Australia – Brand activation agency Curious Nation has secured three new business wins across Australia, New Zealand and Japan, including an appointment by Goodman Fielder, as it begins 2026 with expanded regional and international engagements.
In Australia, the agency was appointed following a competitive pitch to lead activation for Goodman Fielder’s CSR Sugar portfolio within the grocery baking category. The engagement marks Curious Nation’s first work with the FMCG company. The agency will focus on shopper activation aimed at influencing purchase decisions at shelf and building preference over private-label alternatives throughout the year.
Curious Nation has also been appointed by Italian company ILLVA Saronno to lead an activation in Japan. The agency said the win reflects its experience delivering brand experiences across Australia and New Zealand as well as in international markets.
In New Zealand, the agency has been engaged by a major local media company to create and deliver an immersive showcase and networking event as part of an experiential brief.
Meredith Cranmer, co-founder and managing director of Curious Nation, said: “This run of wins is a powerful validation of what Curious Nation stands for, bold creativity grounded in strategy and experiences that are designed to actually move the needle for brands. From Goodman Fielder, continuing to deliver for leading brands in New Zealand, to an activation in Japan, it’s an exciting way to start the year and a clear sign that clients are looking for agency partners that can combine insights with creative execution and work in multiple countries.”
The new business announcements follow the launch of Curious Nation’s inaugural Activation Effectiveness Barometer, described as the first benchmark study of senior marketers examining how activations — from experiential and retail media to sponsorships and sampling — are measured, valued and prioritised across Australasia.
Launched at the end of 2025, the study gathered responses from more than 80 senior CMOs and marketing leaders across Australia and New Zealand. The findings indicated that significant investment continues to flow into below-the-line (BTL) activity each year, though many marketers report limited confidence in measurement. Despite this, 60% of respondents expect BTL budgets to remain steady, while 28% anticipate increased spending this year.
