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Human Digital partnered with Noel Leeming Commercial to shift from reactive lead generation to a structured B2B revenue full-funnel marketing approach, balancing brand, demand, and account customer focus.
A critical first step was identifying where to focus. Through market and audience research, we analysed key industries in New Zealand and selected the construction sector as the priority. This marked Noel Leeming Commercial’s first truly segmented, industry-specific campaign.
Grounded in real audience insight and local market data, we moved the brand away from a generic approach to tailored clear messaging focussed on a defined key customer group.
This shift transformed performance. Noel Leeming Commercial moved to a brand-led demand strategy, reducing cost-per-click (CPC) by 43% and increasing impressions by over 41% against industry benchmarks, while building long-term commercial preference beyond short-term lead volume.
The Challenge
The objectives were clear: increase visibility, strengthen reputation, improve engagement across priority industries, and generate higher-quality B2B leads. A key challenge to overcome was how marketing had become closely tied to short-term sales urgency, relying heavily on gated offers and immediate conversion tactics. This approach was actively hurting efficiency and long-term growth.
We identified a disconnect between strategy and buyer reality. Decision-makers were often in early research phases and not ready for hard conversion messaging. Without clearly defined positioning at the top of the funnel, the brand was being pushed into damaging price comparisons in a competitive New Zealand market.
The Human Digital Solution
We reframed the strategy around three connected pillars: Brand Awareness, Demand Generation, and Account-Based Marketing. The real barrier was not capability, but positioning at the right moment in the buying cycle.
Building on our initial industry research, we developed a campaign specifically tailored to the construction and civil engineering sector, aligning messaging, creative, and targeting to the needs of that audience.
While decision-makers were familiar with the Noel Leeming name, the association with a premium commercial partner needed strengthening. We repositioned the brand as a trusted partner for complex projects, shifting marketing from product promotion to strategic alignment.
We designed a LinkedIn-led B2B campaign that sequenced awareness, education, and conversion, ensuring lead capture was supported by brand strength.
This structured, insight-led approach delivered results that significantly outperformed industry benchmarks:
- Impressions 41.3% above benchmark
- Clicks 23.5% above benchmark
- 43% lower CPC than the industry benchmark
Crucially, this brand-first sequencing ensured demand activity captured audiences already primed through earlier brand exposure, improving engagement quality and resulting in 28 qualified B2B enquiries.
What We Delivered
- B2B revenue marketing strategy framework & media plan
- Industry research and segmentation
- Full-funnel LinkedIn campaign activation
- Structured awareness, demand, and retargeting sequencing
- Account-level and industry validation
- Continuous optimisation and performance reporting
- Strategic roadmap for future campaign waves
The Impact
The campaign demonstrated that brand and demand are most effective when structured together and when grounded in real audience and market insight.
By strengthening positioning before intensifying lead capture and by focusing on a clearly defined industry segment, Noel Leeming Commercial improved engagement quality and supported more sustainable B2B growth.
This was not simply about generating enquiries. It was about making smarter, data-led decisions, building long-term commercial preference, and protecting brand value in a competitive New Zealand market.
When brand, demand, and audience insight work together, growth becomes sustainable.
From the client
"Human Digital has been fantastic to work with. Their deep understanding of the Kiwi B2B environment and proactive communication on our LinkedIn trials helped us move from reactive activity to a more constructive, collaborative strategy. We value their ability to align campaign development with our specific commercial needs."
- Sherri Zhou, Retail and Commercial Marketing Lead
