Watties takes out May Kantar Ad Impact Award

Reinforcing the brand’s long-standing role as a trusted staple in Kiwi households, Wattie’s latest creative, ‘It’s Wattie’s You Need’, is rooted in comfort, familiarity and everyday convenience. Through relatable, slice-of-life moments, the advertisement showcases how Wattie’s fits seamlessly into real-life situations – bringing people together or providing an easy solution when it’s needed most. This simplicity is a key strength, allowing the brand to communicate a meaningful and distinctive role in consumers’ lives, earning its Kantar Ad Impact win for May 2026.

Relatable, slice-of-life storytelling with strong cultural relevance

The campaign leans into recognisable Kiwi behaviours and mealtime habits, depicting everyday scenarios that feel genuine and culturally relevant. Through showcasing a wide range of life stages enjoying the brand, the ad reinforces Wattie’s broad appeal, while maintaining its decade’s long positioning as a pantry staple across New Zealand households.

Emotional connection over product features

Rather than focusing heavily on product details, the creative prioritises emotional connection. Feelings of comfort, care and nostalgia take centre stage, positioning Wattie’s products as more than just food – but a facilitator of connection in everyday moments.

Branded as the “Timely hero”

‘It’s Wattie’s you Need’ is a Masterbrand campaign that refreshes a much-loved household brand name. Their wide range of products are presented as a reliable, go-to solution that supports the moment without overpowering it. Making the brand unmissable in the ad pays big dividends, it strengthens both short-term sales potential and long-term equity by clearly reinforcing the brand’s role in providing Kiwi comfort in a meaningfully different way.

“A modern take on Wattie’s’ legacy of creating iconic jingles, this new campaign brings humour, slices of kiwi lives and a sense of craving to each scenario, featuring some of the brands most recognisable products. This campaign is about showing up in a way that feels as relevant today as it has for generations, a celebration of how New Zealanders live, eat and connect now”

– Justine Powell, Head of Marketing, Wattie’s.

To learn more about how Kantar can help with your creative optimisation or to enter your ad into the awards, reach out to talha.waqas@kantar.com

This article was published in StopPress news June 2026.