Most Marketing Is a Waste. That’s Why We Focus on the 5% That Works.

The origin story of Unfold Digital — and the hard lessons that shaped it.

Most agencies won’t admit it, but here it is:

You can spend a ton on marketing and still get nowhere.

That was the frustration that sparked Unfold Digital. Not just with bloated campaigns and vague metrics — but with how disconnected, tactical, and backwards the whole system felt.

We didn’t want to push campaigns that looked good in a deck but fell flat in the real world.

We wanted to build systems that actually worked.

So we started focusing on the 5% of effort that drives 95% of results.

From McDonald’s TXT Promos to a Different Path

Back in the early 2000s, I was working on big-name projects — McDonald’s txt promos, Nokia reward platforms (when Nokia still ruled the world). Flashy? Yes. Effective? Sometimes.

But even then, I knew there had to be a better way — something more scalable, more consistent, more useful.

The turning point came during my time at NZTE.

I saw smart exporters making expensive marketing mistakes. Not because they were careless — but because they didn’t know where to focus.

I could advise. But I couldn’t execute. That’s when Unfold was born.

Early Hits and Hard Truths

Our first campaigns were full of promise — but the systems they plugged into were broken.

Client One: an IT company with a website straight out of 1997.

We ran a tight, targeted campaign.

Clicks? Great.

Conversions? Zero.

They blamed the ads. The real issue? No buy-in, no infrastructure, no chance.

Client Two: a tech exporter.

This time, we built around the problem — landing pages, lead magnets, automation.

Leads came in. Then came the classic: “We’ll take it from here.”

They didn’t.

Twelve months later: no leads, no sales, and a sheepish phone call.

Lesson learned: without long-term thinking and full control, performance dies fast.

The Breakthrough

It clicked with a B2B manufacturing exporter.

We built everything properly — site, messaging, CRM, content, automation.

Not just more traffic — but better leads, clearer conversions, and repeatable momentum.

Then came a client who’d just been pitched a six-figure traditional media buy.

We said don’t. They did it anyway.

Sales spiked. Then tanked.

We rebuilt their system from the ground up — strategy, message, CRM, nurture journeys.

The result? A stretch sales target hit. Then doubled.

That’s when we knew we were onto something.

Stop Climbing the Wrong Ladder

Stephen Covey said it best:

“If the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step we take just gets us to the wrong place faster”.

That’s the problem with most marketing — it moves, but in the wrong direction.

So we stripped everything back.

• No vanity metrics

• No channel-first thinking

• No spray-and-pray tactics

Just high-impact strategy, clean execution, and a system built for scale.

Scaling What Works

We started applying this across sectors — from exporters to service businesses.

Same result every time:

• Tight ecosystem. Clear message. Smarter spend.

• Leads flow. Sales follow. Growth compounds.

Marketing Doesn’t Need a Redo. It Needs a Rethink.

Unfold’s mission is simple:

• Eliminate marketing waste.

• Build systems that work.

• And make marketing something business owners and CEOs trust again.

We’re not chasing shiny objects.

Or changing logos, colours, or fonts just to look busy.

If it doesn’t move the needle, we don’t do it.

Because great marketing isn’t about rebrands or reactivity — it’s about building a system that actually delivers.

A clear message. A connected journey.

And the kind of improvements you can measure — not just admire.

Real People. Real Work. Real Results.

We’ve built a tight team of experts in strategy, SEO, automation, creative, and analytics.

No fluff. No layers. Just smart people doing smart work — with our clients right there with us.

Whether they’re hands-on or hands-off, we build together.

And we back it all with a test-learn-optimise cycle that never stops.

The 5% Mindset

The 5% isn’t a tagline. It’s the lens we use for everything.

We double down on what works.

And we cut what doesn’t.

It’s how we helped clients hit targets they thought were out of reach.

It’s how we keep delivering results in fast-changing markets.

And it’s how we plan to keep scaling — with clarity, control, and momentum.