Astonishingly, there are only 35 days remaining until Christmas, and we’re happy to embrace the notion that, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” – Elf (2003).
In our case, rather than breaking into festive song à la Mariah Carey, we’re taking the opportunity to sing loud (metaphorically) about our 2024 highlights: what has inspired us, excited us and downright delighted us.
Kate:
One thing I love about the work we do is helping to amplify the work fantastic Kiwi companies are doing.
ecostore is a longstanding client of NSPR, and it has been a pleasure to work alongside the team this year as they continue to fight the good fight when it comes to encouraging people to think more sustainably.
This year, we’ve worked together on some fantastic initiatives like No Laundry Day, celebrated the launch of their new Personal Care range, and supported important kaupapa like Plastic Free July.
Passion is infectious, and it’s easy to see why ecostore is such a homegrown success story – they truly do walk the walk and strive to leave the planet in a better way than they found it.
I’m also super proud of the whole NSPR team and the way they show up every day, constantly pivoting and adapting to the changing environment while providing support and strategic advice to clients. Here’s to 2025!
Becs:
As we reflect on the year, I’m reminded of the rewarding work we have done to help clients build credibility and trust with their audiences. Effective communication is key to shaping a brand’s voice and reputation, particularly in the court of public opinion.
Working with Chris Paulsen on his retirement announcement has had a lasting impression on me. As the founder of House of Travel, Chris guided the company for 37 years. Even with his success, he continues to approach each day with humility, focused on people, his passion for travel and the desire to add value – it’s never just about chasing profits.
What Chris has accomplished serves as a reminder that success should not be measured by the numbers alone. A meaningful career is one that you can look back on with pride, knowing that the journey has been true to your values and supported by people who share your vision.
Niki:
NSPR works with organisations that are making the world a better place. These clients often sacrifice profit to do the right thing. They truly care for their people and the environment, they purchase from suppliers that pay living wages, they look to buy locally whenever they can – all of which tends to make costs more expensive. NSPR provides pro-bono PR for an organisation called Coralus, which provides venture capital for businesses who operate this way. It is exciting to see Coralus growing from strength to strength, but it was even more exciting when Pause for Tea (another NSPR client) was named a successful Venture in 2024. Timmy Smith is a proud wahine Māori who produces organic teas, sparkling tea, curated teaware and handcrafted jewellery under her own name, all of it intrinsically linked to te ao Māori. At the heart of her company is this whakataukī:
Manaaki whenua
Manaaki tangata
Haere whakamua
If we take care of the earth and take care of people, we will take care of the future. With support from Coralus, we have no doubt Pause for Tea will become a household name in no time.
As a company that strives to be a good Tiriti partner, NSPR wanted to be part of the hīkoi that is sending a strong message to the Government: meddling with Te Tiriti is not acceptable.
E hīkoi ana i te taha o te Tangata Whenua o Aotearoa i te hīkoi o Tē Tiriti me te tūtaki ki a Eru Kapa-Kingi 🤗 He wheako mīharo!
Walking beside Tangata Whenua o Aotearoa in the Te Tiriti Hīkoi and meeting Eru Kapa-Kingi was an amazing experience!
Josie:
Part of NSPR’s kaupapa is Whanaungatanga (connection), and spending the day with Mike Van De Elzen and FMG on a photo shoot was a great way to connect and see what the Good from Scratch Cooking School is doing on the ground.
It was a great day with Hector (Mike’s dog), chickens, livestock and sunshine, Pip from FMG and I playing support roles with umbrella holding and dog wrangling. Being amongst the gardens and the chickens, I really appreciated the amount of hard work and commitment that goes into running a lifestyle block and cooking school… and how good everything looked and smelled up close.
I feel very privileged to work with all of our amazing talent and support them deliver in their areas of expertise. Here’s to an exciting, adventurous and prosperous 2025.
Robyn:
Creating content for TravelManagers Australia has taken me all over the world this year, albeit (sadly) only in a virtual sense. Together, we’ve covered a diverse range of topics, from a Barbie-inspired guide to the world’s best pink beaches to a month-by-month guide of the year’s hottest places to be. We’ve also showcased some incredible moments throughout 2024, including Olympic legend Cathy Freeman’s appearance at TravelManagers’ annual National Conference when she held the entire auditorium utterly spellbound during a Q&A session.
Working with large companies, it would be so easy to focus solely on the big-picture, corporate stories. But like us, TravelManagers believes that the best way to demonstrate its purpose, vision and and values is by sharing the stories and achievements of its people. We’ve helped to tell lots of great stories about amazing individuals this year, including personal travel manager Melanie Whyte, who draws on her own learnings as a mum to two neurodiverse teens to help other families with neurodiverse kids to experience the joy of travel.
While there is still a month of hard mahi left, we think it’s important to stop and smell the roses. Bring on 2025!
