Federation

What Federation does

Federation is an independent full-service advertising agency founded in 2008 by Sharon Henderson and headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, with additional offices in Wellington and Melbourne. The agency serves enterprise clients, government entities, NZX/ASX-listed companies, private-equity-owned businesses, multi-national brand leaders, and ambitious entrepreneurial brands across New Zealand and Australia. Its service portfolio covers strategy, creative development, design and branding, digital solutions, content production, PR/events/activations, retail spatial design, media planning, and a specialist sustainability advisory offering marketed as a first-of-its-kind among NZ agencies. Underlying technology is conventional ad-tech and marketing stack rather than proprietary systems; the agency integrates third-party platforms such as Shopify and Omnisend for e-commerce build work and uses standard retargeting algorithms and binaural audio production within digital and experiential campaigns.

Revenue is generated through professional services engagements, comprising project fees, retainers, and media planning/buying commissions, delivered through a direct, consultative enterprise field-sales motion. The team of approximately 20 multi-discipline practitioners — including founder/Director Sharon Henderson, Managing Director Olly Walker-Boden, Chief Creative Officer Brad Collett, and Chief Strategy Officer Dan Bye — operates alongside clients rather than through layered account teams, with senior talent engaged directly on engagements. The agency's go-to-market emphasises long-term partnership built on measurable outcomes (e.g., DoorDash 46% category penetration in six weeks, Maritime NZ 39% reduction in deaths, Auckland Transport +2.4 million public transport boardings), supported by a website portfolio and LinkedIn presence as the primary marketing channels.

Name

Federation

Legal name

Federation

Website

https://federation.net.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Federation is an independent full-service New Zealand advertising agency founded in 2008, headquartered in Auckland with offices in Wellington and Melbourne. It provides strategy, creative, digital, media planning, and specialist sustainability advisory services to enterprise, government, and ambitious brand clients across NZ and Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Advertising and Marketing Services: Full-service agency providing strategy, creative, design and branding, digital solutions, content production, PR/events/activations, retail spatial design, and media planning services. Revenue generated through project fees, retainers, and media planning/buying commissions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Federation is a full-service independent advertising agency that develops and delivers brand strategy, creative campaigns, design and branding, digital solutions, content production, PR/events/activations, retail spatial design, and media planning for enterprise, government, and ambitious brand clients across New Zealand and Australia. It also offers specialist sustainability advisory as a differentiated service and delivers integrated digital projects such as e-commerce website builds.

Product overview

Federation is a full-service advertising agency offering a unified portfolio of marketing services rather than a modular software product. The core offering encompasses Strategy, Creative, Design & Branding, Digital Solutions, Content Production, PR/Events & Activations, Retail Spatial Design, and Media Planning services. Additionally, the agency offers specialist Sustainability Advisory as a differentiated offering. Projects like e-commerce builds demonstrate integrated service delivery combining digital, content, and design capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategy Services Brand platform strategies and communications plans that lay foundations for long-term business success, designed for enterprise and government clients seeking long-term marketing direction.
• Creative Services Ideation to execution of dynamic, strategically intelligent and creative ideas, platforms and campaigns for brands across NZ and Australia.
• Design and Branding Branding strategy and design that creates brands with power, transforming brand DNA into recognizable brand codes for enterprise and ambitious clients.
• Digital Solutions Digital strategies and solutions developed by creative technologists based on real world data, insights and innovation, covering digital campaigns and platform builds.
• Content Production Video and editorial content development for brands, delivered at internet speed and cost, supporting campaigns across digital, social and broadcast channels.
• PR, Events and Activations Quality creative ideas and experiential platforms delivered in partnership with best-in-class activation producers for brand experiences and events.
• Retail Spatial Design Transformational spaces weaving technology and communication into customer experiences, focused on physical retail and spatial brand experiences.
• Media Planning Expert media planning and buying with performance measurement and seamless integration with the creative process across paid channels.
• Sustainability Advisory Specialist sustainability advisory for brands — the first New Zealand agency to offer this service, supporting purpose-driven and ESG-aligned brand strategy.
• E-commerce Solutions Website development and e-commerce functionality including platform integration with Shopify and Omnisend, UX improvements, and customer acquisition campaigns for direct-to-consumer brands.

Quantifiable outcome

• Massey University went from #5 to most preferred university in NZ in 3 months
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability4 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WPP plc: WPP is the world's largest advertising holding company and parent of Ogilvy, VMLY&R, GroupM and other agencies competing with Federation. As a broad incumbent, it offers overlapping capabilities across the same NZ/Australasian enterprise client base.

Direct peers

• DDB Group New Zealand: DDB Group NZ is the local operation of Omnicom's DDB network, offering full-service creative, media and digital capabilities to NZ brands and government — overlapping significantly with Federation's service portfolio and client base.
• Ogilvy New Zealand: Ogilvy NZ is the New Zealand office of WPP's global Ogilvy network, providing brand strategy, advertising, PR and digital services. Competes directly with Federation for the same enterprise and government accounts in NZ.
• FCB New Zealand: FCB NZ is the Interpublic Group network's NZ office providing creative, media and integrated marketing services. Serves the same enterprise, FMCG and government client base as Federation in NZ.
• TBWA New Zealand: TBWA NZ is the local office of Omnicom's TBWA global network, delivering creative, brand strategy and media services to NZ enterprise and government clients. Directly competes with Federation for major NZ accounts.
• Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand: Saatchi & Saatchi NZ is the New Zealand arm of the global Publicis network, offering full-service brand, creative and digital work to NZ enterprise and government clients — directly comparable service mix to Federation.
• Special Group: Special Group is a leading independent creative agency operating in NZ and Australia, recognised for award-winning creative campaigns. Closely comparable to Federation in size, independence, geography and creative-led positioning.
• Colenso BBDO: Colenso BBDO is one of New Zealand's most awarded full-service creative agencies, operating across strategy, creative, digital and media. It directly competes with Federation for the same NZ and Australasian enterprise and brand accounts.

Regional players

• Thinkerbell: Thinkerbell is a leading Australian independent creative, media and PR agency. Highly comparable in independent positioning, full-service offering and Australasian enterprise/government client focus, but primarily Australia-based rather than NZ.
• Cummins & Partners: Cummins & Partners is an Australian independent creative and media agency with strong enterprise and government work. Comparable in independent full-service model and Australasian market focus, though primarily Australia-focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/federation.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 Federation