The BIANZ, which runs the annual New Zealand Bakery of the Year competition, was recognised by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) at its International ECHO Awards in Las Vegas. BIANZ received a gold award in the ‘Business-to-Business and Consumer’ category for a campaign that cost less than $23,000, but received an estimated $3.8 million in free media.

In order to create more awareness, encouraging more entries and voting, BIANZ revamped the competition with a two-part marketing campaign. On 22 May 2007, a call for entries was sent to bakeries in the form of flour bags bearing the competition logo, designed to encourage visiting the website and registration.

On 5 July 2007, the viral marketing piece – gingerbread men doing the instantly recognisable haka – was sent to the public with the aim of driving people to vote. The campaign proved a success, with approximately 113 bakeries entering the contest, more than 10,000 votes cast and gingerbread men sales multiplying in registered bakeries.

The winning ‘Gingerbread Haka’ video can be viewed on the competition website.