AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND – 16 JULY 2026: NZ On Screen has partnered with independent creative agency Coles & Co to launch a new major brand campaign, supporting the biggest evolution of the platform in its 18-year history and reconnecting New Zealanders with Aotearoa’s screen culture.
Created to support the relaunch of NZ On Screen’s redesigned platform, Find What You’ve Been Missing invites New Zealanders to rediscover the screen stories that have shaped Aotearoa.
Built on the insight that nostalgia is something people actively search for, the campaign positions NZ On Screen as the home of the Kiwi stories audiences loved and the ones they never had the chance to see.
Renee Williams, Creative Director at Coles & Co, says: “Every New Zealander has memories shaped by what they’ve watched on screen. From Billy T. James to Susie Cato, Dr Ropata to Paul Holmes, these aren’t just television personalities or programmes – they’re part of our collective story. We wanted to celebrate that nostalgia while reminding people that NZ On Screen is where those memories live, alongside countless Kiwi stories many of us have never had the chance to discover.”
The fully integrated campaign launched in May across cinema, TVNZ+, Meta, digital display and out-of-home, bringing decades of New Zealand screen culture into a modern digital experience.
Supporting the relaunch of NZ On Screen’s redesigned platform, the campaign helped deliver the platform’s strongest month on record. The platform now offers more than 120 New Zealand feature films to rent alongside thousands of free local titles, while May traffic increased 67 per cent above the monthly average and social audiences grew by almost 16,000 followers.
NZ On Screen, the charity responsible for showcasing and promoting New Zealand’s screen heritage, says the relaunch marks a significant new chapter for making Kiwi stories more accessible.
Alice Casserly, Publicity and Marketing Manager at NZ On Screen, says: “This relaunch marks a significant new chapter for NZ On Screen. We’ve created a platform that makes it easier than ever for audiences to discover and enjoy New Zealand screen stories, and this campaign captures exactly why those stories matter. It’s an invitation for people to reconnect
with the stories that have shaped us, while helping a new generation discover them for the first time.”
The relaunch was celebrated at an industry event in Auckland last month, bringing together the people who make, fund, champion and love New Zealand screen culture. Guests included Kiwi film and television legends, MP Nancy Lu (representing Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Paul Goldsmith), NZ On Air, the New Zealand Film Commission and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.
The project reflects Coles & Co’s growing portfolio of purpose-led work. With experience delivering government and public sector campaigns, the agency sees projects like NZ On Screen as a natural fit with its focus on creating strategic, culturally relevant campaigns that connect with communities.
