Way back in 1999, when the world was freaking out about the Millenium Bug, a few of us were thinking about how to launch a new brand agency with a different take on backing our clients and building relationships for the long term - even if the whole world was about to end.
During that first year of the Fluid story we dealt with a global technology panic, a one hundred year flood and a number one hit by Westlife. Yep, tough times.
We were also taking part in a major growth period for New Zealand Tourism, which saw Queenstown booming and Fluid working alongside some of the icons of the industry. Our local clients helped us spread the word and before long we were building brands and making creative for all kinds of people with some pretty out there ideas.
The fun was just getting started and once again our location gave us an edge. For years, Queenstown has been a destination for adventure seekers and gravity junkies. Our ‘must-be-able-to-ride-a-bike’ policy attracted the right crew and set us up perfectly as a creative team who know how to balance deadlines with finish lines (especially on two wheels). We didn’t win many races but we learned how pull off an ollie.
Then, in 2009, the world looked like it was going to end, and the GFC decided to jam the brakes on for everyone. So what do you do when everyone tells you the sun’s not coming up tomorrow? Put on your sunglasses and head for the hills.
The start of the twentyteens was hard for everyone, everywhere. However, we knew we had a winning formula when the calls started coming in from manufacturers, winemakers, local government, retailers and a whole range of clients keen to get their message out from under the gloom.
All of a sudden businesses were looking for more than just creativity. The new landscape demanded a distinct point of difference and we responded by expanding our copywriting, image-creation, digital and more of the tools you’d expect from a full service agency. Once again Queenstown attracted a team of new creatives who had chosen to call the mountains home.
After nearly a decade of steady growth, by 2017 it was time to expand the team once again with new Directors Bex Woollard and Reece McChlery stepping up to join Tim Buckley at the helm. After a couple of years re-shaping the Fluid experience we were ready for anything.
Except a global pandemic...
After the initial shock of 2019, we all got together, decided we weren’t taking it lying down and set up the studio in our spare rooms and on our dining tables. We also did what any company would do in the face of impending doom, we bought another business.
Anna Brensell from Goanna Design on the East Coast suggested we should be working together and before long our team grew once more. We evolved into a multi-office, flexible team of designers, project managers, producers, strategists and digital marketers all sharing the same idea; look after each other, look after your clients and look after the work. The rest as they say, is history.
For the last twenty five years we’ve been imagining, creating and designing the future for all kinds of people in all kinds of sectors with some huge ambitions. Throughout that time, South Island New Zealand has been home. A place where success follows great ideas and hard yakka serves up a healthy dose of inspiration, talent and personal growth.
Happy Birthday everyone, it’s been a long and winding torrent of good times stitched together by many cups of tea and the odd global crisis. Here’s to the next twenty five.
All the Best from the Fluid crew, September 2024
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