expo 2020
dubai
New Zealand is globally recognised for its natural beauty, innovative thinking, and progressive values.
Industry
Nation Branding
Geography
UAE/GCC
Impact
Share of Voice + Perception Shift +
New Trade Relationships
Services
PR & Comms Strategy + Campaign +
Influencer Activation
" Mojo was appointed as the strategic communications partner for New Zealand's participation at Expo 2020 Dubai - tasked with building visibility, engaging regional audiences, and positioning New Zealand as a future-focused country committed to innovation, sustainability, and partnerships."
With 191 countries competing for attention at Expo 2020, New Zealand needed to stand out - not just with a pavilion experience, but with a nation brand that resonated deeply across the Gulf region.
The brief was to leverage Expo as a platform to drive long-term perception change and open commercial pathways across priority sectors including trade, investment, tourism, and education.
Mojo was responsible for delivering an integrated communications campaign that could cut through the noise, build affinity with regional audiences, and demonstrate how New Zealand lives its Expo theme:
Care for People and Place.
Mojo led the full regional rollout - developing a communications and media strategy spanning PR, content, social media, influencer engagement, digital advertising, and full-scale media operations across the six-month event.
The result: over 900 million people reached across paid, owned, and earned media. New Zealand ranked among the top 10 pavilions to visit and achieved the highest Share of Voice in earned media of any participating country. More than 1.24 million people visited the New Zealand Pavilion, and the campaign sparked meaningful dialogue around New Zealand's leadership in sustainability, food innovation, education, and inclusivity.
On the ground, the campaign enabled high-value connections between New Zealand exporters and international business leaders, and provided a platform for ministers and thought leaders to engage on global issues - from climate and biodiversity to food systems and economic resilience.
earned media impressions
share of voice (30%)
pavilion visitors
positive sentiment
paid media impressions
paid engagements
from far away
> to front of mind
Mojo helped New Zealand transform distance into relevance - shifting the nation from a remote destination to a bold, visible voice in the region's most important conversations.
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