Storm Day Will Focus on Trust and Purpose as NZ Accenture Song and Droga Boss

Storm Day believes brands which prioritise trust and purpose will win in an uncertain market, as the New Zealand industry struggles with a 71% gap between what brands promise and what customers experience.

Speaking to LBB after her promotion to New Zealand lead of Accenture Song and CEO of The Monkeys Aotearoa, soon to become Droga5, Storm cites the recent internal study which uncovered the disconnect.

“We really want to go on this mission to close that experience gap,” she said of her mission in the top job.

The New Zealand marketing landscape remains strained under ongoing economic pressures. With marketing budgets often the first to be cut in times of uncertainty, brands face the challenge of differentiating themselves in an increasingly cautious consumer environment. Storm sees this as an opportunity for brands to stand out.

“It’s more important than ever to really be investing and thinking through how you’re talking with your customers,” she says, encouraging businesses to embrace their brand voice as customers remain discerning.

She sees an opportunity to build consumer trust through purpose-driven work, starting from within the organisation and extending to Kiwi customers.

"How do you make sure that as a brand, you have a really meaningful purpose, and how does that inspire and translate when it comes to your culture, your operations, and then your customer experience?”

The importance of purpose lies not just in a brand’s message, but in how it integrates into a company’s culture and, ultimately, resonates with customers. This includes ensuring that the internal culture reflects the brand’s external promise.

Storm stresses the importance of employees in this process, noting that when employees believe in the brand's purpose, the benefits are clear.

“You get four times more trust out of customers,” she says.

In December, The Monkeys will officially rebrand to Droga5. Storm says taking on the Droga name is about aligning with a legacy of ambition and influence.

"It’s such a privilege to be taking on the Droga5 name, and I think all that it stands for as well.

“We love its ambition … it talks about building and sustaining the most influential brands of the century, which is pretty damn incredible.”

Citing iconic Droga5 campaigns, such as Echo and Puma After Hours Athlete, Storm believes the brand’s legacy aligns with the bold, provocative ethos that The Monkeys had already fostered locally.

She is determined to continue the ethos of creativity and provocation that has defined both The Monkeys and Droga5 globally.

"We always ask each other, 'How is it interesting enough? Will Kiwis be interested?'”

Integrating Accenture’s global capabilities allows Droga5 to bring innovative strategies and solutions to the local market, she says, ensuring that New Zealand brands are equipped with the latest trends and technologies.

But while the New Zealand outpost will draw on both Accenture and Droga’s global network, Storm is keen to ensure the brand remains directly connected to the New Zealand market. Droga5 will not lose sight of the “Kiwi flavour” that has always been a hallmark of New Zealand’s advertising industry.

“There’s something about Kiwis… our ability to kind of be innovators and to do things first,” says Storm.

"When we can unlock the world’s best ideas and shape those for this market... it’s potent and powerful.”