Thinkerbell Swaps Bondi Sand For Snow In First Work For RealNZ

New Zealand’s Cardrona Alpine Resort and Treble Cone hit Bondi Beach last week, inviting surfers to trade the sand for snow in a one-morning-only Board Swap -- the first piece of work from RealNZ and its newly appointed earned agency, Thinkerbell.

The activation landed after the highly anticipated opening of Cardrona’s 2025 winter season and the launch of Soho Basin: a 150-hectare terrain expansion, and the resort’s biggest milestone in over a decade. With fresh ground to explore, it was the perfect moment to tempt Aussies off the sand and onto the slopes.

From first light, a crew of surfers -- joined by Aussie pro, Olympian and two-time world champ Tyler Wright -- were offered snowboards and lift passes in exchange for surfboards and the chance to win three-day passes to Cardrona or Treble Cone. Each swapped board was donated to the Bondi Surf Club.

The work marks the start of Thinkerbell’s remit as RealNZ’s earned agency of record across New Zealand and Australia.

RealNZ is New Zealand’s leading tourism and conservation operator, offering some of the South Island’s most iconic experiences -- including Walter Peak High Country Farm, Pātea Doubtful Sound, Piopiotahi Milford Sound, Cardrona Alpine Resort, and Treble Cone -- all part of a broader mission to help people fall in love with conservation.

Jessica Allison, general manager at Thinkerbell Aotearoa said, “Board Swap is a brilliant expression of what this collaboration is all about: using creative earned ideas to bring RealNZ’s story to unexpected places. Landing snowboards at Bondi is attention-grabbing, but it also captures something deeper: the thrill of discovery, and the invitation to experience Aotearoa’s wild side. We’re proud to kick things off with work that’s as imaginative as it is purposeful.”

Alesha Stefanissin, general manager of marketing at RealNZ, said, “This work is a bold start to our partnership with Thinkerbell. We’ve got world-class experiences and a big story to tell. Thinkerbell brings the energy, creativity and reach to help us do that across both sides of the Tasman.”