, and print under one studio, with branded multi-platform properties including M.I.L.K., 200 Women, I Know This to Be True, and the Netflix documentary Live to Lead presented by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The studio generates revenue through project-based custom commissions (enterprise clients), commercial book sales to global publishers (cumulative 30+ million copies sold across 40 languages), film distribution through Netflix and major broadcasters, exhibition licensing at international venues (Grand Central Terminal, Sydney Opera House, Science Museum London), and royalty donations from the Great Cookbook series that have directed over US$1 million to food security charities in five countries. Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, with pricing fully custom and not publicly disclosed; marketing relies on industry awards (Communication Arts, British Book Design and Production Awards, Nautilus, Gourmand, Deutscher Fotobuchpreis), high-profile collaborations with figures including Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and exhibition presence at prestigious cultural venues.

Blackwell and Ruth Limited is a privately held New Zealand company with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or funding rounds, and no app, API, or SDK surface area. Operational leadership is concentrated in three named individuals (founders Geoff Blackwell and Ruth Hobday plus editor Elizabeth Blackwell), making the business heavily dependent on founder-driven relationships and IP.

Name

Blackwell and Ruth

Legal name

Blackwell and Ruth Limited

Website

https://blackwellandruth.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Blackwell and Ruth is a New Zealand-based creative studio that produces custom books, films, and exhibitions for corporate clients (Boeing, Westpac, Rocket Lab), global publishers, and non-profit organizations, with award-winning work distributed through Netflix, international publishers, and major cultural venues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Publishing Services

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Book Publishers (513130), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Art, Photography & Illustrated Books Publishing (MPAJAAAF)

Keywords

• Custom book publishing
• Creative film production
• Exhibition curation
• Brand storytelling services
• Illustrated publishing studio

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Custom Book Publishing: Award-winning publishing team creates and produces custom edition books for private individuals and organizations. Services include art direction, design, editorial, production and print. Projects for Rocket Lab, Boeing, Westpac, Oprah Winfrey Network, and others.
2. Published Book Sales: Internationally renowned originator of books for global publishers. Books have sold over 30 million copies in 40 languages. Includes commercial publishing with major photographers and authors.
3. Film and Documentary Production: Creates multi-platform film projects including short-form content to long documentary series for Netflix and major broadcasters. Projects include Live to Lead Netflix series, Wisdom film, and Music film.
4. Exhibition Curation: Creates and curates international exhibitions for books and film projects. Major venues include New York's Grand Central Terminal, Sydney Opera House, and Science Museum London.
5. Charitable Book Sales with Royalties: Great Cookbook series generates royalties supporting food security charities in five countries. Collectively raised over US$1 million. Royalties from I Know This to Be True support language translation and free access in collaboration with Nelson Mandela Foundation and Google Arts and Culture.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Blackwell and Ruth is a creative studio that commissions, designs, and produces premium illustrated books, films, and curated exhibitions. The studio operates across three integrated lines — custom publishing, documentary-style film production, and museum-grade exhibition curation — delivering narrative-driven projects for corporate brands, global publishers, foundations, and private individuals.

Product overview

Blackwell and Ruth is a custom book publishing, film production, and exhibition company operating as an integrated creative studio. The core offerings consist of Book Publishing (custom and trade books), Film Production (including Netflix documentaries), Exhibitions (international touring shows), and Creative Studio Services. Major branded products include the multi-platform projects M.I.L.K., 200 Women, I Know This to Be True, and Live to Lead (Netflix series), as well as photography book series by photographers like Tim Flach and Andrew Zuckerman. The company also produces custom edition books for corporate clients including Rocket Lab, Boeing, and Westpac, and curates exhibitions at major venues worldwide. Collectively their books have sold over 30 million copies in 40 languages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Illustrated Book Publishing

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 million+ books sold in 40 languages
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nelson Mandela FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership spanning multiple decades on books and media projects including Mandela: The Authorised Portrait, Conversations with Myself, I Know This to Be True, Live to Lead Netflix series, and Great South African Cookbook. I Know This to Be True royalties support language translation and free access for developing economies.
• Google Arts and CulturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Nelson Mandela Foundation and Google Arts and Culture provides over 50 countries with developing economies or economies in transition free access to I Know This to Be True content.
• NetflixcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetflix distributes Live to Lead documentary series created and directed by Geoff Blackwell, presented by Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Series is based on I Know This to Be True framework developed with Nelson Mandela Foundation.
• Duke and Duchess of SussexcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are executive producers of Live to Lead Netflix documentary series. Project highlights leaders reflecting on their legacies with messages of courage, compassion, humility, hope and generosity.
• Oz HarvestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Great Australian Cookbook royalties support Oz Harvest food rescue organization in Australia.
• No Kid HungryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerica the Great Cookbook royalties support No Kid Hungry campaign to end child hunger in America.
• KidsCanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Great New Zealand Cookbook royalties support KidsCan, providing food and essentials to children in need in New Zealand.
• The Trussell TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Really Quite Good British Cookbook royalties support The Trussell Trust food bank network in the UK.
• Rocket LabminorOthersCustom commemorative book project documenting founding and development of Rocket Lab space company, with introduction by founder Sir Peter Beck.
• Boeing CorporationminorOthersVisual celebration of the 787 Dreamliner produced as large format coffee-table book in presentation slipcase and e-book format.
• Westpac CorporationminorOthersLarge format coffee-table book commemorating company's 200th anniversary and celebrating being Australia's first and oldest company.
• Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN)minorOthersLarge format coffee-table book commissioned for Master Class series launch, celebrating inaugural series for Oprah Winfrey Network.
• NRMA InsuranceminorOthersA Fire Inside book accompanying feature documentary about Australia's Black Summer bushfires of 2020-21.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• teNeues: Publisher of high-quality photography, art, architecture, and lifestyle illustrated books with strong international distribution. Closely comparable to Blackwell and Ruth's coffee-table illustrated offerings.
• Assouline: Luxury illustrated and coffee-table book publisher producing high-end hardcover editions and signature collaborations with luxury brands and public figures. Closely comparable to Blackwell and Ruth's premium illustrated and commemorative publishing model.
• Aperture Foundation: Non-profit publisher specializing in fine art photography books and editions. Directly comparable as a photography-book publisher supporting high-profile and emerging photographers.
• Taschen: Global publisher of art, photography, architecture, and design books with mass-luxury positioning. Operates in the same premium illustrated-book category, including photography monographs analogous to Tim Flach and Andrew Zuckerman titles.

Broad incumbents

• Phaidon Press: Established international art and visual culture book publisher producing illustrated reference and monographic titles. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the same premium illustrated publishing category.
• Rizzoli International Publications: Long-standing publisher of illustrated books on art, fashion, photography, architecture, and lifestyle. Comparable as an established broad incumbent serving the same premium illustrated-book market.
• Chronicle Books: Independent publisher of illustrated books, gifts, and visual storytelling formats with a focus on design-led titles. Comparable in design-first illustrated publishing, though with a different price-positioning focus.
• Thames & Hudson: Major illustrated book publisher across art, architecture, photography, and design. Acts as a broader incumbent competitor in the premium illustrated-book segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Blackwell and Ruth