Small business wellbeing during a pandemic: Xero

In a pandemic-ridden 24-month period, a focus on wellbeing has never been more important for small businesses

But navigating endless hurdles can take its toll, with many businesses losing touch with their passion, and forgetting the core reason ‘why they’re in it’

Xero wanted to spark an inspiring and relatable movement, to help owners reignite their passion, by illustrating that focusing on wellbeing and digitisation translates into:

1. More profitable business and

2. Happier employees with a better work/life balance

How we did it at Stuff - New Zealand's largest and most trusted news publisher:

Through video, print, and an immersive high-impact content series I conceived and led a campaign which:

• Championed a variety of relatable Xero-provided real small businesses and the self-employed

• Integrated bespoke video interviews around New Zealand into digi articles which were also extended into regionalised community print titles.

• Inspired a mass audience through relatable tales of resilience

• Encouraged Kiwi businesses to “go digital”

• Encouraged businesses to share their inspiring stories and win a wellbeing package

• Hosted digital content in our ‘Prosper’ section - an editorial vertical set up specifically by Stuff in 2020 to provide valuable information for small businesses

• Included digital native drivers in business and life and style sections to reach a wider audience

• Complemented the digital approach in print, in our popular national life and style NIM, Sunday magazine

A series of 6x articles included:

• An overarching interactive, immersive long-form digital article - which acted as a hub

• High-impact drivers in targeted sections

• A double-page print extension in Sunday magazine with QR code back to the immersive digital article.

  • This was a client first, tapping into the cultural and technology phenomenon of QR code check-ins across NZ for Covid-tracing

• Getting right to the heartland through digital targeting and precision print-offerings in community and masthead newspapers.

• Mass awareness, and engagement through a competition and the ‘winners’ story

• Educational and empowering insights from Pead PR-research and Xero experts