INSIGHTS
Field notes on what actually moves growth - strategy, tech and the systems behind both.
We build and test marketing systems for a living - across financial services, considered-purchase consumer, industrial, and media - and this is where we show our workings. The frameworks we use, the tactics that compounded, and the ones that quietly failed (and exactly why). Some of it is long-form deconstruction. Some is closer to working notes than essays. All of it is written by me - not a content team, not a model left running unattended.
Most marketing content is engineered to flatter you. I'd rather hand you what we've actually seen at the coalface, including the expensive mistakes and the dead ends. If something here breaks how you're thinking about your own growth model - good. That's the point.
— Tim Parkman, Founder
Most Marketing Is a Waste. That’s Why We Focus on the 5% That Works.
Most marketing fails because it’s focused on the wrong things. This post shares the hard lessons that led to Unfold’s 5% mindset — and how it’s helping businesses build smarter, scalable marketing systems that actually deliver.
Search Isn’t Dead. It’s Just Smarter Now.
AI tools are changing how people search — and how brands get found. This piece breaks down what actually matters now, and how to stay visible when clicks give way to answers.
Efficiency, AI, and the Quest for Personalisation
Two reports, the Salesforce State of Marketing 2024 and the HubSpot State of Marketing 2024, offer insights into the current trends, challenges, and opportunities facing marketers.
“Nobody Reads Ads”… Except When They Do.
Most people say they ignore ads — but the truth is, they just ignore the bad ones. This post breaks down how clarity, relevance, and smart delivery turn overlooked ads into high-performing ones.
Social Media in China
It’s vast, fast-paced, driven by mobile, and of course, a very different language. The good news is that the fundamentals of social media still apply.
Start your digital transformation
Six ways to connect your digital approach with your organisation, and start your digital transformation.
Five things to do BEFORE you redevelop your website.
If you’re thinking of upgrading your website it might pay to stop and consider what quick wins you can gain from your existing website first.
The perfect antidote to the economic gloom - GROWTH
There are ALWAYS opportunities for growth, even in a downturn. Those growth opportunities can be right under your nose. Here’s how to hunt out those opportunities, and accelerate your growth.
A more direct approach to International Markets
Moving from a push to a pull strategy. NZ exporters are using technology to connect directly with customers in-market and actively drive growth.